The 1996–97 Indy Racing League was the second season contested by the Indy Racing League. Tony Stewart was the champion, while Arie Luyendyk won the Indianapolis 500. The lengthy season was a result of the league abandoning the concept of ending each season with the Indianapolis 500. The 1996–97 season would ultimately consist of the two races that followed the Indy 500 in the calendar year of 1996, and all events contested in the calendar year of 1997. It also saw the introduction of a new chassis and engine package effective from January 1.
The 1996–97 season was originally scheduled to begin at New Hampshire in August 1996 and end with the Indianapolis 500 in May 1997. At some point in the summer of 1996, the consensus regarding the unusual split-calendar season was decidedly unfavorable. Omitting the normal winter offseason caused potential difficulty with driver contracts, sponsor contracts, and equipment purchasing, which all traditionally followed a calendar-based schedule. In addition, the months of November, December, and most of January were not expected to be filled with race dates, since few suitable venues (outside of Orlando) were available in warm-weather locations. It was felt the long winter gap between races was disruptive and disjointed, and came at a time of year when auto racing was traditionally on hiatus anyway.
Following the 1996 races at New Hampshire and Las Vegas, on October 9, 1996, the Indy Racing League announced that the league would revert to a calendar-based schedule for 1998. To avoid awarding four championships in less than two and a half years, all events contested in the calendar year of 1997 were added to the two aforementioned races held in 1996. Now combined, a single seventeen-month 1996–1997 championship would be awarded in October 1997.
The two remaining races in 1996 (New Hampshire and Las Vegas) were contested with the same equipment as the 1996 season. All races that took place in the calendar year of 1997, starting with the race at Orlando, were contested with all new purpose-built oval chassis from G-Force and Dallara with a radical stock block naturally aspirated 4.0 liter V8's from Oldsmobile and Infiniti. Only seven drivers competed in all ten races of this seventeen-month-long marathon schedule.
Confirmed entries TeamChassisEngineTiresDriver(s)Round(s) ABF Motorsports Lola T92/00 Buick 96 Joe Gosek 1 Dave Steele 2 A. J. Foyt Enterprises Lola T95/00DallaraG-Force Ford-CosworthOldsmobile 1 Scott Sharp 1–5, 7 Johnny O'Connell5 Paul Durant 5 Billy Boat 6, 8–10 11 5 14 Davey Hamilton All Arizona Motorsports Sinden Racing Services Lola T95/00 Ford-Cosworth 40 Marco Greco 1–2DallaraOldsmobileInfiniti Dr. Jack Miller 3–10 44 Steve Kinser 5 Allen May 6 Beck Motorsports Lola T94/00 Ford-Cosworth 54 Robbie Buhl 1–2 Dallara Infiniti Dennis Vitolo 5 Blueprint Racing Lola T93/00Dallara MenardBuickOldsmobile 16 Johnny Parsons 2 Sam Schmidt 4–6 27 Jim Guthrie All 72 Claude Bourbonnais 5 Bradley Motorsports Reynard 95IG-Force Ford-CosworthOldsmobile 12 Buzz Calkins 1–7, 9–10 Byrd-Cunningham Racing Reynard 95IG-Force Ford-CosworthInfinitiOldsmobile 10 Mike Groff 1–5, 8 Johnny Unser 6–7, 9 Paul Durant 10 Chastain Motorsports G-Force Oldsmobile 77 Stéphan Grégoire 3–5, 7–10 Chitwood Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 17 Danny Ongais 3 Affonso Giaffone 4–10 Della Penna Motorsports Reynard 95I Ford-Cosworth 4 Richie Hearn 1–2 EuroInternational Dallara Oldsmobile 50 Billy Roe 4–5 Galles RacingG-ForceOldsmobile4 Davy Jones3 Jeff Ward 3 Kenny Bräck 4–10 70 Marco Greco 7–10 Hemelgarn Racing Reynard 95I Ford-CosworthInfinitiOldsmobile 9 Brad Murphey 1–2 Reynard 95IDallara Johnny Unser 5, 10 90 Lyn St. James 5 91 Buddy Lazier All ISM Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 