IndyCar is the trade name of an American-based open-wheel
auto racingAuto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
sanctioning body. IndyCar sanctions three
racing seriesAuto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
, the premier
IZODIzod is a clothing company that produces dressy-casual clothing and sportswear for men and women, also including fragrances, and accessories. Similar to brands such as Gant U.S.A., Lacoste, and Polo Ralph Lauren, it is part of the Phillips-Van Heusen Company, headquartered at 200 Madison Ave., New...
IndyCar SeriesThe IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
(often abbreviated ICS or IICS) with its centerpiece
Indianapolis 500The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
, and developmental series Firestone Indy Lights and the
U.S. F2000 National ChampionshipCooper Tires presents the U.S. F2000 National Championship powered by Mazda is an American racing series using the American variation of the Formula Ford formula, "F2000", that resumed operation for the 2010 season...
, which are both a part of
The Road To IndyThe Mazda Road to Indy is a group of developmental racing series launched in 2010 managed by IndyCar with a goal being the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. As part of the program, all series participate in the three disciplines of the IndyCar Series: oval races, permanent road courses,...
.
The trade name INDYCAR was officially adopted on January 1, 2011, as the
trade nameA trade name, also known as a trading name or a business name, is the name which a business trades under for commercial purposes, although its registered, legal name, used for contracts and other formal situations, may be another....
of racing operations of Indy Racing League LLC.
IndyCar is owned by
Hulman and Co.Hulman & Company is a private, family-owned, company founded in 1850 by Francis Hulman as a wholesale grocery, tobacco, and liquor store in Terre Haute, Indiana. Throughout the early half of the 20th century, Hulman & Co. became nationally known for its Clabber Girl baking powder which it began...
, which also owns the
Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayThe Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
complex and the
Clabber GirlClabber Girl is a brand of baking powder, baking soda and corn starch popular in the United States, manufactured by Hulman & Co., which also owns and operates the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Racing League. The Clabber Girl name brand comes from the word clabber which means clabbered milk...
brand.
IZOD IndyCar Series
The IndyCar Series is the name adopted in 2003 for the premier series sanctioned by IndyCar. The series was known as the Indy Racing League until the beginning of the 2003 season.
IzodIzod is a clothing company that produces dressy-casual clothing and sportswear for men and women, also including fragrances, and accessories. Similar to brands such as Gant U.S.A., Lacoste, and Polo Ralph Lauren, it is part of the Phillips-Van Heusen Company, headquartered at 200 Madison Ave., New...
was announced as the IndyCar Series title sponsor in 2010, a deal expected to run for at least five years.
The series initially raced exclusively on oval tracks, as the series was founded partly in response to the increasing prominence of
roadRoad racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
and
street coursesStreet racing is a form of unsanctioned and illegal motor racing which takes place on public roads. Street racing can either be spontaneous or well-planned and coordinated. Well coordinated races are planned in advance and often have people communicating via 2-way radio/citizens' band radio and...
on the CART schedule. In 2005, the series abandoned its unofficial ovals-only stance, and added three road–street course events. By 2009, the series had a roughly 50/50 split of ovals and road/street courses.
Firestone Indy Lights
Firestone Indy Lights is the development series for the Izod Indycar series. It originally started in 2002, as the IRL Infiniti Pro Series coincidentally in the same year as CART's own Indy Lights series came to an end. Since the merger of Champ Car and the Indy Racing League, the Indy Lights name returned. The Indy Lights run as support races to IndyCar Series races. In the past, a round during the
United States Grand PrixThe United States Grand Prix is a motor race which has been run on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The race later became part of the Formula One World Championship. Over 41 editions, the race has been held at nine locations, most recently in 2007 at the...
was also apart of the schedule.
Star Mazda Championship
The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is an open-wheel racecar driver development series in North America. Competitors use spec Formula Mazda race cars built by Star Race Cars. The original series, using first-generation tube-frame cars started in the early 1990s, with the current, high-tech, carbon-fiber car released in 2004. The series has historically included road courses, street courses, and ovals. The series' primary sponsors are Mazda and Goodyear and the cars, while purpose built for the track with carbon fiber monocoques, are powered by 250 horsepower Mazda 'Renesis' rotary engines. The series' stated goal is "to develop new race driving talent". In 2010 the series became a part of The Road to Indy.
U.S. F2000
USF2000 is a series IndyCar started sanctioning in 2010. Originally started in 1991 and
folded in 2006, it was restarted in 2010 as part of the "
Road to IndyThe Mazda Road to Indy is a group of developmental racing series launched in 2010 managed by IndyCar with a goal being the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. As part of the program, all series participate in the three disciplines of the IndyCar Series: oval races, permanent road courses,...
" ladder series. The series runs with Star Mazda at every event, though it doesn't run at a few races Star Mazda does.
Championship point system
| Position | Points |
| 1st |
50 |
| 2nd |
40 |
| 3rd |
35 |
| 4th |
32 |
| 5th |
30 |
| 6th |
28 |
| 7th |
26 |
| 8th |
24 |
| 9th |
22 |
| 10th |
20 |
| 11th |
19 |
| 12th |
18 |
| 13th |
17 |
| 14th |
16 |
| 15th |
15 |
| 16th |
14 |
| 17th |
13 |
| 18th |
12 |
| 19th |
12 |
| 20th |
12 |
| 21st |
12 |
| 22nd |
12 |
| 23rd |
12 |
| 24th |
12 |
| 25th |
10 |
| 26th |
10 |
| 27th |
10 |
| 28th |
10 |
| 29th |
10 |
| 30th |
10 |
| 31st |
10 |
| 32nd |
10 |
| 33rd |
10 |
Like other governing bodies, IndyCar awards points based upon where a driver finishes in a race. The systems for both the
IndyCar SeriesThe IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
and Firestone Indy Lights are identical. The top three drivers are separated by ten and five points respectively
(see this section table). The fourth through tenth place finishers are separated by two points each. Eleventh through eighteenth are separated by one point each. Eighteenth through twenty-fourth score twelve points each. All other drivers who start the race score ten points. New for 2009, 2 points (instead of 3 points, as in previous years) will be awarded for the driver who leads the most laps, and 1 point will be awarded to the driver who claims the pole position.
There are differences for the Texas and Indianapolis 500 races. Half points (except when a half-point could be calculated) are used for the Texas races, and there is qualifying points for all 33 cars at the Indianapolis 500.
Indy car name
"Indy car" is sometimes used as a descriptive name for
championship open-wheel auto racingSince 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
in the United States. The Indy car name derived as a result of the genre's fundamental link to the
Indianapolis 500The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
Mile Race (often referred to as the "Indy 500"), the best-known and most-popular auto race in
North AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Beginning in
19801980 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Andreas Wenzel, Liechtenstein** Women's overall season champion: Hanni Wenzel, Liechtenstein...
, the term Indy car was often used to describe the race cars in the events sanctioned by CART, which had become the dominant governing body for open-wheel racing in the United States. The Indianapolis 500, however, remained sanctioned by
USACThe United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
. CART recognized the Indy 500 on its schedule, and awarded points for finishers in the race from 1980–1995 despite not sanctioning it. The two entities operated separately, but utilized the same equipment.
In
19921992 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup* Men's overall season champion: Paul Accola, Switzerland* Women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria-American football:...
, the
Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayThe Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
registered the
IndyCar trademark with the
United States Patent and Trademark OfficeThe United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
and licensed it to CART, which renamed its championship the
IndyCar World Series. All references to the name "CART" were decidedly prohibited, as the series sought to eliminate perceived confusion from casual fans with the term
kartKart racing or karting is a variant of open-wheel motorsport with small, open, four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. They are usually raced on scaled-down circuits...
.
During the
19961996 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Lasse Kjus, Norway** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:...
season, the
IndyCar mark was the subject of a fierce legal battle. Prior to the 1996 season, Indianapolis Motor Speedway President
Tony GeorgeAnton Hulman "Tony" George was the former President and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Hulman & Company, serving from 1989 to 2009. He was also formerly on the Board of Directors of both entities. He founded the Indy Racing League and co-owns Vision Racing...
had created his own national championship racing series, the Indy Racing League. In March 1996, CART filed a
lawsuitA lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in an effort to protect their license to the
IndyCar mark which the Indianapolis Motor Speedway had attempted to terminate. In April, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway filed a countersuit against CART to prevent them from further use of the mark. Eventually a settlement was reached in which CART agreed to give up the use of the
IndyCar mark following the 1996 season and the IRL could not use the name before the end of the 2002 season.
