# 2000 Indy Racing League

The 2000 Indy Racing Northern Light Series was the fifth season of the Indy Racing League. The season consisted of nine races, all on oval circuits. The showcase event of the season was the 84th running of the Indianapolis 500.
The season 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 Indianapolis 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 - which would have been the Indy Racing League's first road course event - was cancelled on September 9, 1999, and reverted to a CART event.

## Confirmed entries

The 5 year tire war between Goodyear and Firestone in both CART and the IRL ended after Goodyear left both series as a tire supplier in 1999. This meant from this season onward all teams used Firestone tires.
| | Chassis | Engine | No. | Drivers | Rounds |
| Team Menard | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 1 | Greg Ray | All |
| Team Menard | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 32 | Robby Gordon | 4 |
| Galles Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 3 | Al Unser Jr. | All |
| Panther Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 4 | Scott Goodyear | All |
| Treadway Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 5 | Robby McGehee | All |
| Treadway Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 50 | Jason Leffler R | 4 |
| Treadway Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 55 | Jason Leffler R | 3 |
| Treadway Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 55 | Raul Boesel | 4 |
| Treadway Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 55 | Shigeaki Hattori R | 5–9 |
| Tri Star Motorsports | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 6 | Jeret Schroeder R | All |
| Tri Star Motorsports | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 9 | Robby Unser | 1 |
| Tri Star Motorsports | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 21 | Dr. Jack Miller | 3–4 |
| Tri Star Motorsports | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 21 | Zak Morioka R | 9 |
| Dick Simon Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 7 | Stéphan Grégoire | All |
| Dick Simon Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 90 | Lyn St. James | 4 |
| Kelley Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 8 | Scott Sharp | All |
| Kelley Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 28 | Mark Dismore | All |
| Target Chip Ganassi Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 9 | Juan Pablo Montoya R | 4 |
| Target Chip Ganassi Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 10 | Jimmy Vasser | 4 |
| A. J. Foyt Enterprises | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 11 | Eliseo Salazar | All |
| A. J. Foyt Enterprises | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 14 | Jeff Ward | All |
| A. J. Foyt Enterprises | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 41 | Billy Boat | 4 |
| Bradley Motorsports | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 12 | Buzz Calkins | All |
| Walker Racing | Riley & Scott | Oldsmobile | 15 | Sarah Fisher R | 2–3 |
| Walker Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 15 | Sarah Fisher R | 4–9 |
| Team Xtreme | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 16 | John Hollansworth Jr. | 1 |
| Team Xtreme | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 16 | Davey Hamilton | 2–8 |
| Team Xtreme | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 16 | Jaques Lazier | 9 |
| Team Xtreme | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 88 | Airton Daré R | All |
| Nienhouse Motorsports | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 17 | Niclas Jönsson R | 2 |
| Nienhouse Motorsports | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 17 | Scott Harrington | 3–4 |
| PDM Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 18 | Sam Hornish Jr. R | 1–6, 8–9 |
| Logan Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 19 | Billy Roe | 5–6 |
| Logan Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 19 | Stevie Reeves R | 7–9 |
| Hubbard-Immke Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 20 | Tyce Carlson | 1–3, 5–9 |
| Hubbard-Immke Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 20 | Roberto Guerrero | 4 |
| Indy Regency Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 22 | Johnny Unser | 4 |
| Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | G-Force | Infiniti | 23 | Steve Knapp | 4 |
| Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | G-Force | Infiniti | 24 | Robbie Buhl | 1–3 |
| Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 24 | Robbie Buhl | 4–9 |
| Blueprint Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 27 | Niclas Jönsson R | 1 |
| Blueprint Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 27 | Jimmy Kite | 2–9 |
| Byrd-McCormack Racing | Riley & Scott | Oldsmobile | 29 | Robby Unser | 4 |
| Byrd-McCormack Racing | Riley & Scott | Oldsmobile | 30 | Robby Unser | 5–6 |
| Byrd-McCormack Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 30 | Jon Herb R | 1 |
| Byrd-McCormack Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 30 | Ronnie Johncox | 2–3 |
| Byrd-McCormack Racing | Riley & Scott | Oldsmobile | 30 | Ronnie Johncox | 4 |
| Byrd-McCormack Racing | Riley & Scott | Oldsmobile | 30 | J. J. Yeley | 7–9 |
| Truscelli Team Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 33 | Jaques Lazier | 1, 3–6 |
| Truscelli Team Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 33 | Bobby Regester R | 2 |
| Team Coulson Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 40 | Davy Jones | 4 |
| Team Coulson Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile | 40 | Roberto Guerrero | 8 |
| Mid America Motorsports | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 43 | Doug Didero R | 1–6 |
| Mid America Motorsports | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 43 | Scott Harrington | 7 |
| Mid America Motorsports | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 43 | Jaques Lazier | 8 |
| Mid America Motorsports | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 43 | Davey Hamilton | 9 |
| Sinden Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 44 | Davey Hamilton | 1 |
| Fast Track Racing Enterprises | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 48 | Andy Hillenburg R | 4 |
| Fast Track Racing Enterprises | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 48 | Dan Drinan R | 4 |
| Team Cheever | Riley & Scott | Infiniti | 51 | Eddie Cheever | 1–2 |
| Team Cheever | Dallara | Infiniti | 51 | Eddie Cheever | 3–9 |
| Team Cheever | Dallara | Infiniti | 52 | Ross Cheever | 4 |
| Pagan Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 75 | Richie Hearn | 4 |
| Team Pelfrey | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 81 | Billy Boat | 1–3, 5–9 |
| Team Pelfrey | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 82 | Memo Gidley | 4 |
| Hemelgarn Racing | Riley & Scott | Oldsmobile | 91 | Buddy Lazier | 1–3 |
| Hemelgarn Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 91 | Buddy Lazier | 4–9 |
| Hemelgarn Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 92 | Stan Wattles | 4 |
| Cahill Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile | 98 | Donnie Beechler | All |

