IRL Glory Years
With the founding of the Indy Racing League in 1996, the team was eager to return to full time racing and re-signed former Hemelgarn stalwart Buddy Lazier to pilot their full-time entry and fielded additional cars for Brad Murphey and Stephan Gregoire in the Indy 500. Lazier scored the first win of his IndyCar career and Hemelgarn's first as a team in a gutsy drive while recovering from a back injury in the 1996 Indianapolis 500. This win solidified Lazier and Delta Faucet with the team for years to come. Lazier was one of the top drivers in the league, consistently scoring top-tens and finishing in the top-ten in points every year. In 2000, Lazier and Hemelgarn put together a dream season, capturing the IRL championship and finishing second in the Indy 500 behind the dominant "500" rookie Juan Pablo Montoya. The team nearly repeated their championship ways in 2001, with Lazier capturing 4 wins and finishing 2nd in points, albeit well back from champion Sam Hornish, Jr..
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Famous quotes containing the words glory and/or years:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.”
—Bible: Hebrew Psalm XIX (l. XIX, 1)
“Now, at the end of three years struggle the nation’s condition is not what either party, or any man devised, or expected. God alone can claim it.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)