Robert Buddy Lazier^[1][2] (born October 31, 1967) is an Americanauto racing driver, best known for winning the1996 Indianapolis 500 and the2000 Indy Racing League season championship.

Buddy Lazier
Lazier at theIndianapolis Motor Speedway in May 2008 for the2008 Indianapolis 500.
Born	(1967-10-31)October 31, 1967 (age 57) Vail, Colorado, U.S.
Champ Car career
54 races run over 7 years
Years active	1989–1995
Team(s)	Lazier Racing (1989) Gary Trout Motorsports (1989) Hemelgarn Racing (1990–91, 1994) Arciero Racing (1990) Dale Coyne Racing (1991) Todd Walther Racing (1991) HemelgarnCoyne Racing (1991) Walker Racing (1991) Leader Card Racing (1992–94) Dick Simon Racing (1994) Project Indy (1995) Payton/Coyne Racing (1995) Team Menard (1995)
Best finish	19th –1992
First race	1990Budweiser/G.I.Joe's 200 (Portland)
Last race	1995New England 200 (New Hampshire)
IndyCar Series career
Debut season	1996
Current team	Lazier Partners Racing
Car number	44
Former teams	Hemelgarn Racing (1996–2004) Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (2004, 2006) Panther Racing (2005) Sam Schmidt Motorsports (2007) Hemelgarn-Johnson Racing (2008–09)
Starts	104
Championships	1 (2000)
Wins	8
Podiums	18
Poles	2
Fastest laps	6
Previous series
1986–87 1986–89 1989,1993 1989–95 2001 2001–02 2007	Canadian-American Challenge Cup American Indycar Series IMSAGT Championship USACGold Crown Series Grand-AmRolex Sports Car Series International Race of Champions NASCARCraftsman Truck Series
Championship titles
1988 1996 2000	American Indycar Series Champion Indianapolis 500 Winner Indy Racing League Champion
Awards
2003	Scott Brayton Trophy
NASCARCraftsman Truck Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2007 position	91st
Best finish	91st (2007)
First race	2007Smith's Las Vegas 350 (Las Vegas)
Last race	2007Smith's Las Vegas 350 (Las Vegas)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0

Lazier began his racing career in the 1980s by competing in such series as theIMSAGT Championship, theSCCACanadian-American Challenge Cup and theAmerican Indycar Series. Lazier won the American Indycar Series championship in1988. Lazier started his IndyCar career in1989 by competing in theIndy Car World Series. During the season, Lazier failed to qualify for theIndianapolis 500. Lazier eventually qualified for the Indianapolis 500 in1991. During his Champ Car career, Lazier often drove for teams that used older chassis and engines; his best finish in the Champ Car standings was a 19th-place finish in1992.

Lazier began to compete in the newly formedIndy Racing League in1996. Lazier won theIndianapolis 500 that season, and he became one of the most dominant drivers in the series for a period of time, winning eight races overall and the series championship in2000. Lazier began to drive only at the Indianapolis 500 in2007 and continued to enter the Indianapolis 500 through2009. He did not return to the series until2013 at theIndianapolis 500 when he competed forLazier Partners Racing, a team started by his fatherBob Lazier and various investors. Lazier and the team repeated their efforts in2014,2015,2016 and, for the final time, in2017.

Lazier was originally a competitive skier, and for a time was part of the U.S. Olympic developmental program.^[1][2]

For1986, Lazier competed in theSCCACanadian-American Challenge Cup, driving the No. 43 car for theTexas American Racing Team, driving aWatson 82. Lazier made his début at the second race of the season atSummit Point Motorsports Park. Lazier failed to start the race and was credited with an 18th-place finish. Lazier also competed atSt. Louis International Raceway; he started fifth and finished in twelfth place due to a chassis issue. Lazier finished in 26th place in the final standings with 4 points. In1987, Lazier remained with the Texas American Racing Team, driving the No. 19March 85C car. At the season-opening race atWillow Springs International Raceway, Lazier qualified on pole position, led 22 of 48 laps and won the race. Lazier also qualified on pole position atWisconsin State Fairgrounds Park Speedway, led for 25 laps but ultimately finished in 9th place. Lazier finished in third place atPueblo Motorsports Park and fourth place at the season-ending race atPhoenix International Raceway. Lazier finished in 4th place in the final championship standings with 62 points.

In1989, Lazier competed in theIMSA GT Championship, driving the No. 43Motorsports MarketingFabcar CL FEP/002-Porsche withJohn Higgens,Lorenzo Lamas andJustus Reid in the Lights class. Lazier only drove the car at the season-openingSunBank 24 at Daytona. The car started in 46th place but ultimately retired after 395 laps due to an engine failure. The car was classified 4th place in its class and in 31st place overall. In1993, Lazier returned to the series to compete, in the Lights class, in the season-openingRolex 24 at Daytona in the No. 42Pro-Technik Racing Fabcar FEP/002-Porsche withAnthony Lazzaro,Chris Ivey,Mike Sheehan andSam Shalala. The car started in 58th place overall and finished in 25th overall, 7th place in its class. Lazier only competed at Daytona, therefore finishing in 23rd place in the final Lights championship standings with 18 points.

Lazier began to compete in theAmerican Indycar Series in1988 after Lazier's car owner and teammate,Bill Tempero, purchasedCan-Am. Lazier drove aMarch 85C for Tempero's Texas American Racing Team. At the season-opening race atWillow Springs International Raceway, Lazier qualified on pole position and won the race. Lazier also won theIllinois Grand Prix atSt. Louis International Raceway from pole position, the race atTioga Motorsports Park and both races at the season-endingBud Light 100 at Willow Springs. The only race that Lazier did not win was theAMG Eurospeed Grand Prix of Colorado atMountain View Motorsports Park, where Lazier finished second toRobby Unser. Lazier won the inaugural season championship with 152 points.

For1989, Lazier returned with the Texas American Racing Team, driving a March 85C. At the season-opening races atI-70 Speedway, Lazier finished second to Unser in the first race and crashed out of the second race after completing 10 laps. At the second pair of races atMemphis Motorsports Park, Lazier qualified on pole position for the second race. Lazier won the second race atColorado National Speedway. Lazier finished the season by winning the first race at Willow Springs before retiring from the second race due to a motor mount issue. Lazier finished in 7th place in the final standings with 173 points.

