IRL: IMS: 81st Indy 500 Entry List

1997 Entry List Follows at bottom For Immediate Release

64 ENTRIES FILED FOR 81st INDIANAPOLIS 500

INDIANAPOLIS, April 21, 1997 =97 Former winner Arie Luyendyk and defending victor Buddy Lazier head the list of drivers nominated on 64 entries filed to vie for spots in the 33-car starting lineup for the 81st running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25, it was announced today by Indy Racing League officials.

Opening day at the Speedway is scheduled for Saturday, May 3, with the United States Auto Club's Rookie Orientation Program running through May 5. Veteran drivers take the track starting May 6.

The month of May will start after thousands of miles of preseason testing by Indy Racing League teams with the League's new car-engine combination at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's 2 1/2-mile oval.

The entry list shows 28 G Force and 29 Dallara chassis, with seven cars unspecified. A total of 46 will be powered by Oldsmobile Aurora engines and 13 will have Nissan Infiniti Indy powerplants. Five engines are unspecified.= =20

On-track coverage and special programming will be aired throughout May on ESPN, ESPN2 and QVC. ESPN and ABC Sports will cover time trials, which are scheduled for May 10-11 and May 17-18. The race will be broadcast live by ABC Sports for the 12th straight year.

Luyendyk, 43, of Scottsdale, Ariz., set the race record of 185.981 miles an hour when he won the 1990 edition of the "500." Last year, he set track records of 237.498 miles an hour for one-lap and 236.986 for four- laps, marks that are expected to stand with the new IRL formula in place to slow the cars. He's listed on a Treadway Racing Wavephore Miller Lite G Force/Aurora for Treadway Racing of Indianapolis.

Lazier, 29, of Vail, Colo., made history a year ago by charging to the front in the late going, then holding off Davy Jones on a final-lap restart to capture his first "500." Lazier returns to Hemelgarn Racing and is listed as the driver on two cars, Delta Faucet-Montana-Hemelgarn Racing Dallaras with Infiniti engines.

Team Menard, which captured the pole position for the last two "500s" with the late Scott Brayton driving, has entered six G Forces with Aurora power, including two each for 1996 pole starter Tony Stewart and 1996 third-place IRL point finisher Robbie Buhl. Stewart, 25, of Indianapolis, is listed on a pair of Glidden/Menards/Specials. Buhl, 33, of Grosse Pointe, Mich., was named as driver of two Quaker State/Specials.

Team Scandia filed eight entries, six of them with the Dallara/Aurora combination and two unspecified and named five drivers to its fleet. Eliseo Salazar, 41, of Santiago, Chile and Alessandro Zampedri, 27, of Monte Carlo are making comeback bids after suffering injuries in racing accidents. Salazar is listed on two Copec/Cristal/Scandia entries and Zampedri is on a pair of Mi-Jack Scandia Royal Purple machines. Both drivers tested at the Speedway during the pre-May period.

Others named to Team Scandia rides are Fermin Velez, 38, of Barcelona, Spain in an Old Navy Scandia Royal Purple Alta Xcel entry; Marco Greco, 33, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in a Side Play International Scandia Alta Xcel machine and rookie Vincenzo Sospiri, 30, of Monte Carlo in a Scandia Royal Purple Alta Xcel car.

Scott Goodyear, 37, of Toronto returns to the Speedway as a teammate to Luyendyk with Treadway Racing. Goodyear is listed on a Treadway Racing Nortel G Force/Aurora. Treadway entered a backup car with no driver listed.

Mike Groff, 34, the 1996-97 IRL driver point leader from Pasadena, Calif., is listed on a pair of Jonathan Byrd's Cafeteria Bryant Heating & Cooling G Forces with Infiniti power entered by Jonathan Byrd- Cunningham Racing. Groff comes to the "500" with a11-point lead over his nearest challengers.

A.J. Foyt Enterprises of Houston, Texas, entered five cars, two each for 1996 IRL co-champion Scott Sharp and veteran Davey Hamilton. Sharp, 29, of Danville, Calif., is listed on two Conseco AJ Foyt Racing entries with Aurora power, one a Dallara and the other a G Force. Hamilton, 34, of Boise, Idaho, is listed on a pair of AJ Foyt Power Team Racing entries, also a Dallara and a G Force and both with Aurora power.=20

Buzz Calkins, 25, of Denver, Colo., who shared the 1996 IRL championship with Sharp, is entered in two Bradley Food Marts G Forces with Aurora power entered by Bradley Motorsports of Denver. Calkins made history by winning the IRL's inaugural race, the 1996 Indy 200 at Walt Disney World.

