1998 Indy Lights season

Last updated


1998 Indy Lights season
PPG/Dayton Indy Lights Championship
Season
Races14
Start dateMarch 15
End dateOctober 31
Awards
Drivers' champion Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta
  1997
1999  

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.

Contents

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)
Brian Stewart Racing4 Flag of Brazil.svg Sérgio Paese 14
31–11
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Wim Eyckmans 12–14
5 Flag of Sweden.svg Mattias Andersson 1–3
Flag of Brazil.svg Luiz Garcia Jr. 4–14
Conquest Racing 11 Flag of the United States.svg Andy Boss All
21 Flag of Brazil.svg Felipe Giaffone All
Dorricott Racing30 Flag of the United States.svg Bud Kaeding4–5, 10, 14
31 Flag of Austria.svg Philipp Peter All
32 Flag of Spain.svg Oriol Servià All
Genoa Racing 61 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Eric Jensen 2
Flag of the United States.svg Cory Witherill 7, 12–14
Indy Regency Racing 16 Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori All
28 Flag of Mexico.svg Rodolfo Lavín 1–7, 9–10, 12–13
Irish Motorsports / Bordin Racing56 Flag of the United States.svg Tim Moser2
Johansson Motorsports 6 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith All
7 Flag of Brazil.svg Luiz Garcia Jr. 1–2
Lucas Place Motorsports14 Flag of the United States.svg Geoff Boss All
15 Flag of the United States.svg Brian CunninghamAll
Mattco Raceworks77 Flag of the United States.svg Tony Renna 1–11, 13–14
Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis 12
783–6
Flag of the United States.svg Chris Simmons 1–2, 7–14
79 Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis 14
Mears Racing Team 8 Flag of the United States.svg Clint Mears 1, 3–6, 8, 10, 13–14
9 Flag of the United States.svg Casey Mears 1–6, 8, 10, 13–14
PacWest Lights 17 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Paul Morris 1–12
Flag of the United States.svg Paul Jasper 14
18 Flag of France.svg Didier André All
Quaker State Team Go

Herdez Competition Team

87 Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Goeters 1–11, 14
Flag of Mexico.svg Mario Domínguez 12–13
88 Flag of Ireland.svg Derek Higgins All
Tasman Motorsports 1 Flag of Brazil.svg Airton Daré All
2 Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta All
Team KOOL Green 26 Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis 11
27 Flag of Japan.svg Naoki Hattori All
Team Rahal 41 Flag of the United States.svg Mike Borkowski All

Schedule

Rd.DateTrackLocation
1March 15 O  Homestead-Miami Speedway Homestead, Florida
2April 5 R  Long Beach Street Circuit Long Beach, California
3April 27 O  Nazareth Speedway Nazareth, Pennsylvania
4May 23 O  Gateway International Raceway Madison, Illinois
5May 31 O  Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin
6June 7 R  The Raceway at Belle Isle Park Detroit, Michigan
7June 21 R  Portland International Raceway Portland, Oregon
8July 12 R  Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport Cleveland, Ohio
9July 19 R  Exhibition Place Toronto, Ontario
10July 25 O  Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, Michigan
11August 2 R  Circuit Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières, Quebec
12September 6 R  Streets of Vancouver Vancouver, British Columbia
13September 13 R  Laguna Seca Raceway Monterey, California
14October 31 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 Sérgio Paese Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori Indy Regency Racing
2 Flag of the United States.svg Long Beach Street Circuit Flag of France.svg Didier André Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Tasman Motorsports
3 Flag of the United States.svg Nazareth Speedway Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Tasman Motorsports
4 Flag of the United States.svg Gateway International Raceway Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Goeters [a] Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori Indy Regency Racing
5 Flag of the United States.svg Milwaukee Mile Flag of Brazil.svg Sérgio Paese Flag of Ireland.svg Derek Higgins Flag of Ireland.svg Derek Higgins Flag of Ireland.svg Derek Higgins Herdez Competition Team
6 Flag of the United States.svg The Raceway at Belle Isle Park Flag of Brazil.svg Airton Daré Flag of Brazil.svg Airton Daré Flag of Brazil.svg Airton Daré Flag of Brazil.svg Airton Daré Tasman Motorsports
7 Flag of the United States.svg Portland International Raceway Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Flag of France.svg Didier André Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Johansson Motorsports
8 Flag of the United States.svg Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport Flag of Brazil.svg Luiz Garcia Jr. Flag of Brazil.svg Sérgio Paese Flag of Brazil.svg Luiz Garcia Jr. Flag of Brazil.svg Luiz Garcia Jr. Brian Stewart Racing
9 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Exhibition Place Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Flag of Brazil.svg Luiz Garcia Jr. Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Johansson Motorsports
10 Flag of the United States.svg Michigan International Speedway Flag of the United States.svg Tony Renna Flag of Brazil.svg Sérgio Paese Flag of the United States.svg Tony Renna Flag of the United States.svg Tony Renna Mattco Raceworks
11 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Circuit Trois-Rivières Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Tasman Motorsports
12 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Streets of Vancouver Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Tasman Motorsports
13 Flag of the United States.svg Laguna Seca Raceway Flag of France.svg Didier André Flag of the United States.svg Chris Simmons Flag of France.svg Didier André Flag of France.svg Didier André PacWest Lights
14 Flag of the United States.svg California Speedway Flag of the United States.svg Tony Renna Flag of Brazil.svg Airton Daré Flag of the United States.svg Tony Renna Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis Mattco Raceworks

