Racing Families in the Indy Series

When you think of racing families, the mind always turns to the Unser's, the Petty's, the Earnhardt's or the Andretti's. Families that race are common, and are one of the things that draw fans to the sport. Many fans love to watch father-son duels or brother-brother competition on the NASCAR circuit or in CART, but few may realize that in the Indy Northern Lights Racing Series, there's a family element as well. Since the Indy series is off this week, let me introduce that family by way of a question.

What racing family has a son who was an Olympic class skier, a father who raced in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, and another son who was a member of the first amateur hockey team to visit Russia? Give up? The answer is the Lazier family. Older brother Buddy, the current points leader on the Indy series was a champion skier while growing up in Vail, Colorado. Father Bob was a long-time driver in Indy style cars and was a starter in the 1981 Indy 500. And now, younger brother Jaques, who at the age of 12 toured Russia, Finland and Sweden with a youth hockey team, made his first start at Indianapolis this year. Let's meet them and find out more about the Indy Northern Lights Racing Series' newest family dynasty.

Bob Lazier retired from racing long before either of his sons reached the big time, but he had a long and successful racing career. The highlight of that career was in 1981, when he finished 19th at the Brickyard. After retirement, he encouraged his sons to race, but unlike many racing dads, he also insisted that they graduate from college. He also had nothing to do with the boy's early ventures into professional racing. He sat on the sidelines and cheered them on, but had no involvement in their teams or with their cars. He once told reporters, "It was their goal to go racing, not mine to get them to go racing. You don't do anything in life because it's for your father. You have to do it for your own passion." It wasn't until Buddy was reaching toward the Indy car level that Bob stepped in to assist. With Jaques, it was the same story. Not until he was already a success did his father enter the picture, working in the pits with his son's team. When asked if he helped coach his sons on the track, he responded, "I don't spend a lot of time being a driving coach. They're way past that. I didn't get as far as either one of them."

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