1996 Indy Racing League
| 1996 Indy Racing League season | |
|---|---|
| Indy Racing League | |
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| Season | |
| Races | 3 |
| Start date | January 27 |
| End date | May 26 |
| Awards | |
| Drivers' champion |
 Buzz Calkins Scott Sharp |
| Indianapolis 500 winner |
Buddy Lazier |
The 1996 Indy Racing League, the first in the history of the league, consisted of only three races, as the season concluded in May with the 80th Indianapolis 500. Walt Disney World Speedway was completed in time to host the first race of the season, and the first ever event of the IRL, and Phoenix International Raceway switched alliances from CART to IRL and hosted the second event of the season. At the conclusion of the three-race schedule, Scott Sharp and Buzz Calkins ended up tied for first place in the season championship. With no tiebreaker rule in place, the two drivers were declared co-champions. Therefore, if the tie was broken, Calkins would've been declared the season champion, as he had one win as opposed to Sharp's zero.
On January 23, 1995, at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort the IRL announced the dates for two of the races scheduled for the inaugural 1996 season. The Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway was scheduled for January 27, 1996, and 80th Indianapolis 500 was set for May 26, 1996. On April 3, the IRL announced that Phoenix International Raceway and the then-under construction Las Vegas Motor Speedway would be on the 1996 schedule, but no dates were confirmed. Later that month, on April 13, 1995, the respective dates were finalized for Phoenix (March 24, 1996) and Las Vegas (September 15, 1996). On May 30, 1995, New Hampshire Motor Speedway officially switched alliances from CART to IRL, and scheduled their race for August 18.
The original plan was to have every Indy Racing League season end with the Indianapolis 500. Thus the IRL champion would be awarded at the conclusion of the Indy 500, and quite possibly could be the Indy 500 winner. The next season (in this case the 1996–97 season) would begin immediately after the Indy 500, and spread over two calendar years to conclude at the next Indianapolis 500. As a result, the two races at New Hampshire and Las Vegas, already announced, would in fact open the 1996–97 season. The schedule format, however, went against the traditional motorsports grain, and the idea was eventually scrapped in October. The 1996–97 season was expanded in order to bring the schedule back in sync with the rest of the motorsports world for 1998.
The season was contested with 1995 and older CART chassis produced by Lola and Reynard with a fixed limit on how much a team could spend on its combination. In addition, nearly every car was powered by a Ford Cosworth XB, Menard V6 or Buick V6 engine. Despite the short season, only fifteen drivers competed in all three. All races were well-attended by competitors as a legal chassis and engine combination could be acquired for well under $100,000.
Teams and drivers
Schedule
ABC Sports televised all three races. All races running on Oval/Speedway.
| Rd | Date | Race Name | Track | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 27 | Indy 200 at Walt Disney World | Walt Disney World Speedway | Bay Lake, Florida |
| 2 | March 24 | Dura Lube 200 | Phoenix International Raceway | Phoenix, Arizona |
| 3 | May 26 | 80th Indianapolis 500 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Speedway, Indiana |
Controversy
In a controversial move, in July 1995, it was announced that the top 25 drivers in IRL points would secure guaranteed starting positions for the 1996 Indianapolis 500. Presumably, that left only eight positions open for at-large competitors. However, some interpreted the rule otherwise.[1]
The IRL points system was to be staggered to adjust for the number of races each driver entered. The number of points awarded per race would be multiplied by the number of events the driver had participated in. For example, if a driver had entered all three events, the points awarded for that third race were multiplied by three. This move was supposed to be an encouragement to enter all IRL events, but it did not attract any additional teams from the rival CART series.
Initially, IRL officials hoped that competitors from the rival CART series would choose to race in the IRL events, presumably since there were no foreseen conflicts in their respective schedules. The 1996 IRL schedule was finalized by May 30, 1995. However, a couple weeks later the CART series announced their 1996 schedule, immediately with conflicting dates. The CART race at Road America was scheduled for the same day as the IRL event at Loudon, while the CART races at Rio and Australia were bookended around the IRL race at Phoenix, creating an impossible travel situation. The only CART teams that participated in any IRL events in 1996 were Galles and Walker, but neither fielded drivers who were CART regulars.
Race summaries
Indy 200
The Walt Disney World Speedway was held on January 27 at Walt Disney World Speedway. Buddy Lazier qualified on the pole position with a track record 181.388 mph (19.847 seconds). The race was broadcast on ABC.
Top 10 results
- 12 - Buzz Calkins
- 20 - Tony Stewart
- 54 - Robbie Buhl
- 33 - Michele Alboreto
- 21 - Roberto Guerrero
- 11 - Mike Groff
- 75 - Johnny O'Connell
- 90 - Lyn St. James
- 18 - John Paul, Jr.
- 3 - Eddie Cheever
- Failed to qualify: 7-Eliseo Salazar, 15-Bill Tempero, 26-Jim Buick, 77-Butch Brickell, and 81-Rick DeLorto
- Calkins and Stewart led a combined 167 of 200 laps.
- The margin of victory was 0.886 seconds due a restart with six laps to go after Cheever and Scott Sharp crashed.
- Calkins' only IndyCar win.