Race summaries

Homestead race

Top Five Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
Points
1216 Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori Indy Regency Racing 6752:35.0776421
242 Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Tasman Motorsports 67+0.468016
376 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Johansson Motorsports 67+1.420014
4632 Flag of Spain.svg Oriol Servià Dorricott Racing 67+5.534012
5978 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Simmons Mattco Raceworks 67+6.853010
Race average speed: 114.825 mph (184.793 km/h)
Lead changes: 1 between 2 drivers
Cautions: 3 for 21 laps

Long Beach race

Top Five Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
Points
122 Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Tasman Motorsports 4749:20.7484721
2414 Flag of the United States.svg Geoff Boss Lucas Place Motorsports 47+0.459016
3627 Flag of Japan.svg Naoki Hattori Team KOOL Green 47+1.083014
4531 Flag of Austria.svg Philipp Peter Dorricott Racing 47+3.378012
5118 Flag of France.svg Didier André PacWest Lights 47+7.317011
Race average speed: 89.951 mph (144.762 km/h)
Lead changes: none
Cautions: 2 for 6 laps

Nazareth race

Top Five Finishers
Fin.
Pos
St.
Pos
Car
No.
DriverTeamLapsTimeLaps
Led
Points
112 Flag of Brazil.svg Cristiano da Matta Tasman Motorsports 10055:56.26810022
2918 Flag of France.svg Didier André PacWest Lights 100+14.174016
389 Flag of the United States.svg Casey Mears Mears Racing Team 100+14.745014
4515 Flag of the United States.svg Brian Cunningham Lucas Place Motorsports 100+17.914012
5111 Flag of Brazil.svg Airton Daré Tasman Motorsports 100+18.725010
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

  1. Shigeaki Hattori
  2. Philipp Peter
  3. Cristiano da Matta
  4. Felipe Giaffone
  5. Jorge Goeters

Milwaukee race

Held May 31 at The Milwaukee Mile. Sérgio Paese won the pole.

Top Five Results

  1. Derek Higgins
  2. Felipe Giaffone
  3. Sérgio Paese
  4. Geoff Boss
  5. Tony Renna

Detroit race

Held June 7 at Belle Isle Raceway. Airton Daré won the pole.

Top Five Results

  1. Airton Daré
  2. Cristiano da Matta
  3. Geoff Boss
  4. Mark Hotchkis
  5. Didier André

Portland race

Held June 21 at Portland International Raceway. Guy Smith won the pole.

Top Five Results

  1. Guy Smith
  2. Felipe Giaffone
  3. Luiz Garcia Jr.
  4. Airton Daré
  5. Brian Cunningham

Cleveland race

Held July 12 at Burke Lakefront Airport. Luiz Garcia Jr. won the pole.