In1989, Lazier attempted to qualify for his firstCART Indy Car World Series race, theIndianapolis 500. Lazier drove the No. 35Lazier RacingMarch 87C-CosworthDFX. Lazier crashed in practice and failed to qualify for the race. Lazier later drove forGary Trout Motorsports in the No. 23 March 87C-Cosworth DFX at the season-endingChampion Spark Plug 300 atLaguna Seca Raceway. Lazier again failed to qualify for the race. In1990, Lazier first competed at theIndianapolis 500. Lazier drove forHemelgarn Racing in the No. 91Lola T88/00-Buick. Lazier crashed his primary car in practice but was able to provisionally qualify for the race in his back-up car. At the beginning of Bump Day, Lazier was the slowest car in the field.John Paul Jr. bumped Lazier from the field and Lazier ultimately failed to qualify. Lazier drove a partial season for Hemelgarn, moving to the team's No. 71 car. Lazier qualified for his first 500-mile race at theMarlboro 500 atMichigan International Speedway in the No. 24PenskePC17-Buick forArciero Racing. Lazier started and finished in 26th, retiring from the race early on due to a gearbox problem. Lazier achieved a best finish of 12th place at theMolson Indy Vancouver atConcord Pacific Place, scoring his only championship point of 1990 – a result which scored him 29th place in the final standings.

For1991, Lazier drove for various teams in various cars. Lazier first drove forDale Coyne Racing in the No. 90 Lola T88/00-Cosworth DFX at the season-openingGold Coast IndyCar Grand Prix at theSurfers Paradise Street Circuit. Lazier started 24th, but his race lasted just over a lap due to suspension failure. Lazier moved toTodd Walther Racing and the No. 44Lola Cars T89/00-CosworthDFS at theToyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Lazier started in 26th place, but retired after 8 laps due to an engine failure. Lazier returned to Hemelgarn Racing at theIndianapolis 500 in the No. 71Lola T90/00-Buick. Lazier qualified for the race for the first time, starting 23rd. On the first lap of the race,Gary Bettenhausen got sideways in turn 1 and Lazier hit the outside wall in avoidance; he continued to the pit lane where he retired due to accident damage. Lazier was credited with a 33rd-place finish.

Lazier was entered in the No. 19 Lola T90/00-Cosworth DFS for Dale Coyne Racing at theMiller Genuine Draft 200 at theMilwaukee Mile, butDale Coyne replaced Lazier prior to qualifying. At the following race, theValvoline Grand Prix of Detroit, Lazier returned to Coyne's No. 90 car, now utilizing a Lola T90/00-Cosworth DFS. Lazier started in 20th place and finished in 18th place, five laps down. Lazier returned to the No. 19 car for theBudweiser Grand Prix of Cleveland atCleveland Burke Lakefront Airport. Lazier started in 20th place but recorded his first points-scoring finish of the season with an eleventh-place finish, albeit four laps down. After the event, two of the teams that Lazier had driven for in the 1991 season – Hemelgarn Racing and Dale Coyne Racing – formed an alliance, resulting in the team being called Hemelgarn Coyne Racing. Lazier drove for the team at theMolson Indy Toronto atExhibition Place. Lazier started in 20th place, but retired after 17 laps due to an engine failure.

Lazier drove the same car at theTexaco/Havoline Grand Prix of Denver, where he recorded his best results of the 1991 season. Lazier started in 16th place and finished in 9th place, two laps down. Lazier moved toWalker Racing, driving the No. 10 Lola T90/00-Cosworth DFS at thePioneer Electronics 200 atMid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Lazier started in 17th place but did not complete a single lap due to an electrical issue. Lazier returned to Coyne's No. 90 car at theTexaco/Havoline 200 atRoad America. Lazier started in 19th place but again did not complete a single lap due to an electrical issue. Lazier then competed in the season-endingToyota Monterey Grand Prix at Laguna Seca for Hemelgarn Coyne Racing in No. 39 Lola T90/00-Cosworth DFS. Lazier started in 21st place but retired after 41 laps due to an engine failure. Lazier finished in 22nd place in the final championship standings with 6 points.

In1992, Lazier began to drive forLeader Card Racing and at first, drove the No. 21 Lola T90/00-Buick. At the season-openingDaikyo IndyCar Grand Prix at Surfers Paradise, Lazier started in 20th place and finished in 16th place, eighteen laps down. At theValvoline 200 atPhoenix International Raceway, Lazier started in 17th place and finished in 14th place, thirty-three laps down. Lazier scored his first point of the season at theToyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, scoring a 12th-place finish despite running out of fuel after completing 80 of the race's 105 laps. At theIndianapolis 500, Lazier began to drive an unsponsoredLola T91/00-Buick. Lazier crashed during practice for the race, but he was able to make the field, in 24th place. Lazier retired due to an engine failure after completing 139 laps, and was scored in 14th place. At the following two races, theITT Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit and theBudweiser G.I. Joe's 200 atPortland International Raceway, Lazier was scored in 24th place on both occasions, retiring due to a broken half shaft at Detroit and a clutch problem at Portland.

The team regained sponsorship fromSeaway Food Town and Project Pacific, when they used the T90/00 at theMiller Genuine Draft 200 at theMilwaukee Mile where Lazier started and finished in 17th place, twenty-four laps down. The team added sponsorship fromViper Auto Security for the rest of the season starting with theMolson Indy Toronto atExhibition Place, where Lazier started in 20th place and finished in 15th place, twelve laps down. Lazier recorded his best finish of the season at the following race, theMarlboro 500 at Michigan International Speedway, with a 7th-place finish, fourteen laps down. Starting at theBudweiser Grand Prix of Cleveland at Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport, the team used anIlmor-Chevrolet engine; Lazier started and finished in 23rd place due to an engine failure after 25 laps. The team reverted to Buick for theBosch Spark Plug Grand Prix atPennsylvania International Raceway. Lazier started in 19th place and finished in 15th place, fifteen laps down. Lazier finished a career-best 19th in the championship with 10 points.

