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1996-1997 in IRL
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The 1996-1997 Indy Racing League season was a result of the league abandoning the concept of ending each season with the Indianapolis 500. The 1996-97 season would ultimately comprise the events following the Indy 500 in 1996, and all events contested in the calendar year of 1997.
The 1996-97 season was originally scheduled to begin at New Hampshire in August 1996 and end with the Indianapolis 500 in May 1997. At some point in 1996, the consensus regarding the unusual split-calendar season was decidedly unfavorable.
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Encyclopedia
The 1996-1997 Indy Racing League season was a result of the league abandoning the concept of ending each season with the Indianapolis 500. The 1996-97 season would ultimately comprise the events following the Indy 500 in 1996, and all events contested in the calendar year of 1997.
The 1996-97 season was originally scheduled to begin at New Hampshire in August 1996 and end with the Indianapolis 500 in May 1997. At some point in 1996, the consensus regarding the unusual split-calendar season was decidedly unfavorable. Omitting the normal winter offseason caused potential difficulty with driver contracts, sponsor contracts, and equipment purchasing, which all traditionally followed a calendar-based schedule. In addition, the months of November, December, and the remainder of January were not expected to be filled with race dates, since few suitable venues, outside of Orlando, were available for the IRL in warm-weather locations.
Following the 1996 races at New Hampshire and Las Vegas, on October 9, 1996, the Indy Racing League announced that the league would revert to a calendar-based schedule for 1998. To prevent from awarding four championships in less than two and a half years, all events contested in the calendar year of 1997 were added to the last two races in 1996. Now combined, a single seventeen-month 1996-1997 championship would be awarded in October 1997.
The two remaining races in 1996 (New Hampshire and Las Vegas) were contested with the same equipment as the 1996 season. All races that took place in 1997, starting with the race at Orlando, were contested with all new purpose-built oval chassis from G-Force and Dallara with stock block naturally aspirated 4.0 liter V8's from Oldsmobile and Infiniti. Only seven drivers competed in all ten races of this seventeen month long marathon schedule.
Calendar
| Race | Track | Date | Distance | Pole Position | Fastest Lap | Winning Driver | Most Laps Led |
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| 1 | New Hampshire International Speedway | August 18 | 200 laps
211.6 miles | Richie Hearn | Tony Stewart | Scott Sharp | Tony Stewart |
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| 2 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | September 15 | 208 laps
312 miles | Arie Luyendyk | Richie Hearn | Richie Hearn | Richie Hearn |
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| 3 | Walt Disney World Speedway | January 25 | 149 laps
149 miles* | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Eddie Cheever | Tony Stewart |
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| 4 | Phoenix International Raceway | March 23 | 200 laps
200 miles | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Jim Guthrie | Tony Stewart |
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| 5 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 26-May 27 | 200 laps
500 miles | Arie Luyendyk | Tony Stewart | Arie Luyendyk | Tony Stewart |
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| 6 | Texas Motor Speedway | June 7 | 208 laps
312 miles | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart | Arie Luyendyk | Tony Stewart |
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| 7 | Pikes Peak International Raceway | June 29 | 200 laps
200 miles | Scott Sharp | Jimmy Kite | Tony Stewart | Tony Stewart |
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| 8 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | July 27 | 208 laps
312 miles | Tony Stewart | Billy Boat | Buddy Lazier | Tony Stewart |
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| 9 | New Hampshire International Speedway | August 17 | 200 laps
211.6 miles | Marco Greco | Vincenzo Sospiri | Robbie Buhl | Eddie Cheever |
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| 10 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | October 11 | 208 laps
312 miles | Billy Boat | Billy Boat | Eliseo Salazar | Eliseo Salazar |
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* - reduced from 200 laps, due to rain.
Race summaries
True Value 200
This race took place August 18, 1996 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Richie Hearn won the pole.
Top ten results
- Scott Sharp
- Buzz Calkins
- Michele Alboreto
- Mike Groff
- Davey Hamilton
- Roberto Guerrero
- Marco Greco
- Stephan Gregoire
- Eliseo Salazar
- John Paul, Jr.
1996 Las Vegas 500K
This race took place September 15, 1996 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Arie Luyendyk won the pole.
Top ten results
- Richie Hearn
- Michel Jourdain, Jr.
- Mike Groff
- Roberto Guerrero
- Michele Alboreto
- Buzz Calkins
- Eliseo Salazar
- Robbie Buhl
- Marco Greco
- Affonso Giaffone
Indy 200
This race took place January 25, 1997 at Walt Disney World Speedway. It was the first race with the new chassis and 4000 cc naturally aspirated engines. Race shortened due to rain, originally scheduled for 200 laps. Tony Stewart won the pole.
