IRL: Luyendyk, Lazier Zero in on $3 Million Milestone at Pikes Peak

8 August 1998

FOUNTAIN, Colo., -- Indianapolis 500 champion Arie Luyendyk should become the first driver to top the $3 million mark in Pep Boys Indy Racing League career earnings at the Radisson 200 on Aug. 16 at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

If fellow Indy winner Buddy Lazier records a strong finish, he also would push his IRL earnings past $3 million.

Luyendyk, driver of the Fred Treadway-owned Sprint PCS-RadioShack-QUALCOMM G Force/Aurora/Firestone, has competed in all 20 IRL races and collected checks totaling $2,986,653. His earnings include $1,568,150, the largest league purse ever, for winning the 1997 Indy 500 from the pole.

The Flying Dutchman will return to IRL competition after suffering a slight concussion in a tremendous crash July 31 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the inaugural IROC race at the Brickyard.

Lazier trails Luyendyk by $50,149 in earnings. Lazier, driver of the Hemelgarn Racing-Delta Faucet-Coors Light Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear machine owned by Ron Hemelgarn, has a career total of $2,936,504. He missed the IRL's second race ever at Phoenix in 1996 when he crashed and suffered broken bones in his back and elsewhere. Still, he came to Indy two months later -- barely able to walk -- and won the "500," picking up a check for $1,367,854. Lazier lives in Vail, Colo.

Eddie Cheever Jr., winner of the Indy 500 this year, ranks third in career earnings with $2,585,953. Defending league champion Tony Stewart is the other driver to top $2 million, with $2,229,803. Stewart won the IRL's inaugural race at Pikes Peak last year, providing himself and car owner John Menard an Indy-style victory.

Stewart collected a whopping check of $161,500. Stewart led 193 laps of that race and has been the front-runner a mind-boggling 1,503 laps in 20 races.

Cheever is a runaway leader on the money-winning list for the current season with $1,611,200. His Indy 500 purse of $1,433,000 heavily boosted the total. Rounding out the top five are: Stewart, $790,050; Lazier, $786,100, Kenny Brack, $679,900, and points leader Scott Sharp, $659,800.

Sixteen drivers have won at least $1 million since the league's inception. And John Paul Jr., with $996,803, should add his name to the list in the Radisson 200.

Following is a list of the $1 million winners in Pep Boys IRL competition at the 20-race milestone. The number of races each has run follows his winnings in parenthesis.

1.      Arie Luyendyk    $2,986,653 (20)        9.      Billy Boat 1,233,800 (11)
2.      Buddy Lazier      2,936,504 (19)        10.     Roberto Guerrero1,230,803 (17)
3.      Eddie Cheever Jr. 2,585,953 (19)        11.     Robbie Buhl 1,214,553 (15)
4.      Tony Stewart      2,229,803 (20)        12.     Mike Groff 1,159,903 (12)
5.      Davey Hamilton    1,677,053 (20)        13.     Stephan Gregoire1,159,853 (19)
6.      Scott Goodyear    1,550,100 (15)        14.     Marco Greco 1,101,953 (18)
7.      Buzz Calkins      1,349,703 (17)        15.     Kenny Brack 1,099,100 (14)
8.      Scott Sharp       1,314,253 (15)        16.     Jim Guthrie 1,003,253 (14)

RADISSON 200 NOTEBOOK

Event schedule: The second annual Radisson 200 is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. (MDT) Aug. 16. PPG Pole qualifying starts at noon Aug. 15.

Pep Boys IRL practice sessions will start at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Aug. 14, and 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Aug. 15.

Broadcast schedule: The Radisson 200 will be televised live on ABC at 4 p.m. (EDT) Aug. 16. PPG Pole qualifying will be televised live on SpeedVision at 2 p.m. (EDT) Aug. 15.

The IMS Radio Network will broadcast the race live at 4 p.m. (EDT) Aug. 16, with a prerace show starting at 3:30 p.m. A 30-minute qualifying highlights show will start at 5:30 p.m. (EDT) Aug. 15.

Radisson 200 tickets: Tickets for the Radisson 200 are available by calling Pikes Peak International Raceway at (888) 306-7223 or (888) 511-PPIR.