2000 Indy Racing League

2000 Indy Racing League season
Indy Racing Northern Light Series
2000 Indy Racing League
Season
Races 10 9
Start date January 29
End date October 15
Awards
Drivers' champion United States Buddy Lazier
Indianapolis 500 winner Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya

Buddy Lazier (left) won his second Drivers' Championship (second straight title) while Scott Goodyear (right) finished second in the championship.

The 2000 Indy Racing Northern Light Series was another season that 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 Indy 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 was cancelled on September 9, 2000, and reverted to a CART event.

Team and driver chart

Team Chassis Engine No. Drivers Rounds
United States Team Menard Dallara Oldsmobile 1 United States Greg Ray All
United States Galles Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 3 United States Al Unser Jr. All
United States Panther Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 4 Canada Scott Goodyear All
United States Treadway Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 5 United States Robby McGehee All
55 United States Jason Leffler 3
Brazil Raul Boesel 4
Japan Shigeaki Hattori 5-9
United States Tri Star Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 6 United States Jeret Schroeder All
United States Dick Simon Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 7 France Stéphan Grégoire All
United States Kelley Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 8 United States Scott Sharp All
28 United States Mark Dismore All
United States A. J. Foyt Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 11 Chile Eliseo Salazar All
14 United States Jeff Ward All
United States Bradley Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 12 United States Buzz Calkins All
United States Walker Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 15 United States Sarah Fisher 2-9
United States Team Xtreme G-Force Oldsmobile 16 United States John Hollansworth, Jr. 1
United States Davey Hamilton 2-8
United States Jaques Lazier 9
88 Brazil Airton Daré All
United States PDM Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 18 United States Sam Hornish, Jr. 1-6, 8-9
United States Hubbard-Immke Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 20 United States Tyce Carlson 1-3, 5-9
United States Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 24 United States Robbie Buhl All
United States Blueprint Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 27 Sweden Niclas Jönsson 1
United States Jimmy Kite 2-9
United States Byrd-McCormack Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 30 United States Jon Herb 1
United States Ronnie Johncox 2-3
United States J.J. Yeley 7-9
Riley & Scott United States Robby Unser 5-6
United States Truscelli Team Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 33 United States Jaques Lazier 1, 3-6
United States Bobby Regester 2
United States Mid America Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 43 Canada Doug Didero 1-3, 5-6
United States Scott Harrington 7
United States Jaques Lazier 8
United States Davey Hamilton 9
United States Team Cheever Dallara Infiniti Indy 51 United States Eddie Cheever All
United States Team Pelfrey Dallara Oldsmobile 81 United States Billy Boat 1-3, 5-9
United States Hemelgarn Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 91 United States Buddy Lazier All
United States Cahill Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 98 United States Donnie Beechler All
Part Time and Indy 500 Entries
United States Tri Star Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 9 United States Robby Unser 1
21 United States Dr. Jack Miller 3
Brazil Zak Morioka 9
United States Target Chip Ganassi Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 9 Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya 4
10 United States Jimmy Vasser 4
United States Logan Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 10 United States Stevie Reeves 7
19 United States Billy Roe 5
United States Stevie Reeves 8-9
United States Nienhouse Motorsports G-Force Oldsmobile 17 Sweden Niclas Jönsson 2
United States Scott Harrington 3
United States Indy Regency Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 22 United States Johnny Unser 4
United States Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 23 United States Steve Knapp 4
United States Team Menard Dallara Oldsmobile 32 United States Robby Gordon 4
United States Team Coulson Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 40 Colombia Roberto Guerrero 8
United States A. J. Foyt Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 41 United States Billy Boat 4
United States Sinden Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 44 United States Davey Hamilton 1
United States Hillenburg Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 48 United States Andy Hillenburg 4
United States Treadway Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 50 United States Jason Leffler 4
United States Pagan Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 75 United States Richie Hearn 4
United States Dick Simon Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 90 United States Lyn St. James 4
United States Hemelgarn Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 92 United States Stan Wattles 4

Race summaries

Delphi Indy 200

This race was held January 29 at Walt Disney World Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 24- Robbie Buhl
  2. 91- Buddy Lazier
  3. 51- Eddie Cheever
  4. 4- Scott Goodyear
  5. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  6. 98- Donnie Beechler
  7. 14- Jeff Ward
  8. 12- Buzz Calkins
  9. 81- Billy Boat
  10. 55- Robby McGehee