For1993, Lazier returned with Leader Card Racing to drive the No. 20 Lola T91/00-Ilmor. At the season-openingAustralian FAI IndyCar Grand Prix at Surfers Paradise, Lazier started in 25th place but retired after 35 laps due to a suspension failure. At Phoenix, Lazier started in 18th place and finished in 17th place due to a header problem after 141 laps. Lazier finished his first race of the season at Long Beach; he started in 24th place and finished in 19th place, fifteen laps down. At theIndianapolis 500, the team once again acquired sponsorship from Viper Auto Security, and restored a Buick engine to the chassis. During qualifying Lazier's car blew an engine and was unable to qualify for the race. At Milwaukee, Seaway Food Town and Project Pacific returned as the sponsors for the team. Lazier started in 20th place and finished in 15th place, thirteen laps down.

At theITT Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit, Lazier started in 26th place but crashed out of the race after completing 55 laps. The team then used aLola T92/00-Ilmor at Cleveland and Michigan. At Cleveland, the car had additional sponsorship from Viper Auto Security andApplebee's; Lazier started in 23rd place but suffered an electrical issue after completing 61 laps. At Michigan, the car was unsponsored and Lazier started in 18th place. Oil pressure problems occurred during the race, forcing Lazier's retirement after completing 43 laps. The team restored the Buick engine for theNew England 200 atNew Hampshire International Speedway, where Lazier failed to qualify. Lazier scored his best finish of the season at theTexaco/Havoline 200 atRoad America with a 14th-place finish. The team acquired sponsorship fromFinancial World starting at thePioneer Electronics 200 atMid-Ohio Sports Car Course; Lazier finished in 20th place in the race, and ultimately finished 35th in the championship.

In1994, Lazier returned with Leader Card Racing to drive the No. 23Lola T93/00-Ilmor. At the season-openingAustralian FAI Indycar Grand Prix at Surfers Paradise, Lazier was too slow to qualify. Lazier made his season debut at the next race, theSlick 50 200 at Phoenix. Lazier started in 25th place and finished in a season-best 13th-place finish, ten laps down. At Long Beach, Lazier started in 30th place but retired due to an exhaust problem after completing 6 laps. At theIndianapolis 500, Lazier practiced in his usual Leader Card Racing car, as well as both the No. 94 Hemelgarn Racing Lola T92/00-Buick and the No. 5Lola T94/00-Ford CosworthXB forDick Simon Racing. Lazier did not complete a qualifying attempt in any of the three cars and failed to qualify for the race.

At the following race, theMiller Genuine Draft 200 at theMilwaukee Mile, Lazier started in 24th place and finished in 18th place, twelve laps down. Lazier started in 27th place at the following race, theITT Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit, and finished in 17th place, two laps down. Lazier started in 29th place and finished in 24th place in theBudweiser/G. I. Joe's 200 atPortland International Raceway, after running out of fuel after completing 91 laps. Following Portland, Lazier started only two more races during the season. At theBudweiser Grand Prix of Cleveland atCleveland Burke Lakefront Airport, Lazier was replaced bypay driverGiovanni Lavaggi. Lazier qualified but did not start either theMolson Indy Toronto atExhibition Place and theSlick 50 200 at New Hampshire, and he failed to qualify at Mid-Ohio andNazareth. Lazier did however compete in theMarlboro 500 atMichigan International Speedway and theMolson Indy Vancouver atConcord Pacific Place. Lazier started in 21st place at Michigan, but failed to finish due to an electrical issue, while a half shaft problem caused him to retire at Vancouver. Lazier finished in 36th place in the final championship standings.

Lazier did not return with Leader Card for1995, instead driving for various other teams. Lazier first drove forProject Indy in the No. 64Reynard 94i-FordCosworthXB at the second race of the season, theGold Coast Indy at Surfers Paradise. Lazier started in 24th place and finished in 21st place, retiring with broken transmission after completing 32 laps. Lazier then drove forPayton/Coyne Racing in the No. 19Lola T94/00-Ford Cosworth XB at Nazareth. Lazier started in 20th place but crashed out of the race withPaul Tracy after completing 38 laps. At theIndianapolis 500, Lazier drove forTeam Menard originally in the No. 51Lola T93/00-Menard. Lazier then practiced the team's No. 40Lola T95/00-Menard entry thatArie Luyendyk qualified. Lazier qualified on the second day of qualifying in the No. 80 Lola T95/00-Menard, doing so in 23rd place. Lazier retired from the race after 45 laps due to fuel system problems.

Lazier returned to Payton/Coyne Racing's No. 19 car, now utilizing a Lola T95/00 chassis, at Milwaukee. Lazier started in 24th place and finished in 18th place, twelve laps down. Lazier returned to Project Indy's No. 64 entry at Toronto. Lazier started in 27th place and finished in 15th place, five laps down. Lazier returned to Payton/Coyne Racing's No. 19 car, which had reverted to the T94/00 chassis, for Michigan. Lazier started in 20th place and finished in a season-best 14th place, twenty-seven laps down. The final race of the season that Lazier competed in was theNew England 200 at New Hampshire. Lazier finished in 35th place in the final championship standings.

Lazier moved to theIndy Racing League to compete in its inaugural season in1996 forHemelgarn Racing in the No. 91Reynard 95i-FordCosworthXB. At the season-openingIndy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway, Lazier recorded the series' inaugural pole position. In the race Lazier led for 28 laps, but retired due to brake failure after completing 61 laps. During practice for the following race, theDura Lube 200 atPhoenix International Raceway, Lazier was involved in a crash withLyn St. James. He suffered a fractured vertebra and was ruled out of the race.

