1998_Indy_Racing_League_season

1998 Indy Racing League

1998 Indy Racing League

Sports season

The 1998 Pep Boys Indy Racing League was one of relative stability compared to the previous two seasons. For the first time the season consisted of a single and complete spring, summer, and fall like all other forms of motorsport. 15 drivers completed the entire 11 race schedule, twice as many as the previous season. It was also the first complete season for the new Riley & Scott chassis, though it proved unpopular due to its late introduction. A. J. Foyt Enterprises drivers captured 4 wins, the Indy 500 pole, and the championship, arguably the most successful year in the team's history.

Quick Facts Season, Races ...
Kenny Bräck (left) won his first and only Drivers' Championship while Davey Hamilton (right) finished second in the championship again.

Confirmed entries

More information Team, Chassis ...

Season summary

Schedule

More information Rnd, Date ...

All races running on Oval/Speedway.

The eight races that were held in calendar year 1997 returned in 1998, with the addition of three new races. As part of their effort to venture in traditional stock-car markets, the IRL held the second Indy-car race ever, the first since 1969, at Dover International Speedway, and also competed at the reconfigured Atlanta Motor Speedway, which had been raced eight times by Indy-cars in its former shape between 1965 and 1983. A second race at Texas Motor Speedway in the fall completed the calendar.

Race results

More information Round, Race ...

Race summaries

Indy 200

The Indy 200 was held on January 24 at Walt Disney World Speedway. Qualifying was rained out, so Tony Stewart won the pole position due to the race being lined up by 1996–97 entrant standings for the first 20 positions and the remaining eight came from the best practice speeds of the remaining cars.

Top 10 results

  1. 1- Tony Stewart
  2. 35- Jeff Ward
  3. 6- Davey Hamilton
  4. 77- Stéphan Grégoire
  5. 28- Mark Dismore
  6. 8- Scott Sharp
  7. 10- Mike Groff
  8. 5- Arie Luyendyk
  9. 99- Sam Schmidt
  10. 18- John Paul Jr.

Dura-Lube 200

The Dura-Lube 200 was held on March 22 at Phoenix International Raceway. Jeff Ward qualified on the pole position.

Top 10 results

  1. 8- Scott Sharp
  2. 1- Tony Stewart
  3. 11- Billy Boat
  4. 77- Stéphan Grégoire
  5. 35- Jeff Ward
  6. 4- Scott Goodyear
  7. 99- Sam Schmidt
  8. 30- Raul Boesel
  9. 12- Buzz Calkins
  10. 51- Eddie Cheever

Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500 was held on May 24 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Billy Boat qualified on the pole position.

Top ten results

  1. 51- Eddie Cheever
  2. 91- Buddy Lazier
  3. 55- Steve Knapp
  4. 6- Davey Hamilton
  5. 52- Robby Unser
  6. 14- Kenny Bräck
  7. 81- John Paul Jr.
  8. 17- Andy Michner
  9. 44- J. J. Yeley
  10. 12- Buzz Calkins
  • Failed to qualify: 10-Brian Tyler, 10, 20, 29-Joe Gosek, 15, 19-Eliseo Salazar, 20-Tyce Carlson, 23-Paul Durant, 24-Dan Drinan, 27-Claude Bourbonnais, 54-Hideshi Matsuda, 66-Scott Harrington, 68-Jaques Lazier, 81-Danny Ongais and 90-Lyn St. James
  • Cheever became the first owner/driver to win the Indianapolis 500 since A. J. Foyt in 1977.
  • Cheever, whose team was unsponsored prior to this race, planned to shut down his team after the race. However, he and teammate Robby Unser received sponsorship from Rachel's Gourmet Potato Chips. This, combined with Cheever's victory, kept the team open the rest of the season.
  • Because St. James failed to qualify, the starting lineup consisted of only men for the first time since 1991.
  • On the first lap, Yeley spun out and collected Cheever. Both recovered to finish in the top 10.
  • Bräck ran out of fuel while leading. As a result, owner Foyt threw the laptop computer that said that Bräck had enough fuel in anger.

True Value 500

The True Value 500 was held June 6 at Texas Motor Speedway. Tony Stewart qualified on the pole position.

Top 10 results

  1. 11- Billy Boat
  2. 97- Greg Ray
  3. 14- Kenny Bräck
  4. 4- Scott Goodyear
  5. 8- Scott Sharp
  6. 3- Robbie Buhl
  7. 6- Davey Hamilton
  8. 16- Marco Greco
  9. 52- Robby Unser
  10. 19- Stan Wattles

New England 200

The New England 200 was held on June 28 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Billy Boat qualified on the pole position.

Top ten results

  1. 1- Tony Stewart
  2. 4- Scott Goodyear
  3. 8- Scott Sharp
  4. 6- Davey Hamilton
  5. 5- Arie Luyendyk
  6. 15- Eliseo Salazar
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 28- Mark Dismore
  9. 51- Eddie Cheever
  10. 3- Robbie Buhl
  • Stewart's final IndyCar win.
  • Boat was involved in a large crash lap 95 and missed the next two races.
  • Team owner John Menard Jr. believed that A. J. Foyt Enterprises was cheating and withdrew his car driven by Robbie Buhl from the next two races. His other car, driven by Stewart, was not withdrawn as it was leading the point standings.

Pep Boys 400K

The Pep Boys 400K was held on July 19 at Dover Downs International Speedway. Tony Stewart qualified on the pole position.

Top 10 results

  1. 8- Scott Sharp
  2. 91- Buddy Lazier
  3. 16- Marco Greco
  4. 6- Davey Hamilton
  5. 77- Stephan Gregoire
  6. 4- Scott Goodyear
  7. 23- Jim Guthrie
  8. 1- Tony Stewart
  9. 5- Arie Luyendyk
  10. 14- Kenny Bräck

VisionAire 500K

The VisionAire 500K was held on July 25 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Tony Stewart qualified on the pole position.