Top ten results
- Eddie Cheever
- Mike Groff
- Scott Goodyear
- Scott Sharp
- Buddy Lazier
- Jim Guthrie
- Davey Hamilton
- Marco Greco
- Fermín Velez
- Tony Stewart
Phoenix 200
This race took place March 23, 1997 at Phoenix International Raceway. Tony Stewart won the pole.
Top ten results
- Jim Guthrie
- Tony Stewart
- Davey Hamilton
- Marco Greco
- Stephan Gregoire
- Mike Groff
- Roberto Guerrero
- Buzz Calkins
- John Paul, Jr.
- Sam Schmidt
The Indy 500 was scheduled for May 25, 1997. Rain postponed the start until the following day, Monday May 26. After 15 laps were run on Monday, rain fell again, halting the race, and postponing it for another day. It was resumed and run to conclusion Tuesday May 27. Arie Luyendyk sat on pole.
With just over 2 laps to go, Arie Luyendyk led teammate Scott Goodyear. Tony Stewart brushed the outside wall in turn 4, which brought out the yellow light. The pace car did not enter the track, however, to pick up the leader. Under caution pace, the field came down to complete the 199th lap. Without warning, the green and white flag were displayed at the starter's stand, signifying the field was back to racing conditions. None of the cars in the field were prepared for the restart, and yellow lights remained illuminated for many seconds afterwards. Luyendyk held on to win, but controversey about the officials' poor handling of the situation erupted afterwards.
Top ten results
- Arie Luyendyk
- Scott Goodyear
- Jeff Ward
- Buddy Lazier
- Tony Stewart
- Davey Hamilton
- Billy Boat
- Robbie Buhl
- Robbie Groff
- Fermín Velez
True Value 500
This race took place June 7, 1997 at Texas Motor Speedway. It marked the first American open-wheel superspeedway night race. Tony Stewart won the pole. Race officials had presented the checkered flag to Billy Boat as winner of the race, but Arie Luyendyk stormed to victory lane claiming he had won the race. Boat's owner A.J. Foyt slapped Luyendyk and told him to leave. The race tape was reviewed and it was determined that laps where Luyendyk, and in fact some other drivers, passed through pit road were not properly counted by the scoring system. Officially Luyendyk was declared the winner the following day. Foyt, however refused to return the trophy and retains the original to this day. A duplicate was awarded to Luyendyk.
In the wake of the Texas scoring scandal, and the restart problems two weeks earlier at Indianapolis, USAC was immediately removed from sanctioning the series. The league switched to in-house sanctioning starting with the next event.
Top ten results
- Arie Luyendyk
- Billy Boat
- Davey Hamilton
- Scott Goodyear
- Tony Stewart
- Eddie Cheever
- Eliseo Salazar
- Greg Ray
- Vincenzo Sospiri
- Johnny Unser
Samsonite 200
This race took place June 29, 1997 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Scott Sharp won the pole.
Top ten results
- Tony Stewart
- Stephan Gregoire
- Davey Hamilton
- Eddie Cheever
- Buzz Calkins
- Vincenzo Sospiri
- Scott Goodyear
- Buddy Lazier
- Affonso Giaffone
- Robbie Groff
VisionAire 500
This race took place July 26, 1997 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Tony Stewart won the pole.
Top ten results
- Buddy Lazier
- Billy Boat
- Scott Goodyear
- Affonso Giaffone
- Kenny Bräck
- Eddie Cheever
- Tony Stewart
- Stephan Gregoire
- Marco Greco
- Eliseo Salazar
Pennzoil 200
This race took place August 17, 1997 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Marco Greco won the pole.
Top ten results
- Robbie Buhl
- Vincenzo Sospiri
- Arie Luyendyk
- Eliseo Salazar
- Kenny Bräck
- Roberto Guerrero
- John Paul, Jr.
- Billy Boat
- Eddie Cheever
- Robbie Groff
1997 Las Vegas 500K
This race took place October 11, 1997 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Billy Boat won the pole.
Top ten results
- Eliseo Salazar
- Scott Goodyear
- Robbie Buhl
- Jim Guthrie
- Mark Dismore
- Jimmy Kite
- Davey Hamilton
- Stan Wattles
- Stephan Gregoire
- Marco Greco
Final point standings
Driver
For every race points were awarded to all starters: 35 points to the winner, 33 for runner up, 32 for third place, winding down to 1 points for 34th place. Every lower placed driver also was awarded with 1 point. Additional points were awarded to the pole winner (2 points) and to the driver leading the most laps (1 point).
No points (did not qualify):
Dave Steele
Davy Jones
Scott Harrington
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