 | |||||
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | Indy Racing League | ||||
| Season | 2000 IRL season | ||||
| Date | May 28, 2000 | ||||
| Winner |  Juan Pablo Montoya | ||||
| Winning team | Chip Ganassi Racing | ||||
| Average speed | 167.607 mph (269.737 km/h) | ||||
| Pole position |  Greg Ray | ||||
| Pole speed | 223.471 mph (359.642 km/h) | ||||
| Fastest qualifier | Greg Ray | ||||
| Rookie of the Year | Juan Pablo Montoya | ||||
| Most laps led | Juan Pablo Montoya (167) | ||||
| Pre-race ceremonies | |||||
| National anthem | Jessica Andrews | ||||
| "Back Home Again in Indiana" | Jim Nabors | ||||
| Starting command | Mari George | ||||
| Pace car | Oldsmobile Aurora | ||||
| Pace car driver | Anthony Edwards | ||||
| Starter | Bryan Howard | ||||
| Honorary starter | Howard Katz (ABC Sports) | ||||
| Estimated attendance | 250,000 (estimated) | ||||
| TV in the United States | |||||
| Network | ABC | ||||
| Announcers | Bob Jenkins, Tom Sneva, Arie Luyendyk | ||||
| Nielsen ratings | 5.5 / 15 | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
| |||||
The 84th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 28, 2000. The race was sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, and was part of the 2000 Indy Racing Northern Lights Series season. After four years of an ongoing organizational dispute and "split" in Indy car racing,[1] Chip Ganassi Racing became the first major CART-based team to compete at the race since 1995.[2] The Ganassi team of Jimmy Vasser and Juan Pablo Montoya competed as a one-off entry, and were well received by fans and fellow competitors.[1] Both drivers were quickly up to speed with the IRL regulars, and were expected to be favorites in both qualifying and on race day. Also making a heralded return to Indianapolis was two-time winner Al Unser Jr.[1] who had switched full-time to the IRL in 2000.
During qualifying, defending IRL champion Greg Ray took the pole position. However, on race day, reigning CART champion Juan Pablo Montoya dominated the race.[2] Montoya led 167 laps, and cruised to victory, becoming the first rookie winner since Graham Hill in 1966.[3][4] It was the first of two Indy victories for Montoya (2000, 2015). Buddy Lazier, the 1996 winner, and eventual season champion, finished second, his second runner-up finish at Indy, and fifth consecutive top ten.
The 2000 race was the first to feature two female starters in the field, Lyn St. James and Sarah Fisher. The start of the race was delayed over three hours due to rain. The green flag dropped at 2:10 p.m. EST, and the race was completed shortly after 5 p.m. Seven minutes after the checkered flag, the rain returned, and doused the victory lane celebration.
The first 65 laps of the race were run caution-free, a new Indy 500 record at the time. Montoya became only the fourth winner to complete the race in under three hours, and at 167.607 mph, it was the fastest Indy 500 since 1991. At the end of the season, Montoya promptly departed Indy car racing for Formula One, then went to NASCAR. He would not return for his second Indy start until 2014.[5]
- ^ a b c "Shot in the arm: Ganassi, Unser providing old excitement at Indy". Sports Illustrated. 2000-05-28. Archived from the original on February 11, 2006. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
- ^ a b "CART's revenge: Montoya pulls away from Lazier for Indy 500 win". Sports Illustrated. 2000-05-29. Archived from the original on August 29, 2000. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
- ^ Robbins, Liz (2000-05-29). "AUTO RACING; Montoya's Got Milk And Victory In Indy 500". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-10-19.
- ^ Harris, Mike (2000-05-30). "Montoya makes it look easy". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Retrieved 2009-10-19.[dead link]
- ^ "Juan Pablo Montoya joins Penske". ESPN. 2013-09-17. Retrieved 2013-09-17.