1998 Indy Racing League season

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1998 Indy Racing League season
1998 Indy Racing League
Pep Boys Indy Racing League
Season
Races 11
Start date January 24
End date October 11
Awards
Drivers' champion Sweden Kenny Bräck
Indianapolis 500 winner United States Eddie Cheever
Chronology
Previous season Next season
1996–97 1999

The 1998 Pep Boys Indy Racing League season 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.

Contents

[edit] Calendar

Race No Track State Date Laps Distance Time Speed Winner Pole Position Most Leading Laps Fastest Race Lap
1 Walt Disney World Speedway Florida January 24, 1998 200 1.6093=321.86 km 2'06:04.000 153.186 km/h Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Kenny Bräck
2 Phoenix International Raceway Arizona March 22, 1998 200 1.6093=321.86 km 2'02:18.735 157.888 km/h Scott Sharp Jeff Ward Tony Stewart Tony Stewart
3 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indiana May 24, 1998 200 4.02325=804.65 km 3'26:40.524 233.598 km/h Eddie Cheever Billy Boat Eddie Cheever Tony Stewart
4 Texas Motor Speedway Texas June 6, 1998 208 2.41395=502.1016 km 2'08:45.543 233.973 km/h Billy Boat Tony Stewart Billy Boat Tony Stewart
5 New Hampshire International Speedway New Hampshire June 28, 1998 200 1.7026394=340.52788 km 1'51:30.262 183.237 km/h Tony Stewart Billy Boat Tony Stewart Davey Hamilton
6 Dover International Speedway Delaware July 19, 1998 248 1.6093=399.1064 km 2'29:49.262 159.833 km/h Scott Sharp Tony Stewart Scott Sharp Greg Ray
7 Charlotte Motor Speedway North Carolina July 25, 1998 208 2.41395=502.1016 km 1'58:10.555 254.926 km/h Kenny Bräck Tony Stewart Kenny Bräck Kenny Bräck
8 Pikes Peak International Raceway Colorado August 16, 1998 200 1.6093=321.86 km 1'29:52.649 214.866 km/h Kenny Bräck Billy Boat Jeff Ward Jeff Ward
9 Atlanta Motor Speedway Georgia August 29, 1998 208 2.478322=515.490976 km 2'17:15.289 225.343 km/h Kenny Bräck Billy Boat Scott Goodyear Billy Boat
10 Texas Motor Speedway Texas September 20, 1998 208 2.41395=502.1016 km 2'21:53.557 212.316 km/h John Paul, Jr. Billy Boat Tony Stewart Jeff Ward
11 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Nevada October 11, 1998 208 2.41395=502.1016 km 2'18:19.202 217.800 km/h Arie Luyendyk Billy Boat Arie Luyendyk Arie Luyendyk

[edit] Race summaries

[edit] Indy 200

This race was held January 24 at Walt Disney World Speedway. Tony Stewart won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. Tony Stewart
  2. Jeff Ward
  3. Davey Hamilton
  4. Stephan Gregoire
  5. Mark Dismore
  6. Scott Sharp
  7. Mike Groff
  8. Arie Luyendyk
  9. Sam Schmidt
  10. John Paul, Jr.

[edit] Dura-Lube 200

This race was held March 22 at Phoenix International Raceway. Jeff Ward won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. Scott Sharp
  2. Tony Stewart
  3. Billy Boat
  4. Stephan Gregoire
  5. Jeff Ward
  6. Scott Goodyear
  7. Sam Schmidt
  8. Raul Boesel
  9. Buzz Calkins
  10. Eddie Cheever

[edit] 82nd Indianapolis 500

The Indy 500 was held May 24 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Billy Boat won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. Eddie Cheever
  2. Buddy Lazier
  3. Steve Knapp
  4. Davey Hamilton
  5. Robby Unser
  6. Kenny Bräck
  7. John Paul, Jr.
  8. Andy Michner
  9. J. J. Yeley
  10. Buzz Calkins

[edit] True Value 500

This race was held June 6 at Texas Motor Speedway. Tony Stewart won the pole.

