Y'Know That? October 1999

Pretty Easy

  1. Who drives the IRL car with the highest car number? [Sam Schmidt, who drives the car #99 for Treadway Racing.]
  2. Which is the only IRL track paved with concrete? [Dover.]
  3. What former Indy 500 winner is now an IRL commentator for ABC and ESPN? [Arie Luyendyk.]
  4. How much fuel does the fuel cell in an IRL car hold? [35 U.S. gallons.]
  5. Which two current IRL drivers are cousins? [Robby and Johnny Unser. Robby is the son of former Indy 500 winner Bobby Unser; Johnny is the son of Bobby's late brother Jerry.]
  6. Of the three IRL chassis makes, which one is built in Italy? [Dallara.]

Somewhat Harder

  1. Where is an IRL car's "diaper", and what purpose does it serve? [It lines the undertray beneath the engine. It catches fluids and loose parts, keeping them off the track, if th engine blows.]
  2. Buddy Lazier is a fine race driver, but he is not known as an especially strong qualifier. At what race did he win his only IRL pole to date? [At the very first IRL race, at Disney World in 1996. His team had to borrow parts off of teammate Stephan Gregoire's car in order for Lazier to make his qualifying run.]
  3. Which IRL driver has won races in three consecutive seasons, but not in three consecutive calendar years? [Scott Sharp. This anomoly occurred because the last two races of 1996 were counted as part of the 1997 season. Sharp won New Hampshire in 1996, which was officially the first race of the 1997 season; he then won two races in 1998 and Dover in 1999.]
  4. Which IRL driver is a former American Motorcycle Association motocross champion? [Jeff Ward.]
  5. Which current IRL owner was the U.S. distributor for the March racing chasssis in the 1970s? [Tom Kelley.]
  6. Which current IRL driver holds a law degree? [John Hollansworth.]

No one got all 12 questions right in October. Better luck in November!