2000 Indy Racing League
 |
| 2000 Indy Racing League season | |
|---|---|
| Indy Racing Northern Light Series | |
 2000 Indy Racing League | |
| Season | |
| Races | |
| Start date | January 29 |
| End date | October 15 |
| Awards | |
| Drivers' champion |  Buddy Lazier |
| Indianapolis 500 winner |  Juan Pablo Montoya |
The 2000 Indy Racing Northern Light Series was another season that saw a high level of parity, as only one driver, champion Buddy Lazier, won more than a single race. It also saw the beginning of the jump from CART as Al Unser Jr. moved to the series full-time and Chip Ganassi Racing came over to run the Indy 500, which it won with driver Juan Pablo Montoya. It was also the final season for the Riley & Scott chassis, which also saw its first series win in 2000.
A planned race at Cleveland was cancelled on September 9, 2000, and reverted to a CART event.
Confirmed entries
Season Summary
Schedule
| Rnd | Date | Race Name | Track | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 29 | Delphi Indy 200 | Walt Disney World Speedway | Bay Lake, Florida |
| 2 | March 19 | MCI WorldCom Indy 200 | Phoenix International Raceway | Phoenix, Arizona |
| 3 | April 22 | Vegas Indy 300 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| 4 | May 28 | 84th Indianapolis 500 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana |
| 5 | June 11 | Casino Magic 500 | Texas Motor Speedway | Fort Worth, Texas |
| 6 | June 18 | Radisson 200 | Pikes Peak International Raceway | Fountain, Colorado |
| 7 | July 15 | Midas 500 Classic | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Hampton, Georgia |
| 8 | August 27 | Belterra Resort Indy 300 | Kentucky Speedway | Sparta, Kentucky |
| 9 | September 9 | Cleveland | Burke Lakefront Airport (Oval) | Cleveland, Ohio |
| 10 | October 15 | Excite 500 | Texas Motor Speedway | Fort Worth, Texas |
Race results
Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway.
Race summaries
Delphi Indy 200
This race was held January 29 at Walt Disney World Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole.
Top ten results
- 24- Robbie Buhl
- 91- Buddy Lazier
- 51- Eddie Cheever
- 4- Scott Goodyear
- 11- Eliseo Salazar
- 98- Donnie Beechler
- 14- Jeff Ward
- 12- Buzz Calkins
- 81- Billy Boat
- 55- Robby McGehee
- This was Robbie Buhl's 2nd and final IndyCar victory.
- This was the final Indy Racing League event at the track.
MCI WorldCom Indy 200
This race was held March 19 at Phoenix International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.
Top ten results
- 91- Buddy Lazier
- 4- Scott Goodyear
- 98- Donnie Beechler
- 11- Eliseo Salazar
- 8- Scott Sharp
- 81- Billy Boat
- 24- Robbie Buhl
- 7- Stephan Gregoire
- 3- Al Unser Jr.
- 51- Eddie Cheever
- This was the first victory for the Riley & Scott chassis
Vegas Indy 300
This race was held April 22 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mark Dismore won the pole.
Top ten results
- 3- Al Unser Jr.
- 28- Mark Dismore
- 18- Sam Hornish Jr. R
- 6- Jeret Schroeder R
- 24- Robbie Buhl
- 5- Robby McGehee
- 81- Billy Boat
- 20- Tyce Carlson
- 1- Greg Ray
- 33- Jaques Lazier
- This was Al Unser Jr.'s 1st victory since the 1995 CART Molson Indy Vancouver and his 1st IRL victory.
The Indy 500 was held May 28 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Greg Ray sat on pole.
Top ten results
- 9- Juan Pablo Montoya R
- 91- Buddy Lazier
- 11- Eliseo Salazar
- 14- Jeff Ward
- 51- Eddie Cheever
- 32- Robby Gordon
- 10- Jimmy Vasser
- 7- Stephan Gregoire
- 4- Scott Goodyear
- 8- Scott Sharp
- Juan Pablo Montoya was the 1st rookie since Graham Hill (1966) to win the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie.
- Buddy Lazier took over the points lead after this race by 26 points over Robbie Buhl.
Casino Magic 500
This race was held June 11 at Texas Motor Speedway. Buddy Lazier won the pole.
Top ten results
- 8- Scott Sharp
- 5- Robby McGehee
- 3- Al Unser Jr.
- 12- Buzz Calkins
- 4- Scott Goodyear
- 28- Mark Dismore
- 91- Buddy Lazier
- 55- Shigeaki Hattori R
- 51- Eddie Cheever
- 88- Airton Daré R
- This was Robby McGehee's best ever finish.
- Shigeaki Hattori debuts after a disappointing 1999 CART season which ended after his CART competition license was revoked at Laguna Seca.
Radisson 200
This race was held June 18 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.
Top ten results
- 51- Eddie Cheever
- 88- Airton Daré R
- 8- Scott Sharp
- 28- Mark Dismore
- 98- Donnie Beechler
- 11- Eliseo Salazar
- 6- Jeret Schroeder R
- 7- Stephan Gregoire
- 33- Jaques Lazier
- 3- Al Unser Jr.
- This was the Infiniti engine's 1st victory.
Midas 500 Classic
This race was held July 15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole.
Top ten results
- 1- Greg Ray
- 91- Buddy Lazier
- 3- Al Unser Jr.
- 5- Robby McGehee
- 98- Donnie Beechler
- 24- Robbie Buhl
- 7- Stephan Gregoire
- 81- Billy Boat
- 55- Shigeaki Hattori R
- 11- Eliseo Salazar
Belterra Resort Indy 300
The inaugural Indy Racing League event was held August 27 at Kentucky Speedway. Scott Goodyear won the pole.
Top ten results
- 91- Buddy Lazier
- 4- Scott Goodyear
- 15- Sarah Fisher R
- 51- Eddie Cheever
- 7- Stephan Gregoire
- 14- Jeff Ward
- 1- Greg Ray
- 55- Shigeaki Hattori R
- 18- Sam Hornish Jr. R
- 98- Donnie Beechler
- This was Roberto Guerrero's final IndyCar race he qualified for. He would blow an engine after completing 48 laps and would finish 23rd.
- Sarah Fisher becomes the first woman to lead laps and finish on the Podium in an IRL race.
Excite 500
This race was held October 15 at Texas Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole.
Top ten results
- 4- Scott Goodyear
- 51- Eddie Cheever
- 81- Billy Boat
- 91- Buddy Lazier
- 11- Eliseo Salazar
- 98- Donnie Beechler
- 55- Shigeaki Hattori R
- 14- Jeff Ward
- 12- Buzz Calkins
- 16- Jaques Lazier
- This was the final race victory for Scott Goodyear as he lost his ride to Sam Hornish Jr. in the off-season, then during the 2001 Indianapolis 500 he would suffer career ending injuries after a huge accident during that race.
Final points standings
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- Ties in points broken by number of wins, followed by number of 2nds, 3rds, etc., and then by number of pole positions, followed by number of times qualified 2nd, etc.
Additional points were awarded to the pole winner (3 points), the second best qualifier (2 points), the third best qualifier (1 point) and to the driver leading the most laps (2 point).