2000 Indy Racing League

none November 2023 February 2025 Indy Racing League 2000 Indy Racing Northern Light Series logo.png 2000 Indy Racing League 250px Indy Racing Northern Light Series 10 9 January 29 October 15 USA Buddy Lazier USA Oldsmobile BRA Airton Daré COL Juan Pablo Montoya 1999 2001right horizontal 300 Buddy Lazier 2008 Indy 500 Bump Day.jpg Scott Goodyear 2008 Indy 500 Second Qual Day.jpg Buddy Lazier (left) won his first and only Drivers' Championship while Scott Goodyear (right) finished second in the championship. The 2000 Indy Racing Northern Light Series was the fifth season of the Indy Racing League. The season consisted of nine races, all on oval circuits. The showcase event of the season was the 84th running of the Indianapolis 500. The season saw a high level of parity, as only one driver, champion Buddy Lazier, won more than a single race. It also saw the beginning of the jump from CART as Al Unser Jr. moved to the series full-time and Chip Ganassi Racing came over to run the Indianapolis 500, which it won with driver Juan Pablo Montoya. It was also the final season for the Riley & Scott chassis, which also saw its first series win in 2000. A planned race at Cleveland – which would have been the Indy Racing League's first road course event – was cancelled on September 9, 1999, and reverted to a CART event. Confirmed entries The 5 year tire war between Goodyear and Firestone in both CART and the IRL ended after Goodyear left both series as a tire supplier in 1999. This meant from this season onward all teams used Firestone tires. ChassisEngine No. Car numberDriversRounds USA Team Menard Dallara Oldsmobile 1 USA Greg Ray All 32 USA Robby Gordon 4 USA Galles Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 3 USA Al Unser Jr. All USA Panther Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 4 CAN Scott Goodyear All USA Treadway Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 5 USA Robby McGehee All50 USA Jason Leffler orange R silver 4 55 3 BRA Raul Boesel 4 JPN Shigeaki Hattori orange R silver 5–9 USA Tri Star Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 6 USA Jeret Schroeder orange R silver All 9 USA Robby Unser 1 21 USA Dr. Jack Miller 3–4 BRA Zak Morioka orange R silver 9 USA Dick Simon Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 7 FRA Stéphan Grégoire All 90 USA Lyn St. James 4 USA Kelley Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 8 USA Scott Sharp All 28 USA Mark Dismore All USA Target Chip Ganassi Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 9 COL Juan Pablo Montoya orange R silver 4 10 USA Jimmy Vasser 4 USA A. J. Foyt Enterprises G-Force Oldsmobile 11CHL Eliseo Salazar All 14USA Jeff Ward All 41 USA Billy Boat 4 USA Bradley Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 12 USA Buzz Calkins AllUSA Walker RacingRiley & ScottOldsmobile15USA Sarah Fisher orange R silver2–3 Dallara 4–9 USA Team Xtreme G-Force Oldsmobile 16 Ran as #42 at Round 1. USA John Hollansworth Jr. 1 USA Davey Hamilton 2–8 USA Jaques Lazier 9 88 BRA Airton Daré orange R silver All USA Nienhouse Motorsports G-Force Oldsmobile 17SWE Niclas Jönsson orange R silver 2 USA Scott Harrington 3–4 USA PDM Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 18 USA Sam Hornish Jr. orange R silver 1–6, 8–9 USA Logan Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 19USA Billy Roe 5–6USA Stevie Reeves orange R silver 7–9 USA Hubbard-Immke Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 20 USA Tyce Carlson 1–3, 5–9COL Roberto Guerrero4 USA Indy Regency Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 22 USA Johnny Unser 4 USA Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G-Force Infiniti 23 USA Steve Knapp 424USA Robbie Buhl1–3Oldsmobile 4–9 USA Blueprint Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 27SWE Niclas Jönsson orange R silver 