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NorthernLight IRL: Infiniti Drivers Side-By-Side in Kentucky Starting Grid

27 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Sparta, Ky.-- Infiniti drivers Eddie Cheever Jr. and Robbie Buhl qualified side-by-side on the eighth row of the starting grid for The Belterra Resort Indy 300 on Aug. 27.

Cheever was the top Infiniti qualifier, putting the No. 51 Excite@Home car in 15th place with a 215.191 mph lap. Buhl was just over a hundreth of a second slower with a 215.088 mph lap in the No. 24 Team Purex/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car.

Cheever and Buhl's fastest lap times in the challenge for the MBNA Pole (25.094, and 25.106 seconds respectively) were less than half a second slower then first time pole winner Scott Goodyear, who qualified with a 24.636 second lap (219.191 mph). The ultra competitive lineup has less than 1.4 seconds separating the 27-car field.

On the air: The Belterra Resort Indy 300 will be televised live on ESPN at 2:30 p.m. (EDT) Aug. 27. "Indy Racing 2Day" will be televised at 11 a.m. (EDT) Aug. 27 on ESPN2.

QUOTES

Eddie Cheever Jr., No. 51 Excite@Home Dallara-Infiniti: "The #51 Excite@Home Infiniti did okay, not great, in qualifying. It's about what we expected. Of all the races this year, Kentucky has been the most difficult for us. We've done five days of testing at this circuit, but our package is not working as well here as it has at other tracks. But qualifying is one thing -- the race is another. I will take the rear wing off my car, put some mayonnaise on it, and eat it if Goodyear and Salazar can do those times in the race tomorrow."

Robbie Buhl, No. 24 Team Purex/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G Force-Infiniti: "Sure, we would have liked to qualify a little bit higher, there are no two ways about that, but I think we have a really good race car. I can put it anywhere on the race track. It feels good in traffic. I am very happy with what we have accomplished with that. We are happy with our power. Nothing is missing a beat. Race day is always different than qualifying. We just have to do it then."

STARTING LINEUP

1. Scott Goodyear, 219.191
2. Eliseo Salazar, 219.067
3. Greg Ray, 219.031
4. Sarah Fisher, 217.672
5. Jeff Ward, 217.540
6. Jeret Schroeder, 216.554
7. Buddy Lazier, 216.546
8. Donnie Beechler, 216.450
9. Davey Hamilton, 215.931
10. Jaques Lazier, 215.681
11. Buzz Calkins, 215.681
12. Jimmy Kite, 215.681
13. Tyce Carlson, 215.612
14. Al Unser Jr., 215.294
*15. Eddie Cheever Jr., 215.191
*16. Robbie Buhl, 215.088
17. Shigeaki Hattori, 215.071
18. Scott Sharp, 214.951
19. Robby McGehee, 214.925
20. Sam Hornish Jr., 214.917
21. Stephan Gregoire, 214.458
22. Billy Boat, 213.870
23. Airton Dare, 212.465
24. Mark Dismore, 212.440
25. Roberto Guerrero, 210.117
26. J.J. Yeley, 208.575
27. Stevie Reeves, 207.525

Text provided by Heather Handley

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