## Schedule

| Rnd | Race Name | Track | City | Date |
| 1 | Delphi Indy 200 | Walt Disney World Speedway | Bay Lake, Florida | January 29 |
| 2 | MCI WorldCom Indy 200 | Phoenix International Raceway | Phoenix, Arizona | March 19 |
| 3 | Vegas Indy 300 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Las Vegas, Nevada | April 22 |
| 4 | 84th Indianapolis 500 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana | May 28 |
| 5 | Casino Magic 500 | Texas Motor Speedway | Fort Worth, Texas | June 11 |
| 6 | Radisson 200 | Pikes Peak International Raceway | Fountain, Colorado | June 18 |
| 7 | Midas 500 Classic | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Hampton, Georgia | July 15 |
| 8 | Belterra Resort Indy 300 | Kentucky Speedway | Sparta, Kentucky | August 27 |
| 9 | Excite 500 | Texas Motor Speedway | Fort Worth, Texas | October 15 |
| Sources: |||||

## Results

| Rd. | Race | Pole position | Fastest lap | Most laps led | Race winner | Race winner | Race winner | Race winner |
| Rd. | Race | Pole position | Fastest lap | Most laps led | Driver | Team | Chassis | Engine |
| 1 | Walt Disney World | Greg Ray | Mark Dismore | Robbie Buhl | Robbie Buhl | Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile |
| 2 | Phoenix | Greg Ray | Tyce Carlson | Scott Sharp | Buddy Lazier | Hemelgarn Racing | Riley & Scott | Oldsmobile |
| 3 | Las Vegas | Mark Dismore | Mark Dismore | Mark Dismore | Al Unser Jr. | Galles Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile |
| 4 | Indianapolis | Greg Ray | Buddy Lazier | Juan Pablo Montoya | Juan Pablo Montoya | Chip Ganassi Racing | G-Force | Oldsmobile |
| 5 | Texas 1 | Buddy Lazier | Eddie Cheever | Al Unser Jr. | Scott Sharp | Kelley Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile |
| 6 | Pikes Peak | Greg Ray | Buzz Calkins | Scott Sharp | Eddie Cheever | Team Cheever | Dallara | Infiniti |
| 7 | Atlanta | Greg Ray | Donnie Beechler | Greg Ray | Greg Ray | Team Menard | Dallara | Oldsmobile |
| 8 | Kentucky | Scott Goodyear | Buddy Lazier | Scott Goodyear | Buddy Lazier | Hemelgarn Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile |
| 9 | Texas 2 | Greg Ray | Jaques Lazier | Al Unser Jr. | Scott Goodyear | Panther Racing | Dallara | Oldsmobile |
Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway.

## Race summaries
### Delphi Indy 200

The final Delphi Indy 200 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.

### 84th Indianapolis 500

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. Qualifying was rained out and Buddy Lazier was on the pole based on points standings.
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.
* This was Cheevers penultimate IndyCar 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.

