1997 Indy Lights season

Last updated


1997 Indy Lights season
PPG/Firestone Indy Lights Championship
Season
Races14
Start dateMarch 2
End dateSeptember 27
Awards
Drivers' champion Flag of Brazil.svg Tony Kanaan
  1996
1998  

The 1997 PPG/Firestone Indy Lights Championship Powered By Buick consisted of 13 races. Tony Kanaan edged out good friend and teammate Hélio Castro-Neves to the title by only four points. [1]

Contents

This was the first season where all teams used the Lola T97/20-Buick spec car.

The scoring system was 20-16-14-12-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 points awarded to the first 12 (twelve) finishers, with 1 (one) extra point given to the driver who took pole-position, and another extra point given to the driver who led most laps in the race.

Team and driver chart

The following drivers and teams competed in the series:

TeamNo.DriversRound(s)
Autosport Racing5 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Eric Jensen 9
57 Flag of France.svg Didier André 1–12
75 Flag of France.svg Jean-Philippe Belloc 12
Bordin Racing56 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Andrew Bordin1–2, 6–12
Brian Stewart Racing2 Flag of Brazil.svg Airton Daré All
3 Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta All
34 Flag of the United States.svg Jaques Lazier 2–7
Flag of France.svg Frédéric Gosparini9–13
63 Flag of the United States.svg Brian Cunningham1
Conquest Racing 21 Flag of France.svg Christophe Tinseau All
Dorricott Racing31 Flag of Brazil.svg Luiz Garcia Jr. All
32 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Dorricott Jr.All
Eclipse Racing20 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg John Jones 1–4, 7–8
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Claude Bourbonnais 9–12
FRE Racing4 Flag of Brazil.svg Sérgio Paese 1–2, 4–12
Forsythe Racing 33 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg David Empringham All
99 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Lee Bentham All
Genoa Racing 97 Flag of Brazil.svg Oswaldo Negri Jr. 2, 4, 8–12
Indy Regency Racing 28 Flag of Japan.svg Hideki Noda 1–12
77 Flag of Mexico.svg Rodolfo Lavín All
Johansson Motorsports 36 Flag of Sweden.svg Fredrik Larsson 1–9
70 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Ward 11–13
Leading Edge Motorsports5 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Bingham 1–3, 8
Lucas Place Motorsports5 Flag of the United States.svg Brian Cunningham11–13
16 Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori 2–13
24 Flag of the United States.svg David DeSilvaAll
PacWest Lights 18 Flag of the United States.svg Robby Unser All
Project Indy 15 Flag of Austria.svg Philipp Sager1
Flag of France.svg Frédéric Gosparini2
Tasman Motorsports 7 Flag of Brazil.svg Tony Kanaan All
8 Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves All
Team Green 25 Flag of Japan.svg Naoki Hattori All
26 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Simmons All
27 Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis All
Team Mears 10 Flag of the United States.svg Casey Mears All
11 Flag of the United States.svg Clint Mears All
Team Medlin12 Flag of the United States.svg Geoff Boss 1–12

Schedule

Rd.DateTrackLocation
1March 2 O  Homestead-Miami Speedway Homestead, Florida
2April 13 R  Long Beach Street Circuit Long Beach, California
3April 27 O  Nazareth Speedway Nazareth, Pennsylvania
4May 18 R  Grand Prize of America Road Course Savannah, Georgia
5May 24 O  Gateway International Raceway Madison, Illinois
6June 1 O  Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin
7June 8 R  The Raceway at Belle Isle Park Detroit, Michigan
8June 22 R  Portland International Raceway Portland, Oregon
9July 20 R  Exhibition Place Toronto, Ontario
10August 3 R  Circuit Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières, Quebec
11August 31 R  Streets of Vancouver Vancouver, British Columbia
12September 7 R  Laguna Seca Raceway Monterey, California
13September 27 O  California Speedway Fontana, California

