Northern Light IRL: Lazier and Cheever pleased to earn All America honors

13 December 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

INDIANAPOLIS- Below are information capsules, including quotes, about 2000 Northern Light Cup winner Buddy Lazier and Northern Light Series standout Eddie Cheever Jr., who were named to the All-America Auto Racing Team this week.

Lazier, from Vail, Colo., was one of two members of the first team in the Open Wheel category as selected by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association. He is eligible for the prestigious Jerry Titus Award as driver of the year, which will be announced at the annual AARWBA banquet Jan. 13 in Pomona, Calif.

Cheever was named to the second team.

BUDDY LAZIER

Age: 33
Residence: Vail, Colo.
Team: Hemelgarn Racing
Car: Delta Faucet/Coors Light/Tae-Bo/Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone
Wins in 2000: Two
Other 2000 accomplishments: Won first Northern Light Cup with 290 points, earning $1 million bonus from series sponsor Northern Light Finished runner-up in Indianapolis 500 Earned Indy Racing victories at Phoenix and Kentucky. Win at Phoenix came after starting 26th and last Led Northern Light Series money list with $2,176,200 Finished in the top five in six of nine Northern Light Series starts Second in laps led with 242.
Quote: I feel very proud of that award. I think in 1988 I was named to the junior All-America team after success in Can-Am. Now, following through full swing with being named to the first team is fantastic. The people who vote on this cover racing full time. They know the sport. Its a special award coming from some very race-savvy people. Im very honored.

EDDIE CHEEVER JR.

Age: 42
Residence: Orlando, Fla.
Team: Team Cheever
Car: #51 Excite@Home Indy Race Car Dallara/Infiniti/Firestone
Victories in 2000: One
Other 2000 accomplishments: Earned first victory for an Infiniti-powered car in Northern Light Series history by winning at Pikes Peak Finished third in Northern Light Cup standings with 257 points Second in laps completed with 1,711 One of three drivers to be running at the finish of eight of nine races, tying the series best Finished in the top five in five of nine Northern Light Series starts Won IROC round at Michigan, becoming first open-wheel driver to triumph in all-star series since 1997.
Quote: We had a very good year with Excite@Home and Infiniti. Even though I was in the running for the championship in both series that I competed in -- Indy Racing and IROC -- I can see that the only way to get on the All-America first team is to win a series title. Im honored that this is my fifth time on the second team, but next year Im aiming to accommodate my journalist friends and make it on to the first team.

Text provided by Paul Kelly

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