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Northern Light IRL: Gregoire to show Indy Racing speed to NASCAR fans at Phoenix

5 November 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
INDIANAPOLIS-- Indy Racing veteran Stephan Gregoire will give NASCAR Winston Cup Series fans a taste of open-wheel speed on Nov. 5, driving his Northern Light Series car in demonstration laps at Phoenix International Raceway.

Gregoires laps will coincide with the Checker Auto Parts/Dura Lube 500K NASCAR Winston Cup Series race the same day at PIR. The Indy Racing Northern Light Series will start its 2001 season March 18 on the 1-mile oval at PIR as part of the Copper World Classic.

"Its a great opportunity not only for me and my team, but for the Indy Racing Northern Light Series to show the fans in the grandstands how fast the Indy cars will run at Phoenix," Gregoire said. "NASCAR has some very enthusiastic fans, and I am sure there are many of them who have never seen an Indy car run before.

"I hope we can run enough laps to get up to speed and show these fans just how fast we run. I think its a great opportunity, and I am very happy to do it."

Gregoire could exceed 170 mph during his demonstration laps in the Team Mexmil/Dick Simon Racing G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone. The fastest lap ever turned by a Winston Cup car at PIR is 132.714 mph by John Andretti in November 1999.

A Pennzoil Indy Racing car also will be on display in the midway at PIR this weekend.

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Indy Racing promotion in Miami: Young Northern Light Series stars Airton Dare, Robby McGehee and Jimmy Kite will participate in KISS Countrys "Thunder Road" on Nov. 4 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The drivers will promote the debut of Indy Racing in Miami at the Grand Prix of Miami on April 8, 2001, at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Top country-music acts will perform during "Thunder Road." Dare, McGehee and Kite will sign autographs in the "Celebrity Lane" section of the midway. A TeamXtreme Indy Racing car also will be on display.

Text Provided By Paul Kelly

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.