2001 Indy Racing League season
The 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series season saw the addition of five races and loss of one to bring the total to 13. Chip Ganassi Racing returned to the Indy 500 with four cars and were joined on the grid by Penske Racing and Team Kool Green. Many other CART teams made clear their intention to enter the IRL given their series' financial difficulties. Sam Hornish, Jr. won 3 races on his way to the championship while the less consistent Buddy Lazier won four races on his way to second place in his title defense.
2001 Indy Racing League schedule
Rnd |
Date |
Race Name |
Track |
Location |
Pole position |
Fastest lap |
Most Laps Led |
Winner |
1 |
March 18 |
Pennzoil Copper World Indy 200 |
Phoenix International Raceway |
Phoenix, Arizona |
Greg Ray |
Billy Boat |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
2 |
April 8 |
Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami |
Homestead-Miami Speedway |
Homestead, Florida |
Jeff Ward |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
3 |
April 29 |
zMax 500 |
Atlanta Motor Speedway |
Hampton, Georgia |
Greg Ray |
Greg Ray |
Greg Ray |
Greg Ray |
4 |
May 27 |
85th Indianapolis 500 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
Speedway, Indiana |
Scott Sharp |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
Hélio Castroneves |
Hélio Castroneves |
5 |
June 9 |
Casino Magic 500 |
Texas Motor Speedway |
Fort Worth, Texas |
Mark Dismore |
Eddie Cheever |
Greg Ray |
Scott Sharp |
6 |
June 17 |
Radisson Indy 200 |
Pikes Peak International Raceway |
Fountain, Colorado |
Greg Ray |
Billy Boat |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
Buddy Lazier |
7 |
June 30 |
SunTrust Indy Challenge |
Richmond International Raceway |
Richmond, Virginia |
Jaques Lazier |
Buddy Lazier |
Buddy Lazier |
Buddy Lazier |
8 |
July 8 |
Ameristar Casino Indy 200 |
Kansas Speedway |
Kansas City, Kansas |
Scott Sharp |
Mark Dismore |
Eddie Cheever |
Eddie Cheever |
9 |
July 21 |
Harrah's 200 |
Nashville Superspeedway |
Lebanon, Tennessee |
Greg Ray |
Buddy Lazier |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
Buddy Lazier |
10 |
August 12 |
Belterra Resort Indy 300 |
Kentucky Speedway |
Sparta, Kentucky |
Scott Sharp |
Mark Dismore |
Scott Sharp |
Buddy Lazier |
11 |
August 26 |
Gateway Indy 250 |
Gateway International Raceway |
Madison, Illinois |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
Robbie Buhl |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
Al Unser, Jr. |
12 |
September 2 |
Delphi Indy 200 |
Chicagoland Speedway |
Joliet, Illinois |
Jaques Lazier |
Robbie Buhl |
Jaques Lazier |
Jaques Lazier |
13 |
October 6 |
Chevy 500 |
Texas Motor Speedway |
Fort Worth, Texas |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
Felipe Giaffone |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
Sam Hornish, Jr. |
- All 2001 Indy Racing League races running on Oval/Speedway.
Race summaries
Pennzoil Copper World Indy 200
This race was held March 18 at Phoenix International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.
Top ten results
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Eliseo Salazar
- Buddy Lazier
- Scott Sharp
- Billy Boat
- Felipe Giaffone
- Jeff Ward
- Robby McGehee
- Buzz Calkins
- Airton Daré
Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami
This race was held April 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Jeff Ward won the pole.
Top ten results
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Sarah Fisher
- Eliseo Salazar
- Felipe Giaffone
- Jeff Ward
- Al Unser, Jr.
- Mark Dismore
- Scott Sharp
- Eddie Cheever
- Didier André
zMax 500
This race was held April 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole.
Top ten results
- Greg Ray
- Scott Sharp
- Buzz Calkins
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Eliseo Salazar
- Buddy Lazier
- Jeff Ward
- Shigeaki Hattori
- Airton Daré
- Felipe Giaffone
The Indy 500 was held May 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Scott Sharp sat on pole.
