2002 Indy Racing League

2002 Indy Racing League season
Indy Racing League
Season
Races 15
Start date March 2
End date September 15
Awards
Drivers' champion United States Sam Hornish Jr.
Indianapolis 500 winner Brazil Hélio Castroneves
Chronology
Previous season Next season
2001 2003 (ICS)

The 2002 Indy Racing League (IRL) was one of transition, with many CART teams participating in a partial IRL schedule while retaining "lame duck" status in their original series with their CART engine suppliers Toyota and Honda. On the IRL front, the Infiniti engine was in its "lame duck" year and the General Motors engine was now branded as a Chevrolet rather than an Oldsmobile as that marque was being phased out. Sam Hornish Jr. won 5 races on his way to his second straight championship ahead of Penske Racing juggernaut Hélio Castroneves who won three races, including a second straight Indy 500, on his way to second in the championship.

Team and driver chart

Team Chassis Engine # Drivers Notes
United States Team Menard Dallara Chevrolet 2 United States Jaques Lazier Homestead to Nazareth.
United States P. J. Jones Indianapolis only, did not qualify.
Brazil Raul Boesel Indianapolis and Texas 1.
United States Mark Dismore Pikes Peak to Michigan.
Brazil Vitor Meira Kentucky to Texas 2.
31 United States Robby Gordon Indianapolis only.
United States Marlboro Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet 3 Brazil Helio Castroneves
6 Brazil Gil de Ferran Injured at Chicago. Missed Texas 2.
Italy Max Papis Replaced de Ferran at Texas 2.
United States Panther Racing Dallara Chevrolet 4 United States Sam Hornish Jr. Did not use the #1 team was entitled to using, choosing instead to keep minority partner Jim Harbaugh's number in the NFL, #4.
15 United Kingdom Dan Wheldon Chicago and Texas 2 only.
United States Treadway Racing G-Force Chevrolet 5 United States Rick Treadway Indianapolis only.
55 Homestead to Nazareth, Texas 1, and Kansas.
Netherlands Arie Luyendyk Indianapolis and Michigan.
United States Will Langhorne Kentucky, Chicago, and Texas 2.
United States Robby McGehee Gateway only.
67 United States Rick Treadway Texas 2 only.
United States Kelley Racing Dallara Chevrolet 7 United States Al Unser Jr. All races except Nashville and Michigan.
United States Tony Renna Nashville and Michigan only.
8 United States Scott Sharp
78 United States Tony Renna All races starting at Kentucky.
United States Target Chip Ganassi Racing G-Force Chevrolet 9 United Kingdom Jeff Ward
22 Sweden Kenny Bräck Indianapolis only.
33 Brazil Bruno Junqueira
United States Cahill Racing Dallara Chevrolet 10 United States Robby McGehee Homestead to Indianapolis.
United States A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara Chevrolet 11 Chile Eliseo Salazar Injured while testing at Fontana. Missed all races from Nazareth to Kansas.
United States Richie Hearn Replaced Salazar at Nazareth only.
United States Greg Ray Replaced Salazar from Indianapolis to Kansas only.
United States Donnie Beechler Indianapolis only, did not qualify.
14 Brazil Airton Daré
41 United States Greg Ray All races from Nashville to Gateway only.
United States Bradley Motorsports Dallara Infiniti 12 Japan Shigeaki Hattori Phoenix to Pikes Peak.
Brazil Raul Boesel Kansas to Texas 2.
United States Walker Racing Dallara Chevrolet 15 Spain Oriol Servià Indianapolis only, did not qualify.
United States Racing Professionals G-Force Chevrolet 16 United States Jon Herb Homestead to Indianapolis.
Dallara Texas 1 to Richmond.
United States Mo Nunn Racing G-Force Chevrolet 17 Brazil Tony Kanaan Indianapolis only.
21 Brazil Felipe Giaffone
United States PDM Racing Dallara Chevrolet 18 United States Tyce Carlson Homestead and Phoenix only.
United States Jeret Schroeder Fontana Only.
Australia John de Vries Texas 1 Only.
United States Cory Kruseman Texas 2 Only.
United States Team Rahal Dallara Chevrolet 19 United States Jimmy Vasser Fontana and Indianapolis only.
United States Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara Chevrolet 20 United States Richie Hearn Indianapolis, and Pikes Peak to Kentucky.
United States Greg Ray Chicago and Texas 2 Only.
United States Anthony Lazzaro Gateway Only, DNS.
55 Pikes Peak only.
99 Homestead, Phoenix, Nazareth, Indy (DNQ).
United States Richie Hearn Fontana, Texas 1 Only.
United States Mark Dismore Indianapolis only, did not qualify.
United States Jimmy Kite
United States Convergent Racing G-Force Chevrolet 20 Japan Hideki Noda Homestead to California.
United States Indy Regency Racing 28 Gateway to Texas 2.
United States Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G-Force Infiniti 23 United States Sarah Fisher Indianapolis and all races starting at Richmond only.
24 United States Robbie Buhl Injured while qualifying at Fontana, missed race and Nazareth.
Mexico Memo Gidley Replaced Buhl at Fontana only.
United States Sarah Fisher Replaced Buhl at Nazareth only.
United States Team Green Dallara Chevrolet 26 Canada Paul Tracy Indianapolis only.
27 United Kingdom Dario Franchitti
39 United States Michael Andretti
United States 310 Racing G-Force Chevrolet 30 United States George Mack Indianapolis only.
31 All races except Indianapolis. Team made an agreement with Team Menard to use the number for Robby Gordon, who used the number at the time in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
United States Duesenberg Brothers Racing Dallara Chevrolet 32 Mexico Memo Gidley Indianapolis only.
United Kingdom Johnny Herbert
United States Conquest Racing Dallara Infiniti 34 France Laurent Redon
United States Brayton Racing Dallara Chevrolet 37 Australia John de Vries Homestead to Texas 1.
United States Scott Harrington Indianapolis and Michigan only.
United States Blair Racing Dallara Chevrolet 44 United States Alex Barron
United States Red Bull Cheever Racing Dallara Infiniti 51 United States Eddie Cheever
52 South Africa Tomas Scheckter All races through Michigan only. Withdrew after Kentucky.
United States Buddy Rice Replaced Scheckter from Gateway onwards.
53 Italy Max Papis Indianapolis only.
United States Buddy Rice Michigan and Kentucky only.
United States Robby McGehee Texas 2 only.
United States CURB/Agajanian/Beck Motorsports Dallara Chevrolet 54 United States Robby McGehee Pikes Peak, Richmond, and Kansas only.
98 United States Billy Boat Homestead to Richmond.
Infiniti Kansas to Texas 2.
United States Zali Racing G-Force Chevrolet 81 United States Billy Roe Homestead and Indianapolis.
United States Hemelgarn Racing Dallara Chevrolet 91 United States Buddy Lazier

