2002 Indy Racing League


The 2002 Indy Racing League was one of transition, with two reigning CART championship teams, Team Penske and Target Chip Ganassi Racing, joining the series with full time entries. The Oldsmobile engine was rebranded as a Chevrolet, and both Honda and Toyota announced their participation in the series starting in 2003 while Infiniti announced its withdrawal.
Sam Hornish, Jr. won 5 races on his way to his second straight championship ahead of Penske juggernaut Hélio Castroneves, winner of two races including a second straight Indy 500, on his way to second in the championship.

Team and driver chart

Season Summary

Schedule

Race results

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

Race summaries

Grand Prix of Miami

This race was held on March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 9- Jeff Ward
  5. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  6. 52- Tomas Scheckter
  7. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  8. 44- Alex Barron
  9. 99- Anthony Lazzaro
  10. 14- Airton Daré

    Bombardier ATV 200

This race was held on March 17 at Phoenix International Raceway. Hélio Castroneves won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  4. 11- Eliseo Salazar
  5. 7- Al Unser, Jr.
  6. 2- Jaques Lazier
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 98- Billy Boat
  9. 55- Rick Treadway
  10. 20- Hideki Noda

    Inaugural Yamaha Indy 400

This race was held on March 24 at California Speedway. Eddie Cheever won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  2. 2- Jaques Lazier
  3. 34- Laurent Rédon
  4. 6- Gil de Ferran
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 19- Jimmy Vasser
  10. 9- Jeff Ward

    Inaugural Firestone Indy 225

This race was held on April 21 at Nazareth Speedway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 8- Scott Sharp
  2. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  3. 6- Gil de Ferran
  4. 24- Sarah Fisher
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 44- Alex Barron
  7. 51- Eddie Cheever
  8. 98- Billy Boat
  9. 99- Anthony Lazzaro
  10. 12- Shigeaki Hattori

    86th Indianapolis 500">2002 Indianapolis 500">86th Indianapolis 500

The Indy 500 was held on May 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bruno Junqueira sat on pole. The race end was one of the most controversial in history as Paul Tracy passed Hélio Castroneves just as the yellow was coming out for a crash. Race officials ruled that the pass occurred after the yellow.
Top ten results
  1. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  2. 26- Paul Tracy
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 44- Alex Barron
  5. 51- Eddie Cheever
  6. 20- Richie Hearn
  7. 39- Michael Andretti
  8. 31- Robby Gordon
  9. 9- Jeff Ward
  10. 6- Gil de Ferran

    Boomtown 500

This race was held on June 8 at Texas Motor Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 9- Jeff Ward
  2. 7- Al Unser, Jr.
  3. 14- Airton Daré
  4. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  5. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  6. 12- Shigeaki Hattori
  7. 98- Billy Boat
  8. 91- Buddy Lazier
  9. 99- Richie Hearn
  10. 44- Alex Barron

    Radisson Indy 225

This race was held on June 16 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 6- Gil de Ferran
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  4. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  5. 8- Scott Sharp
  6. 7- Al Unser, Jr.
  7. 34- Laurent Rédon
  8. 51- Eddie Cheever
  9. 14- Airton Daré
  10. 44- Alex Barron

    SunTrust Indy Challenge

This race was held on June 29 at Richmond International Raceway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 52- Tomas Scheckter
  5. 7- Al Unser, Jr.
  6. 14- Airton Daré
  7. 20- Richie Hearn
  8. 9- Jeff Ward
  9. 54- Robby McGehee
  10. 44- Alex Barron

    Ameristar Casino Indy 200

This race was held on July 7 at Kansas Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 14- Airton Daré
  2. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  5. 6- Gil de Ferran
  6. 8- Scott Sharp
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 44-Alex Barron
  9. 98- Billy Boat
  10. 20- Richie Hearn

    Firestone Indy 200

This race was held on July 20 at Nashville Superspeedway. Billy Boat won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 44- Alex Barron
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  4. 20- Richie Hearn
  5. 12- Raul Boesel
  6. 51- Eddie Cheever
  7. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  10. 7- Tony Renna

    Inaugural Michigan Indy 400

This race was held on July 28 at Michigan International Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 52- Tomas Scheckter
  2. 53- Buddy Rice
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 7- Tony Renna
  5. 6- Gil de Ferran
  6. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  7. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  8. 23- Sarah Fisher
  9. 8- Scott Sharp
  10. 20- Richie Hearn

    Belterra Casino Indy 300

This race was held on August 11 at Kentucky Speedway. Sarah Fisher won the pole, the first by a female driver in a major open wheel series.
Top ten results
  1. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  2. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  3. 91- Buddy Lazier
  4. 8- Scott Sharp
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 7- Al Unser, Jr.
  7. 78- Tony Renna
  8. 23- Sarah Fisher
  9. 44- Alex Barron
  10. 24- Robbie Buhl

    Gateway Indy 250

This race was held on August 25 at Gateway International Raceway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 6- Gil de Ferran
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 44- Alex Barron
  4. 52- Buddy Rice
  5. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  6. 24- Robbie Buhl
  7. 7- Al Unser, Jr.
  8. 12- Raul Boesel
  9. 2- Vítor Meira
  10. 51- Eddie Cheever

    Delphi Indy 300

This race was held on September 8 at Chicagoland Speedway. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  2. 7- Al Unser, Jr.
  3. 91- Buddy Lazier
  4. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  5. 51- Eddie Cheever
  6. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  7. 8- Scott Sharp
  8. 2- Vítor Meira
  9. 52- Buddy Rice
  10. 15- Dan Wheldon
Gil de Ferran was injured during a crash in this race and would miss the season finale at Texas.

Chevy 500

This race was held on September 15 at Texas Motor Speedway. Vítor Meira won the pole.
Top ten results
  1. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.**
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 2- Vítor Meira
  4. 8- Scott Sharp
  5. 44- Alex Barron
  6. 52- Buddy Rice
  7. 91- Buddy Lazier
  8. 51- Eddie Cheever
  9. 78- Tony Renna
  10. 34- Laurent Rédon
Max Papis filled in for the injured Gil de Ferran at Penske; however, he finished 21st due to a blown engine.
By winning the race, Sam Hornish, Jr. won his second championship in a row.

Final points 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.
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