2002 Indy Racing League

The 2002 Indy Racing League (IRL) was the seventh season of the IRL, sanctioned by the organization of the same name. It encompassed the 91st championship season of premier American open-wheel car racing, alongside the rivaling 2002 CART FedEx Championship Series. It was seen as a season of transition, with two reigning CART championship teams, Team Penske and Target Chip Ganassi Racing, joining the series with full time entries. The Oldsmobile engine was rebranded as a Chevrolet, and both Honda and Toyota announced their participation in the series starting in 2003 while Infiniti announced its withdrawal. Sam Hornish Jr. won 5 races on his way to his second straight championship ahead of Penske juggernaut Hélio Castroneves, winner of two races including a second straight Indy 500, on his way to second in the championship. The season was also notable for seeing six drivers win their first career Indy Racing League races. == Confirmed entries == == Schedule == == Results == BOLD indicates a Superspeedway. Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway. == Race summaries == === Grand Prix of Miami === This race was held on March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Sam Hornish Jr. won the pole. The race was dominated by Sam Hornish Jr. who at one point had a lap on the entire field. On lap 193 of 200, while Hornish was leading by more than 20 seconds, fourth placed Robbie Buhl's engine expired, bringing out the yellow and packing up the field. The green came back out on Lap 197, but Airton Dare crashed immediately in turn 2 on the restart. The race finished under yellow, with Hornish on the top step of the podium. Gil de Ferran and Helio Castroneves were second and third respectively, for Team Penske in their first race of their first full season in the IRL. Top ten results 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 6- Gil de Ferran 3- Hélio Castroneves 9- Jeff Ward 11- Eliseo Salazar 52- Tomas Scheckter 21- Felipe Giaffone 44- Alex Barron 99- Anthony Lazzaro 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 3- Hélio Castroneves 6- Gil de Ferran 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 11- Eliseo Salazar 7- Al Unser Jr. 2- Jaques Lazier 91- Buddy Lazier 98- Billy Boat 55- Rick Treadway 20- Hideki Noda === Inaugural Yamaha Indy 400 === This race was held on March 24 at California Speedway. Eddie Cheever won the pole. Top ten results 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 2- Jaques Lazier 34- Laurent Rédon 6- Gil de Ferran 3- Hélio Castroneves 21- Felipe Giaffone 91- Buddy Lazier 8- Scott Sharp 19- Jimmy Vasser 9- Jeff Ward === Inaugural Firestone Indy 225 === This race was held on April 21 at Nazareth Speedway. Gil de Ferran won the pole. Top ten results 8- Scott Sharp 21- Felipe Giaffone 6- Gil de Ferran 24- Sarah Fisher 3- Hélio Castroneves 44- Alex Barron 51- Eddie Cheever 98- Billy Boat 99- Anthony Lazzaro 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 and declared Castroneves the winner. Top ten results 3- Hélio Castroneves 26- Paul Tracy 21- Felipe Giaffone 44- Alex Barron 51- Eddie Cheever 20- Richie Hearn 39- Michael Andretti 31- Robby Gordon 9- Jeff Ward 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 9- Jeff Ward 7- Al Unser Jr. 14- Airton Daré 3- Hélio Castroneves 21- Felipe Giaffone 12- Shigeaki Hattori 98- Billy Boat 91- Buddy Lazier 99- Richie Hearn 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 6- Gil de Ferran 3- Hélio Castroneves 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 21- Felipe Giaffone 8- Scott Sharp 7- Al Unser Jr. 34- Laurent Rédon 51- Eddie Cheever 14- Airton Daré 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 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 6- Gil de Ferran 21- Felipe Giaffone 52- Tomas Scheckter 7- Al Unser Jr. 14- Airton Daré 20- Richie Hearn 9- Jeff Ward 54- Robby McGehee 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 14- Airton Daré 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 3- Hélio Castroneves 21- Felipe Giaffone 6- Gil de Ferran 8- Scott Sharp 91- Buddy Lazier 44-Alex Barron 98- Billy Boat 20- Richie Hearn === Firestone Indy 200 === This race was held on July 20 at Nashville Superspeedway. Billy Boat won the pole. Top ten results 44- Alex Barron 6- Gil de Ferran 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 20- Richie Hearn 12- Raul Boesel 51- Eddie Cheever 21- Felipe Giaffone 8- Scott Sharp 3- Hélio Castroneves 7- Tony Renna === Inaugural Michigan Indy 400 === This race was held on July 28 at Michigan International Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole. Top ten results 52- Tomas Scheckter 53- Buddy Rice 21- Felipe Giaffone 7- Tony Renna 6- Gil de Ferran 3- Hélio Castroneves 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 23- Sarah Fisher 8- Scott Sharp 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 21- Felipe Giaffone 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 91- Buddy Lazier 8- Scott Sharp 3- Hélio Castroneves 7- Al Unser Jr. 78- Tony Renna 23- Sarah Fisher 44- Alex Barron 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 6- Gil de Ferran 3- Hélio Castroneves 44- Alex Barron 52- Buddy Rice 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 24- Robbie Buhl 7- Al Unser Jr. 12- Raul Boesel 2- Vítor Meira 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 4- Sam Hornish Jr. 7- Al Unser Jr. 91- Buddy Lazier 3- Hélio Castroneves 51- Eddie Cheever 21- Felipe Giaffone 8- Scott Sharp 2- Vítor Meira 52- Buddy Rice 15- Dan Wheldon Gil de Ferran was injured during a crash in this race and would miss the season finale at Texas. === Chevy 500 === This race was held on September 15 at Texas Motor Speedway. Vítor Meira won the pole. Top ten results 4- Sam Hornish Jr.** 3- Hélio Castroneves 2- Vítor Meira 8- Scott Sharp 44- Alex Barron 52- Buddy Rice 91- Buddy Lazier 51- Eddie Cheever 78- Tony Renna 34- Laurent Rédon Max Papis filled in for the injured Gil de Ferran at Penske; however, he finished 21st due to a blown engine. By winning the race, Sam Hornish Jr. won his second championship in a row. == Points 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. == See also == 2002 Indianapolis 500 2002 Infiniti Pro Series season 2002 CART season 2002 Toyota Atlantic Championship season http://www.champcarstats.com/year/2002i.htm http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine (p. 119–121) == Footnotes == == References ==