1998 Indy Lights season

June 2019 noref (GreenC bot) February 2025 Indy Lights PPG/Dayton Indy Lights Championship 1998 14 March 15 October 31 BRA Cristiano da Matta 1997 1999 The 1998 CART PPG/Dayton Indy Lights Championship consisted of 14 races. Future 2002 CART champion and Formula One driver Cristiano da Matta captured four wins on his way to the championship. The scoring system was 20-16-14-12-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 points awarded to the first 12 (twelve) finishers, with 1 (one) extra point given to the driver who took pole-position, and another extra point given to the driver who led most laps in the race. Team and driver chart The following drivers and teams competed in the series: TeamNo. Car numberDriversRound(s)Brian Stewart Racing4BRA Sérgio Paese1431–11BEL Wim Eyckmans12–145SWE Mattias Andersson1–3BRA Luiz Garcia Jr.4–14Conquest Racing11USA Andy BossAll21BRA Felipe GiaffoneAllDorricott Racing30USA Bud Kaeding4–5, 10, 1431AUT Philipp PeterAll32ESP Oriol ServiàAllGenoa Racing61CAN Eric Jensen2USA Cory Witherill7, 12–14Indy Regency Racing16JPN Shigeaki HattoriAll28MEX Rodolfo Lavín1–7, 9–10, 12–13Irish Motorsports / Bordin Racing56USA Tim Moser2Johansson Motorsports6GBR Guy SmithAll7BRA Luiz Garcia Jr.1–2Lucas Place Motorsports14USA Geoff BossAll15USA Brian CunninghamAllMattco Raceworks77USA Tony Renna1–11, 13–14USA Mark Hotchkis12783–6USA Chris Simmons1–2, 7–1479USA Mark Hotchkis14Mears Racing Team8USA Clint Mears1, 3–6, 8, 10, 13–149USA Casey Mears1–6, 8, 10, 13–14PacWest Lights17AUS Paul Morris1–12USA Paul Jasper1418FRA Didier AndréAllQuaker State Team Go Herdez Competition Team87MEX Jorge Goeters1–11, 14MEX Mario Domínguez12–1388IRE Derek HigginsAllTasman Motorsports1BRA Airton DaréAll2BRA Cristiano da MattaAllTeam KOOL Green26USA Mark Hotchkis1127JPN Naoki HattoriAllTeam Rahal41USA Mike BorkowskiAll Schedule Rd.DateTrackLocation1March 15transparent O silver Homestead-Miami SpeedwayHomestead, Florida2April 5lightblue R silver Long Beach Street CircuitLong Beach, California3April 27transparent O silver Nazareth SpeedwayNazareth, Pennsylvania4May 23transparent O silver Gateway International RacewayMadison, Illinois5May 31transparent O silver Milwaukee MileWest Allis, Wisconsin6June 7lightblue R silver The Raceway at Belle Isle ParkDetroit, Michigan7June 21lightblue R silver Portland International RacewayPortland, Oregon8July 12lightblue R silver Cleveland Burke Lakefront AirportCleveland, Ohio9July 19lightblue R silver Exhibition PlaceToronto, Ontario10July 25transparent O silver Michigan International SpeedwayBrooklyn, Michigan11August 2lightblue R silver Circuit Trois-RivièresTrois-Rivières, Quebec12September 6lightblue R silver Streets of VancouverVancouver, British Columbia13September 13lightblue R silver Laguna Seca RacewayMonterey, California14October 31transparent O silver California SpeedwayFontana, California Race results RoundCircuitPole positionFastest lapMost laps ledRace WinnerDriverTeam1USA Homestead-Miami SpeedwayBRA Sérgio PaeseJAP Shigeaki HattoriJAP Shigeaki HattoriJAP Shigeaki HattoriIndy Regency Racing2USA Long Beach Street CircuitFRA Didier AndréBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaTasman Motorsports3USA Nazareth SpeedwayBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaTasman Motorsports4USA Gateway International RacewayMEX Jorge GoetersQualifying was cancelled due to rain. The grid was set by practice times, and no bonus point was awarded. Q CancelledJAP Shigeaki HattoriJAP Shigeaki HattoriJAP Shigeaki HattoriIndy Regency Racing5USA Milwaukee MileBRA Sérgio PaeseIRL Derek HigginsIRL Derek