MCI WorldCom Indy 200

This race was held March 19 at Phoenix International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 91- Buddy Lazier
  2. 4- Scott Goodyear
  3. 98- Donnie Beechler
  4. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  5. 8- Scott Sharp
  6. 81- Billy Boat
  7. 24- Robbie Buhl
  8. 7- Stephan Gregoire
  9. 3- Al Unser, Jr.
  10. 51- Eddie Cheever

Vegas Indy 300

This race was held April 22 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mark Dismore won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 3- Al Unser, Jr.
  2. 28- Mark Dismore
  3. 18- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  4. 6- Jeret Schroeder
  5. 24- Robbie Buhl
  6. 5- Robby McGehee
  7. 81- Billy Boat
  8. 20- Tyce Carlson
  9. 1- Greg Ray
  10. 33- Jaques Lazier

84th Indianapolis 500

The Indy 500 was held May 28 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Greg Ray sat on pole.

Top ten results

  1. 9- Juan Pablo Montoya
  2. 91- Buddy Lazier
  3. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  4. 14- Jeff Ward
  5. 51- Eddie Cheever
  6. 32- Robby Gordon
  7. 10- Jimmy Vasser
  8. 7- Stephan Gregoire
  9. 4- Scott Goodyear
  10. 8- Scott Sharp

Casino Magic 500

This race was held June 11 at Texas Motor Speedway. Buddy Lazier won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 8- Scott Sharp
  2. 5- Robby McGehee
  3. 3- Al Unser, Jr.
  4. 12- Buzz Calkins
  5. 4- Scott Goodyear
  6. 28- Mark Dismore
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 55- Shigeaki Hattori
  9. 51- Eddie Cheever
  10. 88- Airton Daré

Radisson 200

This race was held June 18 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 51- Eddie Cheever
  2. 88- Airton Daré
  3. 8- Scott Sharp
  4. 28- Mark Dismore
  5. 98- Donnie Beechler
  6. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  7. 6- Jeret Schroeder
  8. 7- Stephan Gregoire
  9. 33- Jaques Lazier
  10. 3- Al Unser, Jr.

Midas 500 Classic

This race was held July 15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 1- Greg Ray
  2. 91- Buddy Lazier
  3. 3- Al Unser, Jr.
  4. 5- Robby McGehee
  5. 98- Donnie Beechler
  6. 24- Robbie Buhl
  7. 7- Stephan Gregoire
  8. 81- Billy Boat
  9. 55- Shigeaki Hattori
  10. 11- Eliseo Salazar

Belterra Resort Indy 300

This race was held August 27 at Kentucky Speedway. Scott Goodyear won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 91- Buddy Lazier
  2. 4- Scott Goodyear
  3. 15- Sarah Fisher
  4. 51- Eddie Cheever
  5. 7- Stephan Gregoire
  6. 14- Jeff Ward
  7. 1- Greg Ray
  8. 55- Shigeaki Hattori
  9. 18- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  10. 98- Donnie Beechler

Excite 500

This race was held October 15 at Texas Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Scott Goodyear
  2. 51- Eddie Cheever
  3. 81- Billy Boat
  4. 91- Buddy Lazier
  5. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  6. 98- Donnie Beechler
  7. 55- Shigeaki Hattori
  8. 14- Jeff Ward
  9. 12- Buzz Calkins
  10. 16- Jaques Lazier

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, Kentucky
- September 9 Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport (Oval) Cleveland, Ohio
9 October 15 Excite 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas

Season summary

Race results

Rnd Race Pole position Fastest lap Most Laps Led Winner
1 Walt Disney World United States Greg Ray United States Mark Dismore United States Robbie Buhl United States Robbie Buhl
2 MCI WorldCom Indy 200 United States Greg Ray United States Tyce Carlson United States Scott Sharp United States Buddy Lazier
3 Vegas Indy 300 United States Mark Dismore United States Mark Dismore United States Mark Dismore United States Al Unser, Jr.
4 84th Indianapolis 500 United States Greg Ray United States Buddy Lazier Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya
5 Casino Magic 500 United States Buddy Lazier United States Eddie Cheever United States Al Unser, Jr. United States Scott Sharp
6 Radisson 200 United States Greg Ray United States Buzz Calkins United States Scott Sharp United States Eddie Cheever
7 Midas 500 Classic United States Greg Ray United States Donnie Beechler United States Greg Ray United States Greg Ray
8 Belterra Resort Indy 300 Canada Scott Goodyear United States Buddy Lazier Canada Scott Goodyear United States Buddy Lazier
9 Excite 500 United States Greg Ray United States Jaques Lazier United States Al Unser, Jr. Canada Scott Goodyear

Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway.

