2015 “Indy Legends” Charity Pro-Am Champ Bob Lazier and Son Jaques Back At IMS
The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today announced that Bob Lazier, the 2015 winner of the “Indy Legends” Charity Pro-Am, will return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the June 17 feature race of the Brickyard Invitational. Jaques Lazier has also entered the contest joining his father during the Father’s Day weekend event, June 16-18.
“The Laziers are a class act and it’s special to have a father and son combination racing with us during our first Father’s Day weekend race meet,” said SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella. “I had to chuckle when I heard Bob say he had a few good laps in him after winning a couple of years ago. Both he and Jaques are pros and have been an important part of this event since the first one in 2014.”
Bob Lazier, the patriarch of the famous Lazier racing family, last raced in the Indianapolis 500 35 years ago. A skilled road racer, he earned three top-five finishes on his way to winning the Indy car Rookie-of-the-Year Award in 1981. A successful businessman and self-made man, he is the founder of the highly acclaimed Tivoli Lodge in Vail. Action oriented and an avid skier he started racing cars in 1969 and cut his teeth in SCCA road racing. He progressed steadily through the open wheel ranks in VW Gold Cup, Formula Vee, Super Vee, Formula 5000 and on to Indy cars.
Jaques Lazier is a six-time starter of the Indianapolis 500 and holds the distinction of being the race’s most recent relief driver when he filled in for Robby Gordon who had to depart for the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte after rain delays in 2004. Lazier, the brother of 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier, drove for a number of top teams during his Indy car career including Target-Chip Ganassi, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Sam Schmidt Motorsports and Team Menard. He won the Chicagoland Speedway Indy car race in 2001 for Menard.
The Pro-Am feature is a 45-minute race on the Speedway’s 2.43-mile Grand Prix road course. The cars are racing machines from the “Group 6” SVRA class. As in previous years that will include 1963 to 1972 vintage Corvettes, Camaros and Mustangs but also race officials are considering adding other Group 6 marques such as Porsche and Jaguar for variety.
As in the previous three years, the Indy 500 veterans will be paired with amateur drivers, splitting stints at the wheel at their discretion. Among the top drivers who have filed entries are four-time Indy 500 champion Al Unser and his son, Al Jr., who won the “500” twice. Indy Legends Pro-Am defending champions Robby Unser (A Production) and Paul Tracy (B Production) are also entered, as well as Jimmy Vasser, Willy T. Ribbs, Johnny Unser, Sarah Fisher, Davey Hamilton and Lyn St. James.
In addition to the Pro-Am, there will be a festival of other activities including the Motostalgia car auction, the Hagerty Insurance “shine and show” car corral, a “Celebration of Motorcycles” with vintage motorcycle racing and displays, and 500+ vintage racers ranging over 100 years of automotive history racing in SVRA Groups 1 through 12. An oval exhibition featuring a racecar show of judged competition for the A.J. Watson and Sir Jack Brabham trophies led by track historian Donald Davidson will also take place. Also, for the first time ever, the professional Trans Am series will compete as the Sunday afternoon feature race. Heading the pack will be series champion Amy Ruman who has won the crown the last two years.
This year the Brickyard Invitational will be preceded by a new SVRA event at the Speedway, the World Open Wheel Challenge. This event will commemorate 50 years of Formula Ford and will welcome all forms of open wheel racecars, beginning June 8.
Brickyard Invitational ticket information: Fans can order Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational tickets for all or any one of the four days of the event online through the Speedway or by calling 800-822-INDY or 317-492-6700 between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday. Fans can also visit the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at 4790 West 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday. Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are available. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information. Children 12 and under are admitted free each day when accompanied by an adult. Tent camping passes in the IMS infield start at $30 and are available all four days.