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 No | Track | State | Date | Laps | Distance | Time | Speed | Winner | Pole Position | Most Leading Laps | Fastest Race Lap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Homestead | Florida | March 3, 1996 | 37 | 2.4574011=90.9238407 km | 0'31:51.723 | 171.220 km/h | David Empringham | David Empringham | David Empringham | ? |
2 | Long Beach | California | April 14, 1996 | 44 | 2.558787=112.586628 km | 0'54:17.817 | 124.412 km/h | David Empringham | Gualter Salles | David Empringham | ? |
3 | Nazareth | Pennsylvania | April 28, 1996 | 75 | 1.5223978=114.179835 km | 0'49:08.616 | 139.404 km/h | Dave DeSilva | Claude Bourbonnais | Dave DeSilva | ? |
4 | Brooklyn | Michigan | May 25, 1996 | 50 | 3.2186=160.93 km | 0'32:30.239 | 297.065 km/h | David Empringham | David Empringham | David Empringham | ? |
5 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | June 2, 1996 | 75 | 1.6607976=124.55982 km | 0'38:39.070 | 193.360 km/h | Mark Hotchkis | Mark Hotchkis | Mark Hotchkis | ? |
6 | Detroit | Michigan | June 9, 1996 | 36 | 3.6482831=131.338192 km | 0'56:39.773 | 139.073 km/h | Tony Kanaan | David Empringham | Tony Kanaan | ? |
7 | Portland | Oregon | June 23, 1996 | 39 | 3.138135=122.387265 km | 0'44:55.609 | 163.449 km/h | Gualter Salles | Tony Kanaan | Gualter Salles | ? |
8 | Cleveland | Ohio | June 30, 1996 | 32 | 3.8124317=121.9978144 km | 0'43:04.913 | 169,910 km/h | Gualter Salles | Mark Hotchkis | Gualter Salles | ? |
9 | Toronto | Canada | July 14, 1996 | 41 | 2.8709912=117.710639 km | 0'49:52.728 | 141.596 km/h | Gualter Salles | Jeff Ward | Gualter Salles | ? |
10 | Trois-Rivières | Canada | August 4, 1996 | 50 | 2.4477453=122.387265 km | 0'58:44.951 | 125.192 km/h | Hélio Castro-Neves | Hélio Castro-Neves | Hélio Castro-Neves | ? |
11 | Vancouver | Canada | September 1, 1996 | 44 | 2.7406379=120.588068 km | 0'53:55.713 | 134.164 km/h | Claude Bourbonnais | Jeff Ward | Tony Kanaan | ? |
12 | Monterey | California | September 8, 1996 | 34 | 3.6016134=122.454856 km | 0'43:55.832 | 167.248 km/h | Tony Kanaan | Tony Kanaan | Tony Kanaan | ? |
Race summaries
Homestead race
Held March 3 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. David Empringham won the pole.
Top Five Results
- David Empringham
- Chris Simmons
- Mark Hotchkis
- David DeSilva
- Jeff Ward
Long Beach race
Held April 14 at Long Beach, California Street Course. Gualter Salles won the pole.
Top Five Results
Nazareth race
Held April 28 at Nazareth Speedway. Claude Bourbonnais won the pole.
Top Five Results
- David DeSilva
- David Empringham
- Mark Hotchkis
- Chris Simmons
- Jeff Ward
Michigan race
Held May 25 at Michigan International Speedway. David Empringham won the pole.
Top Five Results
Milwaukee race
Held June 2 at The Milwaukee Mile. Mark Hotchkis won the pole.
Top Five Results
Detroit race
Held June 9 at Belle Isle Raceway. David Empringham won the pole.
Top Five Results
- Tony Kanaan
- Alex Padilla
- Claude Bourbonnais
- José Luis Di Palma
- Jaki Scheckter
Portland race
Held June 23 at Portland International Raceway. Tony Kanaan won the pole.
Top Five Results
Cleveland race
Held June 30 at Burke Lakefront Airport. Mark Hotchkis won the pole.
Top Five Results
Toronto race
Held July 14 at Exhibition Place. Jeff Ward won the pole.
Top Five Results
Trois-Rivières race
Held August 4 at the Trois-Rivières, Quebec Street Circuit. Hélio Castro-Neves won the pole.
Top Five Results
- Hélio Castro-Neves
- Tony Kanaan
- Alex Padilla
- David Empringham
- Bertrand Godin
Vancouver race
Held September 1 at Pacific Place. Jeff Ward won the pole.
Top Five Results
- Claude Bourbonnais
- Tony Kanaan
- Jeff Hotchkis
- Alex Padilla
- David Empringham
Laguna Seca race
Held September 8 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Tony Kanaan won the pole.
Top Five Results
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 (1 point) and to the driver leading the most laps (1 point).