Still in pain and walking with a cane, Lazier returned two months later for the season-ending race, theIndianapolis 500. His car was fitted with a special shock-absorbing seat to reduce the risk of re-injuring his back. Prior to the race the team gained additional sponsorship fromMontana Rail Link. Lazier initially qualified in 7th place but was promoted to 5th place afterArie Luyendyk's time was disallowed and pole sitterScott Brayton was fatally injured during practice. Lazier was among the leaders all day, battling withTony Stewart,Davy Jones,Roberto Guerrero and Luyendyk. Stewart retired after 82 laps due to an engine failure and Luyendyk was eliminated after a collision withEliseo Salazar. Guerrero fell two laps down after having a fire in his pit stall. During caution periods Lazier would raise his hands out of the cockpit to stretch his fingers, prompting many fans, thinking he was waving, to wave back at him. Lazier's team brought him in for his final pit stop several laps later than the rest of the leaders, which put him behind on the track but able to turn up his turbo boost pressure and run faster to the finish. With 10 laps to go Lazier was running in 3rd place behind Jones andAlessandro Zampedri but easily passed both of them over the next two laps and led the rest of the way to win his first IndyCar race, leading a total of 43 laps. Lazier finished 14th in the championship with 159 points.

For the1996–97 season, Lazier returned with Hemelgarn Racing. During the 1996 portion of the season, Lazier drove the No. 91 Reynard 95i-Ford Cosworth XB. At the season-openingTrue Value 200 atNew Hampshire International Speedway, Lazier started in 4th place and was running in 2nd place, the only car on the lead lap besides race leaderTony Stewart. On lap 67, race broadcasterABC was broadcasting Lazier's conversation with his team when Stewart attempted to lap Lazier in turn 4. The two cars then made contact and Lazier spun and crashed into the wall. Unaware that he was on an open mic, Lazier first said, (in reference to Stewart) "The son of a bitch just ran into the back of me," and then said to his pit crew, "He must have just fucking hit me in the back." After being released from the infield care center, Lazier quickly apologized for his language during a pitlane interview. At the following race, theLas Vegas 500K atLas Vegas Motor Speedway, Lazier started in 4th place and retired after 35 laps due to handling issues.

For the 1997 portion of the season, Lazier drove the No. 91DallaraIR7-Infiniti, with additional sponsorship fromXerox andCinergy. At theIndy 200 at Walt Disney World, Lazier started in 11th place and finished in 5th place, his first top-five of the season. At thePhoenix 200 atPhoenix International Raceway, Lazier started in 13th place and finished in 21st place due to an engine failure after 31 laps. Prior to theIndianapolis 500, the Infiniti engine was replaced with anOldsmobile engine. Lazier qualified in 10th place and was fastest on two practice days post-qualifying. In the race Lazier battled with Luyendyk,Scott Goodyear,Jeff Ward, Stewart andRobbie Buhl, leading for 7 laps and finished fourth behind Luyendyk, Goodyear and Ward. At the following race, theTrue Value 500 atTexas Motor Speedway, Lazier started in 4th place and led twice for a combined total of 57 laps. On lap 157, Lazier retired from the race due to an engine failure and was scored in 17th place. Lazier then finished in 8th place at the following race, theSamsonite 200 atPikes Peak International Raceway. Lazier achieved his first win of the season at theVisionAire 500 atCharlotte Motor Speedway, after starting in 5th place and leading for 58 laps. At thePennzoil 200 at New Hampshire, Lazier started in 15th place and finished in 12th place, five laps down. At the season-endingLas Vegas 500K, Lazier started in 14th place but retired due to a mechanical problem after 4 laps. Lazier finished in 8th place in the final point standings with 209 points, having been as high as 5th during the season.

In1998, Lazier returned with Hemelgarn Racing to drive the No. 91DallaraIR8-Oldsmobile. At the season-openingIndy 200 at Walt Disney World, Lazier started in 8th place after qualifying was rained out. In the race, Lazier led for 34 laps, but crashed out while attempting to lapStéphan Grégoire in turn 2. At the following race, theDura Lube 200 at Phoenix, Lazier started in 9th place but retired due to an engine failure after 9 laps. At theIndianapolis 500, Lazier qualified in 11th place. In the race Lazier ran in the top five and battled withBilly Boat,Kenny Bräck, Luyendyk,Greg Ray,John Paul Jr. andEddie Cheever for the lead. In the final 20 laps, Cheever and Lazier were the main contenders. Lazier closed to within 1.1 seconds of Cheever, and despite a late-race caution due toMarco Greco's car smoking, Cheever led Lazier home at the finish.

At the following race, theTrue Value 500 at Texas, Lazier started and finished in 11th place due to a wheel bearing problem after completing 194 laps. Lazier then finished in 7th place at the following race, theNew England 200 at New Hampshire. Lazier then achieved his second 2nd-place finish of the season at thePep Boys 400K atDover Downs International Speedway after leading for 7 laps. At the following race, theVisionAire 500K atLowe's Motor Speedway, Lazier started in 14th place and finished in 13th place, thirty-seven laps down. At theRadisson 200 at Pikes Peak, Lazier started in 17th place and finished in 7th place, one lap down. Lazier then started in 18th place at theAtlanta 500 Classic atAtlanta Motor Speedway, but retired due to an engine failure after completing 136 laps. At the following race, theLone Star 500 at Texas, Lazier started in 19th place and finished in 6th place, two laps down, after leading for 14 laps. At the season-endingLas Vegas 500K at Las Vegas, Lazier started in 17th place and led for 60 laps en route to 3rd place. Lazier finish the season in a then-career best 5th place in the final championship standings with 262 points.

In1999, Lazier returned with Hemelgarn Racing to drive the No. 91DallaraIR9-Oldsmobile. At the season-openingTransWorld Diversified Services Indy 200 atWalt Disney World Speedway, Lazier started in 8th place and finished in 10th place, two laps down. At the second race of the season, theMCI WorldCom 200 at Phoenix, Lazier started in 15th place and was involved in a crash withEddie Cheever on lap 149 in turn 3. At Lowe's Motor Speedway, Lazier started in 14th place and was soon battling with Ray for the lead; Lazier led for 23 laps. On lap 59Stan Wattles's car had a suspension failure, with Paul Jr. then hitting the debris from the car sending it into the seating area and three spectators were killed. The race immediately went under caution with Lazier as the leader. Lazier then made a pit stop to replace a punctured tire. After 18 laps of caution the race was abandoned, with no points awarded. At theIndianapolis 500, the team gained additional sponsorship fromTae Bo and Lazier qualified in 22nd place. Lazier was not a factor in the race and finished in 7th place, two laps down.

