Eddie Cheever facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eddie Cheever
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Cheever at the 2009 Indianapolis 500
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| Born |
Edward McKay Cheever Jr.
January 10, 1958 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
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| Children | 4, including Eddie III |
| Relatives |
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| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  American |
| Active years | 1978, 1980–1989 |
| Teams | Theodore, Hesketh, Osella, Tyrrell, Ligier, Renault, Alfa Romeo, Haas Lola, Arrows |
| Entries | 143 (132 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 9 |
| Career points | 70 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1978 Argentine Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1989 Australian Grand Prix |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
| Years | 1980–1981, 1986–1987 |
| Teams | Lancia, Martini, Jaguar |
| Best finish | 5th (1987) |
| Class wins | 0 |
Edward McKay Cheever Jr. (born January 10, 1958) is an American former racing driver and a leader in motorsport. He raced in many different types of car racing, including Formula One, CART, and IndyCar.
Eddie Cheever Jr. is famous for winning the Indianapolis 500 race in 1998. He won this big race with his own team, Team Cheever. He raced for almost 30 years in top-level competitions. He started 132 Formula One races, which is more than any other American driver.
His younger brother, Ross Cheever, his nephew, Richard Antinucci, and his son, Eddie Cheever III, are also racing drivers.
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Becoming a Racing Driver
Eddie Cheever Jr. was born in Phoenix, Arizona, but he grew up in Rome, Italy. When he was eight years old, his dad took him to a sports car race. This sparked his interest in racing.
He started racing go-karts and was very good at it. By the time he was 15, he had won both the Italian and European Karting Championships. He then moved up to bigger European racing series like Formula Three and Formula Two. In 1977, he finished second in the Formula Two championship. People thought he was one of the most promising young drivers in the world.
Racing in Formula One
Cheever joined Formula One in 1978, just after he turned 20. He drove for different teams, trying to find a competitive car. In 1981, he scored points for the Tyrrell team. The next year, in 1982, he achieved three podium finishes (finishing in the top three) for the Ligier team.
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The 1983 season was his best in Formula One. He joined the factory Renault team with Alain Prost. They were expected to win the championship. Cheever earned four more podiums that year, including a second-place finish at the 1983 Canadian Grand Prix.
After leaving Renault, Cheever raced for Alfa Romeo for two seasons. These cars were not as fast or reliable. He then raced in the World Sportscar Championship for Jaguar, winning several races.
In 1987, he joined the Arrows team. He had a strong teammate, Derek Warwick, and they often battled on the track. In 1988, he finished third at the 1988 Italian Grand Prix. This was a special moment because it was one of the few races that year not won by the dominant McLaren-Honda team.
His last podium finish in Formula One was in 1989 at the 1989 United States Grand Prix in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. He finished third, even though his brakes were having problems. His final Formula One race was the 1989 Australian Grand Prix.
Overall, Eddie Cheever Jr. competed in 143 Formula One races. He achieved nine podium finishes and scored 70 championship points. His best championship result was seventh place in 1983.
Racing in CART
After his Formula One career, Eddie Cheever Jr. moved to the United States to race in the CART series in 1990. In his very first Indianapolis 500 race, he finished eighth. He was named the "Rookie of the Year" for both the Indy 500 and the CART series that year.
In 1992, he started the Indy 500 from second place and finished fourth. He earned four podium finishes in CART but never won a race. In 1995, he was leading a race at Nazareth on the very last lap but ran out of fuel, losing the win.
Indianapolis 500 and Indy Racing League
In 1996, the Indy Racing League (IRL) started, and Cheever began racing there. He set up his own team, Team Cheever, and became a driver and owner.
In 1998, Eddie Cheever Jr. achieved the biggest win of his career. He started the 1998 Indianapolis 500 from 17th place and led 76 laps to win the race. He was the first owner-driver to win the Indy 500 since A. J. Foyt in 1977.
His team, Team Cheever, continued to race in the IRL until 2006. After retiring from full-time driving in 2002, Eddie Cheever Jr. sometimes came back for special races. He also worked as a television commentator for IndyCar Series races and the Indianapolis 500 from 2008 to 2018.
GP Masters Series
In 2005, Eddie Cheever Jr. joined the GP Masters series. This series is for former Formula One drivers who are over 45 years old. He finished eighth in the first race in South Africa.
In 2006, he finished fourth in a GP Masters race in Qatar. Later that year, on August 13, 2006, he won a GP Masters race at the Silverstone Circuit in England, even though the track was wet.
Personal Life
Eddie Cheever Jr. has a daughter and a son, Eddie Cheever III, with his ex-wife Rita. He also has another son from a previous relationship. In 2013, he married Dianna, and they had a daughter later that year.
Images for kids
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Cheever during practice for the 1985 European Grand Prix
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Cheever driving his 1988 Arrows A10B-Megatron at the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed
See also
In Spanish: Eddie Cheever para niños
