IRL: 2000 Award winners

INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2000 - Buddy Lazier took the top prize in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series this season by clinching the Northern Light Cup and $1 million bonus as series champion. Lazier, from Vail, Colo., won two races in the Delta Faucet/Coors Light/Tae-Bo/Hemelgarn Racing entry and finished with 290 points for his first season title.

The Indy Racing Northern Light Series awards ceremony is Nov. 11 in Indianapolis.

<pre> All year-end award winners after the season finale, the Excite 500 on Oct. 15 at Texas Motor Speedway:

NORTHERN LIGHT CUP ·Criteria: Awarded to the points champion ·Winner: Buddy Lazier ·Team: Hemelgarn Racing ·Car: Delta Faucet/Coors Light/Tae-Bo/Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone ·Bonus: $1 million

RACESEARCH.COM ROOKIE OF THE YEAR ·Criteria: Awarded to the top rookie in the point standings ·Winner: Airton Dare ·Team: TeamXtreme Racing ·Car: Uproar.com/TeamXtreme Racing G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone ·Bonus: $50,000

WORLDCOM LONG DISTANCE AWARD ·Criteria: Awarded to the driver who improves their starting position the most from start to finish in the most races ·Winner: Al Unser Jr. ·Team: Galles ECR Racing ·Car: Galles ECR Racing Tickets.com Starz Encore Superpak G Force/Oldsmobile/Firestone ·Bonus: $50,000

MBNA POLE AWARD ·Award: Awarded to the driver who earns the most MBNA Poles ·Winner: Greg Ray ·Team: Team Menard ·Car: Conseco/Quaker State/Menards Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone ·Bonus: $30,000

PENNZOIL CHIEF MECHANIC OF THE YEAR AWARD ·Criteria: Awarded to the chief mechanic of the Northern Light Cup champion ·Winner: Dennis LaCava ·Team: Hemelgarn Racing ·Car: Delta Faucet/Coors Light/Tae-Bo/Hemelgarn Racing Dallara/Oldsmobile/Firestone ·Bonus: $25,000

-IRNLS/IMS-