Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Date: Saturday, July 26, 1997
Start time: 8:18 PM EDT
Weather: Hot
Serial: #8 of 10 in 1996-1997 season
History: IRL race #1, Indycar race #1 at this track
Config: 1.5-mile quad-oval, high banked
Wing package: Speedway
Buddy Lazier topped rookie Billy Boat to take his second IRL victory in the first-ever Indycar race at this long-time stock-car racing venue. The start of the race looked like it was going to be a benefit for polesitter Tony Stewart, but his car developed handling problems after pitting during a caution period on lap 75 and was out of contention thereafter. Lazier made a pit strategy gamble that didn't work; he stayed out during the caution and assumed the lead, but had to make a green-flag stop on lap 93 and fell a lap down. Mark Dismore moved up steadily through the field but blew an engine at full speed going down the front stretch on lap 99; he spun the car harmlessly into the infield in turn 1 and won applause from the North Carolina crowd for his excellent driving. Boat, Roberto Guerrero, and Jimmy Kite (in only his second IRL start) swapped the lead until Guerrero touched wheels with points leader Davey Hamilton in turn 2 and both cars spun into the wall. Neither driver was hurt, but his resulting 16th-place finish cost Hamilton the points lead. Lazier unlapped himself on the subsequent caution and joined the duel with Boat and Kite; the latter's race ended when his car pushed up into the wall exiting turn 4. After the caution, Lazier took the lead and appeared to be faster than Boat, but got caught behind Scott Goodyear who was trying to stay on the lead lap. While Lazier made several high-risk pass attempts (including two runs through the grass in the quad-oval), Boat "picked" him and briefly assumed the lead, but then Goodyear conceded and Lazier moved back in front for the final 11 laps. In the last few laps, Kenny Brack and Eddie Cheever staged a furious duel for fifth as they picked through traffic, with Brack coming out on top. Many observers agreed that it was one of the most exciting Indycar races ever conducted.
Fin St Qual Car C/E/T Driver Entrant Laps Status Laps Pts
Spd # Led
1 5 211.948 91 D/A/F Buddy Lazier Hemelgarn 208 Running 58 35
2 3 212.440 1 G/A/G Billy Boat Foyt 208 Running 38 33
3 8 209.408 6 G/A/F Scott Goodyear Treadway 207 Running 1 32
4 16 207.333 17 D/A/G Affonso Giaffone Chitwood 206 Running 31
5 18 207.198 4 G/A/G Kenny Brack Galles 206 Running 30
6 15 208.406 51 G/A/G Eddie Cheever Cheever 206 Running 29
7 1 217.164 2 G/A/G Tony Stewart Menard 205 Running 74 31
8 9 209.310 77 G/A/G Stephan Gregoire Chastain 202 Running 27
9 11 209.116 70 G/A/G Marco Greco Galles 202 Running 26
10 14 208.567 7 D/A/G Eliseo Salazar Scandia 200 Running 25
11 21 203.183 18 D/A/G John Paul Jr. PDM 198 Running 24
12 6 210.436 27 D/A/F Jim Guthrie Blueprint 197 Running 23
13 20 205.105 30 G/A/G Robbie Groff McCormack 189 Half Shaft 22
14 22 198.624 10 G/A/F Mike Groff Byrd-C'ham 176 Running 21
15 13 208.776 33 D/A/G Jimmy Kite Scandia 163 Crash FS 11 20
16 4 212.398 14 G/A/G Davey Hamilton Foyt 141 Crash T2 19
17 7 210.215 21 D/A/G Roberto Guerrero Pagan 141 Crash T2 26 18
18 23 No Spd. 99 D/A/F Sam Schmidt LP 114 Engine 17
19 10 209.237 28 D/A/G Mark Dismore Kelley 97 Engine 16
20 12 209.035 22 D/A/F Vincenzo Sospiri Scandia 70 Engine 15
21 2 214.524 5 G/A/F Arie Luyendyk Treadway 67 Handling 14
22 17 207.262 31 D/A/F Greg Ray Knapp 30 Engine 13
23 19 206.162 40 D/I/F Jack Miller Sinden 13 Electrical 12
Laps under green: 181 of 208 laps (87.0%)
Caution flags: 4 for 27 laps (13.0%)
#1: lap 74, debris, BS, 3 laps
#2: lap 99, blown engine (Dismore), FS, 8 laps
#3: lap 145, crash (Guerrero, Hamilton, Salazar), T2, 10 laps
#4: lap 165, crash (Kite), FS, 6 laps
Red flags: 0 for 0 minutes
Lead changes: 13
St: Stewart 1-47
#1: Goodyear 48
#2: Stewart 49-75
#3: Lazier 76-92
#4: Boat 93-100
#5: Guerrero 101-126
#6: Boat 127-139
#7: Kite 140-145
#8: Boat 146
#9: Kite 147-151
#10: Boat 152-166
#11: Lazier 167-195
#12: Boat 196
#13: Lazier 197-208
C/E/T finish averages (# started / avg finish):
Dallara: 12 / 14.3
G-Force: 11 / 9.5
Aurora: 22 / 11.5
Infiniti: 1 / 23.0
Firestone: 9 / 14.9
Goodyear: 14 / 10.1