noelsaw
05-28-2000, 07:42 PM
After several hours of delay - the 84th Indianapolis 500 went underway under cloudy skies. In the end, IRL rookie, CART cross-over, and driver extraordinaire Juan Montoya took the victory circle with 167 laps led out of 200 laps. Perhaps in a testament to the new found Infiniti Indy engine, both Eddie Cheever and Steve Knapp completed the race in fifth and nineteenth place respectively. Although Cheever did not win the race, his fifth place accomplishment was much sweeter than last year's Indy 500 race where problems with the Infiniti Indy engine caused him to pull-out of the race.**
Cheever said at the end of the race, "I beat the hell out of it (the Infiniti engine), and it held its head high." As to the race, "We lost positions on the last pit stop. I have to wait 365 days 'til the next Indy 500. It was not a flawless race." About slowing past halfway point, "I got a bunch of neutrals (shifts). I put it into sixth, and it took off. It got better. I got my fastest on the last lap. Now we'll pick up the pieces and go to Texas."
Knapp added his two cents, "I felt good the whole race. When I got out of the car … I'm pretty sore now. I think our overall package was too much downforce. We went in knowing that but hoped the race would come to us. The (Infiniti) motor was flawless. It never missed a beat."**
Cheever said at the end of the race, "I beat the hell out of it (the Infiniti engine), and it held its head high." As to the race, "We lost positions on the last pit stop. I have to wait 365 days 'til the next Indy 500. It was not a flawless race." About slowing past halfway point, "I got a bunch of neutrals (shifts). I put it into sixth, and it took off. It got better. I got my fastest on the last lap. Now we'll pick up the pieces and go to Texas."
Knapp added his two cents, "I felt good the whole race. When I got out of the car … I'm pretty sore now. I think our overall package was too much downforce. We went in knowing that but hoped the race would come to us. The (Infiniti) motor was flawless. It never missed a beat."**