1997 Indy Lights season


The 1997 PPG/Firestone Indy Lights Championship Powered By Buick consisted of 13 races. Tony Kanaan edged out good friend and teammate Hélio Castro-Neves to the title by only four points.

Calendar

Race summaries

Homestead race

Held March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hélio Castro-Neves won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. David Empringham
  2. Fredrik Larsson
  3. Chris Simmons
  4. Mark Hotchkis
  5. Lee Bentham

    Long Beach race

Held April 13 at Long Beach, California Street Course. Hélio Castro-Neves won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Hélio Castro-Neves
  2. Cristiano da Matta
  3. Mark Hotchkis
  4. Chris Simmons
  5. Tony Kanaan

    Nazareth race

Held April 27 at Nazareth Speedway. Chris Simmons won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Cristiano da Matta
  2. Chris Simmons
  3. Fredrik Larsson
  4. Hélio Castro-Neves
  5. Tony Kanaan

    Savannah race

Held May 18 on Hutchinson Island. Hélio Castro-Neves won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Hélio Castro-Neves
  2. Sérgio Paese
  3. Lee Bentham
  4. Luiz Garcia, Jr.
  5. Naoki Hattori

    Gateway race

Held May 24 at Gateway International Raceway. Chris Simmons won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Lee Bentham
  2. Cristiano da Matta
  3. Hélio Castro-Neves
  4. David Empringham
  5. Chris Simmons

    Milwaukee race

Held June 1 at The Milwaukee Mile. Clint Mears won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Clint Mears
  2. David Empringham
  3. Tony Kanaan
  4. Cristiano da Matta
  5. Fredrik Larsson

    Detroit race

Held June 8 at Belle Isle Raceway. Tony Kanaan won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Tony Kanaan
  2. Hélio Castro-Neves
  3. Geoff Boss
  4. David Empringham
  5. Sérgio Paese

    Portland race

Held June 22 at Portland International Raceway. Hélio Castro-Neves won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Hideki Noda
  2. Hélio Castro-Neves
  3. Tony Kanaan
  4. Cristophe Tinseau
  5. Cristiano da Matta

    Toronto race

Held July 20 at Exhibition Place. Tony Kanaan won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Hélio Castro-Neves
  2. Tony Kanaan
  3. David Empringham
  4. Didier André
  5. Cristophe Tinseau

    Trois-Rivières race

Held August 3 at the Trois-Rivières, Quebec Street Circuit. Mark Hotchkis won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Tony Kanaan
  2. Mark Hotchkis
  3. Cristophe Tinseau
  4. Cristiano da Matta
  5. David Empringham

    Vancouver race

Held August 31 at Pacific Place. Cristiano da Matta won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Cristiano da Matta
  2. Tony Kanaan
  3. Hideki Noda
  4. Chris Simmons
  5. David Empringham

    Laguna Seca race

Held September 7 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Tony Kanaan won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Cristiano da Matta
  2. Tony Kanaan
  3. Hélio Castro-Neves
  4. Mark Hotchkis
  5. Lee Bentham

    Fontana race

Held September 27 at The California Speedway. Clint Mears won the pole.
Top Five Results
  1. Clint Mears
  2. Chris Simmons
  3. Lee Bentham
  4. Cristiano da Matta
  5. Hélio Castro-Neves

    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

R23=retired, but classified NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify