2001 Indy Racing League

The 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series saw the addition of five races and loss of one to bring the total to 13. Chip Ganassi Racing returned to the Indy 500 with four cars and were joined on the grid by Penske Racing and Team Kool Green. Sam Hornish Jr. won 3 races on his way to the championship while the less consistent Buddy Lazier won four races on his way to second place in his title defense.

2001 Indy Racing League season
Indy Racing Northern Light Series
2001 Indy Racing League
Season
Races13
Start dateMarch 18
End dateOctober 6
Awards
Drivers' championUnited States Sam Hornish Jr.
Manufacturers' CupUnited States Oldsmobile
Rookie of the YearBrazil Felipe Giaffone
Indianapolis 500 winnerBrazil Hélio Castroneves
Sam Hornish Jr. (left) won his first Drivers' Championship while Buddy Lazier (right) finished second in the championship.

Confirmed entries
Team Chassis Engine No. Drivers Round(s)
United States Team Menard Dallara Oldsmobile 2 United States Greg Ray 1–10
United States Jaques Lazier 11–13
United States Galles Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 3 United States Al Unser Jr. All
31 United States Casey Mears  R  1–4
32 France Didier André  R  All
United States Panther Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 4 United States Sam Hornish Jr. All
United States Treadway-Hubbard Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 5 Netherlands Arie Luyendyk 4
United States Rick Treadway  R  10, 12–13
Oldsmobile 21 Brazil Felipe Giaffone  R  All
United States Tri-Star Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 6 United States Tyce Carlson 1
United States Jon Herb  R  2–4, 8
United States Jeret Schroeder 5, 7
60 United States Richie Hearn 4
United States Dick Simon Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 7 France Stéphan Grégoire 1–3
17 Colombia Roberto Guerrero 4
United States Kelley Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 8 United States Scott Sharp All
28 United States Mark Dismore All
United States PDM Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 9 United States Jeret Schroeder 1–4, 8
18 United States Jon Herb  R  12–13
United States Cahill Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 10 United States Robby McGehee 1–5, 8–13
11 United States Dr. Jack Miller 3
United States A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara Oldsmobile 11 United States Donnie Beechler 4–12
United States Greg Ray 13
14 Chile Eliseo Salazar All
41 United States Robby Gordon 4
United States Bradley Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 12 United States Buzz Calkins All
United States Walker Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 15 United States Sarah Fisher All
United States Indy Regency Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 16 United States Cory Witherill  R  3–4
United States Dreyer & Reinbold Racing G-Force Infiniti 24 United States Robbie Buhl All
United States Blueprint Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 27 United States John Hollansworth Jr. 2
United States Jim Guthrie 4
United States McCormack Motorsports G-Force Oldsmobile 30 United States Brandon Erwin  R  1–3, 5
United States Jimmy Kite 4
United States Chip Ganassi Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 33 United States Tony Stewart 4
44 United States Jimmy Vasser 4
49 France Nicolas Minassian 4
50 Brazil Bruno Junqueira 4
United States Conquest Racing Dallara Infiniti 34 France Laurent Redon 12–13
United States Heritage Motorsports G-Force Oldsmobile 35 United States Jeff Ward All
36 France Stéphan Grégoire 4
United States Brayton Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 37 United States Steve Knapp 4
61 United States Memo Gidley 4
United States Team Green Dallara Oldsmobile 39 United States Michael Andretti 4
United States Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 44 United States Anthony Lazzaro  R  11, 13
99 United States Davey Hamilton 1–5
United States Richie Hearn 6, 12
United States Jaques Lazier 7–10
United States Alex Barron 11
United States Team Cheever Dallara Infiniti 51 United States Eddie Cheever All
52 Canada Scott Goodyear 4
United States Vertex-Cunningham Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 55 Japan Shigeaki Hattori All
United States Team Penske Dallara Oldsmobile 66 Brazil Gil de Ferran 1, 4
68 Brazil Hélio Castroneves 1, 4
United States Team Xtreme G-Force Oldsmobile 77 United States Jaques Lazier 4–6
88 Brazil Airton Daré All
United States Zali Racing G-Force Oldsmobile 81 United States John Paul Jr. 4
United States Billy Roe 5–13
United States Hemelgarn Racing Dallara Oldsmobile 91 United States Buddy Lazier All
92 United States Stan Wattles 1–3
United States Chris Menninga  R  11–13
93 United States Steve Knapp 4
United States Curb-Agajanian-Beck Motorsports Dallara Oldsmobile 98 United States Billy Boat All