HigginsIRL Derek HigginsHerdez Competition Team6USA The Raceway at Belle Isle ParkBRA Airton DaréBRA Airton DaréBRA Airton DaréBRA Airton DaréTasman Motorsports7USA Portland International RacewayGBR Guy SmithFRA Didier AndréGBR Guy SmithGBR Guy SmithJohansson Motorsports8USA Cleveland Burke Lakefront AirportBRA Luiz Garcia Jr.BRA Sérgio PaeseBRA Luiz Garcia Jr.BRA Luiz Garcia Jr.Brian Stewart Racing9CAN Exhibition PlaceGBR Guy SmithBRA Luiz Garcia Jr.GBR Guy SmithGBR Guy SmithJohansson Motorsports10USA Michigan International SpeedwayUSA Tony RennaBRA Sérgio PaeseUSA Tony RennaUSA Tony RennaMattco Raceworks11CAN Circuit Trois-RivièresBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaTasman Motorsports12CAN Streets of VancouverBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaBRA Cristiano da MattaTasman Motorsports13USA Laguna Seca RacewayFRA Didier AndréUSA Chris SimmonsFRA Didier AndréFRA Didier AndréPacWest Lights14USA California SpeedwayUSA Tony RennaBRA Airton DaréUSA Tony RennaUSA Mark HotchkisMattco Raceworks Race summaries Homestead race March 15, 1998 Homestead-Miami Speedway, Miami, Florida Pole position: Sérgio Paese, 0:30.098, 179.653 mi/h km/h on Top Five Finishers Fin.Pos St.Pos CarNo. Driver Team Laps Time LapsLed Points 1 2 16 JPN Shigeaki Hattori Indy Regency Racing 67 52:35.077 64 21 2 4 2 BRA Cristiano da Matta Tasman Motorsports 67 +0.468 0 16 3 7 6 GBR Guy Smith Johansson Motorsports 67 +1.420 0 14 4 6 32 ESP Oriol Servià Dorricott Racing 67 +5.534 0 12 5 9 78 USA Chris Simmons Mattco Raceworks 67 +6.853 0 10Race average speed: 114.825 mi/h km/h onLead changes: 1 between 2 driversCautions: 3 for 21 laps Long Beach race April 5, 1998 Long Beach Grand Prix, Long Beach, California Pole position: Didier André, 0:57.108, 99.223 mi/h km/h on Top Five Finishers Fin.Pos St.Pos CarNo. Driver Team Laps Time LapsLed Points 1 2 2 BRA Cristiano da Matta Tasman Motorsports 47 49:20.748 47 21 2 4 14 USA Geoff Boss Lucas Place Motorsports 47 +0.459 0 16 3 6 27 JPN Naoki Hattori Team KOOL Green 47 +1.083 0 14 4 5 31 AUT Philipp Peter Dorricott Racing 47 +3.378 0 12 5 1 18 FRA Didier André PacWest Lights 47 +7.317 0 11Race average speed: 89.951 mi/h km/h onLead changes: noneCautions: 2 for 6 laps Nazareth race April 27, 1998 Nazareth Speedway, Nazareth, Pennsylvania Pole position: Cristiano da Matta, 0:22.408, 151.981 mi/h km/h on Top Five Finishers Fin.Pos St.Pos CarNo. Driver Team Laps Time LapsLed Points 1 1 2 BRA Cristiano da Matta Tasman Motorsports 100 55:56.268 100 22 2 9 18 FRA Didier André PacWest Lights 100 +14.174 0 16 3 8 9 USA Casey Mears Mears Racing Team 100 +14.745 0 14 4 5 15 USA Brian Cunningham Lucas Place Motorsports 100 +17.914 0 12 5 11 1 BRA Airton Daré Tasman Motorsports 100 +18.725 0 10Race average speed: 101.470 mi/h km/h onLead changes: noneCautions: 2 for 30 laps Gateway race Held May 23 at Gateway International Raceway. Jorge Goeters won the pole. No qualifying held due to rain. The line up was based on combined practice times. Top Five Results Shigeaki Hattori Philipp Peter Cristiano da Matta Felipe Giaffone Jorge Goeters Milwaukee race Held May 31 at The Milwaukee Mile. Sérgio Paese won the pole. Top Five Results Derek Higgins Felipe Giaffone Sérgio Paese Geoff Boss Tony Renna Detroit race Held June 7 at Belle Isle Raceway. Airton Daré won the pole. Top Five Results Airton Daré Cristiano da Matta Geoff Boss Mark Hotchkis Didier André Portland race Held June 21 at Portland International Raceway. Guy Smith won the pole. Top Five Results Guy Smith Felipe Giaffone Luiz Garcia Jr. Airton Daré Brian Cunningham Cleveland race Held July 12 at