1996 Winner B. Lazier To Team Up Again With Hemelgarn For Indy 500

Buddy Lazier has recorded six top-10 finishes at Indianapolis since 1996, including a victory in 1996.
By Tim Harms
indy500.com
Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Indy 500 Entry List

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."

***

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.


Related Stories



Indianapolis 500 Talkback Post Comment