Place | Name | Country | Team | Total Points | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | David Empringham | Canada | Forsythe Racing | 148 | 22 | 21 | 16 | 22 | 14 | 1 | 14 | - | 8 | 12 | 10 | 8 |
2 | Tony Kanaan | Brazil | Tasman Motorsports | 113 | 3 | 16 | 1 | - | 6 | 21 | 11 | - | - | 16 | 17 | 22 |
3 | Gualter Salles | Brazil | Brian Stewart Racing | 108 | 8 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 12 | - | 21 | 21 | 21 | - | - | - |
4 | Claude Bourbonnais | Canada | Forsythe Racing | 104 | - | 6 | 1 | - | 5 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 16 | - | 20 | 14 |
5 | Mark Hotchkis | United States | Leading Edge Motorsport | 102 | 14 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | - | 14 | 6 |
6 | Alex Padilla | United States | Team Medlin | 90 | - | 10 | - | - | - | 16 | 16 | - | 10 | 14 | 12 | 12 |
7 | Hélio Castro-Neves | Brazil | Tasman Motorsports | 84 | - | 12 | - | 10 | 2 | - | 5 | 14 | - | 22 | 3 | 16 |
8 | David DeSilva | United States | Genoa Racing | 61 | 12 | 3 | 21 | 6 | - | 8 | 1 | - | - | 6 | - | 4 |
9 | José Luis Di Palma | Argentina | Tasman Motorsports | 56 | - | 8 | 8 | 5 | - | 12 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 8 | - |
10 | Chris Simmons | United States | Team Green | 54 | 16 | - | 12 | 1 | 10 | 6 | - | 2 | - | - | 6 | 1 |
11 | Jeff Ward | United States | Dorricott Racing | 53 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 14 | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 10 |
12 | Greg Ray | United States | Team Green | 48 | 6 | 2 | - | - | 16 | 5 | 8 | 3 | - | 8 | - | - |
13 | Shigeaki Hattori | Japan | Dorricott Racing | 42 | 4 | - | 3 | - | 8 | - | 6 | 4 | 12 | 5 | - | - |
14 | Hideki Noda | Japan | Indy Regency Racing | 34 | 2 | - | 6 | - | 1 | - | - | 10 | 14 | 1 | - | - |
15 | Robby Unser | United States | PacWest Lights | 25 | - | - | - | 12 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 3 | 4 | - | - |
16 | Bertrand Godin | Canada | Forsythe Racing | 21 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 10 | 2 | 3 |
17 | Felipe Giaffone | Brazil | Leading Edge Motorsport | 20 | - | - | - | 3 | 4 | - | - | 8 | - | - | - | |
Brian Stewart Racing | 5 | |||||||||||||||
Nick Firestone | United States | Brian Stewart Racing | 18 | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 4 | 12 | - | - | - | - | |
19 | Jack Miller | United States | Brian Stewart Racing | 12 | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 4 | - |
Jaki Scheckter | South Africa | FRE Racing | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | |
21 | Roque Aranda | Paraguay | RaceCars | 8 | - | - | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
22 | Freddy van Beuren | Mexico | RaceCars | 7 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | 5 | - |
23 | Doug Boyer | United States | Summitt Motorsports | 5 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Casey Mears | United States | Team Mears | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | |
25 | Robbie Buhl | United States | FRE Racing | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | - |
Rodolfo Lavín, Jr. | Mexico | Leading Edge Motorsport | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | |
27 | José Cordova | Brazil | FRE Racing | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Shan Groff | United States | Team Leisy/McCormack | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Complete Overview
first column of every race | 10 | = grid position |
second column of every race | 10 | = race result |
R21=retired, but classified NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify (18)=place after practice, but grid position not held free
Place | Name | Country | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | David Empringham | Canada | Forsythe Racing | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | R21 | 7 | 3 | 11 | R21 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 5 | 9 | 6 |
2 | Tony Kanaan | Brazil | Tasman Motorsports | 9 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 11 | R12 | 4 | R17 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | R19 | 4 | R24 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
3 | Gualter Salles | Brazil | Brian Stewart Racing | 5 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 14 | R11 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2 | R22 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | R15 | 16 | R21 | 13 | 19 |
4 | Claude Bourbonnais | Canada | Forsythe Racing | 24 | NQ | 8 | 7 | 1 | R16 | 2 | R18 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 9 | R20 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
5 | Mark Hotchkis | United States | Leading Edge Motorsport | 2 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 10 | 1 | R18 | 11 | 9 | 7 | R19 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 7 |
6 | Alex Padilla | United States | Team Medlin | 12 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 19 | R15 | - | - | 18 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 7 | R20 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
7 | Hélio Castro-Neves | Brazil | Tasman Motorsports | (18) | NS | 5 | 4 | 7 | R17 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 12 | R17 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 3 | R23 | 1 | 1 | 3 | R10 | 4 | 2 |