Roberto Guerrero, 38, of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., was named to two Pennzoil-Pagan Racing Dallara Infiniti entries by Pagan Racing. Guerrero held the track record at the Speedway of 232.618 miles an hour from 1992 until Luyendyk broke it last year.

Eddie Cheever Jr., 39, of Tampa, Fla., and Jeff Ward, 35, of San Juan Capistrano, Calif., each are listed on two FirstPlus Team Cheever G Forces with Aurora power. Cheever won the 1997 Indy 200 at Walt Disney World in January in his first win as a driver/owner. Ward, who substituted for the injured Davy Jones at Disney World, will bid for his first "500" start.

Lyn St. James, 50, of Daytona Beach, Fla., is listed on two Lifetime-TV-Cinergy entries, one a Dallara with an Infiniti engine on an entry from LSJ Racing/Hemelgarn Racing and the other unspecified from Hemelgarn Racing. St. James earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1992 when she became the second female driver to make a "500" field.

Gary Bettenhausen, 55, a 21-time "500" veteran from Indianapolis, was named to a Terhune-Barnets Racing Dallara/Aurora on an entry from Terhune-Barnets Racing/LP Racing. Bettenhausen led 138 laps of the "500" in 1972 and bids for his first appearance in the field since 1993.

Jim Guthrie, 35, of Albuquerque, N.M., is listed on a pair of CRUISIN AMERICA/Jacuzzi/Blueprint Racing Dallaras with Aurora engines entered by Blueprint Racing. Guthrie won the IRL's most recent race in March at Phoenix. Sam Schmidt, 29, of Las Vegas, Nev., a rookie who made his IRL debut at Phoenix, is listed in a Blueprint Racing Dallara/Aurora.

John Paul Jr., 37, of West Palm Beach, Fla., is named on a Klipsch Tnemec Overhead Door Pyle V- Line Earl's Dallara/Aurora entered by PDM Racing. Paul Jr., won the 1983 Michigan 500 and led the IRL's 1996 race at Las Vegas. Tyce Carlson, 26, of Indianapolis, a rookie who made two qualifying tries in the final minutes of time trials a year ago only to barely miss the field, was listed by PDM as driver of a Klipsch Tnemec V-Line Earl's Performance Products entry with chassis and engine to be named.

Stephan Gregoire, 27, of Vittel, France, is named to drive a Chastain Motorsports G Force/Aurora. Gregoire will bid for his third "500" start after leading the race in his rookie year of 1993.

Rookie Kenny Brack, 31, of Karlstad, Sweden, is listed on a pair of Monsoon Galles Racing G Forces with Aurora engines for Galles Racing International of Albuquerque, N.M. Brack replaced the injured Davy Jones at Phoenix and led in his first IRL race.

Jack Miller, 35, of Carmel, Ind., also a rookie, was named to two AMS/Crest Racing entries, one a Dallara/Infiniti and the other unspecified. The cars were entered by Arizona Motorsports of Indianapolis. Miller moved to the IRL from the Indy Lights ranks.

Affonso Giaffone, 29, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, a rookie who also led at Phoenix, was entered in a pair of General Motors of Brazil Chitwood Dallaras on entries filed by Chitwood Motorsports of Tampa, Fla.

Other rookies entered are Billy Roe, 39, of Gilbert, Ariz., in two Sega/Progressive Electronics/Eurointernational Dallaras with Aurora power by Eurointernational and Greg Ray, 30, of Plano, Texas, in a Tobacco Free Kids Dallara/Aurora for Thomas Knapp Motorsport.

Veteran Robby Gordon was previously announced when Team Sabco filed the first two entries for the "500." Gordon, 28, of Cornelius, N.C., will be at the wheel of two Coors Light G Forces with Aurora engines.

Four teams entered cars without drivers. They include Beck Motorsports of Indianapolis with four entries, Alfa Laval/McCormack Motorsports of Indianapolis with two and Johansson Motorsports, Sinden Racing Service and Tempero-Giuffre Racing with one car each.

The entry deadline was April 11, although drivers may be named later.

..IMS97-04..