Top ten results
- Hélio Castroneves
- Gil de Ferran
- Michael Andretti
- Jimmy Vasser
- Bruno Junqueira
- Tony Stewart
- Eliseo Salazar
- Airton Daré
- Billy Boat
- Felipe Giaffone
Casino Magic 500
This race was held June 9 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mark Dismore won the pole.
Top ten results
- Scott Sharp
- Felipe Giaffone
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Buddy Lazier
- Billy Boat
- Donnie Beechler
- Eliseo Salazar
- Al Unser, Jr.
- Jaques Lazier
- Shigeaki Hattori
Radisson Indy 200
This race was held June 17 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.
Top ten results
- Buddy Lazier
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Robbie Buhl
- Billy Boat
- Airton Daré
- Eddie Cheever
- Felipe Giaffone
- Scott Sharp
- Richie Hearn
- Sarah Fisher
SunTrust Indy Challenge
This race was held June 30 at Richmond International Raceway. Jaques Lazier won the pole.
Top ten results
- Buddy Lazier
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Al Unser, Jr.
- Didier Andre
- Scott Sharp
- Mark Dismore
- Donnie Beechler
- Jeff Ward
- Robbie Buhl
- Buzz Calkins
Ameristar Casino Indy 200
This race was held July 8 at Kansas Speedway. Scott Sharp won the pole.
Top ten results
- Eddie Cheever
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Donnie Beechler
- Felipe Giaffone
- Buddy Lazier
- Airton Daré
- Eliseo Salazar
- Shigeaki Hattori
- Billy Boat
- Robby McGehee
Harrah's 200
This race was held July 21 at Nashville Superspeedway. Greg Ray won the pole.
Top ten results
- Buddy Lazier
- Billy Boat
- Jaques Lazier
- Robby McGehee
- Scott Sharp
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Shigeaki Hattori
- Felipe Giaffone
- Buzz Calkins
- Donnie Beechler
Belterra Resort Indy 300
This race was held August 12 at Kentucky Speedway. Scott Sharp won the pole.
Top ten results
- Buddy Lazier
- Scott Sharp
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Al Unser, Jr.
- Donnie Beechler
- Billy Boat
- Shigeaki Hattori
- Felipe Giaffone
- Robbie Buhl
- Jeff Ward
Gateway Indy 250
This race was held August 26 at Gateway International Raceway. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the pole.
Top ten results
- Al Unser, Jr.
- Mark Dismore
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Eddie Cheever
- Robbie Buhl
- Billy Boat
- Jeff Ward
- Scott Sharp
- Airton Daré
- Robby McGehee
Delphi Indy 300
This race was held September 2 at Chicagoland Speedway. Jaques Lazier won the pole.
Top ten results
- Jaques Lazier
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Eddie Cheever
- Jeff Ward
- Donnie Beechler
- Richie Hearn
- Laurent Rédon
- Al Unser, Jr.
- Buzz Calkins
- Felipe Giaffone
Chevy 500
This race was held October 6 at Texas Motor Speedway. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the pole.
Top ten results
- Sam Hornish, Jr.
- Scott Sharp
- Robbie Buhl
- Eliseo Salazar
- Rick Treadway
- Al Unser, Jr.
- Airton Daré
- Greg Ray
- Jon Herb
- Buzz Calkins
Final point standings
Driver
For every race points were awarded to all starters: 50 points to the winner, 40 for runner up, 35 for third place, 32 for fourth place, 30 for fifth place, 28 for sixth place, 26 seventh place, 24 eighth place, 22 for ninth place, 20 for tenth place, winding down to 1 points for 29th place. Every lower placed driver also was awarded with 1 point. Additional points were awarded to the driver leading the most laps (2 point). No additional points were awarded for the qualifying.
No points (did not start/did not qualify):
See also
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Seasons |
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Indianapolis 500s |
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Champions |
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Tracks |
Ovals
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Road Courses
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Street Courses
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Former Tracks
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Road to Indy |
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