1998 Lone Star 500

March 2026 February 2025 USA Texas II TexasMotorSpeedway.svg September 20 1998 Lone Star 500 10th Indy Racing League Texas Motor Speedway Permanent racing facility 1.500 2.414 208 312.000 502.115 Billy Boat A. J. Foyt Enterprises 23.896 USA Jeff Ward ISM Racing 24.081 unknown USA John Paul Jr. Byrd-Cunningham Racing USA Robby Unser Team Cheever USA Jeff Ward ISM Racing USA The 1998 Lone Star 500 was the tenth round of the 1998 Indy Racing League season. The race was held on September 20, 1998 at the 1.50 mi km on Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Open-wheel veteran John Paul Jr. earned his first win since the 1983 Michigan 500 in a race determined by attrition and fuel strategy. It would be Paul's only win in his IRL career and the only win for Byrd-Cunningham Racing in the series. Rookie Robby Unser scored his first and only podium as well as led the only laps in his career. The race saw many crashes and problems plague the usual frontrunners, including Arie Luyendyk (fuel pump), Eddie Cheever (engine malfunction), Scott Sharp (crash), Greg Ray (engine malfunction), and Tony Stewart (led 51 laps before an engine problem ended his race). By finishing 5th, points leader Kenny Bräck maintained his comfortable lead in the points standings, all but ensuring he would be the next IRL champion in the next race. Report Key Meaning R Rookie W Past winner Qualifying Two laps qualifying. The worst lap from any of the drivers are unknown. Pos No. Name Lap Best (in mph) 1 11 USA Billy Boat W 23.896 225.979 2 1 USA Tony Stewart 24.014 224.869 3 8 USA Scott Sharp 24.048 224.551 4 28 USA Mark Dismore 24.075 224.299 5 35 USA Jeff Ward 24.099 224.076 6 6 USA Davey Hamilton 24.142 223.677 7 4 Canada Scott Goodyear 24.240 222.770 8 77 France Stéphan Grégoire 24.288 222.332 9 51 USA Eddie Cheever 24.295 222.268 10 14 Sweden Kenny Bräck 24.304 222.186 11 43 USA Dave Steele R 24.319 222.049 12 97 USA Greg Ray 24.333 221.921 13 30 Brazil Raul Boesel 24.387 221.429 14 10 USA John Paul Jr. 24.394 221.366 15 16 Brazil Marco Greco 24.398 221.330 16 3 USA Robbie Buhl 24.451 220.850 17 52 USA Robby Unser R 24.454 220.823 18 23 Colombia Roberto Guerrero 24.491 220.489 19 91 USA Buddy Lazier 24.499 220.417 20 18 USA Steve Knapp R 24.669 218.898 21 12 USA Buzz Calkins 24.723 218.420 22 40 USA Jack Miller 24.821 217.558 23 99 USA Sam Schmidt 24.857 217.243 24 81 USA Brian Tyler R 24.900 216.867 25 98 USA Donnie Beechler R 25.040 215.655 26 19 USA Stan Wattles 25.387 212.707 27 15 USA Andy Michner R 26.119 206.746 28 5 Netherlands Arie Luyendyk1 1 W 24.585 219.646Source1998 Lone Star 500 http://racing-reference.info/race/1998_Lone_Star_500/O racing-reference.info September 7, 2017Starting Grid, Texas (1998-09-20) http://www.indyracingleague.com:80/stats/grids.php3?track=Texas&eventdate=1998-09-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20000509082711/http://www.indyracingleague.com/stats/grids.php3?track=Texas&eventdate=1998-09-20 dead 2000-05-09 indyracingleague.com September 20, 2017 1 Changed to a backup car for the race, after repeatedly changing engines during the weekend before loaning one from Panther Racing. Race Pos No. Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Laps Led Points110USA John Paul Jr.Byrd-Cunningham Racing2082:21:53.557143150252USA Robby Unser RTeam Cheever208 +1.577 sec172240335USA Jeff WardISM Racing208Running51635423Colombia Roberto GuerreroCobb Racing208Running18223255SWE Kenny BräckA. J. Foyt Enterprises207 +1 Lap1030691USA Buddy LazierHemelgarn Racing206 +2 Laps19142873USA Robbie BuhlTeam Menard205 +3 Laps1626819USA Stan WattlesMetro Racing Systems205 +3 Laps262496USA Davey HamiltonNienhouse Motorsports202 +6 Laps6221028USA Mark DismoreKelley Racing202 +6 Laps414201112USA Buzz CalkinsBradley Motorsports201 +7 Laps21191240USA Jack MillerSinden Racing Services201 +7 Laps22181381USA Brian Tyler RTeam Pelfrey174Engine24171411USA Billy Boat WA. J. Foyt Enterprises162 +46 Laps1191515USA Andy Michner RRiley & Scott158Engine277151616Brazil Marco GrecoPhoenix Racing133Contact15141730Brazil Raul BoeselMcCormack Motorsports133Contact1330131818USA Steve Knapp RPDM Racing131Contact20121998USA Donnie Beechler RCahill Racing122Contact2511201USA Tony StewartTeam Menard80Engine251142197USA Greg RayKnapp Motorsports75Engine129224Canada Scott GoodyearPanther Racing71Clutch78238USA Scott SharpKelley Racing67Contact3182443USA Dave Steele RPanther Racing39Contact1162551USA Eddie CheeverTeam Cheever30Engine952677France Stéphan GrégoireChastain Motorsports18Contact842799USA Sam SchmidtLP Racing5Engine233285Netherlands Arie Luyendyk WTreadway Racing5Fuel Pump282Source Race Statistics Lead changes: 17 among 10 drivers Lap Leaders Laps Leader1-27 Tony Stewart28-41 Mark Dismore42 Jeff Ward43-50 Raul Boesel51 Scott Sharp52-75 Tony Stewart76-80 Jeff Ward81-87 John Paul Jr.88-109 Raul Boesel110-116 Andy Michner117-130 Buddy Lazier131-136 John Paul Jr.137-140 Roberto Guerrero141-162 Robby Unser163 John Paul Jr.164-182 Roberto Guerrero183-191 Jeff Ward192-208 John Paul Jr. Cautions: 8 for 74 laps Laps Reason19-27Stéphane Grégoire crash40-48Dave Steele crash70-78Scott Sharp crash85-92Debris108-116Billy Boat crash134-152Greco, Boesel, Beechler and Knapp crash160-164Tow-in for Andy Michner198-202Davey Hamilton's tire blow-out Standings after the race Drivers' Championship standings Rank +/– Driver Points 1 10px Sweden Kenny Bräck 312 2 10px USA Davey Hamilton 281 3 10px USA Tony Stewart 271 4 10px USA Scott Sharp 254 5 10px 1 USA Jeff Ward 243 Note: Only the top five positions are included for the standings. References Indy Racing League Lone Star 500 1998 1998 Atlanta 500 Classic 1998 Las Vegas 500K 1998 True Value 500 1999 Longhorn 500 Category:1998 in IndyCar Lone Category:Texas Motor Speedway