IRL: New 3.5 liter IRL Aurora V8 continues Oldsmobile's win streak
30 January 2000
NEW 3.5-LITER IRL AURORA V8 CONTINUES OLDSMOBILE'S WINNING STREAK
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The first race of the 2000 Indy Racing League
season saw new engines, new chassis, and new drivers on the roller coaster
Walt Disney World Speedway one-mile oval - but the final result was very
familiar as Oldsmobile's IRL Aurora V8 scored its 30th consecutive IRL
victory.
Oldsmobile's winning streak was in jeopardy until the final seconds of
the Delphi Indy 200. With three laps to go, Eddie Cheever Jr, the only
Infiniti driver in the 26 car field, was leading the 200-lap contest, with
Oldsmobile drivers Robbie Buhl and Buddy Lazier in close pursuit. As
Cheever slowed to avoid traffic on lap 198, Buhl made an opportunistic pass
to take the lead. Lazier also drove by Cheever to give Oldsmobile a 1-2
finish.
"My car was better that Cheever's in Turn 1, but that didn't
necessarily mean I could get by him," said Buhl, who scored his second
career IRL win by a 3.165-second margin of victory. "It was just a matter
of waiting for traffic and seeing who was going to get hung up - and it
worked to our advantage.
"We were capable of winning, and we put ourselves in position to
win," Buhl declared. "That's what racing on one-mile ovals is all about."
The season-opening race marked the competition debut of the new
3.5-liter version of the undefeated IRL Aurora V8 racing engine. A new
180-degree crankshaft, a revised firing order, and a higher 10,700 rpm rev
limit (up from 10,000 rpm in 1999) brought a new sound of speed to the
open-wheel series.
"Even sitting in the driver's seat, you can hear the motors, and
they sound very racy," reported runner-up Lazier. "The horsepower is very
similar to where we started with 4-liter engines in '97, and I don't think
it will be long before we get the horsepower back where it was. The smaller
engines aren't quite as fast at the end of the straightaway, but with the
increased rpm, they get up and go. Obviously the new engines are very
reliable. I think it's a super package."
Buhl started 22nd after rain washed out qualifying and the starting
grid was determined by last season's entrant points. Team manager Mitch
Davis called for a pit stop when the first yellow flag flew on lap 24.
That savvy call gained valuable track position and put Buhl in contact with
the leaders.
"We started at the back, but I knew if we could get an early yellow
and get out of sequence, we could have the lead," said Davis. "The car
was prepared meticulously. We tested 200 miles here and didn't have even a
blip."
Al Unser Jr. made his IRL debut in Galles ECR Racing's
Ticket.com Oldsmobile G-Force. Unser started 24th based on his practice
speed, since the new team had no points from the previous season. He was
moved swiftly through the field and was running in the Top Ten, but retired
from the race with a mechanical problem after 64 laps.
The race was slowed by eight caution periods for a total of 65
laps. Drivers Davey Hamilton and Jaques Lazier were transported to Orlando
Regional Medical Center for further observation after single-car accidents.
IRL medical director Dr. Henry Bock reported that both drivers were awake
and alert but complaining of back pain.
Development of the new generation of 3.5-liter engines will continue
when the IRL travels of the Valley of the Sun for the second round of the
ten-race series at Phoenix International Raceway on March 19, 2000.
RACE SUMMARY:
Track: Walt Disney World Speedway, 1-mile oval
Winner: Robbie Buhl, Team Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Oldsmobile G-Force
Margin of Victory: 3.165 seconds
Average Speed: 102.292 mph
Top Five Finishers:
Pos./Driver/Engine Laps
1. Robbie Buhl/Oldsmobile 200
2. Buddy Lazier/Oldsmobile 200
3. Eddie Cheever Jr./Infiniti 200
4. Scott Goodyer/Oldsmobile 200
5. Eliseo Salazer/Oldsmobile 200
Pole: Greg Ray/Oldsmobile
(Qualifying canceled due to rain; starting grid determined by 1999 team
points and practice speeds)
Fastest Lap: Mark Dismore/Oldsmobile, 162.126 mph
Manufacturer Results:
Oldsmobile Nissan
Laps Led 192 8
Starters 25 1
Running
at Finish 17 1
Winning Oldsmobile Engine Builder: Brayton Engineering
POINT STANDINGS:
(After 1 of 10 events)
Driver/Engine Wins Points
1. Robbie Buhl/Olds 1 52
2. Buddy Lazier/Olds 0 40
3. Eddie Cheever Jr./Infiniti 0 35
4. Scott Goodyear/Olds 0 32
5. Eliseo Salazer/Olds 0 30
Manufacturer Wins Points
1. Oldsmobile 1 10
2. Nissan 0 7
NEXT RACE:
Phoenix International Raceway; Sunday, March 19, 2000
TV: ABC live, 4 p.m. Eastern