At the following race, theLonghorn 500 at Texas, Lazier started in 24th place and finished in 14th place, eight laps down. At Pikes Peak, Lazier started in 12th place and finished in 5th place. At theKobalt Mechanics Tools 500 at Atlanta, Lazier started in 15th place and finished in 21st place due to a crash on lap 114 withSam Schmidt while battling for the lead. Lazier then scored his best finish of the season with a 2nd-place finish at theMBNA Mid-Atlantic 200 at Dover Downs, having started in 17th place. Lazier followed this up with a 4th-place finish at theColorado Indy 200 at Pikes Peak after starting in 9th place. Lazier then finished in 11th place, nine laps down, at theVegas.com 500 at Las Vegas, after starting in 10th place. Lazier then finished in 10th place, four laps down, at the season-endingMall.com 500 at Texas after starting in 16th place. Lazier finished the season in 6th place in the final championship standings with 224 points, having been as high as fourth in points.

In2000, Lazier first drove the No. 91Riley & ScottMk VII-Oldsmobile for Hemelgarn Racing. At the season-openingDelphi Indy 200 at Walt Disney World, Lazier started in 5th place and led for 47 laps and finished in 2nd place. At the second race of the season, theMCI WorldCom Indy 200 at Phoenix, Lazier started in 26th place, having missed qualifying. Lazier first took the lead on lap 151 and led through lap 155 whenRobbie Buhl took the lead. Lazier then retook the lead on lap 161 and led the remaining 40 laps to win his first race since the1997 VisionAire 500. Lazier became the first driver to win an IRL race after starting in last place, and became the third driver to win an Indy car race from last place at Phoenix afterMike Mosley in1974 andRoberto Guerrero in1987. Following the race, Lazier led the point standings for the first time in his career.

At theVegas Indy 300 at Las Vegas, Lazier started in 22nd place and finished in 20th place due to a fuel pump issue after completing 65 laps. At theIndianapolis 500 the Riley & Scott was replaced by the DallaraIR00 for the remainder of the season. Lazier qualified in 16th place, but quickly moved into the top 5. In the second half of the race, Lazier became one of the few drivers to challenge race leaderJuan Pablo Montoya. Lazier set the fastest lap of the race on lap 198 with a speed of 218.494 mph (351.632 km/h). Lazier was unable to catch Montoya, who won by 7.1839 seconds. At the following race, theCasino Magic 500 at Texas, Lazier qualified on pole position and led for 62 laps, but ultimately finished in 7th place. At Pikes Peak, Lazier started in 13th place and retired on the 2nd lap of the race due to an engine failure.

At theMidas 500 Classic at Atlanta, Lazier started in 11th place and led for 2 laps before finishing in 2nd place. Following the race Lazier retook the points lead, ahead of the inauguralBelterra Resort Indy 300 atKentucky Speedway. Lazier started in 7th place and led for 40 laps to win his second race of the season, also setting the race's fastest lap. Going into the season-endingExcite 500 at Texas, Lazier led Goodyear by 38 points and Cheever by 41 points, with a maximum of 53 points available. Goodyear won the race ahead of Cheever, while fourth place was good enough for the championship. Lazier won the championship with 290 points, 18 ahead of Goodyear and 33 ahead of Cheever. Lazier is the last driver to be born in the 1960s to win an IndyCar championship.

For2001, Lazier drove the No. 91 DallaraIR01-Oldsmobile for Hemelgarn Racing. At the season-openingPennzoil Copper World Indy 200 at Phoenix, Lazier started in 6th place and finished in 3rd place. At theInfiniti Grand Prix of Miami atHomestead-Miami Speedway, Lazier started in 3rd place and finished in 20th place, after crashing on lap 177 in turn 4. At the following race, thezMax 500 at Atlanta, Lazier started in 9th place and finished in 6th place, one lap down. At theIndianapolis 500, Lazier gained additional sponsorship fromLife Fitness for the race and qualified in 10th place. In the race, Lazier came into the pits after 9 laps saying that his engine was running on only seven cylinders. Lazier would eventually rejoin the race and finished in 18th place, eight laps down.

At the first Texas race, Lazier started in 13th place and finished in 4th place. At Pikes Peak, Lazier started in 5th place and took the lead on lap 157 afterSam Hornish Jr., who had led for 152 of the previous 156 laps, suffered handling issues. Lazier led the remaining 43 laps of the race for his first win of the season. Lazier then won theSunTrust Indy Challenge atRichmond International Raceway after starting in 4th place, leading 224 of 250 laps. Following the race, Lazier moved into 2nd place in the point standings, 50 points behind Hornish. At theAmeristar Casino Indy 200 atKansas Speedway, Lazier started in 12th place and finished in 5th place after leading for 13 laps. At the next race, theHarrah's 200 atNashville Superspeedway, Lazier started in 6th place and led for 71 laps en route to his third win of the season. With the win, Lazier took the record for the most wins in the IRL with six.

Lazier then won his fourth race of the season at Kentucky after starting in 11th place and led for 84 laps. Following the race Lazier was only 25 points behind Hornish. At theGateway Indy 250 atGateway International Raceway, Lazier started in 2nd place after qualifying was rained out. In the race Lazier finished in 13th place, ten laps down. At the following race, theDelphi Indy 300 atChicagoland Speedway, Lazier started in 9th place and finished in 11th place, two laps down. Hornish finished in 2nd place toJaques Lazier, to clinch the championship with a round to spare. At the season-endingChevy 500 at Texas, Lazier started in 2nd place after qualifying was rained out again. Lazier led a lap, but ultimately retired from the race after suffering an engine failure. Despite winning a season-high four races, Lazier finished runner-up to Hornish in the final championship standings with 398 points.

