Biography of Scott Goodyear

Scott Goodyear finished second, third and fourth (twice) during 1998 Indy Racing League season. Lost closest Indy 500 finish ever (.043 seconds) to Al Unser Jr. in 1992. Leading Indy with nine laps left in Â95 before passing pace car and being penalized to 14th. Won CART's Marlboro 500 in 1992 and 1994.

Goodyear and the new Panther Racing team seem to be one of the most solid programs in the 1997 IRL and already have a sixth-place finish at Phoenix under their belt. The Pennzoil car should propel Goodyear to several podium finishes throughout 1998.

Goodyear was among the most consistent drivers in the IRL in 1997. He didn't win any races, driving for Treadway Racing, but finished fifth in the championship standings after second-place finishes at Indianapolis and Las Vegas and third place at Orlando -- his first IRL race -- and Charlotte. Goodyear actually scored the second most points in the 1997 calendar year after missing the two 1996 races while driving for a CART team.

The Toronto native has been racing since age nine. He won national and North American karting championships between 1969 and 1976. By 1980 he'd entered the Formula Ford circuit, winning a Canadian Formula Ford championship. He continued in the series, capturing three titles.

Goodyear's first season in Indy-cars came in 1987 when he started seven CART races for Gohr Racing. In 1988 he returned to Rothmans Porsche Turbo Cup Series, winning three of eight races and championship. He resumed Indy-car racing in 1989 with two starts, Toronto and Road America. He also competed in three IMSA GTO races, driving for factory Audi Sport team; drove at LeMans in the Porsche Turbo Cup Invitational; and drove an IMSA GTP Corvette with Jacques Villeneuve in 1989.

Driving for Mackenzie Financial in 1990 he earned nine top-10 finishes in 16 events; was Voted Most Improved Driver by his Indy Car peers; finished 10th in his first Indy 500, then the highest finish for a Canadian; scored a career best finish of seventh at inaugural Vancouver event; and finished 13th in points.

With Shierson Racing the following year he recorded 10 point-paying finishes and started 12th at Indy, but finished 27th with engine problems.

Walker Racing got a new driver in 1992 as Goodyear joined the team. He climbed the podium for his first career Indy car victory, at the Michigan 500 -- also Walker Racing's first Indy car win. Goodyear had already finished second to Al Unser Jr. after starting last in the closest Indianapolis 500 in history -- a 0.043 sec margin. He also had co-driven to a second-place finish in Daytona 24-Hour race in a Jaguar XJR-12D.

His first career pole position came at Phoenix in 1993. He also got his second the same year at Vancouver. Earning 10 top-10 finishes in 16 races, his best finish came at Nazareth with a second place. He finished ninth in points.

1994 brought his second career victory at Michigan. The following year he competed in three Indy Car events: Indianapolis, Mid-Ohio and Vancouver. He sat outside on the front row at Indy with a qualifying speed of 230.759 mph. He led for 42 laps and won the Fastest Lap Award.

In 1996 Goodyear competed on the Championship Auto Racing Team circuit with Walker Racing, but spent most of the season recovering from back injuries sustained during a qualifying accident at Brazil in March.