1998 Indy Lights season
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.
Calendar
Race summaries
Homestead race
- March 15, 1998
- Homestead-Miami Speedway, Miami, Florida
- Pole position: Sérgio Paese, 0:30.098, 179.653 mph (289.123 km/h)
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos | St. Pos | Car No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led | Points |
1 | 2 | 16 | ![]() |
Indy Regency Racing | 67 | 52:35.077 | 64 | 21 |
2 | 4 | 2 | ![]() |
Tasman Motorsports | 67 | +0.468 | 0 | 16 |
3 | 7 | 6 | ![]() |
Johansson Motorsports | 67 | +1.420 | 0 | 14 |
4 | 6 | 32 | ![]() |
Dorricott Racing | 67 | +5.534 | 0 | 12 |
5 | 9 | 78 | ![]() |
Mattco Raceworks | 67 | +6.853 | 0 | 10 |
Race average speed: 114.825 mph (184.793 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: 1 between 2 drivers | ||||||||
Cautions: 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 mph (159.684 km/h)
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos | St. Pos | Car No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led | Points |
1 | 2 | 2 | ![]() |
Tasman Motorsports | 47 | 49:20.748 | 47 | 21 |
2 | 4 | 14 | ![]() |
Lucas Place Motorsports | 47 | +0.459 | 0 | 16 |
3 | 6 | 27 | ![]() |
Team KOOL Green | 47 | +1.083 | 0 | 14 |
4 | 5 | 31 | ![]() |
Dorricott Racing | 47 | +3.378 | 0 | 12 |
5 | 1 | 18 | ![]() |
PacWest Lights | 47 | +7.317 | 0 | 11 |
Race average speed: 89.951 mph (144.762 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: none | ||||||||
Cautions: 2 for 6 laps |
Nazareth race
- April 27, 1998
- Nazareth Speedway, Nazareth, Pennsylvania
- Pole position: Cristiano da Matta, 0:22.408, 151.981 mph (244.590 km/h)
Top Five Finishers | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fin. Pos | St. Pos | Car No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time | Laps Led | Points |
1 | 1 | 2 | ![]() |
Tasman Motorsports | 100 | 55:56.268 | 100 | 22 |
2 | 9 | 18 | ![]() |
PacWest Lights | 100 | +14.174 | 0 | 16 |
3 | 8 | 9 | ![]() |
Mears Racing Team | 100 | +14.745 | 0 | 14 |
4 | 5 | 15 | ![]() |
Lucas Place Motorsports | 100 | +17.914 | 0 | 12 |
5 | 11 | 1 | ![]() |
Tasman Motorsports | 100 | +18.725 | 0 | 10 |
Race average speed: 101.470 mph (163.300 km/h) | ||||||||
Lead changes: none | ||||||||
Cautions: 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
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
Michigan race
Held July 25 at Michigan International Speedway. Tony Renna won the pole.
Top Five Results
Trois-Rivières race
Held August 2 at the Trois-Rivières, Quebec Street Circuit. Cristiano da Matta won the pole.
Top Five Results
Laguna Seca race
Held September 13 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Didier André won the pole.
Top Five Results
Final points standings
Driver
For every race the points were awarded: 20 points to the winner, 16 for runner-up, 14 for third place, 12 for fourth place, 10 for fifth place, 8 for sixth place, 6 seventh place, winding down to 1 points for 12th place. Additional points were awarded to the pole winner (1 point) and to the driver leading the most laps (1 point).
