2003 IndyCar Series season

2003 IndyCar season
Season
Races 16
Start date March 2
End date October 17
Awards
Drivers' champion New Zealand Scott Dixon
Rookie of the Year United Kingdom Dan Wheldon
Indianapolis 500 winner Brazil Gil de Ferran
Chronology
Previous season Next season
2002 (IRL) 2004

The 2003 IRL IndyCar Series season brought some of the biggest changes in its history. The league adopted the name IndyCar Series, after a settlement with CART prohibiting its use, had expired. Several former CART teams brought their full operations to the IRL, most notably major squads Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Green Racing, as well as former CART engine manufacturers Toyota and Honda, replacing Infiniti who shifted its efforts to the new feeder series Infiniti Pro Series. Many of the IRL's old guard including Robbie Buhl, Greg Ray, and Buddy Lazier had difficulty competing in this new manufacturer-driven landscape. The league, also added its first international race this year, taking over the CART date at Twin Ring Motegi.

The season's most successful entrants were Ganassi and Team Penske that had made the switch already the year before. New Zealander Scott Dixon won the opening race of the season at Homestead and ran very consistently all year long to win his first title at the age of 23. Gil de Ferran won Penske's third consecutive Indianapolis 500 in May and finished second to Dixon in the title race. The finale however was marred by a severe incident that nearly killed former series' champion and Indy 500 winner Kenny Bräck. De Ferran won the race with Dixon in second being well enough to seal the title. Bräck would eventually recover; however, Tony Renna, a Ganassi development driver, lost his life in a test crash at Indianapolis late in the year.

2003 IndyCar Series schedule

All races running on Oval/Speedway.

Rnd Date Race Name Track Location Pole position Fastest lap Most Laps Led Winner
1 March 2 United States Toyota Indy 300 Homestead-Miami Speedway Homestead, Florida Brazil Tony Kanaan Brazil Tony Kanaan Brazil Gil de Ferran New Zealand Scott Dixon
2 March 23 United States Purex Dial Indy 200 Phoenix International Raceway Phoenix, Arizona Brazil Tony Kanaan New Zealand Scott Dixon Brazil Tony Kanaan Brazil Tony Kanaan
3 April 13 Japan Indy Japan 300 Twin Ring Motegi Motegi, Japan New Zealand Scott Dixon South Africa Tomas Scheckter Brazil Tony Kanaan United States Scott Sharp
4 May 25 United States 87th Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana Brazil Hélio Castroneves Brazil Tony Kanaan South Africa Tomas Scheckter Brazil Gil de Ferran
5 June 7 United States Bombardier 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas South Africa Tomas Scheckter Brazil Felipe Giaffone South Africa Tomas Scheckter United States Al Unser, Jr.
6 June 15 United States Honda Indy 225 Pikes Peak International Raceway Fountain, Colorado Brazil Tony Kanaan Brazil Tony Kanaan New Zealand Scott Dixon New Zealand Scott Dixon
7 June 28 United States SunTrust Indy Challenge Richmond International Raceway Richmond, Virginia New Zealand Scott Dixon South Africa Tomas Scheckter New Zealand Scott Dixon New Zealand Scott Dixon
8 July 6 United States Kansas Indy 300 Kansas Speedway Kansas City, Kansas New Zealand Scott Dixon Brazil Tony Kanaan Brazil Gil de Ferran United States Bryan Herta
9 July 19 United States Firestone Indy 200 Nashville Superspeedway Lebanon, Tennessee New Zealand Scott Dixon United States Sam Hornish, Jr. Brazil Tony Kanaan Brazil Gil de Ferran
10 July 27 United States Firestone Indy 400 Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, Michigan South Africa Tomas Scheckter United States Bryan Herta United States Sam Hornish, Jr. United States Alex Barron
11 August 10 United States Emerson Indy 250 Gateway International Raceway Madison, Illinois Brazil Hélio Castroneves New Zealand Scott Dixon Brazil Hélio Castroneves Brazil Hélio Castroneves
12 August 17 United States Belterra Casino Indy 300 Kentucky Speedway Sparta, Kentucky United States Sam Hornish, Jr. United States Sarah Fisher United States Sam Hornish, Jr. United States Sam Hornish, Jr.
13 August 24 United States Firestone Indy 225 Nazareth Speedway Nazareth, Pennsylvania New Zealand Scott Dixon United States Sam Hornish, Jr. Brazil Hélio Castroneves Brazil Hélio Castroneves
14 September 7 United States Delphi Indy 300 Chicagoland Speedway Joliet, Illinois United States Richie Hearn United States Bryan Herta South Africa Tomas Scheckter United States Sam Hornish, Jr.
15 September 21 United States Toyota Indy 400 California Speedway Fontana, California Brazil Hélio Castroneves New Zealand Scott Dixon South Africa Tomas Scheckter United States Sam Hornish, Jr.
16 October 12 United States Chevy 500 Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas Brazil Gil de Ferran Brazil Tony Kanaan Brazil Gil de Ferran Brazil Gil de Ferran

