2000 Indy Racing League

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.

2000 Indy Racing League season
Indy Racing Northern Light Series
2000 Indy Racing League
Season
Races10 9
Start dateJanuary 29
End dateOctober 15
Awards
Drivers' champion Buddy Lazier
Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya
Buddy Lazier (left) won his first and only Drivers' Championship while Scott Goodyear (right) finished second in the championship.

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
Team Menard Dallara Oldsmobile 1 Greg Ray All
Galles Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 3 Al Unser Jr. All
Panther Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 4 Scott Goodyear All
Treadway Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 5 Robby McGehee All
55 Jason Leffler  R  3
Raul Boesel 4
Shigeaki Hattori  R  5–9
Tri Star Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 6 Jeret Schroeder  R  All
Dick Simon Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 7 Stéphan Grégoire All
Kelley Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 8 Scott Sharp All
28 Mark Dismore All
A. J. Foyt Enterprises G-Force Oldsmobile 11 Eliseo Salazar All
14 Jeff Ward All
Bradley Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 12 Buzz Calkins All
Walker Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 15 Sarah Fisher  R  2–9
Team Xtreme G-Force Oldsmobile 16 John Hollansworth Jr. 1
Davey Hamilton 2–8
Jaques Lazier 9
88 Airton Daré  R  All
PDM Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 18 Sam Hornish Jr.  R  1–6, 8–9
Hubbard-Immke Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 20 Tyce Carlson 1–3, 5–9
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 24 Robbie Buhl All
Blueprint Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 27 Niclas Jönsson  R  1
Jimmy Kite 2–9
Byrd-McCormack Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 30 Jon Herb  R  1
Ronnie Johncox 2–4
J. J. Yeley 7–9
Riley & Scott Robby Unser 5–6
Truscelli Team Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 33 Jaques Lazier 1, 3–6
Bobby Regester  R  2
Mid America Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 43 Doug Didero  R  1–6
Scott Harrington 7
Jaques Lazier 8
Davey Hamilton 9
Team Cheever Dallara Infiniti Indy 51 Eddie Cheever All
Team Pelfrey Dallara Oldsmobile 81 Billy Boat 1–3, 5–9
Hemelgarn Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 91 Buddy Lazier All
Cahill Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 98 Donnie Beechler All
Part Time and Indy 500 Entries
Tri Star Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 9 Robby Unser 1
21 Dr. Jack Miller 3–4
Zak Morioka  R  9
Target Chip Ganassi Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 9 Juan Pablo Montoya  R  4
10 Jimmy Vasser 4
Logan Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 10 Stevie Reeves  R  7
19 Billy Roe 5–6
Stevie Reeves  R  8–9
Nienhouse Motorsports G-Force Oldsmobile 17 Niclas Jönsson  R  2
Scott Harrington 3–4
Indy Regency Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 22 Johnny Unser 4
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 23 Steve Knapp 4
Team Menard Dallara Oldsmobile 32 Robby Gordon 4
Team Coulson Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 40 Roberto Guerrero 8
A. J. Foyt Enterprises G-Force Oldsmobile 41 Billy Boat 4
Sinden Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 44 Davey Hamilton 1
Hillenburg Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 48 Andy Hillenburg  R  4
Treadway Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 50 Jason Leffler  R  4
Pagan Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 75 Richie Hearn 4
Dick Simon Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 90 Lyn St. James 4
Hemelgarn Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 92 Stan Wattles 4

Season Summary

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

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

Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway.

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
  • 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

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

  1. 9- Juan Pablo Montoya  R 
  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  R 
  9. 51- Eddie Cheever
  10. 88- Airton Daré  R 

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  R 
  3. 8- Scott Sharp
  4. 28- Mark Dismore
  5. 98- Donnie Beechler
  6. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  7. 6- Jeret Schroeder  R 
  8. 7- Stephan Gregoire
  9. 33- Jaques Lazier
  10. 3- Al Unser Jr.
  • This was the Infinity engine's 1st victory.

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  R 
  10. 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

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

  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  R 
  8. 14- Jeff Ward
  9. 12- Buzz Calkins
  10. 16- Jaques Lazier

Final points standings
Pos Driver WDW
 PHX
 LSV
 INDY
 TXS
 PIK
 ATL
 KTY
 TXS
 Pts
1 Buddy Lazier 2 1 22 2 7 26 2 1 4 290
2 Scott Goodyear 4 2 12 9 5 16 11 2* 1 272
3 Eddie Cheever 3 10 11 5 9 1 21 4 2 257
4 Eliseo Salazar 5 4 18 3 17 6 10 25 5 210
5 Mark Dismore 16 16 2* 11 6 4 18 11 14 202
6 Donnie Beechler 6 3 26 12 22 5 5 10 6 202
7 Scott Sharp 15 5* 27 10 1 3* 16 24 24 196
8 Robbie Buhl 1* 7 5 26 18 23 6 13 18 190
9 Al Unser Jr. 25 9 1 29 3* 10 3 27 17* 188
10 Billy Boat 9 6 7 15 23 18 8 18 3 181
11 Jeff Ward 7 11 21 4 19 15 19 6 8 176
12 Robby McGehee 10 24 6 21 2 13 4 14 24 174
13 Greg Ray 17 19 9 33 15 20 1* 7 26 172
14 Stéphan Grégoire 18 8 28 8 11 8 7 5 20 171
15 Buzz Calkins 8 23 25 18 4 12 23 12 9 145
16 Airton Daré  RY  11 22 14 25 10 2 25 19 12 142
17 Jeret Schroeder  R  19 12 4 14 21 7 24 26 16 136
18 Sarah Fisher  R  13 17 31 12 25 14 3 11 124
19 Tyce Carlson 13 15 8 DNQ 13 11 13 22 23 124
20 Jaques Lazier 23 10 13 14 9 20 10 112
21 Sam Hornish Jr.  R  20 17 3 24 20 19 9 27 110
22 Shigeaki Hattori  R  DNP 8 17 9 8 7 109
23 Davey Hamilton 26 18 20 20 24 14 15 16 19 98
24 Jimmy Kite 26 16 30 16 24 12 17 21 79
25 Juan Pablo Montoya 1* 54
26 Doug Didero  R  14 25 19 DNQ 27 22 43
27 Ronnie Johncox 14 13 DNQ DNS 33
28 J. J. Yeley 17 15 25 33
29 Robby Gordon 6 28
30 Jason Leffler  R  15 17 28
31 Niclas Jönsson  R  12 21 27
32 Jimmy Vasser 7 26
33 Stevie Reeves  R  22 21 22 25
34 Robby Unser 24 DNQ 26 21 19
35 Scott Harrington 23 DNQ 20 17
36 Zak Morioka  R  15 15
37 Raul Boesel 16 14
38 Steve Knapp 19 11
39 Bobby Regester  R  20 10
40 John Hollansworth Jr. 21 9
41 Jon Herb  R  22 8
42 Johnny Unser 22 8
43 Stan Wattles 23 DNP 7
44 Roberto Guerrero DNQ 23 7
45 Dr. Jack Miller 24 DNQ 6
46 Billy Roe 25 DNP 5
47 Richie Hearn 27 3
48 Andy Hillenburg  R  28 2
49 Lyn St. James 32 1
– Ross Cheever DNQ 0
– Dan Drinan DNQ 0
– Wim Eyckmans DNP 0
– Russ Gamester DNS 0
– Memo Gidley DNQ 0
– Davy Jones DNQ 0
– Hideshi Matsuda DNQ 0
– Casey Mears DNP 0
– Andy Michner Wth Wth 0
– David Pook DNP 0
– 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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