Lazier competed in U.S. Formula Ford from 1989 to 1997 and drove part-time in Indy Lights in 1997. In 1998 he was entered for the Indianapolis 500 in a car owned by Price Cobb, but neither Lazier nor the car participated in any session.
Lazier planned to join the IRL IndyCar Series full-time in 1999 with his own team, but he was unable to start at Phoenix International Raceway and failed to qualify for the Indy 500. He joined Truscelli Team Racing the week after the 1999 Indy 500 and made his first career start at Texas Motor Speedway, recording three seventh-place finishes late in the season. He made his first Indianapolis 500 start in 2000, though Truscelli shut down later that season, again leaving him without a ride.
In 2001, Lazier drove for four different teams including TeamXtreme and Sam Schmidt Motorsports. His best opportunity came with Team Menard, where he replaced Greg Ray. He won his second start for the team at Chicagoland Speedway. He continued with Team Menard for the first four races of 2002 before a crash at Nazareth Speedway sidelined him for the remainder of the season, including the Indy 500. He returned in 2003 but was released by Team Menard after the Indy 500, subsequently signing with A. J. Foyt Enterprises for four races before funding ran out.
Lazier entered 2004 without a full-time ride and served as the relief driver for Robby Gordon in the Indy 500, as Gordon had to leave for Charlotte to contest the Coca-Cola 600. Later that season he made eight starts for Patrick Racing after Al Unser Jr. retired. He began 2005 with a deal through Playa del Racing limited to the Indy 500. When veteran owner Chip Ganassi released British driver Darren Manning, Lazier was called in for the remaining oval races. During the final race of the season at California Speedway, Lazier was involved in an incident with rookie Danica Patrick; the two made contact, with reports stating Patrick gave Lazier a "love tap." Rahal Letterman Racing, Patrick's team, issued a press release stating Patrick had told Lazier to mind his business in the future.
Without a full-time ride in 2006, Lazier returned to the 2007 Indy 500 with Playa Del Racing. He led for two laps — his first time leading at Indianapolis — when he stayed out while leaders pitted, but crashed late in the race and finished 27th. In 2009, Lazier stepped in for the struggling Stanton Barrett at Team 3G at Texas Motor Speedway, going on to make four more oval starts for the team that year. His thirteenth-place finish at Iowa Speedway was his best IndyCar result since 2004. His final IndyCar appearance came in 2010, when he replaced A. J. Foyt IV at the Indy 500 during Bump Day; with very few laps in the car, he fell short of the required speed and failed to qualify.
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