For2002, Lazier returned with Hemelgarn Racing to drive the No. 91 DallaraIR02-Chevrolet. At the season-openingGrand Prix of Miami at Homestead, Lazier started in 16th place and finished in 22nd place due to an oil pressure problem after completing 111 laps. At the following race, theBombardier ATV 200 at Phoenix, Lazier started in 9th place and finished in 7th place. At theYamaha Indy 400 atCalifornia Speedway, Lazier started in 26th place and again finished in 7th place. At the next race, theFirestone Indy 225 at Nazareth, Lazier started in 6th place and was involved in a crash withSam Hornish Jr. – who continued several laps down – on lap 38 in turn 3 and was scored in 23rd place. At theIndianapolis 500, Lazier qualified in 20th place. In the race, Lazier began to move into the top 10 and with 12 laps remaining Lazier was running in 6th place, on the lead lap. On lap 199 in turn 2 the lapped car ofLaurent Rédon lost control and collected Lazier. At the same timePaul Tracy was attempting to passHélio Castroneves for the lead in turn 3. Tracy passed Castroneves just after the crash and was the first car to cross the finish line.Indy Racing League officials declared that the pass occurred after the crash and Castroneves was the winner. Tracy's team,Team Green, protested by saying that the caution light was not displayed until after the pass occurred. The original results stood with Lazier finishing in 15th place.

At the following race, theBoomtown 500 at Texas, Lazier started in 10th place and finished in 8th place. At theRadisson Indy 225 at Pikes Peak, Lazier started in 10th place and finished in 15th place, three laps down. Lazier then finished in 18th place at Richmond due to a fire breaking out on his car after completing 91 laps having started in 5th place. At Kansas, Lazier started in 5th place and finishing in 7th place. At theFirestone Indy 200 at Nashville, Lazier started and finished in 12th place due to a crash on lap 182 in turn 2. At the next race, theMichigan Indy 400 at Michigan, Lazier started in 15th place and finished in 13th place, two laps down. Lazier then finished in 3rd place at theBelterra Casino Indy 300 at Kentucky after starting in 3rd place and leading for 3 laps, the only laps that Lazier led during the season. At Gateway, Lazier started in 18th place and finished in 15th place, nine laps down. At Chicagoland, Lazier started in 22nd place and finished in 3rd place. At the season-endingChevy 500 at Texas, Lazier started in 20th place and finished in 7th place. Lazier finished in 8th place in the final championship standings with 305 points.

In2003, Lazier returned with Hemelgarn Racing to drive the No. 91 DallaraIR03-Chevrolet. At the season-openingToyota Indy 300 at Homestead, Lazier withdrew from the race and missed his first IRL race since the1996 Dura Lube 200. At the following race, thePurex Dial Indy 200 at Phoenix, Lazier started in 15th place and finished in 11th place, two laps down. Lazier then started in 17th place and finished in 19th place at theIndy Japan 300 atTwin Ring Motegi due to an engine failure after completing 63 laps. At theIndianapolis 500 Lazier qualified in 21st place. Prior to the race the team gained additional sponsorship fromVictory Brands. Lazier retired from the race after 171 laps due to an engine failure. At theBombardier 500 at Texas, Lazier started in 19th place and finished in 13th place, four laps down. Lazier then got his only top 10 finish of the season with a 10th-place finish at theHonda Indy 225 at Pikes Peak. At Richmond, Lazier started and finished in 20th place, six laps down.

At the following race, theKansas Indy 300, Lazier started in 21st place and finished in 13th place, eight laps down. Lazier was running in the top 10 in the late stages at Nashville, when he spun on the main straightaway on lap 194. Lazier woas able to drive back to his pit stall to change the tires on his car, but on lap 199 Lazier crashed in turn 2 and was credited with a 14th-place finish. Lazier then started in 21st at theFirestone Indy 400 at Michigan before finishing in 12th place, four laps down. Lazier then finished 11th place at theEmerson Indy 250 at Gateway. The team then gained sponsorship fromMetabolife starting at Kentucky, where Lazier started in 20th place and finished in 16th place, four laps down. Following Chicagoland, where Lazier finished one lap down in 16th place, Lazier was replaced byRichie Hearn for the final two races of the season, theToyota Indy 400 at Fontana and theChevy 500 at Texas. Lazier finished in 19th place in the final championship standings with 201 points.

In2004, Hemelgarn Racing was unable to acquire sponsorship for the entire season, leaving Lazier without a car to drive for the season. Lazier only competed in theIndianapolis 500. Lazier first practiced in the No. 24 Dallara IR03-Chevrolet forDreyer & Reinbold Racing on May 21, two days before Bump Day.Felipe Giaffone had already qualified the team's primary car and Lazier was practicing for the team in both Giaffone's qualified car and also the team's back-up car in preparation for potentially attempting to qualify for the race. On Lazier's first day on the track, he was the fastest of the unqualified drivers with a speed of 215.513 mph (346.835 km/h). Hemelgarn Racing became the entrant of the car while Dreyer & Reinbold partnered with the team. The back-up car became the No. 91 Dallara IR03-Chevrolet and Lazier started in 28th place. In the race Lazier moved through the field into the top 15 positions and was running in 12th place when he retired after 164 laps due to a fuel system failure. Lazier finished in 30th place in the final championship standings with 12 points.

In2005, Lazier again did not have a full-time team to drive for. Lazier drove forPanther Racing at theIndianapolis 500 in the No. 95 Dallara IR03-Chevrolet. Lazier qualified for the race in 9th place, beating Panther Racing's two full-time driversTomáš Enge andTomas Scheckter. On the final day of practice before the race, Carb Day, Lazier crashed in turn 4 and slid along the outside wall on the main straightaway. Lazier was not injured in the crash and the car was repaired by race day. Prior to the race the team acquiredJiffy Lube as an additional primary sponsor on the car. Lazier ran in the top 10 for most of the race, despiteScott Sharp making contact with Lazier's car earlier in the race, damaging the front wing. Lazier continued in the race and passedSébastien Bourdais for 5th place, just before Bourdais crashed out of the race.

With Lazier's Indianapolis performance, Panther Racing fielded an additional car for Lazier in four races. Lazier drove the same car he drove at Indianapolis, with sponsorship fromPennzoil,Jonathan Byrd's Cafeteria and theAmerican Sentry Guard. At Nashville, Lazier started in 3rd place and finished in 9th place. Lazier then competed in the following race, theABC Supply Company A. J. Foyt 225 at theMilwaukee Mile, after teammate Enge was injured at Nashville. Lazier drove the No. 2 Dallara IR05-Chevrolet. In the race, Lazier started in 5th place and was scored in 18th place after crashing out after 129 laps. Lazier returned to the No. 95 at Michigan, where he started and finished in 6th place. Lazier then started in 8th place and finished in 6th place at the following race, theAMBER Alert Portal Indy 300 at Kentucky. The final race that Lazier contested in the 2005 season was thePeak Antifreeze Indy 300 at Chicagoland. In the race, Lazier started in 7th place and finished in 10th place. Lazier finished in 23rd place in the final championship standings with 140 points. Following the season, Panther downsized to one car for the2006 season due to their engine supplier, Chevrolet, and their sponsor, Pennzoil, leaving the series at the end of the 2005 season.