Top ten results

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

[edit] New England 200

This race was held June 28 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Billy Boat won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. Tony Stewart
  2. Scott Goodyear
  3. Scott Sharp
  4. Davey Hamilton
  5. Arie Luyendyk
  6. Eliseo Salazar
  7. Buddy Lazier
  8. Mark Dismore
  9. Eddie Cheever
  10. Robbie Buhl

[edit] Pep Boys 400K

Pep Boys 400K was held July 19 at Dover International Speedway. Tony Stewart won the pole.

Top ten results

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

[edit] Visionaire 500K

This race was held July 25 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Tony Stewart won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. Kenny Bräck
  2. Jeff Ward
  3. Scott Goodyear
  4. Arie Luyendyk
  5. Marco Greco
  6. John Paul, Jr.
  7. Davey Hamilton
  8. Stephan Gregoire
  9. Jack Miller
  10. Stevie Reeves

[edit] Radisson 200

This race was held August 16 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Billy Boat won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. Kenny Bräck
  2. Robbie Buhl
  3. Tony Stewart
  4. Stephan Gregoire
  5. Davey Hamilton
  6. Marco Greco
  7. Buddy Lazier
  8. Eddie Cheever
  9. Billy Boat
  10. Donnie Beechler

[edit] Atlanta 500 Classic

This race was held August 29 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Billy Boat won the pole.

Top ten results

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

[edit] Lone Star 500

This race was held September 20 at Texas Motor Speedway. Billy Boat won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. John Paul, Jr.
  2. Robby Unser
  3. Jeff Ward
  4. Roberto Guerrero
  5. Kenny Bräck
  6. Buddy Lazier
  7. Robbie Buhl
  8. Stan Wattles
  9. Davey Hamilton
  10. Mark Dismore

[edit] Las Vegas 500K

This race was held October 11 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Billy Boat won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. Arie Luyendyk
  2. Sam Schmidt
  3. Buddy Lazier
  4. John Paul, Jr.
  5. Eddie Cheever
  6. Brian Tyler
  7. Robbie Buhl
  8. Marco Greco
  9. Steve Knapp
  10. Kenny Bräck

[edit] Final points standings

[edit] Driver

For every race points were awarded to all starters: 50 points to the winner, 40 for runner up, 35 for third place, 32 for fourth place, 30 for fifth place, 28 for sixth place, 26 seventh place, 24 eighth place, 22 for ninth place, 20 for tenth place, winding down to 1 points for 29th place. Every lower placed driver also was awarded with 1 point. 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).

