It is often said that success at the Indianapolis 500 can help to make a driver’s career, and one of the biggest examples of this can be seen with Buddy Lazier’s victory at the 500 in 1996.

Born in the suburb of Vail, Colorado in 1971, Buddy’s early racing career came not on the track but rather on the snow, having started a career as a downhill skier prior to beginning his professional racing career in 1986. After a number of years racing in both the Canadian American Challenge Cup and the IMSA GT Championships, Buddy switched to Indycar racing for the 1989 season, driving a car for long-time ally Ron Hemelgarn and finishing 13th in Portland in his first ever race. From that point on Lazier earned himself a status as a reliable journeyman driver, regularly turning out for a number of the sport’s under-funded outfits with a best finish of seventh place between 1989 and 1995.

After finishing 27th in a one-off drive for Team Menard at the 1995 Indianapolis 500 Lazier reunited with Hemelgarn Racing for the 1996 campaign, The team had made the decision to align itself with Tony George during the high profile open wheel racing split, and with a number of top drivers and cars departing the sport Lazier and Hemelgarn found themselves as two of the biggest stars for the inaugural Indy Racing League season. Undeterred by his new status as one of the series’ biggest names, Lazier took pole position for the first race of the season at Walt Disney World, and was seen as one of the favourites for the upcoming Indianapolis 500 in May, but Lazier’s hopes for the race were dealt a blow in March, when during practice for the second round of the IRL season in Phoenix his #91 machine made contact with Lyn St. James, putting both drivers out of the race and leaving Lazier with a cracked vertebra and with severe pain in his lower back.

Despite barely being able to walk, Lazier was determined to enter the 500, using a special cushioned seat designed to deflect many of the bumps of the 2.5 mile circuit. Still in great pain, Lazier qualified the Hemelgarn machine in fifth place, and after early leader Tony Stewart was forced to drop out of the race on lap 82 Lazier inherited the lead, chased down by the veteran duo of Roberto Guerrero and Arie Luyendyk.

On lap 167 a full course caution was thrown for a hard accident between Scott Harrington and Lyn St. James, with Lazier entering the pitlane for what would be his final stop of the race. Expecting the rest of the field to take advantage of a yellow flag pit-stop Hemelgarn was shocked when the duo of Davy Jones and Alessandro Zampedri chose to stay out on track, gambling that they would be able to go the full 500 miles without the need of another pit-stop. Mired in the midfield when the green flag fell two laps later, Lazier charged after the race leaders, and as the two struggled to conserve fuel to the end of the race (as well as getting involved in a battle for the lead amongst themselves) Lazier was able to close the gap on the two. With ten laps to go Lazier was right behind the leaders, and as Zampedri began to struggle with handling problems to his team Scandia machine Lazier capitalised, darting to the outside going into turn three. Just two laps later Lazier did the same to Jones, easily passing the Gallas machine on the start finish straight to lead with just eight laps remaining.

Lazier’s day however would have one last twist, Eddie Cheever’s accident coming out of turn two forced out a one lap shootout for the win with Jones just behind him on the track. The effects of his pain beginning to get the better of him, Lazier was seen physically levering himself out of his race seat and stretching his arm, desperately doing everything he can to numb the pain in his lower back. Bravely however Lazier drove on, holding off Jones for the final lap to take a hard-fought win.

Lazier would establish himself as one of the star names of the early IRL. Failing to finish outside of the top 10 in points between 1997 and 2002, as well as winning the title outright during the 2000 season, a season in which he proved to be the sole threat to Juan Pablo Montoya during that year’s 500 miler. It remains to be seen whether Lazier will return to the 500 this year, but what remains certain is his status as one of Indy’s best underdog stories.

In today’s video relive the final stages of the 1996 race including Lazier’s race winning pass on Davy Jones with eight laps remaining.

In tomorrow’s update a seventies relic shocks the world in his attempts to qualify for the 500.