35 Jeff Ward 10 IZ Racing Dallara Infiniti 95 Tyce Carlson 10 Johansson Motorsports G-Force Infiniti 36 Scott Harrington 5 Knapp Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 97 Greg Ray 5–8, 10 LP Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 99 Sam Schmidt 8–10 McCormack Motorsports Lola T94/00 Ford-Cosworth 30 Stan Wattles 1–2 G-Force Oldsmobile Jeret Schroeder 3–4 Robbie Groff 5–10 Metro Racing Systems Riley & Scott Oldsmobile 19 Stan Wattles 10 Nienhouse Motorsports Riley & Scott Oldsmobile 23 Mike Shank 10 Pagan Racing Reynard 95IReynard 94IDallara Ford-CosworthInfinitiOldsmobile 21 Roberto Guerrero All PDM Racing Lola T93/00DallaraG-Force MenardOldsmobile 18 John Paul Jr. 1–5, 8–10 Tyce Carlson 5–6 Billy Boat 7 28 Tyce Carlson 1–2 Kelley Racing – PDM Mark Dismore 5–10 Project Indy Reynard 95I Ford-Cosworth 64 Johnny Unser 1–2 Roe Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 24 Billy Roe 10 Team Cheever Lola T95/00G-Force MenardOldsmobile 51 Eddie Cheever All 52 Jeff Ward 5 Team Menard Lola T95/00G-Force MenardOldsmobile 2 Tony Stewart All 3 Mark Dismore 1–2 Robbie Buhl 4–6, 9–10 Team SABCO G-Force Oldsmobile 42 Robby Gordon 5 Team Scandia Lola T95/00Reynard 95ILola T94/00Dallara Ford-CosworthOldsmobile 7 Eliseo Salazar 1–2, 5–10 8 Stéphan Grégoire 2 Vincenzo Sospiri 5–6 22 Stéphan Grégoire 1 Michel Jourdain Jr. 2 Marco Greco 3–6 Vincenzo Sospiri 7–10 33 Michele Alboreto 1–2 Fermín Vélez 3–6 Jimmy Kite 7–10 34 Affonso Giaffone 2 Alessandro Zampedri 5–6 Tempero/Giuffre Racing Lola T93/00 Buick 15 David Kudrave 1 Juan Carlos Carbonell 2 Treadway Racing Reynard 95IReynard 94IG-Force Ford-CosworthOldsmobile 5 Arie Luyendyk All 6 Johnny O'Connell 1–2 Scott Goodyear 3–10 Walker Racing Reynard 95I Ford-Cosworth 50 Robby Gordon 2
Schedule Rd Date Race Name Track Location 1 August 18 1996 True Value 200 New Hampshire International Speedway Loudon, New Hampshire 2 September 15 1996 1996 Las Vegas 500K Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, Nevada 3 January 25 1997 Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Walt Disney World Speedway Bay Lake, Florida 4 March 23 1997 Phoenix 200 Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix, Arizona 5 May 26–27 1997 81st Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana 6 June 7 1997 True Value 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas 7 June 29 1997 Samsonite 200 Pikes Peak International Raceway Fountain, Colorado 8 July 27 1997 VisionAire 500 Charlotte Motor Speedway Concord, North Carolina 9 August 17 1997 Pennzoil 200 New Hampshire International Speedway Loudon, New Hampshire 10 October 11 1997 1997 Las Vegas 500K Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, NevadaSources:
All races were run on oval speedways.
After the 1996 prologue-style, 3-race season that ended at the 80th Indianapolis 500, the 1996–97 season had just two further races in calendar year 1996, at New Hampshire International Speedway, a former CART venue, and a barely inaugurated Las Vegas Motor Speedway. On 9 October 1996, the IRL decided to revert to a calendar-based format for 1998, moving the intended end of the 1996–97 season at Indianapolis in May to Las Vegas in October.
For calendar year 1997, all five races from 1996 were held again, alongside three further races, contested consecutively in the summer months after the Indianapolis 500. Two new venues, Texas Motor Speedway and Pikes Peak International Raceway, was followed by IRL's first incursion in a NASCAR foothold, the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Texas and Charlotte held the first night races in Indy-car history, and became the first 1.5 mile banked oval racetracks in an Indy-car schedule since Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1983.
