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.
A planned race at Cleveland was cancelled on September 9, 2000, and reverted to a CART event.

Team and driver chart

Season Summary

Schedule

RndDateRace NameTrackCity
1January 29Delphi Indy 200Walt Disney World SpeedwayBay Lake, Florida
2March 19MCI WorldCom Indy 200Phoenix International RacewayPhoenix, Arizona
3April 22Vegas Indy 300Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayLas Vegas, Nevada
4May 2884th Indianapolis 500Indianapolis Motor SpeedwaySpeedway, Indiana
5June 11Casino Magic 500Texas Motor SpeedwayFort Worth, Texas
6June 18Radisson 200Pikes Peak International RacewayFountain, Colorado
7July 15Midas 500 ClassicAtlanta Motor SpeedwayHampton, Georgia
8August 27Belterra Resort Indy 300Kentucky SpeedwaySparta, Kentucky
-September 9ClevelandBurke Lakefront Airport Cleveland, Ohio
9October 15Excite 500Texas Motor SpeedwayFort Worth, Texas

Race results

Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway.

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
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 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
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
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 '
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.
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

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 '
  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
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

  • 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, the second best qualifier, the third best qualifier and to the driver leading the most laps.
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