Donnie Beechler
Donnie Beechler (born May 18, 1961), is a former driver in the Indy Racing League. He was born in Springfield, Illinois. Beechler raced in the 1998–2001 seasons with 36 career starts, including 4 Indianapolis 500 showings. His best career finish was 3rd, achieved twice, at the 2000 IRL Phoenix 200 won by Buddy Lazier at Phoenix International Raceway and the 2001 300-mile race won by Eddie Cheever, Jr. at Kansas Speedway. Beechler won the 9th Annual Chili Bowl Nationals in 1995. Since leaving IndyCars he has returned to the USAC Silver Crown Series on a part-time basis. Also was an avid roller skater competing in several Illinois State Speed Meets. Racing record American Open Wheel ( key) IndyCar results : ''1 The 1999 VisionAire 500K at Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg Cou ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat and largest city of Sangamon County. The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census, which makes it the state's seventh most-populous city, the second largest outside of the Chicago metropolitan area (after Rockford), and the largest in central Illinois. Approximately 208,000 residents live in the Springfield metropolitan area. Springfield was settled by European-Americans in the late 1810s, around the time Illinois became a state. The most famous historic resident was Abraham Lincoln, who lived in Springfield from 1837 until 1861, when he went to the White House as President of the United States. Major tourist attractions include multiple sites connected with Lincoln including the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site, and the Lincoln Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery. Springfield lies in a valley ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1998 Dura Lube 200
The 1998 Dura Lube 200 was the second round of the 1998 Indy Racing League. The race was held on March 22, 1998 at the Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. Report Qualifying Grid limited to 28 cars. Positions 1-26 determined by qualifying speed. Positions 27-28 reserved for provisionals (based on entrant points). Race The difference between the fastest and slowest qualifier was the 2nd closest in Indycar history at Phoenix, which, combined with traction problems in turn 2 caused by a dip in the pavement, made for a rough race. Shockingly, neither the defending race champion, Jim Guthrie, nor his previous team Blueprint Racing (with Robbie Groff) qualified. Speeds were up from the previous year, and six cars broke the new-car track record led by surprise pole winner Jeff Ward, who jumped out to the early lead and held it until he encountered gearbox problems. He eventually lost fifth gear and was handicapped on restarts, although once up to speed he was sti ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2002 In IRL
The 2002 Indy Racing League (IRL) was one of transition, with two reigning CART championship teams, Team Penske and Target Chip Ganassi Racing, joining the series with full time entries. The Oldsmobile engine was rebranded as a Chevrolet, and both Honda and Toyota announced their participation in the series starting in 2003 while Infiniti announced its withdrawal. Sam Hornish Jr. won 5 races on his way to his second straight championship ahead of Penske juggernaut Hélio Castroneves, winner of two races including a second straight Indy 500, on his way to second in the championship. Confirmed entries Season Summary Schedule Race results BOLD indicates a Superspeedway. Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway. Race summaries Grand Prix of Miami This race was held on March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Sam Hornish Jr. won the pole. Top ten results #4- Sam Hornish Jr. #6- Gil de Ferran #3- Hélio Castroneves #9- Jeff Ward #11- Eliseo Salazar #52- Tomas Scheck ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2001 Indianapolis 500
The 85th Indianapolis 500 (aka “the 2001 Indianapolis 500”) was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 27, 2001. Race rookie Hélio Castroneves, a three-year veteran of the CART series, led the final 52 laps and won his first of four Indy 500 victories. Penske Racing swept 1st-2nd with Gil de Ferran the runner-up. Winning car owner Roger Penske scored his 11th victory at the Indianapolis 500, and his first-ever 1-2 finish in the race. It was a redemption from the team's previous attempt at Indy (1995) in which both of his cars failed to qualify; subsequently followed by a five-year absence (1996-2000) due to the open wheel "split." The race was sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and was part of the 2001 Indy Racing Northern Lights Series season. The 2001 race was notable in that several top CART teams returned to Indy for the first time since 1995, despite the ongoing open wheel "split." IRL-based teams excelled in time trials, taking ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2001 In IRL
The 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series saw the addition of five races and loss of one to bring the total to 13. Chip Ganassi Racing returned to the Indy 500 with four cars and were joined on the grid by Penske Racing and Team Kool Green. Sam Hornish Jr. won 3 races on his way to the championship while the less consistent Buddy Lazier won four races on his way to second place in his title defense. Confirmed entries Season Summary Schedule Race results Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway. Race summaries Pennzoil Copper World Indy 200 This race was held March 18 at Phoenix International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole. Top ten results #4- Sam Hornish Jr. #14- Eliseo Salazar #91- Buddy Lazier #8- Scott Sharp #98- Billy Boat #21- Felipe Giaffone #35- Jeff Ward #10- Robby McGehee #12- Buzz Calkins #88- Airton Daré Inaugural Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami This race was held April 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Jeff Ward won the pole. Sarah Fish ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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2000 Indianapolis 500
The 84th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 28, 2000. After four years of an ongoing organizational dispute and "split" in Indy car racing, Chip Ganassi Racing became the first major CART-based team to compete at the race since 1995. The Ganassi team of Jimmy Vasser and Juan Pablo Montoya competed as a one-off entry, and were well received by fans and fellow competitors. Both drivers were quickly up to speed with the IRL regulars, and were expected to be favorites in both qualifying and on race day. Also making a heralded return to Indianapolis was two-time winner Al Unser Jr. who had switched full-time to the IRL in 2000. During qualifying, defending IRL champion Greg Ray took the pole position. However, on race day, reigning CART champion Juan Pablo Montoya dominated the race. Montoya led 167 laps, and cruised to victory, becoming the first rookie winner since Graham Hill in 1966. It was the first of two Indy victo ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1999 Indianapolis 500