BOLD indicates a Superspeedways.

Team and Driver Chart

Team Chassis Engine No Drivers Notes
United States Ganassi Racing G-Force Toyota 9 New Zealand Scott Dixon
10 South Africa Tomas Scheckter
United States Panther Racing Dallara Chevrolet 4 United States Sam Hornish, Jr. Team entitled to #1 but chose to keep the #4
associated with minority partner Jim Harbaugh.
44 United States Robby McGehee Indy 500 only.
98 United States Billy Boat Indy 500 only.
United States Penske Racing Dallara
G-Force
Toyota 3 Brazil Helio Castroneves
6 Brazil Gil de Ferran Injured at Phoenix
United States Alex Barron Replaced de Ferran at Motegi.
United States Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda 7 United States Michael Andretti From Homestead to Indy 500.
11 Brazil Tony Kanaan
26 United Kingdom Dan Wheldon From Motegi onwards.
27 United States Bryan Herta Try to replace Franchitti at Indy but injured
before the race. He is replaced by Gordon.
United Kingdom Dario Franchitti Homestead, Phoenix, Pikes Peak only
skipped almost the full season due to
a motorcycle accident.
United States Robby Gordon Replaced Herta at Indy.
United States Kelley Racing Dallara Toyota 8 United States Scott Sharp
31 United States Al Unser Jr.
32 United States Tony Renna Indy 500 only.
United States A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara
G-Force
Toyota 5 United States Jaques Lazier From Texas to Kansas.
Japan Shigeaki Hattori From Homestead to Indy.
14 United States A. J. Foyt IV
41 Brazil Airton Daré Indy 500 only. DNS at Texas.
United States Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dallara Chevrolet 23 United States Sarah Fisher Did not start at Nazareth.
24 United States Robbie Buhl
United States Team Rahal Dallara Honda
Toyota
15 Sweden Kenny Bräck
19 United States Jimmy Vasser Indy 500 only.
United Kingdom Mo Nunn Racing G-Force Toyota 12 Japan Toranosuke Takagi
20 Netherlands Arie Luyendyk Indy 500 only, did not qualify
21 United States Alex Barron Replaced Giaffone from Nashville to Nazareth.
Brazil Felipe Giaffone Skipped Nashville to
Nazareth due an injury.
Mexico Fernández Racing Dallara Honda 55 United States Roger Yasukawa
United States Cheever Racing Dallara Chevrolet 52 United States Buddy Rice Homestead to Nazareth
United States Alex Barron Replaced Rice at Joliet, Fontana, Texas 2.
United States Beck Motorsports Dallara Chevrolet 54 Japan Shinji Nakano Motegi and Indy 500 only.
United States Team Menard Dallara Chevrolet 22 Brazil Vitor Meira raced number 22 at Indy
2 Ten races
United States Jaques Lazier Homestad to Indy.
United States Richie Hearn Joliet only.
United States PDM Racing Dallara Chevrolet 18 United States Ed Carpenter Joliet, Fontana, Ft. Worth only.
United States Scott Mayer Homestead to Motegi onwards.
Failed rookie orientation at Indy.
United States Jimmy Kite Replaced Mayer at Indy.
United States Access Motorsports G-Force Honda 13 United States Greg Ray Missed Homestead, Phoenix. DNS at Joliet.
United States Hemelgarn Racing Dallara Chevrolet 91 United States Buddy Lazier Missed Homestead,Did not start
at Fontana, Texas 2.
United States Richie Hearn Replaced Lazier at Fontana, Texas 2.
United States Sam Schmidt Motorsports G-Force Toyota 99 United States Richie Hearn Indy 500 only.