1 USA Jimmy Kite 2–9USA Byrd-McCormack RacingRiley & ScottOldsmobile29USA Robby Unser430 5–6 G-Force USA Jon Herb orange R silver 1 USA Ronnie Johncox 2–3Riley & Scott4 USA J. J. Yeley 7–9 USA Truscelli Team Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 33 USA Jaques Lazier 1, 3–6 USA Bobby Regester orange R silver 2USA Team Coulson RacingG-ForceOldsmobile40USA Davy Jones4 COL Roberto Guerrero 8 CAN Mid America Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 43 CAN Doug Didero orange R silver 1–6 USA Scott Harrington 7 USA Jaques Lazier 8 USA Davey Hamilton 9 USA Sinden Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 44 USA Davey Hamilton 1 USA Fast Track Racing Enterprises Dallara Oldsmobile 48 USA Andy Hillenburg orange R silver 4USA Dan Drinan orange R silver4USA Team CheeverRiley & ScottInfiniti51USA Eddie Cheever1–2 Dallara 3–952USA Ross Cheever4 USA Pagan Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 75 USA Richie Hearn 4 USA Team Pelfrey Dallara Oldsmobile 81 USA Billy Boat 1–3, 5–982USA Memo Gidley4USA Hemelgarn RacingRiley & ScottOldsmobile91USA Buddy Lazier1–3 Dallara 4–9 92 USA Stan Wattles 4 USA Cahill Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 98 USA Donnie Beechler All Schedule Rnd Date Race Name Track City 1 January 29 Delphi Indy 200 Walt Disney World Speedway Bay Lake, Florida 2 March 19 MCI WorldCom Indy 200 Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix, Arizona 3 April 22 Vegas Indy 300 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nevada 4 May 28 84th Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana 5 June 11 Casino Magic 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas 6 June 18 Radisson 200 Pikes Peak International Raceway Fountain, Colorado 7 July 15 Midas 500 Classic Atlanta Motor Speedway Hampton, Georgia 8 August 27 Belterra Resort Indy 300 Kentucky Speedway Sparta, Kentucky9 October 15 Excite 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, TexasSources:NTT IndyCar Series Calendar 2000 https://motorsportstats.com/series/ntt-indycar-series/calendar/2000 Motorsport Stats November 17, 20232000 Schedule http://www.indyracingleague.com/schedule.html Indy Racing League November 17, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20000621004751/http://www.indyracingleague.com/schedule.html June 21, 2000 dead Results Rd.RacePole positionFastest lapMost laps ledRace winner DriverTeamChassisEngine 1 Walt Disney World USA Greg Ray USA Mark Dismore USA Robbie Buhl USA Robbie Buhl Dreyer & Reinbold RacingG-ForceOldsmobile 2 Phoenix USA Greg Ray USA Tyce Carlson USA Scott Sharp USA Buddy LazierHemelgarn RacingRiley & ScottOldsmobile 3 Las Vegas USA Mark Dismore USA Mark Dismore USA Mark Dismore USA Al Unser Jr.Galles RacingG-ForceOldsmobile 4 Indianapolis USA Greg Ray USA Buddy Lazier COL Juan Pablo Montoya COL Juan Pablo Montoya Chip Ganassi RacingG-ForceOldsmobile 5 Texas 1 USA Buddy Lazier USA Eddie Cheever USA Al Unser Jr. USA Scott SharpKelley RacingDallaraOldsmobile 6 Pikes Peak USA Greg Ray USA Buzz Calkins USA Scott Sharp USA Eddie CheeverTeam CheeverDallaraInfiniti 7 Atlanta USA Greg Ray USA Donnie Beechler USA Greg Ray USA Greg RayTeam MenardDallaraOldsmobile 8 Kentucky CAN Scott Goodyear USA Buddy Lazier CAN Scott Goodyear USA Buddy LazierHemelgarn RacingDallaraOldsmobile 9 Texas 2 USA Greg Ray USA Jaques Lazier USA Al Unser Jr. CAN Scott GoodyearPanther RacingDallaraOldsmobile Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway. Race summaries Delphi Indy 200 The final Delphi Indy 200 race was held January 29 at Walt Disney World Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole. Top ten results 24- Robbie Buhl 91- Buddy Lazier 51- Eddie Cheever 4- Scott Goodyear 11- Eliseo Salazar 98- Donnie Beechler 14- Jeff Ward 12- Buzz Calkins 81- Billy Boat 55- Robby McGehee This was Robbie Buhl's 