Dura-Lube 200
The Dura-Lube 200 was held on March 24 at Phoenix International Raceway. Arie Luyendyk qualified on the pole position. The race was broadcast on ABC.
Top 10 results
- 5 - Arie Luyendyk
- 11 - Scott Sharp
- 41 - Mike Groff
- 4 - Richie Hearn
- 75 - Johnny O'Connell
- 12 - Buzz Calkins
- 9 - Stephan Gregoire
- 33 - Michele Alboreto
- 64 - Johnny Unser
- 15 - Dave Kudrave
- Failed to qualify: 3-Eddie Cheever, 17-Stan Wattles, 25-Racin Gardner, 26-Dan Drinan, 77-Butch Brickell and 91-Buddy Lazier
- During practice, Lazier was involved in a spectacular crash with Lyn St. James that resulted in a broken back.
- On lap 128, Sharp and Groff were running 1st and 2nd when they made their final pit stop. However, the pit lane was closed and they each received a one lap penalty. The two would recover to finish 2nd and 3rd (with Sharp getting back on the lead lap).
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500 was held May 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Scott Brayton quailed on the pole position. However, he was killed during practice. Teammate Tony Stewart moved to 1st place and Danny Ongais replaced Brayton, moving to the rear of the field. Arie Luyendyk was the fastest qualifier with a new track record (that still stands as of 2017), but was a second day qualifier. The race was broadcast on ABC.
Top 10 results
- 91 - Buddy Lazier
- 70 - Davy Jones
- 4 - Richie Hearn
- 8 - Alessandro Zampedri
- 21 - Roberto Guerrero
- 7 - Eliseo Salazar
- 32 - Danny Ongais
- 52 - Hideshi Matsuda
- 54 - Robbie Buhl
- 11 - Scott Sharp
- Failed to qualify: 15-Justin Bell, 15-Dave Kudrave, 24, 45-Randy Tolsma, 36-Dan Drinan, 36, 77-Tyce Carlson, 36-Andy Michner, 46-Rob Wilson, 50-Russ Wicks, 66-Jeff Wood, 77-Butch Brickell and 84, 87, 99-Billy Boat
- Lazier's first IndyCar win. He did so less than three months after breaking his back at Phoenix.
- Jones was driving a one-off for Galles Racing (a full-time CART team at the time). They were only team to use a Mercedes-Benz engine.
- On the final lap, Zampedri, Guerrero and Salazar crashed together, resulting in Zampedri getting airborne and flipping on the main straightaway.
- Ongais started his first IndyCar race since 1987. Despite an early spin, he finished 7th.
Season Summary
Race results
| Round | Race | Pole position | Fastest lap | Most laps led | Race Winner | Report | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Team | ||||||
| 1 | Walt Disney World | Buddy Lazier |
Buzz Calkins |
Buzz Calkins |
Buzz Calkins |
Bradley Motorsports | Report |
| 2 | Phoenix |  Arie Luyendyk |
Arie Luyendyk |
Arie Luyendyk |
Arie Luyendyk |
Byrd-Treadway Racing | Report |
| 3 | Indianapolis | Tony StewartA |
Eddie Cheever |
 Roberto Guerrero |
Buddy Lazier |
Hemelgarn Racing | Report |
- ^A Scott Brayton was the fastest qualifier for the 1996 Indianapolis 500, but was killed during practice. Hence, second-fastest qualifier Tony Stewart started from the pole.
Driver standings
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Note: † Scott Brayton, 37, won the pole for the 1996 Indianapolis 500, but was killed in a crash during practice after qualifying.
See also
- 1996 Indianapolis 500
- 1996 Indy Lights season
- 1996 IndyCar season
- 1996 Toyota Atlantic Championship season
Footnotes
- ↑
- 41 at Walt Disney World.
- ↑
- 11 at Walt Disney World.
- ↑ Switched from Pagan Racing (car #99) during practice for the Indy 500.
- 1 2 3 4 Used at Walt Disney World.
- ↑
- 45 at Phoenix.
- ↑ Used by Jim Guthrie at Phoenix.
- ↑ Replaced Danny Ongais during practice for the Indy 500 after Ongais signed with Team Menard as a replacement for the fatally injured Scott Brayton.
- ↑ Switched from Harrington Motorsport during practice for the Indy 500.
- ↑ Used by Brad Murphey.
- ↑ Missed the Indy 500 due to injuries sustained in a practice crash at Phoenix.
- ↑ Tyce Carlson and Andy Michner passed his Indianapolis rookie test in the car.
- ↑ Used at the Indy 500.
- ↑ Used at Phoenix.
- ↑ At the Indy 500, Brayton withdrew his already qualified primary car and won the pole in the backup #32, but was fatally injured in a practice crash and replaced by Ongais, who switched from Brickell Racing.
- ↑ Used by Alessandro Zampedri, Joe Gosek and Racin Gardner.
- ↑ Used by Lyn St. James at Walt Disney World
- ↑ Used by Michele Alboreto at Walt Disney World and Lyn St. James at Phoenix.
- ↑ Injured in a practice crash at Walt Disney World
- ↑ Switched from Tempero-Giuffre Racing (car #15) during practice for the Indy 500.
- ↑ Used by Dave Kudrave
- ↑ Justin Bell passed his Indianapolis rookie test in the car.