Indy 200

Location: Walt Disney World Speedway 1 Mile Paved Oval 149 Laps/149 Miles January 25, 1997 Time of race: 1:33:30.748 Average speed of winner: 128.325 Margin of victory: 0.866 Lead changes: 3 among 3 leaders Cautions: 2 for 12 laps Lap leaders: Stewart 1-130, Calkins 131-144, Stewart 145, Cheever 146-149

Summary:

The debut race for the new cars was unfortunately halted by rain prior to its scheduled distance, but before that some interesting racing took place. For the first time in over thirty years, a field of throaty, normally aspirated Indycar engines fired up and rolled off the grid without any turbo whine. Unfortunately, that grid consisted of only 19 cars; several teams were unable to field an entry due to engine and parts shortages. Polesitter Tony Stewart ran away and hid from the start, but there was tight racing just behind with Buzz Calkins in hot pursuit, and Scott Sharp, Mike Groff, and several others just behind. The race was very clean with only one accident, which occurred on lap 100 when rookie Jaret Schroeder spun into the wall in turn 1, and Arie Luyendyk was forced into the inside wall trying to avoid him. Neither driver was injured but both were out. Things got more interesting after that caution, as Calkins and Eddie Cheever gradually reeled in Stewart, with Calkins taking the lead when Stewart pitted on lap 130. Things began happening quickly after that. With the skies darkening and rain threatening, every driver went to their "passing gear" and went all out in an attempt to move up. For a brief while it appeared that Calkins was going to repeat his IRL-inagurating triumph of a year ago, but on lap 141 his engine began smoking, and two laps later he coasted to the pits with a broken engine. Stewart assumed the lead and appeared to be the race winner when the yellow was thrown for rain on lap 146. But as he crossed the line to take the yellow, Stewart's car broke an oil line and the luckless driver spun into the wall, continuing a string of IRL near-misses for the young phenom. A very surprised Eddie Cheever inherited the lead and, when the deluge finally came three laps later, the veteran driver had his first Indycar victory after seven years of effort. Cheever accomplished a unique feat: he won the race without leading a lap under the green flag. (from IRL Underground)