Top Five Results

  1. Luiz Garcia Jr.
  2. Derek Higgins
  3. Didier André
  4. Guy Smith
  5. Tony Renna

Toronto race

Held July 19 at Exhibition Place. Guy Smith won the pole.

Top Five Results

  1. Guy Smith
  2. Naoki Hattori
  3. Chris Simmons
  4. Philipp Peter
  5. Didier André

Michigan race

Held July 25 at Michigan International Speedway. Tony Renna won the pole.

Top Five Results

  1. Tony Renna
  2. Cristiano da Matta
  3. Sérgio Paese
  4. Andy Boss
  5. Oriol Servià

Trois-Rivières race

Held August 2 at the Trois-Rivières, Quebec Street Circuit. Cristiano da Matta won the pole.

Top Five Results

  1. Cristiano da Matta
  2. Oriol Servià
  3. Naoki Hattori
  4. Guy Smith
  5. Didier André

Vancouver race

Held September 6 at Pacific Place. Cristiano da Matta won the pole.

Top Five Results

  1. Cristiano da Matta
  2. Derek Higgins
  3. Airton Daré
  4. Mike Borkowski
  5. Felipe Giaffone

Laguna Seca race

Held September 13 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Didier André won the pole.

Top Five Results

  1. Didier André
  2. Oriol Servià
  3. Derek Higgins
  4. Geoff Boss
  5. Naoki Hattori

Fontana race

Held October 31 at The California Speedway. Tony Renna won the pole.

Top Five Results

  1. Mark Hotchkis
  2. Felipe Giaffone
  3. Tony Renna
  4. Cory Witherill
  5. Didier André

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
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
CLE
Flag of the United States.svg
TOR
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
MIC
Flag of the United States.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 Cristiano da Matta 21*1*310220221521*1*2211154
2 Flag of France.svg Didier André 1452121558357561*5123
3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith 3821112281*41*6481510110
4 Flag of Brazil.svg Felipe Giaffone 19248429286965182104
5 Flag of Ireland.svg Derek Higgins 7211561*1210217131023794
6 Flag of Brazil.svg Airton Daré 1795981*413819213111578
7 Flag of Spain.svg Oriol Servià 419131614621610521922573
8 Flag of the United States.svg Tony Renna DNS121022515125211*2083*68
9 Flag of the United States.svg Geoff Boss 921215431120191419741867
10 Flag of Japan.svg Naoki Hattori 183781223161721631751766
11 Flag of Austria.svg Philipp Peter 114192910227423119161262
12 Flag of Brazil.svg Luiz Garcia Jr. 221020112131*111512166660
13 Flag of Brazil.svg Sérgio Paese 216201032261893132653
14 Flag of Japan.svg Shigeaki Hattori 1*11141*21201821162016139952
15 Flag of the United States.svg Mark Hotchkis 92174711150
16 Flag of Mexico.svg Jorge Goeters 1615115161699721152034
17 Flag of the United States.svg Casey Mears 1013371619101121833
18 Flag of the United States.svg Brian Cunningham122242320751214221810202433
19 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Simmons 5231415310818131432
20 Flag of the United States.svg Andy Boss 1316613171419111341422141322
21 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Paul Morris 6202218241371920Wth92018
22 Flag of the United States.svg Mike Borkowski 20251619181115141218174172315
23 Flag of the United States.svg Cory Witherill 131512413
24 Flag of the United States.svg Clint Mears DNS1817191716810228
25 Flag of Sweden.svg Mattias Andersson 157176
26 Flag of Mexico.svg Mario Domínguez 1476
27 Flag of Mexico.svg Rodolfo Lavín 818DNS24131817181721235
28 Flag of the United States.svg Bud Kaeding142312161
29 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Wim Eyckmans 1219191
30 Flag of the United States.svg Tim Moser140
31 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Eric Jensen 170
32 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Jasper 210
PosDriver HMS
Flag of the United States.svg
LBH
Flag of the United States.svg
NAZ
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
CLE
Flag of the United States.svg
TOR
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg
MIC
Flag of the United States.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

Footnotes

    1. Qualifying was cancelled due to rain. The grid was set by practice times, and no bonus point was awarded.