Race summaries

Toyota Indy 300

This race was held March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Tony Kanaan won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 9- Scott Dixon
  2. 6- Gil de Ferran
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 11- Tony Kanaan
  5. 8- Scott Sharp
  6. 7- Michael Andretti
  7. 27- Dario Franchitti
  8. 10- Tomas Scheckter
  9. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  10. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.

Purex Dial Indy 200

This race was held March 23 at Phoenix International Raceway. Tony Kanaan won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 11- Tony Kanaan
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 31- Al Unser, Jr.
  5. 15- Kenny Bräck
  6. 2- Jaques Lazier
  7. 8- Scott Sharp
  8. 23- Sarah Fisher
  9. 52- Buddy Rice
  10. 5- Shigeaki Hattori

Indy Japan 300

This race was held April 13 at Twin Ring Motegi. Scott Dixon won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 8- Scott Sharp
  2. 15- Kenny Bräck
  3. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  4. 7- Michael Andretti
  5. 31- Al Unser, Jr.
  6. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  7. 27- Dan Wheldon
  8. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  9. 13- Greg Ray
  10. 24- Robbie Buhl

87th Indianapolis 500

The 87th Indy 500 was held May 25 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hélio Castroneves sat on pole but came up just short of the three-peat in the 500.

Top ten results

  1. 6- Gil de Ferran
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 11- Tony Kanaan
  4. 10- Tomas Scheckter
  5. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  6. 20- Alex Barron
  7. 32- Tony Renna
  8. 13- Greg Ray
  9. 31- Al Unser, Jr.
  10. 55- Roger Yasukawa

Bombardier 500

This race was held June 7 at Texas Motor Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 31- Al Unser, Jr.
  2. 11- Tony Kanaan
  3. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  4. 15- Kenny Bräck
  5. 27- Bryan Herta
  6. 9- Scott Dixon
  7. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  8. 6- Gil de Ferran
  9. 12- Roger Yasukawa
  10. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.

Honda Indy 225

This race was held June 15 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Tony Kanaan won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 9- Scott Dixon
  2. 11- Tony Kanaan
  3. 6- Gil de Ferran
  4. 27- Dario Franchitti
  5. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  6. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  7. 15- Kenny Bräck
  8. 10- Tomas Scheckter
  9. 52- Buddy Rice
  10. 91- Buddy Lazier

SunTrust Indy Challenge

This race was held June 28 at Richmond International Raceway. Scott Dixon won the pole. The Race originally scheduled for 250 laps, but shortened to 206 laps due to rain.

Top ten results

  1. 9- Scott Dixon
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 6- Gil de Ferran
  4. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  5. 11- Tony Kanaan
  6. 21- Felipe Giaffone
  7. 15- Kenny Bräck
  8. 26- Dan Wheldon
  9. 52- Buddy Rice
  10. 31- Al Unser, Jr.

Kansas Indy 300

This race was held July 6 at Kansas Speedway. Scott Dixon won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 27- Bryan Herta
  2. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  3. 6- Gil de Ferran
  4. 11- Tony Kanaan
  5. 15- Kenny Bräck
  6. 9- Scott Dixon
  7. 55- Roger Yasukawa
  8. 13- Greg Ray
  9. 10- Tomas Scheckter
  10. 5- Jaques Lazier

Firestone Indy 200

This race was held July 19 at Nashville Superspeedway. Scott Dixon won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 6- Gil de Ferran
  2. 9- Scott Dixon
  3. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  4. 26- Dan Wheldon
  5. 21- Alex Barron
  6. 15- Kenny Bräck
  7. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  8. 31- Al Unser, Jr.
  9. 11- Tony Kanaan
  10. 10- Tomas Scheckter

Firestone Indy 400

This race was held July 27 at Michigan International Speedway. Tomas Scheckter won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 21- Alex Barron
  2. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  3. 10- Tomas Scheckter
  4. 8- Scott Sharp
  5. 9- Scott Dixon
  6. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  7. 6- Gil de Ferran
  8. 12- Roger Yasukawa
  9. 31- Al Unser, Jr.
  10. 13- Greg Ray

