Arie Luyendyk


Arie Luijendijk is a Dutch former auto racing driver, and winner of the 1990 and 1997 Indianapolis 500 races. He was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2009, and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2014. He is also known as "The Flying Dutchman".
Luyendyk won a total of seven Indy car races, including three in the CART series, all of them on ovals.

Career

Luyendyk started racing in the early 1970s, winning a number of Dutch national titles. In 1977, he won the European Super Vee championship, and switched to Formula Three. Further success eluded him until he moved to the United States in 1984, where he immediately won the Super Vee championship.
With the help of sponsor Provimi Veal, Luyendyk ran his first full Champ Car season in 1985, winning the rookie of the year title both for the season and the Indianapolis 500. Gaining additional sponsorship from Domino's Pizza, his first win in the series came five years later in 1990, at the most important race in the series, with a record average speed of 185.981 mph. Luyendyk won the 1990 Indianapolis 500 for Doug Shierson Racing. His average speed record, which stood for 23 years, was finally broken in the 2013 97th Indianapolis 500 by Tony Kanaan with an average speed of 187.433 mph.
Luyendyk continued to perform well at Indianapolis, scoring pole positions in 1993, 1997 and 1999, and retiring from the race while leading on three occasions. In 1995, Luyendyk controlled the race early until an incident with Scott Sharp put him several laps down. For the rest of the race, Luyendyk was able to make up all his laps and barely beat eventual winner Jacques Villeneuve at the stripe to get his final lap back and finish on the lead lap.
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In 1996, he set the qualifying lap record at 237.498 mph, although he did not start on the pole because he qualified on the second day of time trials. He won the 1997 Indianapolis 500 from the pole over Treadway Racing teammate Scott Goodyear. The race ended in controversy when on the final restart the white and green flag waved to end a caution but the yellow lights stayed on with Luyendyk pulling away to the win while the other competitors were confused. A similar finish involving a similar mistake almost took away a win from Luyendyk two weeks later.
Luyendyk also was selected to participate in the 1992, 1993, and 1998 editions of the International Race of Champions.
He retired from racing after the 1999 season, and for a short time, joined ABC Sports as a color commentator. He returned to the Indy 500 in 2001 and 2002. In 2003, he entered at Indianapolis for the final time. He suffered a crash during practice, and did not make an attempt to qualify.
Other Luyendyk victories include the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. His son, Arie Jr., is an off-road and Indy Lights racer.
The last corner of the Zandvoort track in the Netherlands carries his name. In 1999, he was presented with the Sagamore of the Wabash award, reflecting upon his Indy 500 career. In 2016, Luyendyk was selected as a chief steward for the IndyCar Series alongside fellow racer Max Papis and Dan Davis.

Motorsports career results

Complete European F5000 Championship results

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789101112131415161718Pts
1973Tony TrimmerMcLaren M18Chevrolet 5.0 V8BRHMALSILSNEBRHOULMALMISMALMONSILBRHOULJYLZAN
10		SNEBRH
14		31st1
1974Anglo-American Racing TeamChevron B24Chevrolet 5.0 V8BRHMALSILOULBRHZOLTHRZAN
11		MUGMNZMALMONTHRBRHOULSNEMALBRHNC0

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

YearEntrantChassisEngine123456789101112Pts
RAM AutoracingChevron B48BMWSILHOCTHRNÜRVALMUGPAUHOCZAN
13		PERMISDONNC0

American open-wheel racing

CART PPG World Series

IndyCar Series

Indianapolis 500

24 Hours of Le Mans results

International Race of Champions