Winning combination source: indycar.com / Dave Lewandowski A former Indianapolis 500 winner has teamed up with a successful Indy Pro Series team owner for an entry in the 91st Indianapolis 500. Buddy Lazier will drive the No. 99 Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Tim Neff is the race strategist. Team principals made the announcement on the weekly Indy Racing League teleconference. Twenty-six drivers have been named to the 38 entries filed for the 33 starting spots in the May 27 race. That includes five past winners and the top 11 finishers from last year's race. Six IndyCar Series champions also are entered, including reigning Indianapolis 500 title holder Sam Hornish Jr. Lazier's 14 starts includes the 1996 victory and five other top-10 finishes. Last year, he advanced 13 positions to finish 12th in a Dreyer & Reinbold Racing-prepared car. The 2000 IndyCar Series champion has competed in every '500' since 1995. He debuted on the starting grid in 1991, when he started 23rd in the No. 71 Vail Beaver Creek Lola/Buick. "I'm excited the commitment (Schmidt has) made in terms of equipment and level of preparation," said Lazier, 39, of Vail, Colo. "It gives me a lot of confidence. Obviously, we're still working on some other programs. This is going to be a really strong opportunity for me. "I have a lot of confidence where I'm at as a racing driver. I have an equal amount of confidence in the crew that Sam has amassed. I have had teams that have had very much an unlimited budget and having a chance to win the championship. I also have been in environments where we've been trying to build the team, and it's been a pea shooter in a cannon fight. "I would rather do what we're doing with Sam right now so that we're going to come to Indy and have a small cannon. There are times I've raced in the past where I haven't been real pleased with my ability with what we came with, race car, level of preparation. That's why I'm real excited. Even though it's Indianapolis where we're starting, we're doing it with some spectacular equipment and some really good guys." Since forming Sam Schmidt Motorsports in 2001, the former IndyCar Series driver has entered a car in the Indianapolis 500 each year (high finish of sixth in 2002 with Richie Hearn).
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