1996 Indy Lights season


The 1996 PPG/Firestone Indy Lights Championship Powered By Buick consisted of 12 races. Canadian David Empringham captured three wins on his way to the championship.

Calendar

Race summaries

Homestead race

Held March 3 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. David Empringham won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. David Empringham
  2. Chris Simmons
  3. Mark Hotchkis
  4. David DeSilva
  5. Jeff Ward

    Long Beach race

Held April 14 at Long Beach, California Street Course. Gualter Salles won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. David Empringham
  2. Tony Kanaan
  3. Gualter Salles
  4. Hélio Castro-Neves
  5. Alex Padilla

    Nazareth race

Held April 28 at Nazareth Speedway. Claude Bourbonnais won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. David DeSilva
  2. David Empringham
  3. Mark Hotchkis
  4. Chris Simmons
  5. Jeff Ward

    Michigan race

Held May 25 at Michigan International Speedway. David Empringham won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. David Empringham
  2. Mark Hotchkis
  3. Jeff Ward
  4. Robby Unser
  5. Hélio Castro-Neves

    Milwaukee race

Held June 2 at The Milwaukee Mile. Mark Hotchkis won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Mark Hotchkis
  2. Greg Ray
  3. David Empringham
  4. Gualter Salles
  5. Chris Simmons

    Detroit race

Held June 9 at Belle Isle Raceway. David Empringham won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Tony Kanaan
  2. Alex Padilla
  3. Claude Bourbonnais
  4. José Luis Di Palma
  5. Jaki Scheckter

    Portland race

Held June 23 at Portland International Raceway. Tony Kanaan won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Gualter Salles
  2. Alex Padilla
  3. David Empringham
  4. Claude Bourbonnais
  5. Tony Kanaan

    Cleveland race

Held June 30 at Burke Lakefront Airport. Mark Hotchkis won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Gualter Salles
  2. Claude Bourbonnais
  3. Hélio Castro-Neves
  4. Nick Firestone
  5. Hideki Noda

    Toronto race

Held July 14 at Exhibition Place. Jeff Ward won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Gualter Salles
  2. Claude Bourbonnais
  3. Hideki Noda
  4. Shigeaki Hattori
  5. Alex Padilla

    Trois-Rivières race

Held August 4 at the Trois-Rivières, Quebec Street Circuit. Hélio Castro-Neves won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Hélio Castro-Neves
  2. Tony Kanaan
  3. Alex Padilla
  4. David Empringham
  5. Bertrand Godin

    Vancouver race

Held September 1 at Pacific Place. Jeff Ward won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Claude Bourbonnais
  2. Tony Kanaan
  3. Jeff Hotchkis
  4. Alex Padilla
  5. David Empringham

    Laguna Seca race

Held September 8 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Tony Kanaan won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Tony Kanaan
  2. Hélio Castro-Neves
  3. Claude Bourbonnais
  4. Alex Padilla
  5. Jeff Ward

    Final points standings

Driver

For every race the points were awarded: 20 points to the winner, 16 for runner-up, 14 for third place, 12 for fourth place, 10 for fifth place, 8 for sixth place, 6 seventh place, winding down to 1 points for 12th place. Additional points were awarded to the pole winner and to the driver leading the most laps.

Complete Overview

R21=retired, but classified NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify =place after practice, but grid position not held free