81ST INDINAPOLIS 500 Sunday, May 25 Official Entry List

Car YR Driver Car Name Entrant Hometown Chassis / Engine / Tire 1 3 Scott Sharp Conseco AJ Foyt Racing AJ Foyt Enterprises Danville, CA G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Houston, TX

1T 3 Scott Sharp Conseco AJ Foyt Racing AJ Foyt Enterprises Danville, CA Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Houston, TX

2 1 Tony Stewart Glidden/Menards/Special Team Menard, Inc. Indianapolis, IN G Force / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

2T 1 Tony Stewart Glidden/Menards/Special Team Menard, Inc. Indianapolis, IN G Force / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

3 1 Robbie Buhl Quaker State/Special Team Menard, Inc. Grosse Pointe, MI G Force / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

3T 1 Robbie Buhl Quaker State/Special Team Menard, Inc. Grosse Pointe, MI G Force / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

4 R Kenny Brack Monsoon Galles Racing Galles Racing International Karlstad, Sweden G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Albuquerque, NM

4T R Kenny Brack Monsoon Galles Racing Galles Racing International Karlstad, Sweden G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Albuquerque, NM

5 12 Arie Luyendyk Treadway Racing Wavephore Miller Lite Treadway Racing, LLC Scottsdale, AZ G Force / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

5T TBA Treadway Racing Treadway Racing, LLC G Force / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

6 6 Scott Goodyear Treadway Racing Nortel Treadway Racing, LLC Toronto, Ontario, Canada G Force / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

7 2 Eliseo Salazar Copec/Cristal/Scandia Team Scandia Santiago, Chile Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

7T 2 Eliseo Salazar Copec/Cristal/Scandia Team Scandia Santiago, Chile Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

8 R Vincenzo Sospiri Scandia Royal Purple Alta Xcel Team Scandia Monte Carlo, Monaco TBA / TBA/ Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

9 5 Lyn St. James Lifetime TV-Cinergy Hemelgarn Racing, Inc. Daytona Beach, FL TBA/ TBA/ TBA Indianapolis, IN

10 3 Mike Groff Jonathan Byrd's Cafeteria Bryant Heating & Cooling Jonathan Byrd-Cunningham Racing LLC Pasadena, CA G Force / Infiniti Indy V8 / Firestone Greenwood, IN

10T 3 Mike Groff Jonathan Byrd's Cafeteria Bryant Heating & Cooling Jonathan Byrd-Cunningham Racing LLC Pasadena, CA G Force / Infiniti Indy V8 / Firestone Greenwood, IN

11 TBA AJ Foyt Enterprises AJ Foyt Enterprises TBA / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Houston, TX

12 1 Buzz Calkins Bradley Food Marts Bradley Motorsports Denver, CO G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Denver, CO

12T 1 Buzz Calkins Bradley Food Marts Bradley Motorsports Denver, CO G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Denver, CO

14 1 Davey Hamilton AJ Foyt PowerTeam Racing AJ Foyt Enterprises Boise, ID G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Houston, TX

14T 1 Davey Hamilton AJ Foyt PowerTeam Racing AJ Foyt Enterprises Boise, ID Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Houston, TX

15 TBA Tempero-Giuffre Racing Tempero-Giuffre Racing G Force / Infiniti Indy V8 / Goodyear Ft. Collins, CO

16 R Sam Schmidt Blueprint Racing Blueprint Racing, Inc. Las Vegas, NV Dallara / Aurora V8 / Firestone Hickory Hills, IL

17 R Affonso Giaffone General Motors of Brazil Chitwood Dallara Chitwood Motorsports, Inc. Sao Paulo, Brazil Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Tampa, FL

17T R Affonso Giaffone General Motors of Brazil Chitwood Dallara Chitwood Motorsports, Inc. Sao Paulo, Brazil Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Tampa, FL

18 6 John Paul, Jr. Klipsch Tnemec Overhead Door Pyle V-Line Earl's PDM Racing, Inc. West Palm Beach, FL Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

20 TBA Menards/Special Team Menard, Inc. G Force / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

20T TBA Menards/Special Team Menard, Inc. G Force / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

21 12 Roberto Guerrero Pennzoil-Pagan Racing Dallara Infiniti Pagan Racing San Juan Capistrano, CA Dallara / Infiniti Indy V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

21T 12 Roberto Guerrero Pennzoil-Pagan Racing Dallara Infiniti Pagan Racing San Juan Capistrano, CA Dallara / Infiniti Indy V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

22 2 Marco Greco Side Play Int'l Scandia Alta Xcel Team Scandia Sao Paulo, Brazil Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