Place Name Country Team Chassis Engine Total Points United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States
1 Kenny Bräck  Sweden A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 332 17 16 29 35 12 20 53 50 50 30 20
2 Davey Hamilton  United States Nienhouse Motorsports G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 292 35 4 32 26 32 34 30
Nienhouse Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 26 40 22 11
3 Tony Stewart  United States Team Menard G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 289 52 43 27
Team Menard Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 1 19 52 12 21 30 14 18
4 Scott Sharp  United States Kelley Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 272 28 43 14 30 35 52 12 19 13 8 18
5 Buddy Lazier  United States Hemelgarn Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 262 15 2 40 19 27 40 17 26 13 28 35
6 Jeff Ward  United States ISM Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 252 40 33 17 13 10 11 40 14 30 35 9
7 Scott Goodyear  Canada Panther Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 244 13 28 6 32 40 28 35 12 34 8 8
8 Arie Luyendyk  Netherlands Treadway Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 227 24 6 10 17 30 22 32 8 24 2 52
9 Eddie Cheever  United States Team Cheever Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 222 6 20 52 4 22 14 10 24 35 5 30
10 Marco Greco  Brazil Phoenix Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 219 3 10 16 24 17 35 30 28 17 14 25
11 John Paul, Jr.  United States PDM Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 216 20 11
Team Pelfrey Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 26
Byrd-Cunningham Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 14 4 9 28 15 7 50 32
12 Stéphane Grégoire  France Chastain Motorsports G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 201 32 32 13 5 30 32 13
Chastain Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 6 24 10 4
13 Billy Boat  United States A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 194 9 37 10 54 12 - - 25 21 19 7
14 Sam Schmidt  United States LP Racing/PCI Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 186 22 26 4 12 18 13 16 17 15 3 40
15 Mark Dismore  United States Kelley Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 180 30 14 3 9 24 13 15 11 26 20 15
16 Robby Unser  United States Team Cheever G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 176 - - 30 22 19 - 18 14 40 14
Team Cheever Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 19
17 Robbie Buhl  United States Team Menard G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 174 10
Team Menard Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 18 1 29 20 - - 25 19 26 26
18 Brian Tyler  United States Chitwood Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 140 11 13 - -
Team Pelfrey Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 16 18 14 14 9 17 28
19 Buzz Calkins  United States Bradley Motorsports G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 134 16 22 20 15 15 - - 6
Bradley Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 2 19 19
20 Raul Boesel  Brazil McCormack Motorsports G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 132 12 24 11 2 11 16 6 5 20 13 12
21 Greg Ray  United States Knapp Motorsports/Genoa Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 128 5 19 14 40 - 6 9 5
A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 15 15 -
22 Steve Knapp  United States ISM Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 118 - - 35 - -
PDM Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 17 - 16 16 12 22
23 Jack Miller  United States Crest Racing/SRS Dallara Nissan Infiniti 100 7 - 9 8 14 10 22 7 3 18 2
24 Andy Michner  United States Chitwood Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 92 - - 24 - - -
R & S Cars Riley & Scott Oldsmobile Aurora 18 13 22 15 -
25 Stan Wattles  United States Metro Racing Riley & Scott Oldsmobile Aurora 88 8 - 2 20 13 - - - 4 24 17
26 Roberto Guerrero  Colombia Pagan Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 83 4 3 8 6 - - -
Cobb Racing G-Force Nissan Infiniti 9 11 32 10
27 Tyce Carlson  United States Immke Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 73 19 17 -
Team Pelfrey Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 18 - -
PDM Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 19 - - - -
28 Donnie Beechler  United States Cahill Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 71 - - 1 3 10 -
Cahill Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 11 20 8 11 7
29 Eliseo Salazar  Chile R & S Cars Riley & Scott Oldsmobile Aurora 60 18 7 - 7 28 - - - - - -
30 Mike Groff  United States Byrd-Cunningham Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 56 26 15 15 - - - - - - - -
31 Jimmy Kite  United States Team Scandia Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 52 14 12 19 - - -
Sinden Racing Dallara Nissan Infiniti 7 - - - -
32 J. J. Yeley  United States Sinden Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 50 - 5 22
Sinden Racing Dallara Nissan Infiniti 11 7 - - - 5 - -
33 Jim Guthrie  United States ISM Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 41 - - 1 - -
Cobb Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 26 8 - - -
R & S Cars Riley & Scott Oldsmobile Aurora 6
34 Jack Hewitt  United States PDM Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 23 - - 18 - 5 - - - - - -
35 Stevie Reeves  United States Pagan Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 20 - - - - - - 20 - - - -
36 Dave Steele  United States RSM Marko Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 17 - 8 - - - - - - -
Panther Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 6 3
37 Billy Roe  United States Team Scandia Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 11 - - 1
Blueprint Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 10 - - - - - - -
38 Paul Durant  United States Cobb Racing G-Force Oldsmobile Aurora 9 - 9 - - - - - - - - -
39 Scott Harrington  United States R & S Cars Riley & Scott Oldsmobile Aurora 8 - - - - - 8 - - - - -
40 Johnny Unser  United States Hemelgarn Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 5 - - 5 - - - - - - - -
41 Robbie Groff  United States Blueprint Racing Dallara Oldsmobile Aurora 2 2 - - - - - - - - - -

Note:

Race 1 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.

Race 2 Scott Sharp had 7 points deduction, because his car failed the post race fuel capacity inspection.

Race 8 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.

No points (did not qualify):

[edit] See also