Emerson Indy 250

This race was held August 10 at Gateway International Raceway. Hélio Castroneves won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  2. 11- Tony Kanaan
  3. 6- Gil de Ferran
  4. 10- Tomas Scheckter
  5. 26- Dan Wheldon
  6. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  7. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  8. 13- Greg Ray
  9. 2- Vitor Meira
  10. 8- Scott Sharp

Belterra Casino Indy 300

This race was held August 17 at Kentucky Speedway. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  2. 9- Scott Dixon
  3. 27- Bryan Herta
  4. 31- Al Unser, Jr.
  5. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  6. 11- Tony Kanaan
  7. 24- Robbie Buhl
  8. 26- Dan Wheldon
  9. 6- Gil de Ferran
  10. 10- Tomas Scheckter

Firestone Indy 225

This race was held August 24 at Nazareth Speedway. Scott Dixon won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  2. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  3. 27- Bryan Herta
  4. 6- Gil de Ferran
  5. 15- Kenny Bräck
  6. 31- Al Unser, Jr.
  7. 26- Dan Wheldon
  8. 12- Roger Yasukawa
  9. 24- Robbie Buhl
  10. 91- Buddy Rice

Delphi Indy 300

This race was held September 7 at Chicagoland Speedway. Richie Hearn won the pole.

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  2. 9- Scott Dixon
  3. 27- Bryan Herta
  4. 26- Dan Wheldon
  5. 10- Tomas Scheckter
  6. 11- Tony Kanaan
  7. 52- Alex Barron
  8. 55- Roger Yasukawa
  9. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  10. 24- Robbie Buhl

Toyota Indy 400

This race was held September 21 at California Speedway. Hélio Castroneves won the pole. It was the fastest circuit race ever in motorsport history, with an average speed of 207.151 mph (333.306 km/h) over 400 miles (643.6 km).

Top ten results

  1. 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
  2. 9- Scott Dixon
  3. 11- Tony Kanaan
  4. 26- Dan Wheldon
  5. 10- Tomas Scheckter
  6. 3- Hélio Castroneves
  7. 55- Roger Yasukawa
  8. 8- Scott Sharp
  9. 31- Al Unser, Jr.
  10. 52- Alex Barron

Chevy 500

This race was held October 12 at Texas Motor Speedway. Gil de Ferran won the pole. The race was memorable for a five–way championship duel involving de Ferran, Scott Dixon, Hélio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, and two-time titlist Sam Hornish, Jr.. The race was also notable for a frightening, but non–fatal, accident involving Tomas Scheckter and 1999 Indianapolis 500 champion Kenny Bräck. Scheckter was uninjured, but the Swede was launched into the air after wheel–to–wheel contact on the backstretch and violently clobbered the catch fencing. Debris was scattered across the track, and the already long period of yellow flag laps prompted IRL race control to shorten the race from 200 to just 195 laps. Gil de Ferran, Bräck's former title rival in CART, won in his final IndyCar race, joining Ray Harroun and Sam Hanks (both of whom retired immediately after winning an Indianapolis 500) as drivers who retired from U.S. open wheel competition in the winner's circle. Scott Dixon won the IRL title in his first season in the IndyCar Series (having spent two seasons in CART) and Englishman Dan Wheldon beat Roger Yasukawa for Bombardier Rookie of the Year honors.

Top ten results

  1. 6- Gil de Ferran
  2. 9- Scott Dixon
  3. 26- Dan Wheldon
  4. 2- Vitor Meira
  5. 27- Bryan Herta
  6. 8- Scott Sharp
  7. 12- Toranosuke Takagi
  8. 13- Greg Ray
  9. 31- Al Unser, Jr.
  10. 55- Roger Yasukawa