Following a six-year hiatus, Indy Racing League, LLC announced it would rename their premier series the IndyCar Series for the 2003 racing season. Brickyard Trademarks, Inc., a subsidiary of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation, is the current owner of the
IndyCar mark and licenses that mark to the Indy Racing League for use in connection with the
IndyCar Series. CART (and its successor Champ Car) races outside the United States were still permitted to use the
Indy moniker, such as the Toronto Molson Indy and
Lexmark Indy 300, though the distinction is moot now, as the two series have unified. Post-unification, a heavy emphasis has been placed on deemphasizing the IRL moniker and replacing it with the IndyCar name. This became official on January 1, 2011 as Indy Racing League LLC adopted as its
trade nameA trade name, also known as a trading name or a business name, is the name which a business trades under for commercial purposes, although its registered, legal name, used for contracts and other formal situations, may be another....
INDYCAR, with all official documents stating "Indy Racing League LLC,
d/b/aThe phrase "doing business as" is a legal term used in the United States, meaning that the trade name, or fictitious business name, under which the business or operation is conducted and presented to the world is not the legal name of the legal person who actually own it and are responsible for it...
INDYCAR."
Split with CART
The Indy Racing League was founded in
19941994 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* January 29 – death of Ulrike Maier , Austrian skier, who broke her neck when she crashed during a World Cup downhill race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen...
by
Tony GeorgeAnton Hulman "Tony" George was the former President and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Hulman & Company, serving from 1989 to 2009. He was also formerly on the Board of Directors of both entities. He founded the Indy Racing League and co-owns Vision Racing...
and began racing in
1996The first season of Indy Racing League competition consisted of only three races. Walt Disney World Speedway was completed in time to host the first race of the season, and the first ever event of the IRL. Phoenix International Raceway switched alliances from CART to IRL and hosted the second event...
.
CARTChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
had sanctioned Indy car racing since
19791979 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Peter Lüscher, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Moser-Pröll, Austria-American football:...
, when the organization broke away from USAC. George blueprinted the IRL as a lower-cost open-wheel alternative to CART, which had become technology-driven and dominated by a few wealthy multi-car teams, much like
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
. It initially attracted some of the smaller teams who believed in the vision presented by Tony George.
The split between the IRL and the CART governing body was extremely acrimonious, and both series greatly suffered because of it. The rivalry between competing groups of fans was most active on the
InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, especially on motorsports message boards, and tended to affect any attempts at impartial views of either racing series.
The most bitter point of conflict between CART and the IRL was the Indianapolis 500, long considered the crown jewel of
North AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n motorsports. After the beginning of the IRL in
19961996 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Lasse Kjus, Norway** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:...
, Tony George restricted entry of the starting 33 cars to 25 IRL cars from full-time IRL teams, with only eight other cars being permitted to start. In retaliation, CART scheduled what was supposed to become its new showcase event, the
U.S. 500The U.S. 500 was an automobile race sanctioned by CART on May 26, 1996 at the Michigan International Speedway as an alternative to the 1996 Indianapolis 500....
, at
Michigan International SpeedwayMichigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
on the same day, but it drew far less fan interest and was discontinued after its
19991999 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Lasse Kjus, Norway** Women's overall season champion: Alexandra Meissnitzer, Austria-American football:...
running. Although modified in 1999, the initial Indy 500 policy toward CART was held up as proof of George and the IRL's ill-intent towards CART.
In 1997, Tony George specified new technical rules for less expensive cars and "production based" engines that outlawed the CART-spec cars that had been the mainstay of the race since the late 1970s. For the next few years almost all of the CART teams and drivers did not compete in the race. While this situation allowed many American drivers to participate in an event they might otherwise have been unable to afford, the turbulent political situation and the absence of many top IndyCar drivers, big-name sponsors and faster CART-spec cars cast something of a shadow over the race. It was certainly arguable that to the average fan, the replacement of at least fairly well known foreign drivers by almost-unknown American ones was not perceived as a real gain.