Top 10 results

  1. 14- Kenny Bräck
  2. 35- Jeff Ward
  3. 4- Scott Goodyear
  4. 5- Arie Luyendyk
  5. 16- Marco Greco
  6. 10- John Paul Jr.
  7. 6- Davey Hamilton
  8. 77- Stéphan Grégoire
  9. 40- Jack Miller
  10. 21- Stevie Reeves
  • Bräck's first IndyCar win.

Radisson 200

The Radisson 200 was held August 16 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Billy Boat qualified on the pole position.

Top 10 results

  1. 14- Kenny Bräck
  2. 3- Robbie Buhl
  3. 1- Tony Stewart
  4. 77- Stéphan Grégoire
  5. 6- Davey Hamilton
  6. 16- Marco Greco
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 51- Eddie Cheever
  9. 11- Billy Boat
  10. 98- Donnie Beechler
  • Boat returned in this race. He qualified on the pole position and finished 9th, one lap down.
  • Buhl also returned in this race, finishing 2nd after starting 6th.

Atlanta 500 Classic

The Atlanta 500 Classic was held on August 29 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Billy Boat qualified on the pole position.

Top 10 results

  1. 14- Kenny Bräck
  2. 6- Davey Hamilton
  3. 51- Eddie Cheever
  4. 4- Scott Goodyear
  5. 1- Tony Stewart
  6. 35- Jeff Ward
  7. 28- Mark Dismore
  8. 5- Arie Luyendyk
  9. 15- Andy Michner
  10. 30- Raul Boesel

Lone Star 500

The Lone Star 500 was held on September 20 at Texas Motor Speedway. Billy Boat qualified on the pole position.

Top 10 results

  1. 10- John Paul Jr.
  2. 52- Robby Unser
  3. 35- Jeff Ward
  4. 23- Roberto Guerrero
  5. 14- Kenny Bräck
  6. 91- Buddy Lazier
  7. 3- Robbie Buhl
  8. 19- Stan Wattles
  9. 6- Davey Hamilton
  10. 28- Mark Dismore

Las Vegas 500K

The Las Vegas 500K was held on October 11 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Billy Boat qualified on the pole position.

Top 10 results

  1. 5- Arie Luyendyk
  2. 99- Sam Schmidt
  3. 91- Buddy Lazier
  4. 10- John Paul Jr.
  5. 51- Eddie Cheever
  6. 81- Brian Tyler
  7. 3- Robbie Buhl
  8. 16- Marco Greco
  9. 18- Steve Knapp
  10. 14- Kenny Bräck
  • Luyendyk's final IndyCar win. It would also be his final season as a full-time driver, as he would choose to go into semi-retirement in 1999.
  • Of the championship contenders, Tony Stewart started 2nd, but spun on lap seven and finished 14th (30 laps down), Davey Hamilton was involved in a crash with Roberto Guerrero on lap 130, finishing 19th. Bräck cruised the rest of the way to finish 10th, six laps down, enough to win the championship.

Driver standings

Further information: List of American Championship car racing point scoring systems
More information Pos, Driver ...
  • Ties in points broken by number of wins, followed by number of 2nds, 3rds, etc., and then by number of pole positions, followed by number of times qualified 2nd, etc.

Additional points were awarded to the pole winner (3 points), the second best qualifier (2 points), the third best qualifier (1 point) and to the driver leading the most laps (2 point).

Notes:
Orlando: No additional points for the qualifying were awarded due to rain; starting grid were determined by 1996–97 entrant points for the first 20 positions and the remaining eight went to top practice times from Thursday.
Phoenix: Scott Sharp had 7 points deduction, because his car failed the post-race fuel capacity inspection.
Pikes Peak: Tony Stewart and Robbie Buhl had 15 points deduction each, because the rear wings of both Team Menard cars were found to be in violation of technical specifications.

See also

Footnotes

  1. [N 1]
    Injured at New Hampshire.
  2. [N 2]
    Used from Atlanta onwards.
  3. [N 3]
    Initially replaced by Brian Tyler on Bump Day for the Indy 500, before Tyler relinquished the seat after practising.
  4. [N 4]
    Joe Gosek passed his Indianapolis rookie test in the car.
  5. [N 5]
    Used from Charlotte onwards.
  6. [N 6]
    Used at Phoenix, Indianapolis and Pikes Peak.
  7. [N 7]
    Signed after being injured at the Indy 500 while driving for ISM Racing.
  8. [N 8]
    Used at New Hampshire, Charlotte, Atlanta and Texas 2.
  9. [N 9]
    Not considered rookie for the Indy 500.
  10. [N 10]
    Considered rookie only for the Indy 500.
  11. [N 11]
    Used at Charlotte, and from Atlanta onwards.
  12. [N 12]
    Injured at Dover.
  13. [N 13]
    Injured in a practice crash at Dover.
  14. [N 14]
    Injured in a NASCAR Busch Series test at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
  15. [N 15]
    Used by J. J. Yeley at Phoenix and Indianapolis.
  16. [N 16]
    Used by Eddie Cheever. Robby Unser used it at Indianapolis and New Hampshire.
  17. [N 17]
    Used at Walt Disney World. Tony Stewart used it at Phoenix and Dover.
  18. [N 18]
    He replaced Danny Ongais, who got injured in a practice crash.
  19. [N 19]
    Used at Las Vegas.

References

  1. [1]
    "NTT IndyCar Series Calendar 1998". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article 1998_Indy_Racing_League_season, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.