Final driver standings

Pos Driver HMS
United States
PHX
United States
MOT
Japan
INDY
United States
TXS
United States
PIK
United States
RIR
United States
KAN
United States
NSH
United States
MIS
United States
GAT
United States
KTY
United States
NAZ
United States
CHI
United States
FON
United States
TXS
United States
Pts
1 New Zealand Scott Dixon 1 20 15 17 6 1* 1* 6 2 5 15 2 16 2 2 2 507
2 Brazil Gil de Ferran 2* 14 1 8 3 3 3* 1 7 3 9 4 12 15 1* 489
3 Brazil Hélio Castroneves 3 2 22 2 7 12 2 2 3 17 1* 5 1* 20 6 13 484
4 Brazil Tony Kanaan 4 1* 14* 3 2 2 5 4 9* 16 2 6 18 6 3 14 476
5 United States Sam Hornish, Jr. 10 21 6 15 10 5 4 17 11 2* 6 1* 2 1 1 17 461
6 United States Al Unser, Jr. 13 4 5 9 1 14 10 14 8 9 20 4 6 19 9 9 374
7 South Africa Tomas Scheckter 8 15 16 4* 18* 8 18 9 10 3 4 10 19 5* 5* 15 356
8 United States Scott Sharp 5 7 1 20 16 11 17 16 13 4 10 13 12 11 8 6 351
9 Sweden Kenny Bräck 11 5 2 16 4 7 7 5 6 18 19 19 5 21 20 16 342
10 Japan Toranosuke Takagi 12 22 8 5 31 6 13 18 7 6 7 18 14 9 18 7 317
11 United Kingdom Dan Wheldon 7 19 20 19 8 21 4 20 5 8 7 4 4 3 312
12 United States Roger Yasukawa 14 17 21 10 9 17 11 7 15 8 18 12 8 8 7 10 301
13 United States Bryan Herta DNQ 5 14 1 12 19 21 3 3 3 22 5 277
14 United States Robby Buhl 19 12 10 23 22 15 15 12 21 13 12 7 9 10 12 11 261
15 United States Greg Ray 9 8 11 18 12 8 16 10 8 15 17 DNS 14 8 253
16 United States Buddy Rice 16 9 13 11 14 9 9 19 18 11 14 11 10 229
17 United States Alex Barron 17 6 5 1 16 20 15 7 10 20 216
18 United States Sarah Fisher 15 8 23 31 15 20 19 11 20 15 13 14 DNS 18 19 12 211
19 United States Buddy Lazier 11 19 21 13 10 20 13 14 12 11 16 13 16 201
20 Brazil Felipe Giaffone 9 3 3 33 17 13 6 22 15 16 19 199
21 United States A. J. Foyt IV 17 18 18 18 21 22 21 15 17 14 17 17 11 17 17 22 198
22 Brazil Vitor Meira 12 12 16 22 20 19 21 9 DNS 11 4 170
23 United States Jaques Lazier 20 6 12 29 19 21 16 10 DNS 120
24 United States Michael Andretti 6 13 4 27 80
25 United Kingdom Dario Franchitti 7 16 4 72
26 Japan Shigeaki Hattori 18 10 20 30 43
27 United States Ed Carpenter 13 13 21 43
28 United States Richie Hearn 28 14 21 18 39
29 Japan Shinji Nakano 11 14 35
30 United States Tony Renna 7 26
31 United States Scott Mayer 21 19 24 DNQ 26
32 United States Jimmy Kite 13 17
33 United States Robby Gordon 22 8
34 Brazil Airton Daré 24 DNQ 6
35 United States Robby McGehee 25 5
36 United States Jimmy Vasser 26 4
37 United States Billy Boat 32 1
- Netherlands Arie Luyendyk DNQ 0
Pos Driver HMS
United States
PHX
United States
MOT
Japan
INDY
United States
TXS
United States
PIK
United States
RIR
United States
KAN
United States
NSH
United States
MIS
United States
GAT
United States
KTY
United States
NAZ
United States
CHI
United States
FON
United States
TXS
United States
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
Italics Ran fastest race lap
* Led most race laps
(2 points)
DNS Any driver who qualifies
but does not start (DNS),
earns all the points
had they taken part.
Rookie of the Year
Rookie

In every race, points are awarded to drivers on the following basis:

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33
Points 50 40 35 32 30 28 26 24 22 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 1 1 1

Note

1 Toranosuke Takagi had 23 points deduction at Texas Motor Speedway due to unacceptable driving.

See also

External links

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