The 83rd Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday, May 30, 1999. The race was sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and was part of the 1999 Pep Boys Indy Racing League season. In the closing laps, race leader Robby Gordon ran out of fuel within sight of the white flag. Kenny Bräck took the lead with just over one lap to go and won for car owner A. J. Foyt. The race victory represented the long-awaited "fifth" Indy 500 win for A. J. Foyt, who had previously won a record four times as a driver (1961, 1964, 1967, 1977). It was also one of the most-successful races for A. J. Foyt Enterprises, with Bräck the winner, and team cars Billy Boat third, and Robbie Buhl sixth. Popular veteran and two-time Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk announced his plans to retire at the end of the event. He won the pole position and was a factor most of the first half. After leading 63 laps, however, he crashed while leading after he tangled with a ba ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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VisionAire 500K
The VisionAire 500K was an Indy Racing League race held at Charlotte Motor Speedway from 1997 to 1999. During the 1999 event, three spectators were killed when debris from a crash on the track went into the grandstands. The race was stopped and canceled, and the event was removed from the Indy Racing League schedule. Race history The first open wheel races in the region were held at the Charlotte Speedway board track built in Pineville fro1924 to 1927 Tommy Milton won the first race, a 250-mile event. USAC In 1980, USAC announced plans for a 500 km event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the first Indy car event at the facility. Charlotte Motor Speedway had opened in 1960, and was home to the NASCAR World 600. However, no Indy car races had been held at the track over its first twenty years. The plans for the race, however, were scrapped when USAC entered into a joint sanctioning effort with CART, and the 1980 calendar was reorganized. Indy Racing League In 1996, the upstar ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1999 In IRL
Greg Ray won his first and only Drivers' Championship while Kenny Bräck (pictured) finished second in the championship. The 1999 Pep Boys Indy Racing League was highly competitive and parity was the order of the year. Team Menard had a very good season with their driver Greg Ray capturing 3 race wins in a row and the series championship. This was the last year before CART teams began to break ranks and jump to the IRL. Confirmed entries Season Summary Schedule Race results All races running on Oval/Speedway. Race summaries TransWorld Diversified Services Indy 200 The TransWorld Diversified Services Indy 200 was held on January 24 at Walt Disney World Speedway. Scott Sharp qualified on the pole position. The race was broadcast on ABC. Top 10 results # 51- Eddie Cheever # 4- Scott Goodyear # 35- Jeff Ward # 8- Scott Sharp # 30- Raul Boesel # 28- Mark Dismore # 18- Steve Knapp # 9- Davey Hamilton # 11- Billy Boat # 91- Buddy Lazier *Failed to qualify: 6-E ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1998 Radisson 200
The 1998 Radisson 200 (also referred to as the Colorado 200 on ABC's TV coverage) was the eighth round of the 1998 Indy Racing League. The race was held on August 16, 1998 at the Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colorado The City of Fountain is a home rule municipality located in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 29,802 at the 2020 United States Census, a +15.31% increase since the 2010 United States Census. Fountain is a part of .... Report Qualifying Two laps qualifying. The worst lap from any of the drivers are unknown. # Couldn't qualify after his chassis had been damaged in a practice crash. He was allowed to start the race at the back of the field. Failed to qualify or withdrew * Stan Wattles for Metro Racing Systems - took part in practice sessions, but withdrew before qualifying. Race # On August 21, both Menard drivers were docked 15 points after the rear wing of their cars was declared illegal in a technic ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1998 VisionAire 500K
The 1998 VisionAire 500K was the seventh round of the 1998 Indy Racing League. The race was held on July 25, 1998 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Report Qualifying Two laps qualifying. The worst lap from any of the drivers are unknown. # Elected not to qualify after having signed for the ride between practice sessions, and having completed only four laps in practice because of a change in the pedal assembly to fit his size. He was allowed to start the race at the back of the field. # Had an engine failure during practice, and a spare was not ready on time. He was allowed to start the race at the back of the field. Failed to qualify or withdrew * Robby Unser for Team Cheever Cheever Racing was an auto racing team founded in 1996 by Eddie Cheever as Team Cheever in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. They fielded a car for Cheever for much of its existence, but occasionally ran two cars, almost always for the Indi ... - entered for the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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1998 Pep Boys 400K
The 1998 Pep Boys 400K was the sixth round of the 1998 Indy Racing League. The race was held on July 19, 1998 at the Dover Downs International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. It was the second Indy car race held at this track, and the first since the 1969 Delaware 200. Report Qualifying Two laps qualifying. The worst lap from any of the drivers are unknown. # Had an engine failure in his warm-up lap. He was allowed to start the race at the back of the field. # Named for the ride after qualifying. He was allowed to start the race at the back of the field. Failed to qualify or withdrew * Eliseo Salazar for Riley & Scott Cars - crashed in practice on Friday July 17 and was hospitalized with a broken right arm, hip, leg and pelvis. Replaced by Scott Harrington. * Buzz Calkins for Bradley Motorsports - after losing an engine on practice, his team decided to sit out for the weekend and also to withdraw for the next event at Charlotte to regain competitiveness. * Robbie Buhl ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |