Eddie Cheever
Eddie McKay Cheever Jr. ( born January 10, 1958 in Phoenix, Arizona) is an American race car driver.
He drove for almost 30 years in Formula 1, Champ Car racing series and the Indy Racing League (IRL ). Most recently, he was the owner of an IRL team, which, however, had to give up in the 2006 season after the departure of the main sponsor Red Bull for financial reasons now. Eddie Cheever from 1978 to 1989 132 Formula 1 races in part. But his biggest successes came in the Indy Racing League, whose most famous race, the Indianapolis 500, he won in 1998. In 2006 he won the Grand Prix Masters at Silverstone.
Career
His childhood was spent Cheever in Rome, where he first came at the age of eight when visiting a sports car race at Monza with motor racing in contact. Soon after, he began karting and won at the age of 15 years, both the Italian and the European Kart Championship. Following this, began his formula racing career, which ran on the Formula 3 and Formula 2 in the team of Ron Dennis.
Formula 1
Eddie Cheever debuted in 1978 at the age of 20 years in Formula 1 with Team Theodore Racing, who began this season for the first time its own, self-developed and built car, which proved to be extremely problematic. Cheever entered the first of two races of the year, the Grand Prix of Argentina and Brazil for Theodore, but could not qualify in both cases. He was then replaced by Keke Rosberg, who was able to attend each race with the gradually improved truck. Cheever, however, changed for a single race with the team Hesketh Racing, where he replaced Divina Galica. Add Kyalami to Cheever could qualify as second last (before Arturo Merzario ), but with different engine problems after eight rounds. This application was initially Cheevers last in Formula 1; Hesketh went to his place with Derek Daly in the remaining races.
In the following years, Eddie Cheever changed hands several times the teams. So he drove for Osella 1980 and 1981 for Tyrrell. The first success came in 1982 when he finished second in the Grand Prix of the USA ( East) in Detroit with Ligier. 1983 sat Eddie Cheever, the first and only time in a victorious performance Formula 1 car. Together with Alain Prost he should for Renault at the drivers 'and constructors' championship run. While Cheever reached this year four podiums and 22 Championship points, but missed the ambitious goals. At the end of the season, the team of Eddie Cheever separated.
Cheever ended his Formula 1 career in 1989 with a third place at the U.S. Grand Prix at Arrows.
Sport car
From 1986 to 1988 Eddie Cheever drove parallel to several Formula 1 sports car race for Jaguar and won ten races.
Indianapolis 500
In 1990, Eddie Cheever in the U.S. motorsports. In the IndyCar World Series, which later became Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League it was celebrated with eighth place at the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie of the year.
He celebrated his biggest success in 1998 in Indianapolis as a driver and team manager in personal union in the Indy Racing League, founded shortly before. Starting from the 17th position, he led 76 of 200 laps and won the prestigious race.
In 2009, he moderated with Marty Reid and Scoot Goodyear the 93rd Indy 500 on ESPN on ABC.
Personal
Cheevers son Eddie Cheever III is also racing driver.