At its inception, the series and George himself were criticized by members of the media and some CART competitors. The IRL's early seasons consisted of sparse schedules, mostly unknown drivers, and inexperienced teams, even in the Indy 500. Eventually, the schedule expanded and the caliber of drivers improved. The IRL began to draw teams from CART starting in 2000, contributing to the latter's
bankruptcyBankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, re-branding as
Champ CarChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
in 2003, and ultimate demise and absorption by the IRL in 2008.
The IRL–CART split was a primary factor in an overall loss of interest in open-wheel motor racing in North America.
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
has since supplanted open-wheel racing as the most popular auto racing sport in the United States, and from 1995 onward, NASCAR's
Daytona 500The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
has surpassed the IRL's
Indianapolis 500The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
in U.S. television ratings. The split has also hurt overall sponsorship of US open-wheel racing. In 2006 and 2007, several top CART and IRL drivers left for the more lucrative NASCAR, including
Dario FranchittiGeorge Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
, A.J. Allmendinger and
Sam Hornish, Jr.Racing League]] championships. He currently drives the #12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger for Penske Racing part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He also drives the #38 Front Row Motorsports Ford when Travis Kvapil is unable to drive the car....
, although Franchitti returned to the IRL for the
2009 seasonThe 2009 IndyCar Series season was the 14th season of the IndyCar Series. The 17-race season began on April 5, and its premier event, the 93rd Indianapolis 500 was held May 24. All races were broadcast on ABC or Versus in high-definition...
due to a lack of sponsorship in NASCAR.
In later years, the IndyCar Series has become similar to the CART series from which it separated. The winner's circle of IndyCar is now dominated by a few wealthy teams—including those from the old CART series, such as
Chip Ganassi RacingChip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
and Team Penske—a strong contingent of foreign-born drivers, and has a schedule which includes nine races that are not contested on ovals.
Unification with Champ Car
On January 23, 2008,
Tony GeorgeAnton Hulman "Tony" George was the former President and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Hulman & Company, serving from 1989 to 2009. He was also formerly on the Board of Directors of both entities. He founded the Indy Racing League and co-owns Vision Racing...
offered
Champ CarChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
management a proposal that included free cars and engine leases to Champ Car teams willing to run the entire 2008 IndyCar Series schedule in exchange for adding Champ Car's dates at
Long BeachThe Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is an open-wheel race held on a street circuit in Long Beach, California. Christopher Pook is the founder and promoter which began as a vision while working at a travel agency in downtown Long Beach. It was the premier circuit in the Champ Car from 1996, and...
, Toronto, Edmonton,
Mexico CityThe Gran Premio Tecate was a round of the Champ Car World Series held on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit in Mexico City, Mexico. It was first held in 1980, and in its first two years of competition was the penultimate round of the championship. After its re-inception in 2002, it was the...
, and
AustraliaThe Nikon Indy 300 was an open-wheel motor race event that took place at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit in south east Queensland, Australia. Known generically as the Gold Coast Indy 300, Japanese camera giant Nikon was announced as new naming rights sponsor in early August 2008...
to the IndyCar Series schedule, effectively reuniting
American open wheel racingSince 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
. The offer was initially made in November 2007. On February 10, 2008, Tony George, along with IRL representatives Terry Angstadt and
Brian BarnhartBrian Barnhart is the President of Race Operations of IndyCar . Having previously served as director of race operations for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IRL, he is charged with primarily the safety and competition of the racing...
, plus former
Hondais a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
executive Robert Clarke, traveled to
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to discuss moving the
Indy Japan 300The Indy Japan 300 presented by Bridgestone is an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan. The 2008 race marked the historic first ever win for a woman driver in American open wheel racing when Danica Patrick of Andretti-Green Racing took the checkered...
at
Twin Ring Motegiis an automobile racing track located at Motegi, Japan. Its name comes from the facility having two race tracks: a oval and a road course. It was built in 1997 by Honda, as part of Honda's effort to bring the IndyCar Series to Japan, helping to increase their knowledge of American open-wheel...