Final points standings

Pos Driver WDW
 PHX
 LSV
 INDY
 TXS
 PIK
 ATL
 KTY
 TXS
 Pts
1 United States Buddy Lazier 2 1 22 2 7 26 2 1 4 290
2 Canada Scott Goodyear 4 2 12 9 5 16 11 2* 1 272
3 United States Eddie Cheever 3 10 11 5 9 1 21 4 2 257
4 Chile Eliseo Salazar 5 4 18 3 17 6 10 25 5 210
5 United States Mark Dismore 16 16 2* 11 6 4 18 11 14 202
6 United States Donnie Beechler 6 3 26 12 22 5 5 10 6 202
7 United States Scott Sharp 15 5* 27 10 1 3* 16 24 24 196
8 United States Robbie Buhl 1* 7 5 26 18 23 6 13 18 190
9 United States Al Unser, Jr. 25 9 1 29 3* 10 3 27 17* 188
10 United States Billy Boat 9 6 7 15 23 18 8 18 3 181
11 United States Jeff Ward 7 11 21 4 19 15 19 6 8 176
12 United States Robby McGehee 10 24 6 21 2 13 4 14 24 174
13 United States Greg Ray 17 19 9 33 15 20 1* 7 26 172
14 France Stéphane Grégoire 18 8 28 8 11 8 7 5 20 171
15 United States Buzz Calkins 8 23 25 18 4 12 23 12 9 145
16 Brazil Airton Daré  RY  11 22 14 25 10 2 25 19 12 142
17 United States Jeret Schroeder  R  19 12 4 14 21 7 24 26 16 136
18 United States Sarah Fisher  R  13 17 31 12 25 14 3 11 124
19 United States Tyce Carlson 13 15 8 DNQ 13 11 13 22 23 124
20 United States Jaques Lazier 23 10 13 14 9 20 10 112
21 United States Sam Hornish, Jr.  R  20 17 3 24 20 19 9 27 110
22 Japan Shigeaki Hattori  R  DNP 8 17 9 8 7 109
23 United States Davey Hamilton 26 18 20 20 24 14 15 16 19 98
24 United States Jimmy Kite 26 16 30 16 24 12 17 21 79
25 Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya 1* 54
26 Canada Doug Didero  R  14 25 19 DNQ 27 22 43
27 United States Ronnie Johncox 14 13 DNQ DNS 33
28 United States J. J. Yeley 17 15 25 33
29 United States Robby Gordon 6 28
30 United States Jason Leffler  R  15 17 28
31 Sweden Niclas Jönsson  R  12 21 27
32 United States Jimmy Vasser 7 26
33 United States Stevie Reeves  R  22 21 22 25
34 United States Robby Unser 24 DNQ 26 21 19
35 United States Scott Harrington 23 DNQ 20 17
36 Brazil Zak Morioka  R  15 15
37 Brazil Raul Boesel 16 14
38 United States Steve Knapp 19 11
39 United States Bobby Regester  R  20 10
40 United States John Hollansworth, Jr. 21 9
41 United States Jon Herb  R  22 8
42 United States Johnny Unser 22 8
43 United States Stan Wattles 23 DNP 7
44 Colombia Roberto Guerrero DNQ 23 7
45 United States Dr. Jack Miller 24 DNQ 6
46 United States Billy Roe 25 DNP 5
47 United States Richie Hearn 27 3
48 United States Andy Hillenburg  R  28 2
49 United States Lyn St. James 32 1
- United States Ross Cheever DNQ 0
- United States Dan Drinan DNQ 0
- Belgium Wim Eyckmans DNP 0
- United States Russ Gamester DNS 0
- United States Memo Gidley DNQ 0
- United States Davy Jones DNQ 0
- Japan Hideshi Matsuda DNQ 0
- United States Casey Mears DNP 0
- United States Andy Michner Wth Wth 0
- United States David Pook DNP 0
- United Kingdom Guy Smith 0
- United States Tony Stewart DNP 0
Pos Driver WDW
 PHX
 LSV
 INDY
 TXS
 PIK
 ATL
 KTY
 TXS
 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 not
participate
(DNP)
Not competing
In-line notation
Bold Pole position
(2 points)
Italics Ran fastest race lap
* Led most race laps
(1 point)
DNS Any driver who qualifies
but does not start (DNS),
earns all the points
had they taken part.
 RY  Rookie of the Year
 R  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

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