Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

2004 IndyCar Series

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Races
  
16

End date
  
October 17

Rookie of the Year
  
Kosuke Matsuura

Start date
  
February 29

Drivers' champion
  
Tony Kanaan

Indianapolis 500 winner
  
Buddy Rice

The 2004 IRL IndyCar Series was dominated by two teams, Andretti Green Racing and Rahal Letterman Racing. While there was great parity in 2003 between Honda and Toyota powered teams, in 2004 Honda began to outshine Toyota bringing their teams Penske Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing down with it, leaving Scott Dixon winless and in 10th place in his attempt to defend his 2003 championship.

Contents

Season champion Tony Kanaan set a record by completing all 3,305 possible laps, the first IndyCar driver in modern history to do so.

This season was the last to feature an all-oval tracks schedule, which was part of the concept that led to the creation of the Indy Racing League. By 2005, road and street courses started to appear in the schedule, and by 2015, there are more races run in road/street courses than in oval tracks.

Toyota Indy 300

This race was held and Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 29. Buddy Rice won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 6- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 26- Dan Wheldon
  4. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  5. 4- Tomas Scheckter
  6. 10- Darren Manning
  7. 15- Buddy Rice
  8. 11- Tony Kanaan
  9. 8- Scott Sharp
  10. 24- Robbie Buhl

Copper World Indy 200

This race was held and Phoenix International Raceway on March 21. Dan Wheldon won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 11- Tony Kanaan
  2. 1- Scott Dixon
  3. 26- Dan Wheldon
  4. 51- Alex Barron
  5. 10- Darren Manning
  6. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  7. 7- Bryan Herta
  8. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  9. 15- Buddy Rice
  10. 13- Greg Ray

Indy Japan 300

This race was held and Twin Ring Motegi on April 17. This was Honda's first win in the annual oval race held at their own track. Dan Wheldon won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 26- Dan Wheldon
  2. 11- Tony Kanaan
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 10- Darren Manning
  5. 1- Scott Dixon
  6. 15- Buddy Rice
  7. 27- Dario Franchitti
  8. 55- Kosuke Matsuura
  9. 8- Scott Sharp
  10. 12- Toranosuke Takagi

88th Indianapolis 500

The 88th Indianapolis 500-mile (800 km) race was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30. Buddy Rice sat on pole. The race was shortened to 180 laps (450 miles) due to rain.

Top ten results

  1. 15- Buddy Rice
  2. 11- Tony Kanaan
  3. 26- Dan Wheldon
  4. 7- Bryan Herta
  5. 36- Bruno Junqueira
  6. 17- Vitor Meira
  7. 5- Adrián Fernández
  8. 1- Scott Dixon
  9. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  10. 16- Roger Yasukawa

Bombardier 500

This race was held and Texas Motor Speedway on June 12. Dario Franchitti won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 11- Tony Kanaan
  2. 27- Dario Franchitti
  3. 51- Alex Barron
  4. 6- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  5. 5- Adrián Fernández
  6. 17- Vitor Meira
  7. 13- Greg Ray
  8. 10- Darren Manning
  9. 24- Felipe Giaffone
  10. 12- Toranosuke Takagi

SunTrust Indy Challenge

This race was held and Richmond International Raceway on June 26. Hélio Castroneves won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 26- Dan Wheldon
  2. 17- Vitor Meira
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 7- Bryan Herta
  5. 11- Tony Kanaan
  6. 15- Buddy Rice
  7. 5- Adrián Fernández
  8. 1- Scott Dixon
  9. 8- Scott Sharp
  10. 24- Felipe Giaffone

Argent Mortgage 300

This race was held and Kansas Speedway on July 4. Buddy Rice won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 15- Buddy Rice
  2. 17- Vitor Meira
  3. 11- Tony Kanaan
  4. 27- Dario Franchitti
  5. 7- Bryan Herta
  6. 5- Adrián Fernández
  7. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  8. 6- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  9. 26- Dan Wheldon
  10. 51- Alex Barron

Firestone Indy 200

This race was held and Nashville Superspeedway on July 17. Buddy Rice won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 11- Tony Kanaan
  2. 6- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 10- Darren Manning
  5. 2- Townsend Bell
  6. 15- Buddy Rice
  7. 13- Mark Taylor
  8. 1- Scott Dixon
  9. 55- Kosuke Matsuura
  10. 5- Adrián Fernández