Place | Name | Country | Team | Total Points | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cristiano da Matta | ![]() | Tasman Motorsports | 154 | 16 | 21 | 22 | 14 | 3 | 16 | - | - | - | 16 | 22 | 22 | - | 2 |
2 | Didier André | ![]() | PacWest Lights | 123 | - | 11 | 16 | 1 | - | 10 | 5 | 14 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 22 | 10 |
3 | Guy Smith | ![]() | Johansson Motorsports | 110 | 14 | 5 | - | 2 | - | 5 | 22 | 12 | 22 | 8 | 12 | 5 | - | 3 |
4 | Felipe Giaffone | ![]() | Conquest Racing | 104 | - | - | 5 | 12 | 16 | 4 | 16 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 10 | - | 16 |
5 | Derek Higgins | ![]() | Quaker State Team Go | 94 | 6 | - | - | 8 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 16 | - | - | 3 | 16 | 14 | 6 |
6 | Airton Daré | ![]() | Tasman Motorsports | 78 | - | 4 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 12 | - | 5 | - | - | 14 | 2 | - |
7 | Oriol Servià | ![]() | Dorricott Racing | 73 | 12 | - | - | - | - | 8 | - | 8 | 3 | 10 | 16 | - | 16 | - |
8 | Tony Renna | ![]() | Mattco Raceworks | 68 | - | 1 | 3 | - | 10 | - | 1 | 10 | - | 22 | - | - | 5 | 16 |
9 | Geoff Boss | ![]() | Lucas Place Motorsports | 67 | 4 | 16 | 1 | - | 12 | 14 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 12 | - |
10 | Naoki Hattori | ![]() | Team KOOL Green | 66 | - | 14 | 6 | 5 | 1 | - | - | - | 16 | - | 14 | - | 10 | - |
11 | Philipp Peter | ![]() | Dorricott Racing | 62 | 2 | 12 | - | 16 | 4 | 3 | - | 6 | 12 | - | 2 | 4 | - | 1 |
12 | Luiz Garcia, Jr. | ![]() | Johansson Motorsports | 60 | - | 3 | - | - | ||||||||||
Brian Stewart Racing | 2 | - | 14 | 22 | 2 | - | 1 | - | 8 | 8 | ||||||||
13 | Sérgio Paese | ![]() | Brian Stewart Racing | 53 | 1 | 8 | - | 3 | 15 | - | 8 | - | 4 | 14 | - | - | - | - |
14 | Shigeaki Hattori | ![]() | Indy Regency Racing | 52 | 21 | 2 | - | 21 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 4 |
15 | Mark Hotchkis | ![]() | Mattco Raceworks | 50 | - | - | 4 | - | 6 | 12 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 2 | - | 20 |
16 | Jorge Goeters | ![]() | Quaker State Team Go | 34 | - | - | 2 | 10 | 8 | - | 4 | 4 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - |
17 | Brian Cunningham | ![]() | Lucas Place Motorsports | 33 | 1 | - | 12 | - | - | 6 | 10 | 1 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - |
Casey Mears | ![]() | Penske Racing | 33 | 3 | - | 14 | 6 | - | - | - | 3 | - | 2 | - | - | - | 5 | |
19 | Chris Simmons | ![]() | Mattco Raceworks | 32 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 3 | 5 | - | - | - |
20 | Andy Boss | ![]() | Conquest Racing | 22 | - | - | 8 | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 12 | - | - | - | - |
21 | Paul Morris | ![]() | PacWest Lights | 18 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | - |
22 | Mike Borkowski | ![]() | Team Rahal | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 12 | - | - |
23 | Cory Witherill | ![]() | Genoa Racing | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 12 |
24 | Clint Mears | ![]() | Penske Racing | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | 3 | - |
25 | Mattias Andersson | ![]() | Brian Stewart Racing | 6 | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Mario Domínguez | ![]() | Herdez Competition Team | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | |
27 | Rodolfo Lavín, Jr. | ![]() | Indy Regency Racing | 5 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
28 | Bud Kaeding | ![]() | Dorricott Racing | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
Wim Eyckmans | ![]() | Brian Stewart Racing | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
Note:
Race 4 no additional point for the qualifying were awarded due to rain.
Complete Overview
first column of every race | 10 | = grid position |
second column of every race | 10 | = race result |
R20=retired, but classified NS=did not start NT=no time set in qualifying (3)=place after practice, but grid position not held free
Place | Name | Country | Team | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||||||||||||||
1 | Cristiano da Matta | ![]() | Tasman Motorsports | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 22 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | R20 | 3 | R22 | 6 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | R22 | 6 | 11 |
2 | Didier André | ![]() | PacWest Lights | 11 | R14 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 |
3 | Guy Smith | ![]() | Johansson Motorsports | 6 | 3 | 11 | 8 | 15 | R21 | 13 | 11 | 9 | R22 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 9 | 10 |
4 | Felipe Giaffone | ![]() | Conquest Racing | 10 | R19 | 10 | R24 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 20 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 18 | R18 | 3 | 2 |
5 | Derek Higgins | ![]() | Quaker State Team Go | 15 | 7 | 12 | R21 | 6 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 7 |
6 | Airton Daré | ![]() | Tasman Motorsports | 13 | R17 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 15 | 9 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 20 | 13 | 16 | 8 | 7 | R19 | 17 | R21 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 11 | 17 | 15 |
