---

IRL, Indy 500: Eddie Cheever Practice Notes

20 May 1999

Reigning Indy 500 winner, Eddie Cheever, Jr. and his #51 Team Cheever/The Children's Beverage Group Dallara/Goodyear/Infiniti clocked the 14th and 15th fastest times of the day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Cheever's #51 T clocked a fast time of 222.883 mph (40.380 seconds) awhile his primary #51 car covered the 2.5-mile track at 222.778 mph (40.406 seconds). Similar to several other cars today, Cheever did experience some trouble in his #51 T car, when the engine expired in Turn 4.

Team Cheever's Wim Eyckmans, was the third fastest rookie as he drove his #52 EGP/Beaulieu of America Dallara/Goodyear Oldsmobile at a speed of 222.327 mph and a time of 40.481 seconds. Eyckmans was 20th overall.

Top Ten: Wednesday, May 19th
1. Stewart 226.683 6. Unser 224.042
2. Ray 226.025 7. Mcgehee (R) 224.025
3. Luyendyk 225.096 8. Salazar 223.714
4. Brack (T) 224.411 9. Guerrero 223.390
5. Gregoire 224.193 10. Brack 223.270
***(T) is back up car/ (R) stands for rookie driver

Eddie Cheever, Jr.
#51 Team Cheever/The Children's Beverage Group/Dallara/Goodyear/Infiniti

On the day

"This track is notorious for being hard on engines. We've been running the engine in Qualifying mode because we wanted to see where the envelope was. We've obviously gone past it. We are pushing everything right now...engine, tires, the chassis, everything. We want to know that we've squeezed every last bit out of this car to find more speed. We're almost there."

On Arie Luyendyk's Final Indy 500

"Arie has a natural talent for speed. Sometimes, when you look at a driver, you can see the speed on their face; with Arie, you look at him and he's just smiling away, he's so comfortable. Almost laughing at us all. He is very special. I will personally miss racing with and against him greatly."

Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit The Racing ImageGalleries and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.