Greg Ray Cruises to Victory at Atlanta

The Indy Northern Lights Racing Series (IRL) returned to action Saturday evening, July 15, as Greg Ray and the Team Menard #1 Dallara/Olds dominated the Midas 500 Classic," at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The win, Ray's fourth since joining Team Menard in 1999 made him the seventh different winner in seven races this season on the Indy Northern Lights circuit. Ray led 182 of the 208 laps in the event with an average speed of 212.691 mph on the final lap. His average speed for the race, which was slowed by 41 laps under the yellow, was 153.403 mph.

Eddie Cheever, Jr., a top contender for the season points championship finished 21st, as he only led one lap before engine problems forced him out on lap 112. After the race he was quoted as saying, "This is my first DNF (of the season). We had mechanical failure. The same engine that broke tonight is the same engine that put us in front. You have to take the good with the bad. That kind of stuff happens. Will we give up? No, we're not. This really hurts our championship push a lot. Am I disappointed? Sure, I am."

With only two races left in the 2000 Season, the Top Five in the points chase are: 1. Buddy Lazier 208 2. Eddie Cheever Jr. 185 3. Scott Goodyear 175 4. Scott Sharp 173 5. Eliseo Salazar 173

Ray, who won the race from the pole said after the race," It was fun. I had a great car. It was fun to drive. I listened to my spotter. The problem out there tonight was with running multiple lines. In Texas, we were quick on the draft. And here, we tried to run too wide. Our focus tonight was to be quick on the restart. The car was superb, and I only wish to have a car as good as this every race." It is Ray's hope to salvage a disappointing season which included a last place finish in this year's Indianapolis 500, after winning the pole.

Ray's next chance comes in a little more than a month, when the series heads to Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, for the Belterra Resort Indy 300 on August 27. The final race of the 2000 season will be the Mall.com 500 from Texas Motor Speedway on October 15.

With such long breaks between races during the next few months, this column will feature driver profiles and information on teams, cars, rules and other items of interest to race fans. As news develops throughout the Indy Northern Lights Racing Series, you can be sure that you'll find it here at Suite 101's IRL site. Next week, look for a feature article on Al Unser, Jr. and the importance of his return to the Indy Racing League after a long absence.

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