Results RoundRacePole positionFastest lapMost laps ledRace WinnerReportDriverTeamChassisEngine 1 New Hampshire 1 Richie Hearn Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Scott Sharp A. J. Foyt EnterprisesLolaFord-Cosworth Report 2 Las Vegas 1 Arie Luyendyk Richie Hearn Richie Hearn Richie Hearn Della Penna MotorsportsReynardFord-Cosworth Report 3 Walt Disney World Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Eddie Cheever Team CheeverG-ForceOldsmobile Report 4 Phoenix Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Jim Guthrie Blueprint RacingDallaraOldsmobile Report 5 Indianapolis Arie Luyendyk Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Arie Luyendyk Treadway RacingG-ForceOldsmobile Report 6 Texas Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Arie Luyendyk Treadway RacingG-ForceOldsmobile Report 7 Pikes Peak Scott Sharp Jimmy Kite Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Team MenardG-ForceOldsmobile Report 8 Charlotte Tony Stewart Billy Boat Tony Stewart Buddy Lazier Hemelgarn RacingDallaraOldsmobile Report 9 New Hampshire 2 Marco Greco Vincenzo Sospiri Eddie Cheever Robbie Buhl Team MenardG-ForceOldsmobile Report 10 Las Vegas 2 Billy Boat Billy Boat Eliseo Salazar Eliseo Salazar Team ScandiaDallaraOldsmobile Report
Race summaries
True Value 200 The True Value 200 was held on August 18, 1996, at New Hampshire International Speedway. Richie Hearn qualified on the pole position.
Top 10 results 1 – Scott Sharp 12 – Buzz Calkins 33 – Michele Alboreto 10 – Mike Groff 14 – Davey Hamilton 21 – Roberto Guerrero 40 – Marco Greco 22 – Stéphan Grégoire 7 – Eliseo Salazar 18 – John Paul Jr.
Failed to qualify: 24-Randy Tolsma, 25-Jon Field, 64-Johnny Unser, 75-Johnny O'Connell and 96-Mike Orday This was Sharp's first IndyCar win. The win was also the first for A. J. Foyt Enterprises since A. J. Foyt won the 1981 Van Scoy Diamond Mines 500 at Pocono International Raceway. Tony Stewart was the class of the field leading for 165 of 200 laps, accruing a nearly 3 lap lead over second place. However, he suffered complete electrical failure after 182 laps and finished 12th.
Las Vegas 500K (1996) The Las Vegas 500K was held on September 15, 1996, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Arie Luyendyk qualified on the pole position.
Top 10 results 4 – Richie Hearn 22 – Michel Jourdain Jr. 10 – Mike Groff 21 – Roberto Guerrero 33 – Michele Alboreto 12 – Buzz Calkins 7 – Eliseo Salazar 54 – Robbie Buhl 40 – Marco Greco 34 – Affonso Giaffone Failed to qualify: 96-Dave Steele This was the final IRL race contested with the turbocharged machines. Hearn's only IndyCar win. Because he and his team, Della Penna Motorsports, were switching to CART for 1997, he would not compete in any more IRL races for the remainder of the season. The slow pace of the race, consisting of nine cautions, caused ABC to leave just past the halfway point. Johnny O'Connell had a violent crash on lap 185 that resulted in him sliding upside down on the main straightaway resulting in a short red flag period. Johnny Parsons' final IndyCar race. He had started IndyCar races since 1969. In this race, he crashed on lap nine and finished 28th (last).
Indy 200 The Indy 200 was held on January 25, 1997, at Walt Disney World Speedway. Tony Stewart qualified on the pole position.
Top 10 results 51 – Eddie Cheever 10 – Mike Groff 6 – Scott Goodyear 1 – Scott Sharp 91 – Buddy Lazier 27 – Jim Guthrie 14 – Davey Hamilton 22 – Marco Greco 33 – Fermin Velez 2 – Tony Stewart (DNF, crash) Failed to qualify: 4-Davy Jones The race was shortened from 200 laps to 149 laps due to rain. This was the first IRL race contested with the normally aspirated engines and new chassis. This was Eddie Cheever's first Indy car win. Buzz Calkins was leading when his engine failed on lap 145. Stewart took the lead, but crashed on the following lap. Cheever inherited the lead and the race was stopped three laps later when a downpour ensued. Danny Ongais' final IndyCar race. He finished 13th due to a crash after 94 laps.
Phoenix 200 The Phoenix 200 was held on March 23, 1997, at Phoenix International Raceway. Tony Stewart qualified on the pole position.
Top 10 results 27 – Jim Guthrie 2 – Tony Stewart 14 – Davey Hamilton 22 – Marco Greco 77 – Stéphan Grégoire 10 – Mike Groff 21 – Roberto Guerrero 12 – Buzz Calkins 18 – John Paul Jr. 16 – Sam Schmidt Failed to qualify: 17-Danny Ongais and 54-Robbie Buhl Guthrie's only IndyCar win. He stretched his fuel over the final 82 laps and the $170,100 payout allowed him to settle off his debts from getting a second mortgage.