By Tim Harms
indy500.com
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Ron Hemelgarn and Buddy Lazier are reuniting to compete in the 92nd Indianapolis 500.
Lazier, the 1996 winner of the 500-Mile Race and the 2000 IndyCar Series champion with Hemelgarn Racing, will drive the No. 91 Hemelgarn Johnson Dallara/Honda/Firestone as he attempts to qualify for his 16th Indianapolis 500.
Lazier made his Indy 500 debut in 1991 in a Hemelgarn-Byrd entry and won "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" on his fourth attempt, leading 43 laps in 1996 just two months after suffering severe back injuries in a crash at Phoenix. Last year, Lazier advanced three positions to finish 19th in a Sam Schmidt Motorsports car.
Colorado native Lazier ranks third on the all-time Indianapolis 500 career earnings list, with $5,271,540. He enjoyed a superb run at the Speedway from 1996-2000, finishing in the top seven for five consecutive years, including runner-up finishes in 1998 and 2000.
For Hemelgarn, this year marks the 30th year he has participated in the Indianapolis 500 as either a sponsor or team owner.
"Buddy and I go back to 1989," Hemelgarn said about when Lazier passed his rookie test at Indy. "We've had great success together winning races, winning a championship and winning the Indianapolis 500. We're assembling a team again to run the '500.' We're all very excited about it.
"We have the same crew chief as our championship year; Lee Kunzman is still there. We're looking forward to it. It's an exciting time, and hopefully we'll do well."
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2008 IMS tickets: Tickets for all three world-class events in 2008 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - the 92nd Indianapolis 500, 15th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP - are on sale.
Fans have three easy methods to buy tickets: Online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com at any time; on the phone by calling (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or (317) 492-6700 locally between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; or visiting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office on the first floor of the IMS Administration Building at 4790 W. 16th St. in Indianapolis from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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