Race summaries

Grand Prix of Miami

This race was held on March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Sam Hornish Jr. won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 9- Jeff Ward
  5. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  6. 52- Tomas Scheckter
  7. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  8. 44- Alex Barron
  9. 99- Anthony Lazzaro
  10. 14- Airton Daré

Bombardier ATV 200

This race was held on March 17 at Phoenix International Raceway. Hélio Castroneves won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  4. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  5. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  6. 2- Jaques Lazier
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 98- Billy Boat
  9. 55- Rick Treadway
  10. 20- Hideki Noda

Yamaha Indy 400

This race was held on March 24 at California Speedway. Eddie Cheever won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 2- Jaques Lazier
  3. 34- Laurent Rédon
  4. 6- Gil de Ferran
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 19- Jimmy Vasser
  10. 9- Jeff Ward

Firestone Indy 225

This race was held on April 21 at Nazareth Speedway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 8- Scott Sharp
  2. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  3. 6- Gil de Ferran
  4. 24- Sarah Fisher
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 44- Alex Barron
  7. 51- Eddie Cheever
  8. 98- Billy Boat
  9. 99- Anthony Lazzaro
  10. 12- Shigeaki Hattori

86th Indianapolis 500

The Indy 500 was held on May 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bruno Junqueira sat on pole. The race end was one of the most controversial in history as Paul Tracy passed Hélio Castroneves just as the yellow was coming out for a crash. Race officials ruled that the pass occurred after the yellow.