Race results

RoundCircuit Pole position Fastest lap Most laps ledRace Winner
DriverTeam
1 Flag of the United States.svg Homestead-Miami Speedway Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg David Empringham Forsythe Racing
2 Flag of the United States.svg Long Beach Street Circuit Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Tasman Motorsports
3 Flag of the United States.svg Nazareth Speedway Flag of the United States.svg Chris Simmons Flag of the United States.svg David DeSilva Flag of the United States.svg Chris Simmons Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Brian Stewart Racing
4 Flag of the United States.svg Grand Prize of America Road Course Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Not announced Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Tasman Motorsports
5 Flag of the United States.svg Gateway International Raceway Flag of the United States.svg Chris Simmons Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Lee Bentham Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Lee Bentham Forsythe Racing
6 Flag of the United States.svg Milwaukee Mile Flag of the United States.svg Clint Mears Flag of the United States.svg Clint Mears Flag of the United States.svg Clint Mears Flag of the United States.svg Clint Mears Team Mears
7 Flag of the United States.svg The Raceway at Belle Isle Park Flag of Brazil.svg Tony Kanaan Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Flag of Brazil.svg Tony Kanaan Flag of Brazil.svg Tony Kanaan Tasman Motorsports
8 Flag of the United States.svg Portland International Raceway Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Flag of Brazil.svg Oswaldo Negri Jr. Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Flag of Japan.svg Hideki Noda Indy Regency Racing
9 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Exhibition Place Flag of Brazil.svg Tony Kanaan Flag of France.svg Christophe Tinseau Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Tasman Motorsports
10 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Circuit Trois-Rivières Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis Flag of Brazil.svg Tony Kanaan Flag of Brazil.svg Tony Kanaan Tasman Motorsports
11 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Streets of Vancouver Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Japan.svg Hideki Noda Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Brian Stewart Racing
12 Flag of the United States.svg Laguna Seca Raceway Flag of Brazil.svg Tony Kanaan Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Brian Stewart Racing
13 Flag of the United States.svg California Speedway Flag of the United States.svg Clint Mears Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves Flag of the United States.svg Clint Mears Team Mears

Championship standings

Drivers' championship

Scoring system
Position 1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th  10th  11th  12th 
Points20161412108654321
PosDriver HMS
Flag of the United States.svg
LBH
Flag of the United States.svg
NAZ
Flag of the United States.svg
SAV
Flag of the United States.svg
GAT
Flag of the United States.svg
MIL
Flag of the United States.svg
DET
Flag of the United States.svg
POR
Flag of the United States.svg
TOR
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
TRO
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
VAN
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
LAG
Flag of the United States.svg
FON
Flag of the United States.svg
Points
1 Flag of Brazil.svg Tony Kanaan 655231031*321*229156
2 Flag of Brazil.svg Hélio Castroneves 141*41*31222*1*201935*152
3 Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta 212121242651841*1*4141
4 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg David Empringham 11091442473552613107
5 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Lee Bentham 5142231*922827885388
6 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Simmons 342*165178132115428288
7 Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis 4*323172276161721141174
8 Flag of the United States.svg Clint Mears 1218718111*18DNS131214DNS153
9 Flag of Japan.svg Hideki Noda 1819166161414115631251
10 Flag of Brazil.svg Airton Daré 11688611132099711851
11 Flag of France.svg Christophe Tinseau 252614121221114531861249
12 Flag of Sweden.svg Fredrik Larsson 22231024525222843
13 Flag of Brazil.svg Luiz Garcia Jr. 161524417199625236101038
14 Flag of France.svg Didier André 228259201821254710835
15 Flag of the United States.svg Robby Unser 87102276121471921221635
16 Flag of Japan.svg Naoki Hattori 13DNS15514137246241520632
17 Flag of the United States.svg Geoff Boss 10241720212031014119930
18 Flag of Brazil.svg Sérgio Paese DNS20218245122325271327
19 Flag of the United States.svg David DeSilva17126DNQ82510262426171717
20 Flag of Brazil.svg Oswaldo Negri Jr. 2779821202715
21 Flag of the United States.svg Brian Cunningham72571412
22 Flag of the United States.svg Jaques Lazier 111224982312
23 Flag of the United States.svg Casey Mears 91713131310251120171619159
24 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Ward 221576
25 Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori 920152316242326141214185
26 Flag of France.svg Frédéric GospariniDNS12102423194
27 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Dorricott Jr.242118111923161511161321204
28 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Andrew Bordin2323151717101323163
29 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Bingham 151311212
30 Flag of Mexico.svg Rodolfo Lavín 201621251522191922222625170
31 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Eric Jensen 160
32 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Claude Bourbonnais 191828180
33 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg John Jones 1925191920180
34 Flag of France.svg Jean-Philippe Belloc 240
35 Flag of Austria.svg Philipp SagerDNS0
PosDriver HMS
Flag of the United States.svg
LBH
Flag of the United States.svg
NAZ
Flag of the United States.svg
SAV
Flag of the United States.svg
GAT
Flag of the United States.svg
MIL
Flag of the United States.svg
DET
Flag of the United States.svg
POR
Flag of the United States.svg
TOR
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
TRO
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
VAN
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
LAG
Flag of the United States.svg
FON
Flag of the United States.svg
Points
ColorResult
GoldWinner
Silver2nd place
Bronze3rd place
Green4th & 5th place
Light Blue6th–10th place
Dark BlueFinished

(Outside Top 10)

PurpleDid not finish
RedDid not qualify

(DNQ)

BrownWithdrawn

(Wth)

BlackDisqualified

(DSQ)

WhiteDid not start

(DNS)

BlankDid not

participate (DNP)

Not competing
In-line notation
Bold Pole position(1 point)
ItalicsRan fastest race lap
*Led most race laps

(2 points)

1Qualifying cancelled

no bonus point awarded

References

  1. "Standings".