27 1 Jim Guthrie CRUISIN AMERICA/Jacuzzi/Blueprint Racing Dallara Blueprint Racing, Inc. Albuquerque, NM Dallara / Aurora V8 / Firestone Hickory Hills, IL

27T 1 Jim Guthrie CRUISIN AMERICA/Jacuzzi/Blueprint Racing Dallara Blueprint Racing, Inc. Albuquerque, NM Dallara / Aurora V8 / Firestone Hickory Hills, IL

28 0 Tyce Carlson Klipsch Tnemec V-Line Earl's Performance Products PDM Racing, Inc. Indianapolis, IN TBA / TBA / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

30 TBA Alfa Laval/McCormack Motorsports McCormack Motorsports, Inc. G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Avon, IN

30T TBA Alfa Laval/McCormack Motorsports McCormack Motorsports, Inc. G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Avon, IN

33 1 Fermin Velez Old Navy Scandia Royal Purple Alta Xcel Team Scandia Barcelona, Spain Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

34 2 Alessandro Zampedri Mi-Jack Scandia Royal Purple Team Scandia Monte Carlo, Monaco Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

34T 2 Alessandro Zampedri Mi-Jack Scandia Royal Purple Team Scandia Monte Carlo, Monaco Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

36 TBA Johansson Motorsports Johansson Motorsports, Inc. G Force / Aurora V8 / TBA Indianapolis, IN

40 R Jack Miller AMS/Crest Racing Arizona Motorsports Carmel, IN Dallara / Infiniti Indy V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

40T R Jack Miller AMS/Crest Racing Arizona Motorsports Carmel, IN TBA / TBA / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

41 TBA AJ Foyt Enterprises AJ Foyt Enterprises TBA / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Houston, TX

42 3 Robby Gordon Coors Light Team Sabco Cornelius, NC G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Mooresville, NC

42T 3 Robby Gordon Coors Light Team Sabco Cornelius, NC G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Mooresville, NC

43 TBA Scandia Royal Purple Alta Xcel Team Scandia TBA / TBA / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

44 TBA Sinden Racing Service Sinden Racing Dallara / Aurora V8 / TBA Indianapolis, IN

50 R Billy Roe Sega/Progressive Electronics/Eurointernational Eurointernational Inc. Gilbert, AZ Dallara / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

50T R Billy Roe Sega/Progressive Electronics/Eurointernational Eurointernational Inc. Gilbert, AZ Dallara / Aurora V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

51 7 Eddie Cheever, Jr. FirstPlus Team Cheeever FirstPlus Team Cheever Tampa, FL G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

51T 7 Eddie Cheever, Jr. FirstPlus Team Cheeever FirstPlus Team Cheever Tampa, FL G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

52 0 Jeff Ward FirstPlus Team Cheever FirstPlus Team Cheever San Juan Capistrano, CA G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

52T 0 Jeff Ward FirstPlus Team Cheever FirstPlus Team Cheever San Juan Capistrano, CA G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Indianapolis, IN

54 TBA Beck Motorsports Beck Motorsports Dallara / Infiniti Indy V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

54T TBA Beck Motorsports Beck Motorsports Dallara / Infiniti Indy V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

772 Stephan Gregoire Chastain Motorsports Chastain Motorsports Vittel, France G Force / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Noblesville, IN

81 21 Gary Bettenhausen Terhune-Barnets Racing Terhune-Barnets Racing/LP Racing Indianapolis, IN Dallara / Aurora V8 / Goodyear Middletown, OH

90 5 Lyn St. James Lifetime-TV-Cinergy LSJ Racing/Hemelgarn Racing, Inc. Daytona Beach, FL Dallara / Infiniti Indy V8 / TBA Indianapolis, IN

91 4 Buddy Lazier Delta Faucet-Montana-Hemelgarn Racing Hemelgarn Racing, Inc. Vail, CO Dallara / Infiniti Indy V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

91T 4 Buddy Lazier Delta Faucet-Montana-Hemelgarn Racing Hemelgarn Racing, Inc. Vail, CO Dallara / Infiniti Indy V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

97 R Greg Ray Tobacco Free Kids Thomas Knapp Motorsport Plano, TX Dallara / Aurora V8 / Firestone East Lansing, MI

98 TBA Beck Motorsports Beck Motorsports Dallara / Infiniti Indy V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

98T TBA Beck Motorsports Beck Motorsports Dallara / Infiniti Indy V8 / Firestone Indianapolis, IN

Legend: R- Indianapolis 500 Rookie