1998 Indy Racing League

1998 Indy Racing League season
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 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.

Race summaries

Indy 200

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

Top ten results

  1. 1- Tony Stewart
  2. 35- Jeff Ward
  3. 6- Davey Hamilton
  4. 77- Stephan Gregoire
  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

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

Top ten results

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

82nd Indianapolis 500

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

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

True Value 500

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

Top ten 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

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

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

Pep Boys 400K

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

Top ten 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

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

Top ten 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- Stephan Gregoire
  9. 40- Jack Miller
  10. 21- Stevie Reeves

Radisson 200

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

Top ten results

  1. 14- Kenny Bräck
  2. 3- Robbie Buhl
  3. 1- Tony Stewart
  4. 77- Stephan Gregoire
  5. 6- Davey Hamilton
  6. 16- Marco Greco
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 51- Eddie Cheever
  9. 11- Billy Boat
  10. 98- Donnie Beechler

Atlanta 500 Classic

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

Top ten 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

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

Top ten 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

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

Top ten 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

Schedule

Rnd Date Race Name Track City TV
1 January 24 Indy 200 Walt Disney World Speedway Bay Lake, Florida ABC
2 March 22 Dura Lube 200 Phoenix International Raceway Avondale, Arizona ABC
3 May 24 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana ABC
4 June 6 True Value 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas TNN
5 June 28 New England 200 New Hampshire International Speedway Loudon, New Hampshire CBS
6 July 19 Pep Boys 400K Dover International Speedway Dover, Delaware CBS
7 July 25 VisionAire 500K Charlotte Motor Speedway Concord, North Carolina TNN
8 August 16 Radisson 200 Pikes Peak International Raceway Fountain, Colorado ABC
9 August 29 Atlanta 500 Classic Atlanta Motor Speedway Hampton, Georgia TNN
10 September 20 Lone Star 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas ABC
11 October 11 Las Vegas 500K Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nevada TNN

Season Summary

Race results

Rnd Date Winner Pole Position Most Laps Led Fastest Lap
1 Indy 200 United States Tony Stewart United States Tony Stewart United States Tony Stewart Sweden Kenny Bräck
2 Dura Lube 200 United States Scott Sharp United States Jeff Ward United States Tony Stewart United States Tony Stewart
3 Indianapolis 500 United States Eddie Cheever United States Billy Boat United States Eddie Cheever United States Tony Stewart
4 True Value 500 United States Billy Boat United States Tony Stewart United States Billy Boat United States Tony Stewart
5 New England 200 United States Tony Stewart United States Billy Boat United States Tony Stewart United States Davey Hamilton
6 Pep Boys 400K United States Scott Sharp United States Tony Stewart United States Scott Sharp United States Greg Ray
7 VisionAire 500K Sweden Kenny Bräck United States Tony Stewart Sweden Kenny Bräck Sweden Kenny Bräck
8 Radisson 200 Sweden Kenny Bräck United States Billy Boat United States Jeff Ward United States Jeff Ward
9 Atlanta 500 Classic Sweden Kenny Bräck United States Billy Boat Canada Scott Goodyear United States Billy Boat
10 Lone Star 500 United States John Paul, Jr. United States Billy Boat United States Tony Stewart United States Jeff Ward
11 Las Vegas 500K Netherlands Arie Luyendyk United States Billy Boat Netherlands Arie Luyendyk Netherlands Arie Luyendyk

Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway.

Final points standings

Pos Driver WDW
 PHX
 INDY
 TXS
 NHS
 DOV
 CMS
 PIK
 ATL
 TXS
 LSV
 Pts
1 Sweden Kenny Bräck 13 14 6 3 18 10 1* 1 1 5 10 332
2 United States Davey Hamilton 3 26 4 7 4 4 7 5 2 9 19 292
3 United States Tony Stewart 1* 2* 33 14 1* 8 21 3 5 20* 14 289
4 United States Scott Sharp 6 1 16 5 3 1* 18 11 18 23 12 272
5 United States Buddy Lazier 15 28 2 11 7 2 13 7 17 6 3 262
6 United States Jeff Ward 2 5 13 17 22 19 2 20* 6 3 21 252
7 Canada Scott Goodyear 17 6 24 4 2 6 3 18 4* 22 22 244
8 Netherlands Arie Luyendyk 8 24 20 13 5 9 4 22 8 28 1* 227
9 United States Eddie Cheever 24 10 1* 26 9 16 20 8 3 25 5 222
10 Brazil Marco Greco 27 20 14 8 13 3 5 6 13 16 8 219
11 United States John Paul, Jr. 10 19 7 16 26 21 6 15 23 1 4 216
12 France Stéphan Grégoire 4 4 17 25 24 5 8 4 20 26 17 201
13 United States Billy Boat 21 3 23 1* 21 9 12 14 26 194
14 United States Sam Schmidt 9 7 26 18 12 17 14 13 15 27 2 186
15 United States Mark Dismore 5 16 27 21 8 18 15 19 7 10 15 180
16 United States Robby Unser 5 9 11 11 12 16 2 16 176
17 United States Robbie Buhl 20 12 31 6 10 2 11 7 7 174
18 United States Brian Tyler 19 17 DNQ 14 12 16 16 21 13 6 140
19 United States Buzz Calkins 14 9 10 15 15 24 28 11 11 134
20 Brazil Raul Boesel 18 8 19 28 19 14 24 25 10 17 18 132
21 United States Greg Ray 25 11 18 2 15 17 24 21 25 128
22 United States Steve Knapp 3 13 14 14 18 9 118
23 United States Dr. Jack Miller 23 DNS 21 22 16 20 9 23 27 12 28 100
24 United States Andy Michner 8 12 17 9 15 92
25 United States Stan Wattles 22 DNQ 28 10 17 26 8 13 88
26 Colombia Roberto Guerrero 26 27 22 24 21 19 4 20 83
27 United States Tyce Carlson 11 13 DNQ 12 11 73
28 United States Donnie Beechler 32 27 20 19 10 22 19 23 71
29 Chile Eliseo Salazar 12 23 DNQ 23 6 DNS 60
30 United States Mike Groff 7 15 15 DNS 56
31 United States Jimmy Kite 16 18 11 DNP 23 52
32 United States J. J. Yeley 25 9 19 23 25 50
33 United States Jim Guthrie DNS DNS 29 7 22 24 41
34 United States Jack Hewitt 12 DNP 25 23
35 United States Stevie Reeves 10 20
36 United States David Steele 22 24 27 17
37 United States Billy Roe DNQ 30 20 11
38 United States Paul Durant 21 DNQ DNP 9
39 United States Scott Harrington DNQ 22 8
40 United States Johnny Unser 25 5
41 United States Robbie Groff 28 DNQ 2
- Brazil Affonso Giaffone DNQ 0
- Canada Claude Bourbonnais DNQ 0
- United States Dan Drinan DNQ 0
- United States Joe Gosek DNQ DNP 0
- United States John Hollansworth, Jr. DNS 0
- United States Jaques Lazier DNQ 0
- Japan Hideshi Matsuda DNQ 0
- United States Danny Ongais DNQ 0
- United States Lyn St. James DNQ 0
Pos Driver WDW
 PHX
 INDY
 TXS
 NHS
 DOV
 CMS
 PIK
 ATL
 TXS
 LSV
 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
(3 points)
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

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).

Note:
WDW: 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.
PHX: Scott Sharp had 7 points deduction, because his car failed the post race fuel capacity inspection.
PIK: 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

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