Top ten results

  1. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  2. 26- Paul Tracy
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 44- Alex Barron
  5. 51- Eddie Cheever
  6. 20- Richie Hearn
  7. 39- Michael Andretti
  8. 31- Robby Gordon
  9. 9- Jeff Ward
  10. 6- Gil de Ferran

Boomtown 500

This race was held on June 8 at Texas Motor Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 9- Jeff Ward
  2. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  3. 14- Airton Daré
  4. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  5. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  6. 12- Shigeaki Hattori
  7. 98- Billy Boat
  8. 91- Buddy Lazier
  9. 99- Richie Hearn
  10. 44- Alex Barron

Radisson Indy 225

This race was held on June 16 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 6- Gil de Ferran
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  4. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  5. 8- Scott Sharp
  6. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  7. 34- Laurent Rédon
  8. 51- Eddie Cheever
  9. 14- Airton Daré
  10. 44- Alex Barron

SunTrust Indy Challenge

This race was held on June 29 at Richmond International Raceway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 52- Tomas Scheckter
  5. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  6. 14- Airton Daré
  7. 20- Richie Hearn
  8. 9- Jeff Ward
  9. 54- Robby McGehee
  10. 44- Alex Barron

Ameristar Casino Indy 200

This race was held on July 7 at Kansas Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 14- Airton Daré
  2. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  5. 6- Gil de Ferran
  6. 8- Scott Sharp
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 44-Alex Barron
  9. 98- Billy Boat
  10. 20- Richie Hearn

Firestone Indy 200

This race was held on July 20 at Nashville Superspeedway. Billy Boat won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 44- Alex Barron
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  4. 20- Richie Hearn
  5. 12- Raul Boesel
  6. 51- Eddie Cheever
  7. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  10. 7- Tony Renna

Michigan Indy 400

This race was held on July 28 at Michigan International Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 52- Tomas Scheckter
  2. 53- Buddy Rice
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 7- Tony Renna
  5. 6- Gil de Ferran
  6. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  7. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  8. 23- Sarah Fisher
  9. 8- Scott Sharp
  10. 20- Richie Hearn

Belterra Casino Indy 300

This race was held on August 11 at Kentucky Speedway. Sarah Fisher won the pole, the first by a female driver in a major open wheel series.

Top ten results

  1. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  2. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  3. 91- Buddy Lazier
  4. 8- Scott Sharp
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  7. 78- Tony Renna
  8. 23- Sarah Fisher
  9. 44- Alex Barron
  10. 24- Robbie Buhl

Gateway Indy 250

This race was held on August 25 at Gateway International Raceway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 6- Gil de Ferran
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 44- Alex Barron
  4. 52- Buddy Rice
  5. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  6. 24- Robbie Buhl
  7. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  8. 12- Raul Boesel
  9. 2- Vitor Meira
  10. 51- Eddie Cheever

Delphi Indy 300

This race was held on September 8 at Chicagoland Speedway. Sam Hornish Jr. won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  3. 91- Buddy Lazier
  4. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  5. 51- Eddie Cheever
  6. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  7. 8- Scott Sharp
  8. 2- Vitor Meira
  9. 52- Buddy Rice
  10. 15- Dan Wheldon

Chevy 500

This race was held on September 15 at Texas Motor Speedway. Vitor Meira won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 2- Vitor Meira
  4. 8- Scott Sharp
  5. 44- Alex Barron
  6. 52- Buddy Rice
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 51- Eddie Cheever
  9. 78- Tony Renna
  10. 34- Laurent Rédon

