Eddie Cheever

Eddie Cheever
Nationality	American
Years	1978, 1980 - 1989
Team(s)	Theodore, Hesketh, Osella, Tyrrell, Ligier, Renault, Alfa Romeo, Lola, Arrows
Races	143
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	9
Poles	0 http://www.wheelsofitaly.com/wiki/index.php?title=Eddie_Cheever&action=edit
Fastest laps	0
First race	1978 Argentine Grand Prix
First win
Last win
Last race	1989 Australian Grand Prix

Eddie McKay Cheever, Jr. (born January 10, 1958) was an American racing driver for almost thirty years in Formula One, Sports cars, CART and the Indy Racing League, and now owns an IRL team. Cheever participated in 132 Formula One races, more than any other American, driving for nine different teams from 1978 through 1989. In 1997, he formed his own IRL team and won the Indianapolis 500 as both an owner and driver in 1998.

Beginnings

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Cheever lived in Rome as a child and was introduced to motorsports at age eight when his father took him to a sports car race in Monza, Italy. He soon began racing go karts and won both Italian and European Karting championships at age 15. He worked his way up through the levels of European Formula racing, teaming with American Danny Sullivan in Formula Three and driving for Ron Dennis in Formula Two.

Formula One

Cheever driving for Alfa Romeo

at the 1985 German Grand Prix

He made his F1 debut at age 20 in 1978. After failing to qualify in Argentina, he made the grid at Kyalami for the South African Grand Prix in a Hesketh-Ford. An engine problem forced him to retire after just eight laps. Two seasons later, he became a regular driver for the Osella team, but finished only once in ten races. Switching teams repeatedly as he tried to climb his way up the grid, Cheever had five points-scoring finishes for the Tyrrell team in 1981, and three podiums for Ligier the following year, including a second place at the 1982 United States Grand Prix East in Detroit.

The 1983 season proved to be Cheever's high point in Formula One. He signed with the Renault team alongside Frenchman Alain Prost, both of whom were among the year's Championship favorites. Cheever drove well in support of team number one Prost, earning four more podiums and 22 Championship points, but the team's disappointment after losing both the Driver's and Constructor's titles late in the season brought about the replacement of both Cheever and Prost. In six more seasons, he never drove another truly competitive F1 car. His final podium finish in Formula One came in his hometown of Phoenix at the first USGP event there when he finished third for the Arrows team.

In all, he participated in 143 grands prix, achieved 9 podiums, and scored a total of 70 championship points.

Champ Cars

From 1986 to 1988, while still driving in Formula One, Cheever won ten sports car races for Jaguar. In 1990 he moved to the US to drive for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Champ Car series. In his first attempt at the Indianapolis 500, he finished eighth and was named Rookie of the Year. In 1992, he qualified second for the race and finished fourth. In total, he scored four podium finishes in the series, but never won. Driving for A.J. Foyt, Cheever came closest to victory at Nazareth in 1995; he was leading the race on the last lap when he ran out of fuel.

GP Masters

File:Cheever GP Masters.JPG

Eddie Cheever, Silverstone GP Masters, 2006.

In 2005 Cheever competed in the GP Masters series which is open to former Formula One drivers over the age of 45. In the championship's first ever event at Kyalami International Raceway in South Africa, Cheever finished in 8th position[1]. Cheever finished 4th in the 2nd GP Masters race on April 29, 2006 at the Losail International Raceway in Qatar [2].

Recently, in the 3rd GP Masters race on August 13, 2006 at the Silverstone Circuit in England, he took the victory under wet track conditions [3].

Complete Formula One results

(Note: grands prix in bold denote points scoring races.)

Yr	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Team
1978	Theo	ARG	BRA	SAF	SAW	MON	BEL	SPA	SWE	FRA	GBR	DEU	AUT	DUT	ITA	USA	CAN	Hesk
1980	Osel	ARG	BRA	SAF	USAW	BEL	MON	FRA	GBR	DEU	AUT	DUT	ITA	CAN	USA			Osel
1981	Tyrr	USAW	BRA	ARG	SAN	BEL	MON	SPA	FRA	GBR	DEU	AUT	DUT	ITA	CAN	LAS		Tyrr
1982	Ligi	SAF	BRA	USAW	SAN	BEL	MON	USAE	CAN	DUT	GBR	FRA	DEU	AUT	SWI	ITA	LAS	Ligi
1983	Rena	BRA	USAW	FRA	SAN	MON	BEL	USAE	CAN	GBR	DEU	AUT	DUT	ITA	EUR	SAF		Rena
1984	Alfa	BRA	SAF	BEL	SAN	FRA	MON	CAN	USAE	USA	GBR	DEU	AUT	DUT	ITA	EUR	POR	Alfa
1985	Alfa	BRA	POR	SAN	MON	CAN	USAE	FRA	GBR	DEU	AUT	DUT	ITA	BEL	EUR	SAF	AUS	Alfa
1986	Lola	BRA	SPA	SAN	MON	BEL	CAN	USAE	FRA	GBR	DEU	HUN	AUT	ITA	POR	MEX	AUS	Lola
1987	Arro	BRA	SAN	BEL	MON	USAE	FRA	GBR	DEU	HUN	AUT	ITA	POR	SPA	MEX	JPN	AUS	Arro
1988	Arro	BRA	SAN	MON	MEX	CAN	USAE	FRA	GBR	DEU	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	SPA	JPN	AUS	Arro
1989	Arro	BRA	SAN	MON	MEX	USA	CAN	FRA	GBR	DEU	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	SPA	JPN	AUS	Arro

Indianapolis 500 Winner

In 1996 the Indy Racing League was formed, and Cheever switched to this, soon setting up his own team. Then in 1998, all the pieces came together for Cheever when he took the biggest win of his career as both a driver and owner. He started from 17th position and led 76 of 200 laps to win the Indianapolis 500. His team is still active today, and he runs cars for Alex Barron and Patrick Carpentier in 2005, having hung up his helmet in 2002.

References

• Eddie Cheever
• Wheel 2 Wheel: Eddie Cheever

External links

• Red Bull Cheever Racing
• The "meteoric" rise of Eddie Cheever