. Moving that race, or postponing it, would be required in order to accommodate the
Long Beach Grand PrixThe Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is an open-wheel race held on a street circuit in Long Beach, California. Christopher Pook is the founder and promoter which began as a vision while working at a travel agency in downtown Long Beach. It was the premier circuit in the Champ Car from 1996, and...
, which was scheduled for the same weekend. Optimism following the meeting was high.
In February 2008, Indy Racing League founder and CEO Tony George and owners of the Champ Car World Series completed an agreement to unify the sport for 2008. The result was that the Champ Car World Series was suspended except for the
Long Beach Grand PrixThe Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is an open-wheel race held on a street circuit in Long Beach, California. Christopher Pook is the founder and promoter which began as a vision while working at a travel agency in downtown Long Beach. It was the premier circuit in the Champ Car from 1996, and...
. Many of the former Champ Car teams moved to the IndyCar Series using equipment provided by the League.
Driver safety
Driver safety has also been a major point of concern, with a number of drivers seriously injured, particularly in the early years of the series. There have been four fatal crashes in the history of the series. Compared to
road racingRoad racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
venues, the lack of run-offs on oval tracks, coupled with higher speeds due to the long straights and banked turns, means that there is far less margin for error. Car design was attributed as a leading cause of early injuries, and the series made improvements to chassis design to address those safety concerns. Following a series of spectacular high-profile accidents in
20032003 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season championship: Stephan Eberharter, Austria** Women's overall season championship: Janica Kostelić, Croatia-American football:...
, including American racing legend
Mario AndrettiMario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
and former champion
Kenny BräckKenny Bräck is a race car driver from Sweden. Until his retirement from racing, he competed in the CART, Indy Racing League and the IROC series. He is the winner of the 1999 Indianapolis 500 and the 1998 driving champion of the Indy Racing League. He survived one of the racing sport's biggest...
, as well as the death of
Tony RennaTony Renna was an American race car driver from DeLand, Florida who raced in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. He made seven starts for Kelley Racing in 2002 and 2003 including the 2003 Indianapolis 500. His best finish was fourth place at Michigan International Speedway in 2002...
in testing at Indianapolis, the IRL made additional changes to reduce speeds and increase safety.
IndyCar was the first racing series to adopt the
SAFERThe Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barrier, sometimes called a soft wall, is a technology found primarily on oval automobile race tracks and intended to make racing accidents safer...
soft wall safety system, which debuted at the Indianapolis 500 and has now been installed at almost all major oval racing circuits. The SAFER system research and design was supported and funded in large part by the Hulman-George family and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Fatalities
- Scott Brayton
Scott Everets Brayton was a race car driver from Coldwater, Michigan, on the American open-wheel circuit. He competed in 14 Indianapolis 500s, beginning with the 1981 event...
– (May 17, 1996), 1996 Indianapolis 500The 80th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, 1996. This was the first Indy 500 contested by the Indy Racing League, under the overall sanctioning umbrella of USAC. It was the third and final race of the 1996 IRL season. Buddy Lazier won the race, his...
practice session.
- Tony Renna
Tony Renna was an American race car driver from DeLand, Florida who raced in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. He made seven starts for Kelley Racing in 2002 and 2003 including the 2003 Indianapolis 500. His best finish was fourth place at Michigan International Speedway in 2002...
– (October 22, 2003), Firestone private testing session.
- Paul Dana
Paul Dana was an American race car driver in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series.-Early life:Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Dana graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Before becoming a race driver, he worked as a mechanic, a private racing coach, a driving...
– (March 26, 2006), 2006 Toyota Indy 300The Homestead–Miami Indy 300 was a champ car race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida from 1996 to 2010. Before the construction of the Speedway, the race was a held on a road course at Bicentennial Park.-Early Miami races:...
practice session.
- Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive "Dan" Wheldon was a British racing driver from England. He was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011...
– (October 16, 2011), 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championships.
See also
External links