## Points standings

| Pos | Driver | WDW | PHX | LSV | INDY | TXS | PIK | ATL | KTY | TXS | Pts |
| 1 | Buddy Lazier | 2 | 1 | 22 | 2 | 7 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 290 |
| 2 | Scott Goodyear | 4 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 16 | 11 | 2* | 1 | 272 |
| 3 | Eddie Cheever | 3 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 21 | 4 | 2 | 257 |
| 4 | Eliseo Salazar | 5 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 17 | 6 | 10 | 25 | 5 | 210 |
| 5 | Mark Dismore | 16 | 16 | 2* | 11 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 11 | 14 | 202 |
| 6 | Donnie Beechler | 6 | 3 | 26 | 12 | 22 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 202 |
| 7 | Scott Sharp | 15 | 5* | 27 | 10 | 1 | 3* | 16 | 24 | 13 | 196 |
| 8 | Robbie Buhl | 1* | 7 | 5 | 26 | 18 | 23 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 190 |
| 9 | Al Unser Jr. | 25 | 9 | 1 | 29 | 3* | 10 | 3 | 27 | 17* | 188 |
| 10 | Billy Boat | 9 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 23 | 18 | 8 | 18 | 3 | 181 |
| 11 | Jeff Ward | 7 | 11 | 21 | 4 | 19 | 15 | 19 | 6 | 8 | 176 |
| 12 | Robby McGehee | 10 | 24 | 6 | 21 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 14 | 24 | 174 |
| 13 | Greg Ray | 17 | 19 | 9 | 33 | 15 | 20 | 1* | 7 | 26 | 172 |
| 14 | Stéphan Grégoire | 18 | 8 | 28 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 20 | 171 |
| 15 | Buzz Calkins | 8 | 23 | 25 | 18 | 4 | 12 | 23 | 12 | 9 | 145 |
| 16 | Airton Daré RY | 11 | 22 | 14 | 25 | 10 | 2 | 25 | 19 | 12 | 142 |
| 17 | Jeret Schroeder R | 19 | 12 | 4 | 14 | 21 | 7 | 24 | 26 | 16 | 136 |
| 18 | Sarah Fisher R | | 13 | 17 | 31 | 12 | 25 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 124 |
| 19 | Tyce Carlson | 13 | 15 | 8 | Wth | 13 | 11 | 13 | 22 | 23 | 124 |
| 20 | Jaques Lazier | 23 | | 10 | 13 | 14 | 9 | | 20 | 10 | 112 |
| 21 | Sam Hornish Jr. R | 20 | 17 | 3 | 24 | 20 | 19 | | 9 | 27 | 110 |
| 22 | Shigeaki Hattori R | | | | | 8 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 109 |
| 23 | Davey Hamilton | 26 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 24 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 98 |
| 24 | Jimmy Kite | | 26 | 16 | 30 | 16 | 24 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 79 |
| 25 | Juan Pablo Montoya | | | | 1* | | | | | | 54 |
| 26 | Doug Didero R | 14 | 25 | 19 | DNQ | 27 | 22 | | | | 43 |
| 27 | Ronnie Johncox | | 14 | 13 | Wth | | | | | | 33 |
| 28 | J. J. Yeley | | | | | | | 17 | 15 | 25 | 33 |
| 29 | Robby Gordon | | | | 6 | | | | | | 28 |
| 30 | Jason Leffler R | | | 15 | 17 | | | | | | 28 |
| 31 | Niclas Jönsson R | 12 | 21 | | | | | | | | 27 |
| 32 | Jimmy Vasser | | | | 7 | | | | | | 26 |
| 33 | Stevie Reeves R | | | | | | | 22 | 21 | 22 | 25 |
| 34 | Robby Unser | 24 | | | DNQ | 26 | 21 | | | | 19 |
| 35 | Scott Harrington | | | 23 | DNQ | | | 20 | | | 17 |
| 36 | Zak Morioka R | | | | | | | | | 15 | 15 |
| 37 | Raul Boesel | | | | 16 | | | | | | 14 |
| 38 | Steve Knapp | | | | 19 | | | | | | 11 |
| 39 | Bobby Regester R | | 20 | | | | | | | | 10 |
| 40 | John Hollansworth Jr. | 21 | | | | | | | | | 9 |
| 41 | Jon Herb R | 22 | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| 42 | Johnny Unser | | | | 22 | | | | | | 8 |
| 43 | Stan Wattles | | | | 23 | | | | | | 7 |
| 44 | Roberto Guerrero | | | | DNQ | | | | 23 | | 7 |
| 45 | Dr. Jack Miller | | | 24 | DNQ | | | | | | 6 |
| 46 | Billy Roe | | | | | 25 | | | | | 5 |
| 47 | Richie Hearn | | | | 27 | | | | | | 3 |
| 48 | Andy Hillenburg R | | | | 28 | | | | | | 2 |
| 49 | Lyn St. James | | | | 32 | | | | | | 1 |
| – | Dan Drinan | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Memo Gidley | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Davy Jones | | | | DNQ | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Ross Cheever | | | | Wth | | | | | | 0 |
| – | Hideshi Matsuda | | | | Wth | | | | | | 0 |
| Pos | Driver | WDW | PHX | LSV | INDY | TXS | PIK | ATL | KTY | TXS | Pts |
| Color | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | 2nd place |
| Bronze | 3rd place |
| Green | 4th & 5th place |
| Light Blue | 6th–10th place |
| Dark Blue | Finished (Outside Top 10) |
| Purple | Did not finish (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Brown | Withdrawn (Wth) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| Blank | Did not participate (DNP) |
| Blank | Not competing |
In-line notation :
| Bold | Pole position (2 points) |
| Italics | Ran fastest race lap |
| * | Led most race laps (1 point) |
| DNS | Any driver who qualifies but does not start (DNS), earns all the points had they taken part. |
| RY | Rookie of the Year |
| R | Rookie |
* 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).