2nd and final IndyCar victory. This was the final Indy Racing League event at the track. MCI WorldCom Indy 200 This race was held March 19 at Phoenix International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole. Top ten results 91- Buddy Lazier 4- Scott Goodyear 98- Donnie Beechler 11- Eliseo Salazar 8- Scott Sharp 81- Billy Boat 24- Robbie Buhl 7- Stephan Gregoire 3- Al Unser Jr. 51- Eddie Cheever This was the first victory for the Riley & Scott chassis Vegas Indy 300 This race was held April 22 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mark Dismore won the pole. Top ten results 3- Al Unser Jr. 28- Mark Dismore 18- Sam Hornish Jr. orange R silver 6- Jeret Schroeder orange R silver 24- Robbie Buhl 5- Robby McGehee 81- Billy Boat 20- Tyce Carlson 1- Greg Ray 33- Jaques Lazier This was Al Unser Jr.'s 1st victory since the 1995 CART Molson Indy Vancouver and his 1st IRL victory. 84th Indianapolis 500 The Indy 500 was held May 28 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Greg Ray sat on pole. Top ten results 9- Juan Pablo Montoya orange R silver 91- Buddy Lazier 11- Eliseo Salazar 14- Jeff Ward 51- Eddie Cheever 32- Robby Gordon 10- Jimmy Vasser 7- Stephan Gregoire 4- Scott Goodyear 8- Scott Sharp Juan Pablo Montoya was the 1st rookie since Graham Hill (1966) to win the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie. Buddy Lazier took over the points lead after this race by 26 points over Robbie Buhl. Casino Magic 500 This race was held June 11 at Texas Motor Speedway. Qualifying was rained out and Buddy Lazier was on the pole based on points standings. Top ten results 8- Scott Sharp 5- Robby McGehee 3- Al Unser Jr. 12- Buzz Calkins 4- Scott Goodyear 28- Mark Dismore 91- Buddy Lazier 55- Shigeaki Hattori orange R silver 51- Eddie Cheever 88- Airton Daré orange R silver This was Robby McGehee's best ever finish. Shigeaki Hattori debuts after a disappointing 1999 CART season which ended after his CART competition license was revoked at Laguna Seca. Radisson 200 This race was held June 18 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole. Top ten results 51- Eddie Cheever 88- Airton Daré orange R silver 8- Scott Sharp 28- Mark Dismore 98- Donnie Beechler 11- Eliseo Salazar 6- Jeret Schroeder orange R silver 7- Stephan Gregoire 33- Jaques Lazier 3- Al Unser Jr. This was the Infiniti engine's 1st victory. This was Cheevers penultimate IndyCar victory. Midas 500 Classic This race was held July 15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole. Top ten results 1- Greg Ray 91- Buddy Lazier 3- Al Unser Jr. 5- Robby McGehee 98- Donnie Beechler 24- Robbie Buhl 7- Stephan Gregoire 81- Billy Boat 55- Shigeaki Hattori orange R silver 11- Eliseo Salazar Belterra Resort Indy 300 The inaugural Indy Racing League event was held August 27 at Kentucky Speedway. Scott Goodyear won the pole. Top ten results 91- Buddy Lazier 4- Scott Goodyear 15- Sarah Fisher orange R silver 51- Eddie Cheever 7- Stephan Gregoire 14- Jeff Ward 1- Greg Ray 55- Shigeaki Hattori orange R silver 18- Sam Hornish Jr. orange R silver 98- Donnie Beechler This was Roberto Guerrero's final IndyCar race he qualified for. He would blow an engine after completing 48 laps and would finish 23rd. Sarah Fisher becomes the first woman to lead laps and finish on the Podium in an IRL race. Excite 500 This race was held October 15 at Texas Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole. Top ten results 4- Scott Goodyear 51- Eddie Cheever 81- Billy Boat 91- Buddy Lazier 11- Eliseo Salazar 98- Donnie Beechler 55- Shigeaki Hattori orange R silver 14- Jeff Ward 12- Buzz Calkins 16- Jaques Lazier This was the final race victory for Scott Goodyear as he lost his ride to Sam Hornish Jr. in the off-season, then during the 2001 Indianapolis 500 he would suffer career ending injuries after a huge accident during that race. Points standings List of American Championship car racing point scoring systems Pos Driver WDW PHX LVS INDY TMS1 PPR ATL KEN TMS2 Pts 1USA Buddy Lazier 2 1 22 2 7 26 2 1 4 290 2CAN Scott Goodyear 4 2 12 9 5 16 11 2* 1 272 3USA Eddie Cheever 3 10 11 5 9 1 21 4 2 257 4CHL Eliseo Salazar 5 4 18 3 17 6 10 25 5 210 5USA Mark Dismore 16 16 2* 11 6 4 18 11 14 202 6USA Donnie Beechler 6 3 26 12 22 5 5 10 6 202 7USA Scott Sharp 15 5* 27 10 1 3* 16 24 13 196 8USA Robbie Buhl 1* 7 5 26 18 23 6 13 18 190 9USA Al Unser Jr. 25 9 1 29 3* 10 3 27 17* 188 10USA Billy Boat 9 6 7 15 23 18 8 18 3 181 11USA Jeff Ward 7 11 21 4 19 15 19 6 8 176 12USA Robby McGehee 10 24 6 21 2 13 4 14 24 174 13USA Greg Ray 17 19 9 33 15 20 1* 7 26 172 14FRA Stéphan Grégoire 18 8 28 8 11 8 7 5 20 171 15USA Buzz Calkins 8 23 25 18 4 12 23 12 9 145 16BRA Airton Daré yellow RY silver 11 22 14 25 10 2 25 19 12 142 17USA Jeret Schroeder orange R silver 19 12 4 14 21 7 24 26 16 136 18USA Sarah Fisher orange R silver 13 17 31 12 25 14 3 11 124 19USA Tyce Carlson 13 15 8 Wth 13 11 13 22 23 124 20USA Jaques Lazier 23 10 13 14 9 20 10 112 21USA Sam Hornish Jr. orange R silver 20 17 3 24 20 19 9 27 110 22JPN Shigeaki Hattori orange R silver 8 17 9 8 7 109 23USA Davey Hamilton 26 18 20 20 24 14 15 16 19 98 24USA Jimmy Kite 26 16 30 16 24 12 17 21 79 25COL Juan Pablo Montoya 1* 54 26CAN Doug Didero orange R silver 14 25 19 DNQ 27 22 43 27USA Ronnie Johncox 14 13 Wth 33 28USA J. J. Yeley 17 15 25 33 29USA Robby Gordon 6 28 30USA Jason Leffler orange R silver 15 17 28 31SWE Niclas Jönsson orange R silver 12 21 27 32USA Jimmy Vasser 7 26 33USA Stevie Reeves orange R silver 22 21 22 25 34USA Robby Unser 24 DNQ 26 21 19 35USA Scott Harrington 23 DNQ 20 17 36BRA Zak Morioka orange R silver 15 15 37BRA Raul Boesel 16 14 38USA Steve Knapp 19 11 39USA Bobby Regester orange R silver 20 10 40USA John Hollansworth Jr. 21 9 41USA Jon Herb orange R silver 22 8 42USA Johnny Unser 22 8 43USA Stan Wattles 23 7 44COL Roberto Guerrero DNQ 23 7 45USA Dr. Jack Miller 24 DNQ 6 46USA Billy Roe 25 5 47USA Richie Hearn 27 3 48USA Andy Hillenburg orange R silver 28 2 49USA Lyn St. James 32 1 –USA Dan Drinan DNQ 0 –USA Memo Gidley DNQ 0 –USA Davy Jones DNQ 0 –USA Ross Cheever Wth 0 –JPN Hideshi Matsuda Wth 0 Pos Driver WDW PHX LVS INDY TMS1 PPR ATL KEN TMS2 Pts Color Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green 4th & 5th place Light Blue 6th–10th place Dark Blue Finished(Outside Top 10) Purple Did not finish(Ret) Red Did not qualify(DNQ) Brown Withdrawn(Wth) Black Disqualified(DSQ) White Did not start(DNS) Blank Did notparticipate(DNP) Not competing In-line notationBoldPole position(2 points)ItalicsRan fastest race lap*Led most race laps(1 point)DNSAny driver who qualifiesbut does not start (DNS),earns all the pointshad they taken part.yellow RY silver Rookie of the Yearorange R silver Rookie Ties in points broken by number of wins, followed by number of 2nds, 3rds, etc., and then by number of pole positions, followed by number of times qualified 2nd, etc. Additional points were awarded to the pole winner (3 points), the second best qualifier (2 points), the third best qualifier (1 point) and to the driver leading the most laps (2 point). See also 2000 Indianapolis 500 2000 Indy Lights season 2000 CART season 2000 Toyota Atlantic Championship season https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065043/http://www.champcarstats.com/year/2000i.htm http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053905/http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf 2016-03-04 (p. 130–131) References Bibliography Johnson Paul Indy Review 2000, Volume 10: Complete Coverage of the 2000 Indy Racing League Season 2000 MBI Publishing Company St. Paul, MN en 978-0-7603-0970-4 Indy Racing League Category:IndyCar Series seasons Indy Racing League