Season Summary

Race results

Rnd Date Race Name Track Location Pole position Fastest lap Most Laps Led Winner
1 March 2 Grand Prix of Miami Homestead-Miami Speedway Homestead, Florida United States Sam Hornish Jr. United Kingdom Jeff Ward United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Sam Hornish Jr.
2 March 17 Bombardier ATV 200 Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix, Arizona Brazil Hélio Castroneves United States Robbie Buhl United States Sam Hornish Jr. Brazil Hélio Castroneves
3 March 24 Yamaha Indy 400 California Speedway Fontana, California United States Eddie Cheever South Africa Tomas Scheckter United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Sam Hornish Jr.
4 April 21 Firestone Indy 225 Nazareth Speedway Nazareth, Pennsylvania Brazil Gil de Ferran South Africa Tomas Scheckter Brazil Gil de Ferran United States Scott Sharp
5 May 26 86th Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana Brazil Bruno Junqueira South Africa Tomas Scheckter South Africa Tomas Scheckter Brazil Hélio Castroneves
6 June 8 Boomtown 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas South Africa Tomas Scheckter United States Eddie Cheever South Africa Tomas Scheckter United Kingdom Jeff Ward
7 June 16 Radisson Indy 225 Pikes Peak International Raceway Fountain, Colorado Brazil Gil de Ferran Brazil Felipe Giaffone Brazil Gil de Ferran Brazil Gil de Ferran
8 June 29 SunTrust Indy Challenge Richmond International Raceway Richmond, Virginia Brazil Gil de Ferran United States Buddy Lazier Brazil Gil de Ferran United States Sam Hornish Jr.
9 July 7 Ameristar Casino Indy 200 Kansas Speedway Kansas City, Kansas South Africa Tomas Scheckter South Africa Tomas Scheckter South Africa Tomas Scheckter Brazil Airton Daré
10 July 20 Firestone Indy 200 Nashville Superspeedway Lebanon, Tennessee United States Billy Boat South Africa Tomas Scheckter United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Alex Barron
11 July 28 Michigan Indy 400 Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, Michigan South Africa Tomas Scheckter South Africa Tomas Scheckter South Africa Tomas Scheckter South Africa Tomas Scheckter
12 August 11 Belterra Casino Indy 300 Kentucky Speedway Sparta, Kentucky United States Sarah Fisher South Africa Tomas Scheckter Brazil Felipe Giaffone Brazil Felipe Giaffone
13 August 25 Gateway Indy 250 Gateway International Raceway Madison, Illinois Brazil Gil de Ferran United States Sam Hornish Jr. Brazil Hélio Castroneves Brazil Gil de Ferran
14 September 8 Delphi Indy 300 Chicagoland Speedway Joliet, Illinois United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Buddy Rice United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Sam Hornish Jr.
15 September 15 Chevy 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas Brazil Vitor Meira United States Buddy Rice Brazil Hélio Castroneves United States Sam Hornish Jr.

BOLD indicates a Superspeedway. Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway.