Season Summary

Schedule
Rnd Date Race Name Track City
1 March 18 Pennzoil Copper World Indy 200 Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix, Arizona
2 April 8 Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami Homestead-Miami Speedway Homestead, Florida
3 April 28 zMax 500 Atlanta Motor Speedway Hampton, Georgia
4 May 27 85th Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana
5 June 9 Casino Magic 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas
6 June 17 Radisson Indy 200 Pikes Peak International Raceway Fountain, Colorado
7 June 30 SunTrust Indy Challenge Richmond International Raceway Richmond, Virginia
8 July 8 Ameristar Casino Indy 200 Kansas Speedway Kansas City, Kansas
9 July 21 Harrah's 200 Nashville Superspeedway Lebanon, Tennessee
10 August 12 Belterra Resort Indy 300 Kentucky Speedway Sparta, Kentucky
11 August 26 Gateway Indy 250 Gateway International Raceway Madison, Illinois
12 September 2 Delphi Indy 300 Chicagoland Speedway Joliet, Illinois
13 October 6 Chevy 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas

Race results
Rnd Race Pole position Fastest lap Most Laps Led Winner
1 Phoenix United States Greg Ray United States Billy Boat United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Sam Hornish Jr.
2 Homestead-Miami United States Jeff Ward United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Sam Hornish Jr.
3 Atlanta United States Greg Ray United States Greg Ray United States Greg Ray United States Greg Ray
4 Indianapolis United States Scott Sharp United States Sam Hornish Jr. Brazil Hélio Castroneves Brazil Hélio Castroneves
5 Texas 1 United States Mark Dismore United States Eddie Cheever United States Greg Ray United States Scott Sharp
6 Pikes Peak United States Greg Ray United States Billy Boat United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Buddy Lazier
7 Richmond United States Jaques Lazier United States Buddy Lazier United States Buddy Lazier United States Buddy Lazier
8 Kansas United States Scott Sharp United States Mark Dismore United States Eddie Cheever United States Eddie Cheever
9 Nashville United States Greg Ray United States Buddy Lazier United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Buddy Lazier
10 Kentucky United States Scott Sharp United States Mark Dismore United States Scott Sharp United States Buddy Lazier
11 Gateway United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Robbie Buhl United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Al Unser Jr.
12 Chicagoland United States Jaques Lazier United States Robbie Buhl United States Jaques Lazier United States Jaques Lazier
13 Texas 2 United States Sam Hornish Jr. Brazil Felipe Giaffone United States Sam Hornish Jr. United States Sam Hornish Jr.

Note: All races running on Oval/Speedway.

Pennzoil Copper World Indy 200

This race was held March 18 at Phoenix International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 14- Eliseo Salazar
  3. 91- Buddy Lazier
  4. 8- Scott Sharp
  5. 98- Billy Boat
  6. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  7. 35- Jeff Ward
  8. 10- Robby McGehee
  9. 12- Buzz Calkins
  10. 88- Airton Daré

Inaugural Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami

This race was held April 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Jeff Ward won the pole. Sarah Fisher's second place was the highest finish in an Indy car race by a female driver at the time.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 15- Sarah Fisher
  3. 14- Eliseo Salazar
  4. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  5. 35- Jeff Ward
  6. 3- Al Unser Jr.
  7. 28- Mark Dismore
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 51- Eddie Cheever
  10. 32- Didier André

zMax 500

This race was held April 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole. A huge 11-car pileup occurred on lap 54, sending Dr. Jack Miller to the hospital with a concussion. It would be Miller's final race. This is also the final Indy car race held at Atlanta to-date.

Top ten results

  1. 2- Greg Ray
  2. 8- Scott Sharp
  3. 12- Buzz Calkins
  4. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  5. 14- Eliseo Salazar
  6. 91- Buddy Lazier
  7. 35- Jeff Ward
  8. 55- Shigeaki Hattori
  9. 88- Airton Daré
  10. 21- Felipe Giaffone

85th Indianapolis 500

The Indy 500 was held May 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Scott Sharp sat on pole. Sharp crashed on the opening lap, and finished last. Team Penske returned to Indy after failing to qualify in 1995 and boycotting the race due to the IRL/CART "split" from 1996 to 2000. Penske finishes 1st–2nd with Hélio Castroneves and Gil de Ferran, Roger Penske's first-ever 1–2 at Indy as an owner.

Top ten results

  1. 68- Hélio Castroneves
  2. 66- Gil de Ferran
  3. 39- Michael Andretti
  4. 44- Jimmy Vasser
  5. 50- Bruno Junqueira
  6. 33- Tony Stewart
  7. 14- Eliseo Salazar
  8. 88- Airton Daré
  9. 98- Billy Boat
  10. 21- Felipe Giaffone

Casino Magic 500

This race was held June 9 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mark Dismore won the pole. A serious crash on lap 56 involved Davey Hamilton, who lost control after Jeret Schroeder blew an engine, and Hamilton drove in the oil. Hamilton then crashed hard into the turn 2 wall, causing serious injuries to both legs and feet. The crash effectively ended Hamilton's full-time racing career. Scott Sharp stole the win after Eddie Cheever and Greg Ray crashed hard on the backstretch while battling for the victory in the final laps. Robby McGehee, who was running many laps down, was also caught up in the mishap; McGehee suffered leg and head injuries and missed several races.