Burke Lakefront Airport. Luiz Garcia Jr. won the pole. Top Five Results Luiz Garcia Jr. Derek Higgins Didier André Guy Smith Tony Renna Toronto race Held July 19 at Exhibition Place. Guy Smith won the pole. Top Five Results Guy Smith Naoki Hattori Chris Simmons Philipp Peter Didier André Michigan race Held July 25 at Michigan International Speedway. Tony Renna won the pole. Top Five Results Tony Renna Cristiano da Matta Sérgio Paese Andy Boss Oriol Servià Trois-Rivières race Held August 2 at the Trois-Rivières, Quebec Street Circuit. Cristiano da Matta won the pole. Top Five Results Cristiano da Matta Oriol Servià Naoki Hattori Guy Smith Didier André Vancouver race Held September 6 at Pacific Place. Cristiano da Matta won the pole. Top Five Results Cristiano da Matta Derek Higgins Airton Daré Mike Borkowski Felipe Giaffone Laguna Seca race Held September 13 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Didier André won the pole. Top Five Results Didier André Oriol Servià Derek Higgins Geoff Boss Naoki Hattori Fontana race Held October 31 at The California Speedway. Tony Renna won the pole. Top Five Results Mark Hotchkis Felipe Giaffone Tony Renna Cory Witherill Didier André Championship standings Drivers' championship Scoring system Position 1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th  10th  11th  12th Points20161412108654321 The driver who qualifies on pole is awarded one additional point. An additional point is awarded to the driver who leads the most laps in a race. Pos DriverHMSUSALBHUSANAZUSAGATUSAMILUSADETUSAPORUSACLEUSATORCANMICUSATROCANVANCANLAGUSAFONUSAPoints1BRA Cristiano da Matta 2 1* 1* 3 10 2 20 22 15 2 1* 1* 22 111542FRA Didier André 14 5 2 12 15 5 8 3 5 7 5 6 1* 51233GBR Guy Smith 3 8 21 11 22 8 1* 4 1* 6 4 8 15 101104BRA Felipe Giaffone 19 24 8 4 2 9 2 8 6 9 6 5 18 21045IRL Derek Higgins 7 21 15 6 1* 12 10 2 17 13 10 2 3 7946BRA Airton Daré 17 9 5 9 8 1* 4 13 8 19 21 3 11 15787ESP Oriol Servià 4 19 13 16 14 6 21 6 10 5 2 19 2 25738USA Tony RennaDNS 12 10 22 5 15 12 5 21 1* 20 8 3*689USA Geoff Boss 9 2 12 15 4 3 11 20 19 14 19 7 4 186710JAP Naoki Hattori18 3 7 8 1223 16 17 2 16 317 5 176611AUT Philipp Peter 11 419 2 9 1022 7 423 11 9 16 126212BRA Luiz Garcia Jr.22 10 20 1121 3 1* 11 1512 16 6 66013BRA Sérgio Paese21 620 10 322 6 18 9 313265314JAP Shigeaki Hattori 1* 11 14 1*21201821 162016 13 9 95215USA Mark Hotchkis 9 21 7 4 7 11 15016MEX Jorge Goeters16 15 11 51 6 16 9 9 72115 203417USA Casey Mears 10 13 3 7 1619 10 1121 83318USA Brian Cunningham 1222 42320 7 5 12 142218 1020243319USA Chris Simmons 523 14 15 3 10 818 13 143220USA Andy Boss 13 16 6 13 17 1419 11 13 41422 14 132221AUS Paul Morris 62022 1824 13 719 20 Wth 9201822USA Mike Borkowski2025 16 19 18 11 15 14 121817 4 17231523USA Cory Witherill 13 15 12 41324USA Clint MearsDNS18 17 19 17 16 8 1022825SWE Mattias Andersson15 717626MEX Mario Domínguez 14 7627MEX Rodolfo Lavín 818DNS24 13 1817 18 172123528USA Bud Kaeding 14 23 12 16129BEL Wim Eyckmans 1219 19130USA Tim Moser 14031CAN Eric Jensen 17032USA Paul Jasper 210PosDriverHMSUSALBHUSANAZUSAGATUSAMILUSADETUSAPORUSACLEUSATORCANMICUSATROCANVANCANLAGUSAFONUSA Points 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 Red Did not qualify(DNQ) Brown Withdrawn(Wth) Black Disqualified(DSQ) White Did not start(DNS) Blank Did notparticipate(DNP) Not competingIn-line notationBoldPole position(1 point)ItalicsRan fastest race lap*Led most race laps(2 points)1Qualifying cancelledno bonus point awarded Ties in points broken by number of wins, or best finishes. Footnotes N Category:Indy Lights seasons Indy Lights Season, 1998 Indy Lights Indy Lights