Final points standings

Pos Driver HOM
PHX
CAL
NAZ
INDY
TXS
PIK
RIR
KAN
NSH
MIS
KTY
GAT
CHI
TXS
Pts
1 United States Sam Hornish Jr. 1* 3* 1* 17 25 18 3 1 2 3* 7 2 5 1* 1 531
2 Brazil Hélio Castroneves 3 1 5 5 1 4 2 17 3 9 6 5 2* 4 2* 511
3 Brazil Gil de Ferran 2 2 4 3* 10 16 1* 2* 5 2 5 21 1 23 443
4 Brazil Felipe Giaffone 7 19 6 2 3 5 4 3 4 7 3 1* 21 6 17 432
5 United States Alex Barron 8 23 12 6 4 10 10 10 8 1 12 9 3 12 5 366
6 United States Scott Sharp 20 16 8 1 27 14 5 21 6 8 9 4 18 7 4 332
7 United States Al Unser Jr. 19 5 11 12 12 2 6 5 17 6 7 2 20 311
8 United States Buddy Lazier 22 7 7 23 15 8 15 18 7 12 13 3 15 3 7 305
9 Brazil Airton Daré 10 12 13 11 13 3 9 6 1 17 23 23 11 16 12 304
10 United States Eddie Cheever 25 15 20 7 5 19 8 14 16 6 22 11 10 5 8 280
11 United Kingdom Jeff Ward 4 18 10 19 9 1 20 8 12 11 25 16 13 21 25 268
12 France Laurent Redon 15 14 3 15 22 15 7 15 22 16 11 20 22 25 10 229
13 United States Billy Boat 16 8 18 8 18 7 14 22 9 14 14 19 23 19 24 225
14 South Africa Tomas Scheckter 6 24 24 21 26* 17* 16 4 15* 13 1* 22 Wth 210
15 United States Richie Hearn 14 14 6 9 12 7 10 4 10 24 204
16 United States George Mack 13 20 16 18 17 21 13 20 18 15 20 17 16 14 28 184
17 United States Robbie Buhl 12 13 DNS 16 20 23 13 21 21 24 10 6 20 18 177
18 United States Sarah Fisher 4 24 16 14 22 8 8 20 22 11 161
19 Brazil Raul Boesel 21 13 11 5 15 13 8 11 22 158
20 Chile Eliseo Salazar 5 4 15 19 19 14 14 18 16 157
21 United States Robby McGehee 14 21 17 13 DNQ 17 9 13 12 13 142
22 United States Buddy Rice 2 12 4 9 6 140
23 United States Greg Ray 33 12 18 12 19 20 17 25 19 17 14 128
24 United States Tony Renna 10 4 7 24 15 9 121
25 Brazil Vitor Meira 15 9 8 3 96
26 United States Jaques Lazier 18 6 2 20 90
27 Japan Shigeaki Hattori 25 26 10 20 6 19 78
28 United States Rick Treadway 24 9 22 16 29 23 23 19 76
29 United States Mark Dismore 32 11 11 20 18 18 73
30 United States Anthony Lazzaro 9 17 9 DNQ 22 DNS 70
31 United States Jon Herb DNS 11 19 22 DNQ 22 21 19 70
32 Japan Hideki Noda 23 10 25 17 24 27 54
33 Australia John de Vries 17 22 23 Wth DNQ 11 53
34 Canada Paul Tracy 2 40
35 United States Will Langhorne 18 13 23 36
36 United Kingdom Dan Wheldon 10 15 35
37 Netherlands Arie Luyendyk 14 16 30
38 United States Michael Andretti 7 26
39 United States Robby Gordon 8 24
40 United States Jimmy Vasser 9 30 23
41 United States Tyce Carlson 11 DNS 23
42 Sweden Kenny Bräck 11 19
43 Italy Max Papis 23 21 16
44 United Kingdom Dario Franchitti 19 11
45 United States Billy Roe 21 DNQ 9
46 United States Memo Gidley 21 DNQ 9
47 United States Scott Harrington DNQ 21 9
48 United States Cory Kruseman DNP 26 4
49 United States Jeret Schroeder 27 3
50 Brazil Tony Kanaan 28 2
51 Brazil Bruno Junqueira 31 1
- United States Donnie Beechler DNS DNQ 0
- United Kingdom Johnny Herbert DNQ 0
- United States Davy Jones DNQ 0
- United States P. J. Jones DNQ 0
- United States Jimmy Kite DNQ 0
- Spain Oriol Servià DNQ 0
- United States Scott Mayer DNQ 0
Pos Driver HOM
PHX
CAL
NAZ
INDY
TXS
PIK
RIR
KAN
NSH
MIS
KTY
GAT
CHI
TXS
Pts
Color Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green 4th & 5th place
Light Blue 6th-10th place
Dark Blue Finished
(Outside Top 10)
Purple Did not finish
(Ret)
Red Did not qualify
(DNQ)
Brown Withdrawn
(Wth)
Black Disqualified
(DSQ)
White Did not start
(DNS)
Blank Did not
participate
(DNP)
Not competing
In-line notation
Bold Pole position
Italics Ran fastest race lap
* Led most race laps
(2 points)
DNS Any driver who qualifies
but does not start (DNS),
earns all the points
had they taken part.
Rookie of the Year
Rookie

See also

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