Top ten results

  1. 8- Scott Sharp
  2. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  3. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  4. 91- Buddy Lazier
  5. 98- Billy Boat
  6. 11- Donnie Beechler
  7. 14- Eliseo Salazar
  8. 3- Al Unser Jr.
  9. 77- Jaques Lazier
  10. 55- Shigeaki Hattori

Radisson Indy 200

This race was held June 17 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 91- Buddy Lazier
  2. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  3. 24- Robbie Buhl
  4. 98- Billy Boat
  5. 88- Airton Daré
  6. 51- Eddie Cheever
  7. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 99- Richie Hearn
  10. 15- Sarah Fisher

Inaugural SunTrust Indy Challenge

This race was held June 30 at Richmond International Raceway. Jaques Lazier won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 91- Buddy Lazier
  2. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  3. 3- Al Unser Jr.
  4. 32- Didier André
  5. 8- Scott Sharp
  6. 28- Mark Dismore
  7. 11- Donnie Beechler
  8. 35- Jeff Ward
  9. 24- Robbie Buhl
  10. 12- Buzz Calkins

Ameristar Casino Indy 200

This race was held July 8 at Kansas Speedway. Scott Sharp won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 51- Eddie Cheever
  2. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  3. 11- Donnie Beechler
  4. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  5. 91- Buddy Lazier
  6. 88- Airton Daré
  7. 14- Eliseo Salazar
  8. 55- Shigeaki Hattori
  9. 98- Billy Boat
  10. 10- Robby McGehee

Inaugural Harrah's 200

This race was held July 21 at Nashville Superspeedway. Greg Ray won the pole. On lap 103 of the race, Cheever was attempting to lap the slower car of Greg Ray, when the two made contact in turn 2. The resulting accident also caught up Unser, Jr., Beechler, and Dismore, who was struck from behind by a charging Airton Dare. No one was injured in the crash. This was the first caution of the race and lasted 18 laps, with Buddy Lazier in the lead as racing resumed.

Top ten results

  1. 91- Buddy Lazier
  2. 98- Billy Boat
  3. 99- Jaques Lazier
  4. 10- Robby McGehee
  5. 8- Scott Sharp
  6. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  7. 55- Shigeaki Hattori
  8. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  9. 12- Buzz Calkins
  10. 11- Donnie Beechler

Belterra Resort Indy 300

This race was held August 12 at Kentucky Speedway. Scott Sharp won the pole. Buddy Lazier drove to victory, his final career win.

Top ten results

  1. 91- Buddy Lazier
  2. 8- Scott Sharp
  3. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  4. 3- Al Unser Jr.
  5. 11- Donnie Beechler
  6. 98- Billy Boat
  7. 55- Shigeaki Hattori
  8. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  9. 24- Robbie Buhl
  10. 35- Jeff Ward

Inaugural Gateway Indy 250

This race was held August 26 at Gateway International Raceway. Sam Hornish Jr. won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 3- Al Unser Jr.
  2. 28- Mark Dismore
  3. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  4. 51- Eddie Cheever
  5. 24- Robbie Buhl
  6. 98- Billy Boat
  7. 35- Jeff Ward
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 88- Airton Daré
  10. 10- Robby McGehee

Inaugural Delphi Indy 300

This race was held September 2 at Chicagoland Speedway. Jaques Lazier won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 2- Jaques Lazier
  2. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  3. 51- Eddie Cheever
  4. 35- Jeff Ward
  5. 11- Donnie Beechler
  6. 99- Richie Hearn
  7. 34- Laurent Redon
  8. 3- Al Unser Jr.
  9. 12- Buzz Calkins
  10. 21- Felipe Giaffone

Chevy 500

This race was held October 6 at Texas Motor Speedway. Sam Hornish Jr. won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish Jr.
  2. 8- Scott Sharp
  3. 24- Robbie Buhl
  4. 14- Eliseo Salazar
  5. 5- Rick Treadway
  6. 3- Al Unser Jr.
  7. 88- Airton Daré
  8. 11- Greg Ray
  9. 18- Jon Herb
  10. 12- Buzz Calkins

