Senate Bill 2716

    Florida Senate - 1999        (NP)                      SR 2716

    By Senator Webster





    12-2216-99                                              See HR

  1                    Senate Resolution No.     

  2         A resolution recognizing April 27, 1999, as

  3         Eddie Cheever, Jr., Day.

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  5         WHEREAS, the sport of auto racing is one of the world's

  6  most popular spectator sports and is the fastest growing

  7  spectator sport in the United States, and

  8         WHEREAS, Florida is fortunate to be the home of several

  9  renowned speedways, such as Daytona, Orlando, Sebring, and

10  Homestead, as well as numerous short tracks throughout the

11  state, and

12         WHEREAS, the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race is known as the

13  greatest spectacle in auto racing and, since its inception in

14  1911, has clearly been recognized as the most prestigious

15  event in the history of the sport, and

16         WHEREAS, the largest crowd at any sporting event in the

17  world in 1998 gathered at Indianapolis to watch the 82nd

18  running of the Indianapolis 500, and

19         WHEREAS, the 1998 Indianapolis 500 was won by Eddie

20  Cheever, Jr., a resident of Lake Nona in Orlando, Florida, and

21         WHEREAS, this year, the 1999 Indianapolis 200 at the

22  Walt Disney World Speedway in Lake Buena Vista was also won by

23  Eddie Cheever, Jr., and

24         WHEREAS, introduced to racing at an early age, Eddie

25  Cheever, Jr., had, by the age of twenty, already driven

26  go-karts, Formula Fords, Formula Three cars, Formula Two cars,

27  and Formula One cars, and

28         WHEREAS, Eddie Cheever, Jr., drove Formula One cars for

29  12 years with numerous podium finishes to his credit before

30  coming to America to begin racing Indy cars in 1990, and

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1999        (NP)                      SR 2716
    12-2216-99                                              See HR




  1         WHEREAS, after 26 years of racing throughout Europe and

  2  the United States, Eddie Cheever, Jr., needed a new challenge,

  3  and

  4         WHEREAS, in 1996, with the formation of the Indy Racing

  5  League, Cheever decided it was time to take the next step to

  6  further his racing career and became the Indy Racing League's

  7  first owner/driver, and

  8         WHEREAS, Eddie Cheever, Jr., formed the Team Cheever

  9  racing team and based it in Indianapolis, the heart of Indy

10  racing, and

11         WHEREAS, at the beginning of the 1998 season, Cheever

12  established a partnership with Clyde Perlee, publisher and

13  editor-in-chief of West Publishing for 25 years, who brought a

14  strong sense of business strategy and organization to the

15  Cheever racing team, and

16         WHEREAS, in its brief three-year Indy Racing League

17  history, Team Cheever has won the 1999 Indy 200, the 1998 Indy

18  500, and the 1997 Indy 200, and garnered the Rookie of the

19  Year title at the 1997 Indy 500 with Jeff Ward and Rookie of

20  the Year honors for the 1998 Indy Racing League season with

21  Robby Unser, and

22         WHEREAS, with the 1998 Indianapolis win, Eddie Cheever,

23  Jr., became the first owner/driver to win the Indy 500 since

24  A.J. Foyt won in 1977, and

25         WHEREAS, Team Cheever has an overall team record of

26  eight Top Five finishes and thirteen Top Ten finishes in 3l

27  starts, and

28         WHEREAS, Eddie Cheever, Jr., has become one of the

29  first bona fide marquee stars in the Indy Racing League, and

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1999        (NP)                      SR 2716
    12-2216-99                                              See HR




  1         WHEREAS, it is fitting and appropriate that the Florida

  2  Senate recognize Eddie Cheever, Jr., for his numerous

  3  accomplishments in the sport of auto racing, NOW, THEREFORE,

  4

  5  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

  6

  7         That the Senate of the State of Florida recognizes

  8  April 27, 1999, as Eddie Cheever, Jr., Day in Florida, in

  9  honor of Eddie Cheever, Jr., winner of the 1998 Indy 500 and

10  two-time winner of the Indy 200, for his many accomplishments

11  in the sport of auto racing.

12         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution,

13  with the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to Eddie

14  Cheever, Jr., as a tangible token of the sentiments of the

15  Florida Senate.

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