Buddy Lazier

Buddy Lazier at the Indy 500 2008 in his Dallara - Honda

Lazier in his 1991 Lola - Buick

Laziers Dallara-Honda 2006

Robert "Buddy" Lazier (born October 31, 1967 in Vail (Colorado) ) is an American automobile racing driver and winner of the Indianapolis 500 mile race in 1996. His father Bob Lazier and his brother Jacques Lazier are also well-known racing drivers.

Career

1989-1995: Champ Car

From 1989 Lazier drove in the Champ Car series for the Gary Trout Motorsport team. That year he also took part in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time. But in his first season he only drove in two races, for the Indy 500 he could not qualify. In the 1990 season he reached his first place in Portland , but 13th place meant zero points. In Vancouver he was finally able to score his first point in the Champ Car series with 12th place. In 1991, his best result was ninth place in Denver , a total of six points, which meant 22nd place in the final table. The 1992 season was the most successful in Lazier's champ car career. Seventh place in Missouri and further points placements meant ten points and 19th place in the final accounts. There were three unsuccessful seasons for Lazier without a single point.

1996-2008: IRL

In 1996 Lazier moved to the newly formed Indy Racing League . Although he only took part in three races, he was able to win the Indianapolis 500 mile race on May 26, 1996 ahead of Davy Jones after 43 laps in front . In 1998 and 2000 he also finished in second place. The first overall victory of the racing series followed in 2000. With 290 points and two wins in Phoenix and Kentucky as well as three second places Lazier secured the championship. In the following season he reached second place in the final bill. But the following years were again unsuccessful. 8th place in the 2002 annual ranking is his best result since the 2001 runner-up.

successes

• Winner of the 1996 Indy 500
• Second of the Indy 500 in 1998 and 2000
• 2000 Indy Racing League winner
• Eight wins this season in the Indy Racing League

Teams

Champ Car

• Lazier Racing (1989)
• Hemelgarn Racing (1990–1991)
• Dale Coyne Racing (1991, 1992, 1995)
• Walker Racing (1991)
• Leader Card Racing (1993–1994)
• Project Indy (1995)
• Team Menard (1995)

Indy Racing League

• Hemelgarn Racing (1996-2004, 2008)
• Panther Racing (2005)
• Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (2006)
• Sam Schmidt Motorsports (2007)

Indy 500 vehicles

• March - Cosworth (1989)
• Lola -Cosworth (1990)
• Lola- Buick (1991-1993, 1995)
• Lola- Ilmor (1994)
• Reynard- Ford-Cosworth (1996)
• Dallara - Oldsmobile (1997-2001)
• Dallara- Chevrolet (2002-2005)
• Dallara- Honda (2006-2008)

Web links

Commons : Buddy Lazier  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Buddy Lazier on CBSSports.com (English)