In2006, Lazier returned toDreyer & Reinbold Racing after practicing for the team at the2004 Indianapolis 500. Lazier drove the No. 5 Dallara IR03-Honda. Lazier attempted to compete in his first full-time season since2002. At the season-openingToyota Indy 300 at Homestead, Lazier started in 14th place. The race weekend was overshadowed by the death ofPaul Dana in final practice; Lazier retired after 12 laps due to an electrical problem, and was scored in 14th. Lazier competed in his first non-oval race at theHonda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Lazier started in 18th place and was scored in 14th place due to a brake problem after completing 59 laps. At Motegi, Lazier started in 15th place and finished in 14th place, five laps down. At theIndianapolis 500, Lazier qualified in 25th place. Lazier was running in the top 10 in the second half of the race, but had to make a late-race pit stop to have enough fuel to finish the race and he finished in 12th place, one lap down; his best result of the season.

Lazier was then replaced byRyan Briscoe for the following race, theWatkins Glen Indy Grand Prix at theWatkins Glen International road course. Lazier returned to the team at the following race, theBombardier Learjet 500 at Texas. Lazier started in 15th place but retired due to a fuel pump failure after 56 laps. Lazier started in 19th place at Richmond and finished in 16th place, five laps down. Lazier scored his best start of the season at theKansas Lottery Indy 300 at Kansas with a 7th place start. Lazier finished in 15th place, six laps down. Lazier was then replaced by Briscoe for the next two races before returning at Michigan. Lazier started and finished in 15th place, two laps down. For the remainder of the season Briscoe andSarah Fisher drove the car, which resulted in Lazier finishing in 18th place in the final championship standings with 122 points.

For2007, Lazier had no team to drive for the entire season. Lazier drove forSam Schmidt Motorsports, a team owned by Lazier's former competitorSam Schmidt, at theIndianapolis 500. Lazier drove the No. 99DallaraIR05-Honda. Lazier qualified for the race on the second day of qualifying in 22nd place. Lazier had been bumped from the field earlier in the day byBuddy Rice and later bumpedJon Herb from the field. Towards the end of the qualifying day, Lazier's brotherJaques Lazier attempted to qualify for the race, but his speed was too slow and he was waved off. In the race, Lazier ran in the middle of the field and was never in contention for a top 10 finish. Lazier finished in 19th place, two laps down, in the rain-shortened race. Indianapolis was the only race that Lazier competed in during the season and he finished in 28th place in the final championship standings with 12 points.

In2008, Lazier returned toHemelgarn-Johnson Racing for theIndianapolis 500 only, in the No. 91 Dallara IR05-Honda. Lazier qualified for the race on the third day of qualifying in 32nd place with a speed of 217.939 mph (350.739 km/h). On Bump Day,A. J. Foyt IV bumpedMarty Roth from the field, but Roth would requalify and bumped Lazier from the field. In the final half-hour of the day, Lazier attempted to requalify for the race, but his speed was too slow and his team waved off the attempt after three laps.Dan Wheldon, who had qualified in 2nd place, and hisChip Ganassi Racing team helped Lazier with set up information. With about 13 minutes left in qualifying, Lazier made another attempt and qualified for the race, in 32nd place, at a speed of 219.015 mph (352.470 km/h), bumpingMario Domínguez from the field. After qualifying, the team received primary sponsorship fromLifeLock afterMax Papis failed to qualify for the race in a car sponsored by the company. On lap 169 in the race, Lazier andMilka Duno made contact in turn 3 and Duno spun into the warm-up lane. Lazier finished the race in 17th place, five laps down. Lazier finished the season in 37th place in the final championship standings with 13 points.

For2009, Lazier returned with Hemelgarn-Johnson Racing to drive the No. 91 Dallara IR05-Honda. Lazier began practicing on May 14 in preparation for attempting to qualify on the second and final weekend of qualifying. On the third day of qualifying, Lazier posted a qualifying speed of 216.487 mph (348.402 km/h). Later in the day,Milka Duno bumped Lazier from the field with a speed of 218.040 mph (350.901 km/h). Lazier made a second qualifying attempt on Bump Day. Lazier failed to reach 219 mph (352 km/h) and his team waved off his attempt. Lazier's car was put into the qualifying line late in the day for another attempt, but qualifying ended whileRyan Hunter-Reay was on his qualifying attempt andAlex Tagliani was in line ahead of Lazier. Lazier failed to qualify for his firstIndianapolis 500 since1994.

In2010, Lazier was without a car to drive for the season after Hemelgarn Racing closed in April. Lazier attempted to find a car to drive for at theIndianapolis 500,^[3] but ultimately was unable to do so. As a result, Lazier did not contest any part of theIndianapolis 500 for the first time since1988. In2011, Lazier was reported to be in line for a drive at theIndianapolis 500 forDragon Racing. Dragon Racing opted to runHo-Pin Tung andScott Speed, with Speed later being replaced byPatrick Carpentier. For the second year in a row, Lazier did not attempt to qualify for theIndianapolis 500.

Lazier returned to theIndyCar Series after a three-year absence in2013 when on May 8,^[4] Lazier's father,Bob Lazier, formed a team calledLazier Partners Racing withCorbet Krause,Chris Nielsen andJason Peters. The team purchased aDallara DW12 chassis fromFan Force United for $250,000. The chassis needed to be modified to have aChevrolet engine placed into it. Lazier originally drove the car with no sponsorship and the paint scheme remained the same as when Fan Force United fielded the car, albeit with orange replacing the original gold stripes. Lazier first practiced on May 16, completing only installation laps. Lazier took his refresher test the next day and was quickly practicing at speeds greater than 219 mph (352 km/h). On Pole Day, the team gained sponsorship fromAdvance Auto Parts and Lazier posted a qualifying speed of 223.073 mph (359.001 km/h), failing to make the race on Pole Day. On Bump Day, Lazier qualified for the race in 32nd place with a speed of 223.442 mph (359.595 km/h).^[5] Lazier officially drove the car as the No. 91 entry, with Spirit of Oklahoma added to the car after thetornados in Moore, Oklahoma on May 20 as a sign of respect for the victims. Lazier retired from the race after completing 44 laps due to mechanical problems. Lazier only competed at Indianapolis and was ranked in 38th place in the final championship standings with 8 points.

