Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

2002 Indy Racing League

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Races
  
15

End date
  
September 15

Indianapolis 500 winner
  
Hélio Castroneves

Start date
  
March 2

Drivers' champion
  
Sam Hornish Jr.

The 2002 Indy Racing League (IRL) was one of transition, with many CART teams participating in a partial IRL schedule while retaining "lame duck" status in their original series with their CART engine suppliers Toyota and Honda. On the IRL front, the Infiniti engine was in its "lame duck" year and the General Motors engine was now branded as a Chevrolet rather than an Oldsmobile as that marque was being phased out. Sam Hornish Jr. won 5 races on his way to his second straight championship ahead of Penske Racing juggernaut Hélio Castroneves who won three races, including a second straight Indy 500, on his way to second in the championship.

Contents

Grand Prix of Miami

This race was held on March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Sam Hornish Jr. won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 9- Jeff Ward
  5. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  6. 52- Tomas Scheckter
  7. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  8. 44- Alex Barron
  9. 99- Anthony Lazzaro
  10. 14- Airton Daré

Bombardier ATV 200

This race was held on March 17 at Phoenix International Raceway. Hélio Castroneves won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  4. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  5. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  6. 2- Jaques Lazier
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 98- Billy Boat
  9. 55- Rick Treadway
  10. 20- Hideki Noda

Yamaha Indy 400

This race was held on March 24 at California Speedway. Eddie Cheever won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 2- Jaques Lazier
  3. 34- Laurent Rédon
  4. 6- Gil de Ferran
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 19- Jimmy Vasser
  10. 9- Jeff Ward

Firestone Indy 225

This race was held on April 21 at Nazareth Speedway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 8- Scott Sharp
  2. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  3. 6- Gil de Ferran
  4. 24- Sarah Fisher
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 44- Alex Barron
  7. 51- Eddie Cheever
  8. 98- Billy Boat
  9. 99- Anthony Lazzaro
  10. 12- Shigeaki Hattori

86th Indianapolis 500

The Indy 500 was held on May 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bruno Junqueira sat on pole. The race end was one of the most controversial in history as Paul Tracy passed Hélio Castroneves just as the yellow was coming out for a crash. Race officials ruled that the pass occurred after the yellow.

Top ten results

  1. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  2. 26- Paul Tracy
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 44- Alex Barron
  5. 51- Eddie Cheever
  6. 20- Richie Hearn
  7. 39- Michael Andretti
  8. 31- Robby Gordon
  9. 9- Jeff Ward
  10. 6- Gil de Ferran

Boomtown 500

This race was held on June 8 at Texas Motor Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 9- Jeff Ward
  2. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  3. 14- Airton Daré
  4. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  5. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  6. 12- Shigeaki Hattori
  7. 98- Billy Boat
  8. 91- Buddy Lazier
  9. 99- Richie Hearn
  10. 44- Alex Barron

Radisson Indy 225

This race was held on June 16 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 6- Gil de Ferran
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  4. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  5. 8- Scott Sharp
  6. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  7. 34- Laurent Rédon
  8. 51- Eddie Cheever
  9. 14- Airton Daré
  10. 44- Alex Barron

SunTrust Indy Challenge

This race was held on June 29 at Richmond International Raceway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 52- Tomas Scheckter
  5. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  6. 14- Airton Daré
  7. 20- Richie Hearn
  8. 9- Jeff Ward
  9. 54- Robby McGehee
  10. 44- Alex Barron

Ameristar Casino Indy 200

This race was held on July 7 at Kansas Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 14- Airton Daré
  2. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  5. 6- Gil de Ferran
  6. 8- Scott Sharp
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 44-Alex Barron
  9. 98- Billy Boat
  10. 20- Richie Hearn

Firestone Indy 200

This race was held on July 20 at Nashville Superspeedway. Billy Boat won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 44- Alex Barron
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  4. 20- Richie Hearn
  5. 12- Raul Boesel
  6. 51- Eddie Cheever
  7. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  10. 7- Tony Renna

Michigan Indy 400

This race was held on July 28 at Michigan International Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 52- Tomas Scheckter
  2. 53- Buddy Rice
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 7- Tony Renna
  5. 6- Gil de Ferran
  6. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  7. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  8. 23- Sarah Fisher
  9. 8- Scott Sharp
  10. 20- Richie Hearn

Belterra Casino Indy 300

This race was held on August 11 at Kentucky Speedway. Sarah Fisher won the pole, the first by a female driver in a major open wheel series.

Top ten results

  1. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  2. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  3. 91- Buddy Lazier
  4. 8- Scott Sharp
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  7. 78- Tony Renna
  8. 23- Sarah Fisher
  9. 44- Alex Barron
  10. 24- Robbie Buhl

Gateway Indy 250

This race was held on August 25 at Gateway International Raceway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 6- Gil de Ferran
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 44- Alex Barron
  4. 52- Buddy Rice
  5. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  6. 24- Robbie Buhl
  7. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  8. 12- Raul Boesel
  9. 2- Vitor Meira
  10. 51- Eddie Cheever

Delphi Indy 300

This race was held on September 8 at Chicagoland Speedway. Sam Hornish Jr. won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 7- Al Unser Jr.
  3. 91- Buddy Lazier
  4. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  5. 51- Eddie Cheever
  6. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  7. 8- Scott Sharp
  8. 2- Vitor Meira
  9. 52- Buddy Rice
  10. 15- Dan Wheldon

Chevy 500

This race was held on September 15 at Texas Motor Speedway. Vitor Meira won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 2- Vitor Meira
  4. 8- Scott Sharp
  5. 44- Alex Barron
  6. 52- Buddy Rice
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 51- Eddie Cheever
  9. 78- Tony Renna
  10. 34- Laurent Rédon

Race results

BOLD indicates a Superspeedway. Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway.

Final points standings

  • Ties in points broken by number of wins, followed by number of 2nds, 3rds, etc., and then by number of pole positions, followed by number of times qualified 2nd, etc.

    • References

    2002 Indy Racing League Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA