• Source: 1998 Indy Racing League

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 motorsports. 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.




Confirmed entries






Season summary






= Schedule

=

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

=




= 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- Tony Stewart
35- Jeff Ward
6- Davey Hamilton
77- Stéphan Grégoire
28- Mark Dismore
8- Scott Sharp
10- Mike Groff
5- Arie Luyendyk
99- Sam Schmidt
18- John Paul Jr.
Failed to qualify: 24-Billy Roe, 27-John Hollansworth Jr., 41-Affonso Giaffone and 53-Jim Guthrie



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

8- Scott Sharp
1- Tony Stewart
11- Billy Boat
77- Stéphan Grégoire
35- Jeff Ward
4- Scott Goodyear
99- Sam Schmidt
30- Raul Boesel
12- Buzz Calkins
51- Eddie Cheever
Failed to qualify: 19-Stan Wattles, 27-Robbie Groff, 40-Jack Miller and 53-Jim Guthrie



Indianapolis 500

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

51- Eddie Cheever
91- Buddy Lazier
55- Steve Knapp
6- Davey Hamilton
52- Robby Unser
14- Kenny Bräck
81- John Paul Jr.
17- Andy Michner
44- J. J. Yeley
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

11- Billy Boat
97- Greg Ray
14- Kenny Bräck
4- Scott Goodyear
8- Scott Sharp
3- Robbie Buhl
6- Davey Hamilton
16- Marco Greco
52- Robby Unser
19- Stan Wattles
Failed to qualify: 7-Jimmy Kite, 10-Mike Groff, 18-Jack Hewitt, 20-Tyce Carlson, 23-Paul Durant and 29-Joe Gosek
Boat's only IndyCar win. He had been declared the winner at Texas the previous year, but a scoring error was discovered that resulted in Arie Luyendyk getting the win.
John Paul Jr. replaced Groff at Byrd-Cunningham Racing for the remainder of the season.



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- Tony Stewart
4- Scott Goodyear
8- Scott Sharp
6- Davey Hamilton
5- Arie Luyendyk
15- Eliseo Salazar
91- Buddy Lazier
28- Mark Dismore
51- Eddie Cheever
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

8- Scott Sharp
91- Buddy Lazier
16- Marco Greco
6- Davey Hamilton
77- Stephan Gregoire
4- Scott Goodyear
23- Jim Guthrie
1- Tony Stewart
5- Arie Luyendyk
14- Kenny Bräck
Failed to qualify: 15-Eliseo Salazar
Greg Ray replaced the injured Billy Boat. He started 7th, but crashed with Eddie Cheever on lap 104 and finished 15th.
Only 10 of the 22 starters were running at the finish.



VisionAire 500K

The VisionAire 500K was held on July 25 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Tony Stewart qualified on the pole position.
Top 10 results

14- Kenny Bräck
35- Jeff Ward
4- Scott Goodyear
5- Arie Luyendyk
16- Marco Greco
10- John Paul Jr.
6- Davey Hamilton
77- Stéphan Grégoire
40- Jack Miller
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

14- Kenny Bräck
3- Robbie Buhl
1- Tony Stewart
77- Stéphan Grégoire
6- Davey Hamilton
16- Marco Greco
91- Buddy Lazier
51- Eddie Cheever
11- Billy Boat
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

14- Kenny Bräck
6- Davey Hamilton
51- Eddie Cheever
4- Scott Goodyear
1- Tony Stewart
35- Jeff Ward
28- Mark Dismore
5- Arie Luyendyk
15- Andy Michner
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

10- John Paul Jr.
52- Robby Unser
35- Jeff Ward
23- Roberto Guerrero
14- Kenny Bräck
91- Buddy Lazier
3- Robbie Buhl
19- Stan Wattles
6- Davey Hamilton
28- Mark Dismore
Paul's second and final IndyCar win. 16 years earlier, he won the 1983 Michigan 500 at Michigan International Speedway.
Entering the season finale, Bräck led Hamilton by 31 points and Tony Stewart by 41 points.



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

5- Arie Luyendyk
99- Sam Schmidt
91- Buddy Lazier
10- John Paul Jr.
51- Eddie Cheever
81- Brian Tyler
3- Robbie Buhl
16- Marco Greco
18- Steve Knapp
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

=

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


1998 Indianapolis 500
1998 Indy Lights season
1998 CART season
1998 Toyota Atlantic Championship season
http://champcarstats.com/year/1998i.htm
http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine (p. 140–141)




Footnotes






References

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Seri IndyCar musim 1996–97
• Seri IndyCar musim 1998
• New Hampshire Indy 225
• Seri IndyCar di Jepang
• Seri IndyCar di Las Vegas
• Dan Wheldon
• PacWest Racing
• Andretti Global
• Panther Racing
• Ben Collins (pembalap)
• 1998 Indy Racing League
• 1996 Indy Racing League
• 1996–97 Indy Racing League
• Walt Disney World Speedway
• RSM Marko
• 1999 Indy Racing League
• Indy NXT
• IndyCar Series
• List of 1998 motorsport champions
• Kenny Bräck