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 Monday, July 16, 2001
It's not a lovefest in the IRL anymore
By Jack Arute
Special to ABC Sports Online
There's a good old, fashioned war developing on the Indy Racing Northern Light Series, and it has nothing to do with CART. Instead, it's the type of rivalry that makes media types salivate and fans flock to the track to cheer on the participants.
When Eddie Cheever Jr. captured this past weekend's Ameristar Indy 200 at Kansas Speedway, he did the traditional sponsor hat dance, thanked his supporters, thanked Infiniti and singled out Sam Hornish Jr., who he raced side-by-side with in the late stages of the race for the win.
|  | | Sam Hornish Jr., top, gained Eddie Cheever Jr.'s respect during their duel at the Ameristar Indy 200 last weekend. |
"Sam was fierce at the start, the middle, halfway through, three-quarters of the way through, on the 190th lap," Cheever said. "What I love about racing with Sam is Sam plays by the rules. He's ethical. Sam could give etiquette lessons to 90 percent of the drivers out there. If that sounds like a jab at other racing drivers I've raced against lately, it's because it is."
Cheever's list of recipients of that jab is growing. At Texas in June, the former Formula One driver criticized the tactics used by Greg Ray and Scott Sharp. He accused Sharp of using his car as "a weapon" in his run to Texas' winner's circle. He questioned Ray's aggressive driving style. The criticism resulted in an IRL official's scolding directed at all drivers at the next race in Pikes Peak.
Ray has remained silent about Cheever. Sharp, on the other hand, scoffed at the allegations and characterized them as "ridiculous."
Then, in Richmond, Cheever fumed over Eliseo Salazar after the two went for the same small spot of real estate on the tight 3/4-miler. Both crashed. During Kansas qualifying, Salazar took a shot at Cheever on ESPN2's coverage, telling me that he hoped Cheever realized that there was going to be "plenty of room on the track come race day."
By the time that the Kansas race headed for the green flag, Cheever's "good guy/bad guy" (depending upon which side of the fence you are on) reputation was in full bloom. He and Sharp sat on the front row, prompting Jason Priestley to urge viewers to watch closely.
"These two don't like each other," said Priestley.
The anticipation was coming to a boil as Sharp closed in on Cheever around Lap 135. By the next circuit though, it went away as quickly as Sharp's Kelley Racing/Delphi Oldsmobile did when something broke in the right rear and snapped Sharp into the Turn 4 wall.
Cheever could have left the pot at room temperature, but chose instead to apply the heat in his post-race interview. First, there were the ethics remarks. Then Cheever made sure that those assembled knew exactly his sentiments about Sharp.
"Anybody who's capable of spinning out off the pole like he did at the first lap at Indy obviously doesn't have his act together," said Cheever. He added that he does not like being "within a country mile of Scott Sharp on the track."
In exactly one month, the Indy Racing Northern Light Series has gone from an assembly of racing drivers that everyone likes to a motorized soap opera. A few less white hats can be found in the garage area. Drivers' Christmas card lists are shrinking. And if you listen closely, you can hear some guys uttering less than complimentary things about each other.
If you're hard of hearing, just strike up a conversation with Eddie Cheever Jr. He'll make sure you understand that not everyone who drives in the IRL is a nice guy.
Jack Arute mans the pits for ABC Sports' auto racing coverage. He writes a column every Monday for ABC Sports Online.
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 Eddie Cheever Jr. takes the checkered flag to win the inaugural Kansas 300 (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Sam Hornish Jr. passes Eddie Cheever Jr. with 10 laps to go, but Cheever re-takes the lead with 3 laps left (ABC Sports).
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Race summary highlights from the Kansas 300 (Courtesy: ABC Sports).
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Post-race comments from Sam Hornish Jr., Buddy Lazier and Scott Sharp.
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 Eddie Cheever Jr. takes a liking to the brand new Kansas Speedway (ABC Sports).
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Eddie Cheever Jr. joins ESPN's Whit Watson following his first IRL victory of the season.
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Donnie Beechler's third place finished gives him the opportunity to talk with ESPN's Whit Watson.
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ESPN's Whit Watson talks with Robby McGehee, who returned from injury to place 10th.
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