Final points standings
Further information: List of American Championship car racing point scoring systems
Pos Driver PHX
 HOM
 ATL
 INDY
 TXS
 PIK
 RIR
 KAN
 NSH
 KTY
 GAT
CHI
 TX2
 Pts
1 United States Sam Hornish Jr. 1* 1* 4 14 3 2* 2 2 6* 3 3* 2 1* 503
2 United States Buddy Lazier 3 20 6 18 4 1 1* 5 1 1 13 11 17 398
3 United States Scott Sharp 4 8 2 33 1 8 5 17 5 2* 8 25 2 355
4 United States Billy Boat 5 13 14 9 5 4 18 9 2 6 6 12 12 313
5 Chile Eliseo Salazar 2 3 5 7 7 14 12 7 11 15 17 18 4 308
6 Brazil Felipe Giaffone  RY  6 4 10 10 2 7 11 4 8 8 20 10 21 304
7 United States Al Unser Jr. 23 6 17 30 8 11 3 20 14 4 1 8 6 287
8 United States Eddie Cheever 19 9 24 26 12 6 13 1* 15 21 4 3 18 261
9 United States Buzz Calkins 9 16 3 12 15 15 10 13 9 16 22 9 10 242
10 Brazil Airton Daré 10 23 9 8 19 5 15 6 17 20 9 19 7 239
11 United States Jeff Ward 7 5 7 24 16 12 8 20 10 7 4 24 238
12 United States Robbie Buhl 11 24 20 15 21 3 9 21 13 9 5 22 3 237
13 Japan Shigeaki Hattori 13 15 8 DNQ 10 DNS 14 8 7 7 15 21 16 215
14 United States Mark Dismore 25 7 26 16 20 13 6 11 16 22 2 17 23 205
15 United States Donnie Beechler 25 6 16 7 3 10 5 14 5 204
16 United States Robby McGehee 8 12 21 11 14 10 4 18 10 20 14 196
17 United States Jaques Lazier 22 9 17 19 18 3 12 16 1* 20 195
18 United States Greg Ray 22 21 1* 17 11* 18 Wth 14 18 13 8 193
19 United States Sarah Fisher 17 2 11 31 18 10 17 12 19 19 11 24 25 188
20 France Didier André  R  27 10 13 DNQ 17 19 4 16 21 11 12 13 15 188
21 United States Billy Roe 13 20 20 22 12 14 23 23 22 101
22 United States Jeret Schroeder 26 14 19 20 23 16 15 77
23 United States Jon Herb  R  25 16 27 19 15 9 70
24 Brazil Hélio Castroneves 18 1* 64
25 United States Rick Treadway  R  17 14 5 59
26 United States Davey Hamilton 12 19 18 23 24 54
27 United States Richie Hearn DNQ 9 6 50
28 Brazil Gil de Ferran 24 2 46
29 France Laurent Redon  R  7 11 45
30 United States Brandon Erwin  R  14 17 27 Wth 22 40
31 United States Casey Mears  R  20 11 23 DNQ 36
32 United States Stan Wattles 16 26 12 Wth 36
33 United States Chris Menninga  R  19 16 19 36
34 United States Michael Andretti 3 35
35 France Stéphan Grégoire 21 22 15 28 34
36 United States Jimmy Vasser 4 32
37 Brazil Bruno Junqueira 5 30
38 United States Anthony Lazzaro  R  18 13 29
39 United States Tony Stewart 6 28
40 United States Cory Witherill  R  22 19 19
41 Netherlands Arie Luyendyk 13 17
42 United States Tyce Carlson 15 Wth 15
43 United States John Hollansworth Jr. 18 12
44 United States Alex Barron 21 9
45 United States Robby Gordon 21 9
46 United States Dr. Jack Miller 25 5
47 France Nicolas Minassian 29 1
48 Canada Scott Goodyear 32 1
– Brazil Raul Boesel Wth 0
– United States Memo Gidley DNQ 0
– Colombia Roberto Guerrero DNQ 0
– United States Jim Guthrie DNQ 0
– United States Jimmy Kite DNQ 0
– United States Steve Knapp DNQ 0
– United States John Paul Jr. DNQ 0
Pos Driver PHX
 HOM
 ATL
 INDY
 TXS
 PIK
 RIR
 KAN
 NSH
 KTY
 GAT
CHI
 TXS
 Pts
Color Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green 4th & 5th place
Light Blue 6th–10th place
Dark Blue Finished
(Outside Top 10)
Purple Did not finish
(Ret)
Red Did not qualify
(DNQ)
Brown Withdrawn
(Wth)
Black Disqualified
(DSQ)
White Did not start
(DNS)
Blank Did not
participate
(DNP)
Not competing
In-line notation
Bold Pole position
(2 points)
Italics Ran fastest race lap
* Led most race laps
(1 point)
DNS Any driver who qualifies
but does not start (DNS),
earns all the points
had they taken part.
 RY  Rookie of the Year
 R  Rookie
  • 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.

See also
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