Donnie Beechler

{{Infobox racing driver

| name = Donnie Beechler

| image = File:Indy500 DonnieBeechler.JPG

| imagesize = 150px

| caption = Beechler in 2013

| nationality =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|5|18}}

| birth_place = Springfield, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date =

| retired = 2002

| related to =

| last series = IRL IndyCar Series

| years active = 1998-2002

| teams = Cahill Racing
A. J. Foyt Enterprises

| starts = 36

| wins = 0

| poles = 0

| fastest laps = 0

| best finish = 3rd

| year = 2000

| prev series =

| prev series years =

| titles =

| title years =

| awards =

| award years =

}}

Donnie Beechler (born May 18, 1961) is an American former driver in the Indy Racing League. He was born in Springfield, Illinois.

Beechler raced in the 1998–2001 seasons with 36 career starts, including 4 Indianapolis 500 showings. His best career finish was 3rd, achieved twice, at the 2000 IRL Phoenix 200 won by Buddy Lazier at Phoenix International Raceway and the 2001 300-mile race won by Eddie Cheever, Jr. at Kansas Speedway.

Beechler won the 9th Annual Chili Bowl Nationals in 1995.

Since leaving IndyCars he has returned to the USAC Silver Crown Series on a part-time basis.

Also was an avid roller skater competing in several Illinois State Speed Meets.

Racing record

=American Open Wheel=

(key)

==IndyCar results==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

! Year

! Team

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! Rank

! Points

! Ref

1998

! Cahill Auto Racing

|WDW

|PHX

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|INDY
{{small|32}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|TXS
{{small|27}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|NHM
{{small|20}}

|DOV

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|CLT
{{small|19}}

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|PPIR
{{small|10}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|ATL
{{small|22}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|TX2
{{small|19}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|LVS
{{small|23}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 28th

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 71

!{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/beechdo01/1998/O/|title=Donnie Beechler – 1998 Pep Boys Indy Racing League Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 6, 2023}}

1999

! Cahill Racing

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|WDW
{{small|26}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|PHX
{{small|11}}

|CLT
C¹

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|INDY
{{small|29}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|TXS
{{small|17}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|PPIR
{{small|22}}

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|ATL
{{small|8}}

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|DOV
{{small|10}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|PPI2
{{small|20}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|LVS
{{small|18}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|TX2
{{small|11}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 21st

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 130

!{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/beechdo01/1999/O/|title=Donnie Beechler – 1999 Pep Boys Indy Racing League Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 6, 2023}}

2000

! Cahill Racing

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|WDW
{{small|6}}

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|PHX
{{small|3}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|LVS
{{small|26}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|INDY
{{small|12}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|TXS
{{small|22}}

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|PPIR
{{small|5}}

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|ATL
{{small|5}}

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|KTY
{{small|10}}

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|TX2
{{small|6}}

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6th

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 202

!{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/beechdo01/2000/O/|title=Donnie Beechler – 2000 Indy Racing Northern Lights Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 6, 2023}}

2001

! A. J. Foyt Enterprises

|PHX

|HMS

|ATL

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|INDY
{{small|25}}

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|TXS
{{small|6}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|PPI
{{small|16}}

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|RIR
{{small|7}}

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"|KAN
{{small|3}}

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|NSH
{{small|10}}

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|KTY
{{small|5}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"|STL
{{small|14}}

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|CHI
{{small|5}}

|TX2

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 15th

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 204

!{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/beechdo01/2001/O/|title=Donnie Beechler – 2001 Indy Racing Northern Lights Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 6, 2023}}

2002

! A. J. Foyt Enterprises

|HMS
{{small|DNS}}

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"|INDY
{{small|DNQ}}

| NC

| -

! {{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/beechdo01/2002/O/|title=Donnie Beechler – 2002 Indy Racing League Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=August 6, 2023}}

: ¹ The 1999 VisionAire 500K at Charlotte was cancelled after 79 laps due to spectator fatalities.

==Indy 500 results==

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
Year ! Chassis ! Engine ! Start ! Finish ! Team
1998 \| G-Force \| Oldsmobile \| 24th \| 32nd \| Cahill
1999 \| Dallara \| Oldsmobile \| 19th \| 29th \| Cahill
2000 \| Dallara \| Oldsmobile \| 15th \| 12th \| Cahill
2001 \| Dallara \| Oldsmobile \| 27th \| 25th \| Foyt
2002 \| Dallara \| Chevrolet \| colspan=2\|Failed to Qualify \| Foyt

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"

Year

! Chassis

! Engine

! Start

! Finish

! Team

1998

| G-Force

| Oldsmobile

| 24th

| 32nd