Monday, April 20, 2020

INDYCAR: Bob Lazier, Virtual Unknown CART Rookie Of the Year Dies at 81




1996 Indy 500 Winner Buddy Lazier poses with Tomaso in the IMS Flagroom, circa 2012. (The Tomaso Collection)
A Gentle Giant 'O Yesteryear's Pre-eminant Open Wheel Racing series...

Yeah, I know we can All be easily swayed by an Ex-Racing Driver's public persona, but Bob Lazier, the Patriarch of the Lazier Racing Dynasty seemed like a genuinely kind man to Mwah, who I only had the privilege of meeting once briefly during a past Legends Day Autograph session at Mother Speedway.

Yet Bob seemed very outgoing and willing to talk with me as my IMS Sherpa CARPETS' introduced me, as Dave, Dave's Not Here; Oh Never Mind! Seemingly became good friends with the Lazier's - including Treks to Thar Tivoli Lodge in Colorado.

Along with meeting both of his sons, albeit Jaques just once along the Pitlane fencing at Mother Speedway, for a brief Chin-wag[, it's Buddy who most impressed me.

As Buddy, the 1996 Indianapolis 500 Winner was most outgoing to Mwah, having met him a few times at the long forgotten IMS Flagroom where  I once interrupted his conversation with the late Dr. Who'.

But Buddy genuinely seems like a Stand Up Guy and loyal to those he worked with and a pleasure to briefly interact with all those years ago, which I can only surmise is part of his father's legacy for true inclusion and treating everybody like they're family...

Former CART Rookie Of the Year Bob Lazier Dies at 81




Update
Ran across this wonderful story by Racer's Marshall Pruett further cementing Bob Lazier's Zest for Life and being Friendly towards everybody quite enjoyable. Also Didn't know he was a Two-times Rolex 24 Winner, notching two GTU Class victories along with a third place finish as Co-driver in Amos Johnson's Shrieking twin rotor Mazda in the late 1980s...