8 | David DeSilva | United States | Genoa Racing | 3 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 2 | R19 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 14 | R15 | 12 | 7 | 5 | R18 | 7 | 9 |
9 | José Luis Di Palma | Argentina | Tasman Motorsports | 13 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 19 | 13 |
10 | Chris Simmons | United States | Team Green | 4 | 2 | 16 | R23 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 7 | 11 | R21 | 13 | 11 | 16 | R14 | 13 | R17 | 13 | 7 | 11 | 12 |
11 | Jeff Ward | United States | Dorricott Racing | 8 | 5 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 3 | (7) | NS | 8 | 11 | 6 | R17 | 4 | 13 | 1 | R20 | 3 | R16 | 1 | R20 | 3 | 5 |
12 | Greg Ray | United States | Team Green | 7 | 7 | 14 | 11 | 12 | R18 | 12 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 8 | 13 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 19 | R16 | 8 | 6 | 17 | R17 | 15 | 16 |
13 | Shigeaki Hattori | Japan | Dorricott Racing | 11 | 9 | 27 | NQ | 6 | 10 | 8 | R19 | 9 | 6 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 15 | R16 | 16 | 14 |
14 | Hideki Noda | Japan | Indy Regency Racing | 14 | 11 | 9 | R16 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 11 | R16 | 4 | R20 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 4 | R13 | 8 | 15 |
15 | Robby Unser | United States | PacWest Lights | 16 | 13 | 24 | R15 | 13 | R14 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 10 | 21 | 15 | - | - | 17 | 10 | 17 | 9 | 12 | R14 | 18 | 20 |
16 | Bertrand Godin | Canada | Forsythe Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
17 | Felipe Giaffone | Brazil | Leading Edge Motorsport | 17 | 14 | 15 | R24 | 15 | R13 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 15 | R18 | 3 | R16 | 13 | 6 | - | - | - | - | ||||
Brian Stewart Racing | 9 | R22 | 12 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Nick Firestone | United States | Brian Stewart Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 16 | R20 | 18 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 15 | R19 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
19 | Jack Miller | United States | Brian Stewart Racing | 19 | 21 | 17 | R18 | 18 | 6 | 20 | R20 | 19 | 18 | 22 | R15 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 14 | 21 | R21 | 20 | 10 | 22 | 9 | 22 | 23 |
Jaki Scheckter | South Africa | FRE Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 5 | 10 | R18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 11 | |
21 | Roque Aranda | Paraguay | RaceCars | - | - | 19 | R20 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
22 | Freddy van Beuren | Mexico | RaceCars | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 18 | 13 | 21 | 8 | 17 | 17 |
23 | Doug Boyer | United States | Summitt Motorsports | 6 | 8 | 6 | R22 | ? | NQ | 19 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 13 | R19 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ? | NS | - | - |
Casey Mears | United States | Team Mears | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
25 | Robbie Buhl | United States | FRE Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Rodolfo Lavín, Jr. | Mexico | Leading Edge Motorsport | 18 | 16 | 22 | R19 | ? | NQ | 18 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 21 | 12 | 20 | 14 | 21 | 15 | 21 | R13 | 19 | R18 | 20 | R12 | 20 | 21 | |
27 | José Cordova | Brazil | FRE Racing | 15 | 12 | 18 | R25 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Shan Groff | United States | Team Leisy/McCormack | - | - | 26 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ? | NS | 23 | 22 | |
- | Mauricio Slaviero | Brazil | RaceCars | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 17 | 13 | 17 | R17 | 18 | R18 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | Mattias Andersson | Sweden | Brian Stewart Racing | 21 | 20 | 21 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | Sohrab Amirsardari | Canada | Leading Edge Motorsport | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 14 | - | - | - | - | 23 | R17 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | José Giaffone | Brazil | Leading Edge Motorsport | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | R14 | 19 | R19 | 21 | 18 |
- | Andy Boss | United States | Performance Racing | 20 | 19 | 20 | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | David LaCroix | United States | Performance Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | R15 | - | - |
- | Niclas Jönsson | Sweden | Team Leisy/McCormack | - | - | 25 | R17 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | Diego Guzman | Colombia | RaceCars | 10 | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | Peter Faucetta, Jr. | United States | FRE Racing | - | - | - | - | 16 | R19 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | Paulo Carcasci | Brazil | RaceCars | - | - | 12 | R21 | - | - | 21 | NQ | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | R15 | - | - |
- | Danny Candia | Paraguay | RaceCars | 22 | 22 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | Bob Reid | United States | ? | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 22 | R22 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
- | Harry Puterbaugh | United States | Team Leisy/McCormack | 23 | 23 | - | - | (20) | NS | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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