Menards A.J. Foyt 225

This race was held and the Milwaukee Mile on July 25. Vitor Meira won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 27- Dario Franchitti
  2. 15- Buddy Rice
  3. 6- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  4. 11- Tony Kanaan
  5. 17- Vitor Meira
  6. 2- Townsend Bell
  7. 51- Alex Barron
  8. 5- Adrián Fernández
  9. 7- Bryan Herta
  10. 55- Kosuke Matsuura

Michigan Indy 400

This race was held and Michigan International Speedway on August 1. Tony Kanaan won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 15- Buddy Rice
  2. 11- Tony Kanaan
  3. 26- Dan Wheldon
  4. 6- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  5. 17- Vitor Meira
  6. 7- Bryan Herta
  7. 1- Scott Dixon
  8. 2- Townsend Bell
  9. 8- Scott Sharp
  10. 3- Hélio Castroneves

Belterra Casino Indy 300

This race was held and Kentucky Speedway on August 15. Buddy Rice won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 5- Adrián Fernández
  2. 15- Buddy Rice
  3. 26- Dan Wheldon
  4. 55- Kosuke Matsuura
  5. 11- Tony Kanaan
  6. 27- Dario Franchitti
  7. 17- Vitor Meira
  8. 52- Ed Carpenter
  9. 7- Bryan Herta
  10. 10- Darren Manning

Honda Indy 225

This race was held and Pikes Peak International Raceway on August 22. Tony Kanaan won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 27- Dario Franchitti
  2. 5- Adrián Fernández
  3. 6- Dan Wheldon
  4. 10- Darren Manning
  5. 11- Tony Kanaan
  6. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  7. 17- Vitor Meira
  8. 20- Jaques Lazier
  9. 7- Bryan Herta
  10. 51- Alex Barron

Firestone Indy 225

This race was held and Nazareth Speedway on August 29. Hélio Castroneves won the pole. The race was heralded as the series' 100th event.

Top ten results

  1. 26- Dan Wheldon
  2. 11- Tony Kanaan
  3. 27- Dario Franchitti
  4. 15- Buddy Rice
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 10- Darren Manning
  7. 5- Adrián Fernández
  8. 7- Bryan Herta
  9. 1- Scott Dixon
  10. 17- Vitor Meira

Delphi Indy 300

This race was held and Chicagoland Speedway on September 12. Hélio Castroneves won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 5- Adrián Fernández 200 laps in 2:09:31.3301
  2. 7- Bryan Herta +0.0716
  3. 11- Tony Kanaan +0.1239
  4. 26- Dan Wheldon +0.2464
  5. 17- Vitor Meira +0.4873
  6. 6- Sam Hornish, Jr. +0.5402
  7. 1- Scott Dixon +0.6109
  8. 24- Felipe Giaffone +1.1137
  9. 8- Scott Sharp +1.1878
  10. 3- Hélio Castroneves +1.2595

Toyota Indy 400

This race was held and California Speedway on October 3. Hélio Castroneves won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 5- Adrián Fernández
  2. 11- Tony Kanaan
  3. 26- Dan Wheldon
  4. 6- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  5. 15- Buddy Rice
  6. 27- Dario Franchitti
  7. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  8. 1- Scott Dixon
  9. 2- Townsend Bell
  10. 13- Mark Taylor

Chevy 500

This race was held and Texas Motor Speedway on October 17. Hélio Castroneves won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  2. 11- Tony Kanaan
  3. 26- Dan Wheldon
  4. 17- Vitor Meira
  5. 5- Adrián Fernández
  6. 1- Scott Dixon
  7. 13- Mark Taylor
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 2- Townsend Bell
  10. 14- A. J. Foyt IV

Race results

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

Final driver 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.

    • Notes:

  • 1 Hélio Castroneves had 15 points deduction at Texas Motor Speedway due to a premature start after the final caution.
  • 2 After a red flag for rain at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Jaques Lazier replaced Robby Gordon, but all points were awarded to Robby Gordon.

    • References

    2004 IndyCar Series Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA