True Value 200

Location: New Hampshire International Speedway 1 Mile Paved Oval 200 Laps/200 Miles August 18, 1996 Time of race: 1:36:57.912 Average speed of winner: 130.934 Margin of victory: 20.4 Lead changes: 0 Cautions: 0 for 0 laps Lap leaders:

Summary:

The IRL inagurated its second season in the rolling hills of Concord, NH. This race was dominated -- but not won -- by Tony Stewart, who passed Arie Luyendyk on lap 15 and led most of the rest of the way. A starting-line crash eliminated contender Robbie Buhl and rookie Jim Guthrie. Buddy Lazier, fresh off of his historic Indy 500 victory and still competing with the back injuries that he had suffered at Phoenix, crashed hard early, but fortunately did not worsen his existing injuries. Tyce Carlson had an ignition problem right off and ran most of the first 120 laps on seven cylinders (they got it fixed during a red-flag period). Luyendyk, polesitter Ritchie Hearn, Scott Sharp, and Buzz Calkins contended for second; however, they and everyone else ran behind Stewart, who had a lap on the field by the time the race was briefly halted for rain on lap 123. The stoppage did several engines no good, among then that of Hearn, who had his engine go sour after the restart; it eventually blew on lap 170. The shocker came eleven laps after that. Stewart had two laps on everyone but Sharp and was threatening to make the race a laugher. It appeared that the mighty but erratic Menard V-6 engine was finally going to post a victory, in its second-to-last appearance ever in an Indycar, as it would not be legal under the recently announced engine formula for 1997. However, on lap 181, Stewart's engine suffered an engine computer failure and abruptly shut off as he entered turn 3. This in turn handed to race lead to Sharp, who after making up his lap to Stewart led the rest of the way and won with nearly a one-lap advantage over Calkins and Michele Alboreto. Sharp's win was the first for the Lola chassis and Goodyear tires in the IRL, and the first for A. J. Foyt as a car owner since his retirement from driving in 1992. A decision made shortly after this race changed the IRL seasons from May-to-May to align with the calendar year, making this race the beginning of a 17-month championship odyssey. (from IRL Underground)