For2014, Lazier returned with Lazier Partners Racing to drive the No. 91Dallara-Chevrolet at theIndianapolis 500. Lazier did not practice until May 15. On the first day of qualifying, Lazier posted a speed of 226.543 mph (364.586 km/h) and had the 33rd-fastest speed. On Pole Day, Lazier qualified for the race with a speed of 227.920 mph (366.802 km/h) and started in 33rd place. On the first lap of the race, Lazier narrowly avoidedRyan Briscoe, who had nearly spun coming off turn 2. Lazier completed 87 laps before retiring due to clutch problems, and was scored in 32nd place. By starting the race, Lazier joinedTom Sneva andRoger McCluskey in a tie for 10th place for the mostIndianapolis 500 starts with 18. Lazier also moved into 7th place for the most laps completed, with 2,797. Lazier only competed at Indianapolis and ultimately finished in 35th place in the final standings with 11 points.

In2015, Lazier returned with Lazier Partners Racing to drive the No. 91 Dallara-Chevrolet at theIndianapolis 500. Lazier used using Chevrolet's new aero kit on the car. Lazier first practiced on May 14, completing 28 laps prior to Pole Day. The car then suffered gearbox issues prior to qualifying and Lazier was unable to make an attempt to qualify in the original line, but was repaired in time for the Last Row Shootout. The speed of Lazier's first qualifying attempt was 219.438 mph (353.151 km/h), compared toBryan Clauson's next-slowest speed of 221.358 mph (356.241 km/h). Lazier's pit crew made wing adjustments to reduce the car's downforce. Lazier improved to a speed of 220.153 mph (354.302 km/h), but ultimately ran out of time and failed to qualify.

In2001, Lazier competed in theGrand-AmRolex Sports Car Series. Lazier drove the No. 74Riley & ScottMk III-Judd withJack Baldwin,George Robinson andIrv Hoerr forRobinson Racing in theSport Racing Prototype (SR) class. Lazier only competed with the team at the season-openingRolex 24 at Daytona. The car started in 2nd place overall and led 10 laps during the race. The car then suffered an engine failure after completing 563 laps; the car was classified in 5th place in its class and 22nd place overall. Lazier finished in 35th place in the final championship standings with 29 points.

In2001, Lazier competed in theInternational Race of Champions as a representative of theIndy Racing Northern Light Series, withEddie Cheever,Mark Dismore andScott Goodyear – latterly replaced byAl Unser Jr. for the final two races of the season due to injuries received at theIndianapolis 500 – also representing the series. Lazier, as with the other drivers, drove aPontiacFirebird Trans Am. At the season-opening race atDaytona International Speedway, Lazier started in 8th place and finished in 11th place due to a crash on lap 27 withJeff Burton. At the following race atTalladega Superspeedway, Lazier started and finished in 3rd place. At the third race of the season atMichigan International Speedway, Lazier started in 7th place and finished in 6th place. At the final race of the season at theIndianapolis Motor Speedway, Lazier started in 4th place and finished in 11th place due to another crash with Burton, who had led every lap in the race up to that point. Lazier finished in 9th place in the final championship standings with 31 points, earning $40,000 for his efforts.

Lazier returned to the series in2002, withSam Hornish Jr.,Scott Sharp and Unser Jr. joining him from the IRL. At the season-opening race at Daytona, Lazier started in 7th place and finished in 10th place. At the second race of the season, atCalifornia Speedway, Lazier started in 3rd place and finished in 9th place. At the following race atChicagoland Speedway, Lazier qualified on pole position, and led flag-to-flag. At the final race of the season at Indianapolis, Lazier started in 8th place and finished in 4th place. As a result, Lazier finished in 2nd place in the final standings with 49 points, 5 points behind championKevin Harvick.

Later in his career, Lazier participated inNASCAR for a brief time. In 2005, Lazier tested aChevrolet Silverado forBilly Ballew Motorsports atLowe's Motor Speedway.^[6] In2007, Lazier returned to drive for Billy Ballew Motorsports in the No. 15 Chevrolet Silverado at theSmith's Las Vegas 350 atLas Vegas Motor Speedway. Lazier said of the opportunity, "The opportunity arose for us to race in Las Vegas and I am extremely excited. They are racers on that team and to me it's a perfect fit, and I feel right at home with the whole team."^[6] Lazier started in 21st place and finished in 24th place, three laps down.

After winning theIndianapolis 500, Lazier made a guest appearance onLate Night with Conan O'Brien. The episode that Lazier appeared on aired on May 29, 1996.

Lazier was nominated for theBest Driver ESPY Award in2001 againstBobby Labonte,John Force andGil de Ferran.

Lazier was born in and currently resides inVail,Colorado. According to his fatherBob, Buddy was born onHalloween night atLoveland Pass after his father's1963 Corvette broke down on the way to the hospital.^[1][2] Lazier is married to Kara, and the couple have two children: a son,Flinn, and a daughter, Jacqueline.

Lazier's fatherBob Lazier was a former racing driver who won theCART Rookie of the Year Award in1981. Lazier's brother,Jaques Lazier, competed in theIndy Racing League from1998 to2010, winning the2001Delphi Indy 200 atChicagoland Speedway. With both drivers having won races, they are the only brothers to have both won races in that series.

Lazier and his relatives operate theTivoli Lodge in Vail, Colorado, which his father opened in 1968.

(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position)

* Season still in progress.

¹ Run on same day.

² Non-points-paying, exhibition race.

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

• Buddy Lazier driver statistics at Racing-Reference
• Buddy Lazier Photos