7 | Oriol Servià | ![]() | Dorricott Racing | 5 | 4 | 16 | 19 | 2 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 6 | 4 | R21 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 11 | R19 | 3 | 2 | 11 | R25 |
8 | Tony Renna | ![]() | Mattco Raceworks | (24) | NS | 15 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 14 | R22 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 11 | R21 | 1 | 1 | 9 | R20 | - | - | 11 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
9 | Geoff Boss | ![]() | Lucas Place Motorsports | 17 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 12 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 12 | R20 | 9 | 19 | 8 | 14 | 4 | R19 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 26 | 18 |
10 | Naoki Hattori | ![]() | Team KOOL Green | 9 | R18 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 18 | 12 | 5 | R23 | 8 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 12 | R17 | 13 | 5 | 23 | 17 |
11 | Philipp Peter | ![]() | Dorricott Racing | 14 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 3 | R19 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 12 | R22 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 9 | R23 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 16 | 5 | 12 |
12 | Luiz Garcia, Jr. | ![]() | Johansson Motorsports | 21 | R22 | 20 | 10 | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Brian Stewart Racing | 23 | 20 | 21 | 11 | 18 | R21 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 11 | 22 | 15 | 21 | R12 | 15 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 6 | |||||||||
13 | Sérgio Paese | ![]() | Brian Stewart Racing | 1 | R21 | 3 | 6 | 17 | R20 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 23 | R22 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 3 | 20 | R13 | - | - | - | - | 25 | R26 |
14 | Shigeaki Hattori | ![]() | Indy Regency Racing | 2 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 22 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 6 | R21 | 16 | R20 | 21 | R18 | 19 | R21 | 18 | 16 | 3 | R20 | 11 | R16 | 20 | 13 | 15 | 9 | 19 | 9 |
15 | Mark Hotchkis | ![]() | Mattco Raceworks | - | - | - | - | 19 | 9 | 4 | 21 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 7 | 17 | 11 | - | - | 2 | 1 |
16 | Jorge Goeters | ![]() | Quaker State Team Go | 16 | R16 | 24 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 6 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 17 | R21 | 14 | R15 | - | - | - | - | 22 | 20 |
17 | Brian Cunningham | ![]() | Lucas Place Motorsports | 4 | 12 | 17 | R22 | 5 | 4 | 12 | R23 | 14 | R20 | 11 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 18 | 12 | 19 | 14 | 12 | R22 | 15 | R18 | 13 | 10 | 7 | R20 | 13 | R24 |
Casey Mears | ![]() | Penske Racing | 12 | 10 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 16 | 7 | 24 | 16 | 20 | R19 | - | - | 15 | 10 | - | - | 14 | 11 | - | - | - | - | 20 | R21 | 18 | 8 | |
19 | Chris Simmons | ![]() | Mattco Raceworks | 8 | 5 | 13 | R23 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 9 | R18 | 5 | 13 | 4 | 14 |
20 | Andy Boss | ![]() | Conquest Racing | 19 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 13 | R19 | 17 | 11 | 20 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 19 | R14 | 16 | R22 | 17 | 14 | 8 | 13 |
21 | Paul Morris | ![]() | PacWest Lights | 18 | 6 | 18 | R20 | 14 | R22 | 21 | 18 | 10 | R24 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 7 | 16 | R19 | 13 | 20 | NT | - | 16 | 9 | 14 | R20 | - | - | - | - |
22 | Mike Borkowski | ![]() | Team Rahal | 7 | R20 | 23 | R25 | 20 | 16 | 24 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 21 | 14 | 17 | 12 | 2 | R18 | 18 | R17 | 4 | 4 | 22 | 17 | 24 | R23 |
23 | Cory Witherill | ![]() | Genoa Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 22 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 22 | 15 | 23 | 12 | 14 | 4 |
24 | Clint Mears | ![]() | Penske Racing | (3) | NS | - | - | 4 | R18 | 9 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 17 | - | - | 22 | 16 | - | - | 11 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 16 | 10 | 21 | R22 |
25 | Mattias Andersson | ![]() | Brian Stewart Racing | 20 | R15 | 9 | 7 | 21 | R17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Mario Domínguez | ![]() | Herdez Competition Team | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 14 | 14 | 7 | - | - | |
27 | Rodolfo Lavín, Jr. | ![]() | Indy Regency Racing | 22 | 8 | 22 | R18 | 23 | NS | 22 | R24 | 19 | 13 | 21 | 18 | 19 | R17 | - | - | 21 | 18 | 23 | 17 | - | - | 21 | R21 | 21 | R23 | - | - |
28 | Bud Kaeding | ![]() | Dorricott Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 14 | 4 | R23 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15 | 16 |
Wim Eyckmans | ![]() | Brian Stewart Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | 12 | 12 | R19 | 10 | 19 | |
- | Tim Moser | ![]() | Irish Motorsports/Bordin Racing | - | - | 19 | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | Eric Jensen | ![]() | Genoa Racing | - | - | 25 | 17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | Paul Jasper | ![]() | PacWest Lights | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 21 |