We begin our reviews of the past Indy 500 races in 2000. Why 2000? 2 reasons. This was the first year that Dr. Indy attended the Indy 500 and second, this was the first year of defections from the CART/Champ Car series that lead to the ultimate unification that we will enjoy for the 92nd running.

The Coronation - Juan Pablo Montoya & Ganassi - Juan for the Ages

Juan Pablo Montoyo didn’t just win the 84th Indy 500, he used it as a stepping stone to an eventual Formula 1 ride. He was supposed to win and did. Covering a field of IRL cars that had no answer for JPM or the Target Chip Ganassi Team.

167 laps lead, most by a rookie.

Jimmy Vasser and Juan Pablo Montoya, Driving for Chip Ganassi broke ranks from the CART series and raced at Indianapolis. Other than not winning the pole, Greg Ray took the pole, Team Target truly dominated and showed that the top teams were not racing on the Northern Lights Series (the dotcom sponsor of the series) on a regular basis.

In the highlights you will see Greg Ray winning the pole. A brief shot of the cars going 4 wide into turn one as Robby Gordon made a move to try to win the 500 on the first lap & Buddy Laizer in the Coors Light 91 Car trying to pass Montoya in the final laps, to no avail.

Some other interesting notes. The numbers on the cars we all the same font and size, an original IRL procedure.

The computerized “billboards” that ABC used in turn 3 & 4 during the telecast.

Eliseo Salazar finished 3rd, Jeff Ward 4th, Eddie Cheever 5th and Robby Gordon 6th.

This race also featured Lyn St. James and Sarah Fisher on the grid. Although they crashed on lap 71, they were the first duo of female drivers to start the same Indy 500.

Posted: 05|17|08 at 7:57 am. Filed under: Indy 500, Videos.
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