David Cripps to engineer Lazier at Indy 500

In February, engineer David Cripps was at the Sochi Olympics helping the United States earn four medals in men’s and women’s bobsled completion, but now he is back where he is most comfortable – the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Lazier Partners Racing (LPR) co-owner Bob Lazier announced today that Cripps will be the lead engineer for the team’s No. 91 University of Iowa Stephen A. Wynn Institute for Vision Research Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone car in this year’s Indianapolis 500. The car will be driven by 1996 Indy 500 winner Buddy Lazier.

As the U.S. Bobsled team’s technical director in Sochi, Cripps’ job was to make the team’s sleds as fast as possible. His job with LPR is no different, and few know how to make a Verizon IndyCar Series car as slippery and fast at the Speedway better than Cripps. His record in the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race is eye-opening.

On four occasions, drivers in cars engineered by Cripps have won the coveted Rookie of the Year award for the Indianapolis 500. And though he has not sipped milk in victory lane yet, Cripps has been the engineer on five cars that have finished the Greatest Spectacle in Racing in second place.

LPR will be attempting to qualify for its second consecutive race with Vail, Colo.’s Lazier driving. Lazier, in addition to winning Indy in 1996, is the 2000 Verizon IndyCar Series champion.

This year’s Indianapolis 500 will be Lazier’s 18th start in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. In addition to his 1996 Indy 500 win, Lazier has finished second twice (1998 & 2000), fourth (1997) and fifth (2005).