The 1998 FedEx Championship Series season, the twentieth in the CART era of U.S. open-wheel racing, consisted of 19 races, beginning in Homestead, Florida on March 15 and concluding in Fontana, California on November 1. The FedEx Championship Series Drivers' Champion was Alex Zanardi, while the series' Rookie of the Year was Tony Kanaan. This was the first of five years of sponsorship by FDX Corporation, who became FedEx Corporation in 2000.
The season was marred by a deadly crash on lap 175 of the U.S. 500. Adrián Fernández slammed into the outside wall in the fourth turn of Michigan International Speedway. His right front wheel was torn off and hurled over the fence into the stands, killing three spectators (Kenneth Fox, Sheryl Laster, and Michael Tautkus) and injuring six others.[1]
Drivers and constructors
The following teams and drivers competed in the 1998 CART Championship Series season.
Team |
Chassis |
Engine |
Tires |
No |
Drivers |
Rounds |
Primary Sponsors |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
Reynard 98i |
Honda |
F |
1 |
Alex Zanardi |
All |
Target |
12 |
Jimmy Vasser |
All |
Marlboro Team Penske |
Penske PC-27 |
Mercedes |
G |
2 |
Al Unser, Jr. |
All |
Marlboro |
3 |
André Ribeiro |
All |
Walker Racing |
Reynard 98i |
Honda |
G |
5 |
Gil de Ferran |
All |
Valvoline |
Newman-Haas Racing |
Swift 009.c |
Ford XB |
G |
6 |
Michael Andretti |
All |
Texaco-Havoline |
11 |
Christian Fittipaldi |
1-6, 8-19 |
Kmart |
Roberto Moreno |
7 |
Team Rahal |
Reynard 98i |
Ford XB |
F |
7 |
Bobby Rahal |
All |
Miller Lite |
8 |
Bryan Herta |
All |
Shell |
Hogan Racing |
Reynard 98i |
Mercedes |
F |
9 |
JJ Lehto |
All |
Hogan Motor Leasing |
Della Penna Motorsports |
Swift 009.c |
Ford XB |
F |
10 |
Richie Hearn |
All |
Budweiser |
Bettenhausen Racing |
Reynard 98i |
Mercedes |
G |
16 |
Hélio Castroneves |
All |
Alumax |
PacWest Racing Group |
Reynard 98i |
Mercedes |
F |
17 |
Maurício Gugelmin |
All |
Hollywood Cigarettes |
18 |
Mark Blundell |
All |
Motorola |
Payton/Coyne Racing |
Reynard 98i |
Ford XB |
F |
19 |
Michel Jourdain, Jr. |
All |
Herdez |
34 |
Dennis Vitolo |
1, 4, 6-10, 12, 15-19 |
SmithKline Beecham 15 Payton/Coyne Racing 3 Banco Cacique 1 |
Gualter Salles |
2-3, 5, 11, 13-14 |
Patrick Racing |
Reynard 98i |
Ford XB |
F |
20 |
Scott Pruett |
All |
Visteon |
40 |
Adrián Fernández |
All |
Tecate Beer |
Tasman Motorsports Group |
Reynard 98i |
Honda |
F |
21 |
Tony Kanaan |
All |
LCI |
Arciero-Wells Racing |
Reynard 98i |
Toyota |
F |
24 |
Hiro Matsushita |
1-3, 5 |
Panasonic |
Robby Gordon |
4, 6-19 |
25 |
Max Papis |
All |
MCI |
Team KOOL Green |
Reynard 98i |
Honda |
F |
26 |
Paul Tracy |
All |
KOOL |
27 |
Dario Franchitti |
All |
Forsythe Racing |
Reynard 98i |
Mercedes |
F |
33 |
Patrick Carpentier |
All |
Player's |
99 |
Greg Moore |
All |
All American Racing |
Reynard |
Toyota |
G |
98 |
P. J. Jones |
1-15 |
Castrol |
36 |
Alex Barron |
1-12 |
Eagle 987 |
13-19 |
98 |
Vincenzo Sospiri |
16-19 |
Davis Racing |
Lola T98/00 |
Ford XB |
G |
77 |
Arnd Meier |
All |
BAAN Business Software 8 Hasseröder 11 |
Part Time Entries |
Project CART |
Reynard 98i |
Mercedes |
G |
15 |
Roberto Moreno |
1-2 |
Hawaiian Tropic |
Domenico Schiattarella |
3 |
Della Penna Motorsports |
Swift 009.c |
Ford XB |
F |
43 |
Hideshi Matsuda |
2 |
BMB Mini-Juke |
Schedule
Rnd |
Date |
Race Name |
Circuit |
Location |
1 |
March 15 |
Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami |
Homestead-Miami Speedway (O) |
Homestead, Florida |
2 |
March 28 |
Budweiser 500K |
Twin Ring Motegi (O) |
Motegi, Japan |
3 |
April 5 |
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach |
Streets of Long Beach (S) |
Long Beach, California |
4 |
April 27* |
Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix |
Nazareth Speedway (O) |
Nazareth, Pennsylvania |
5 |
May 10 |
Rio 400K |
Autódromo de Jacarepaguá (O) |
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
6 |
May 23 |
Motorola 300 |
Gateway International Raceway (O) |
Madison, Illinois |
7 |
May 31 |
Miller Lite 200 |
Milwaukee Mile (O) |
West Allis, Wisconsin |
8 |
June 7 |
ITT Automotive Detroit Grand Prix |
The Raceway on Belle Isle Park (S) |
Detroit, Michigan |
9 |
June 21 |
Budweiser/G. I. Joe's 200 |
Portland International Raceway (R) |
Portland, Oregon |
10 |
July 12 |
Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland |
Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport (S) |
Cleveland, Ohio |
11 |
July 19 |
Molson Indy Toronto |
Exhibition Place (S) |
Toronto, Ontario |
12 |
July 26 |
U.S 500 |
Michigan International Speedway (O) |
Brooklyn, Michigan |
13 |
August 9 |
Miller Lite 200 |
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (R) |
Lexington, Ohio |
14 |
August 16 |
Texaco/Havoline 200 |
Road America (R) |
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin |
15 |
September 6 |
Molson Indy Vancouver |
Streets of Vancouver (S) |
Vancouver, British Columbia |
16 |
September 13 |
Honda Grand Prix of Monterey |
Laguna Seca Raceway (R) |
Monterey, California |
17 |
October 4 |
Texaco Grand Prix of Houston |
Streets of Houston (S) |
Houston, Texas |
18 |
October 18 |
Honda Indy Carnival |
Surfers Paradise Street Circuit (S) |
Surfers Paradise, Australia |
19 |
November 1 |
Marlboro 500 |
California Speedway (O) |
Fontana, California |
- The Nazareth race was scheduled for April 26, but postponed due to rain.
- The Houston race was scheduled for 153 miles, but was shortened due to poor visibility.
Race results
(R) Dedicated road course, (O) Oval/Speedway, (S) Temporary street circuit
Final driver standings
|
Color |
Result |
Gold |
Winner |
Silver |
2nd place |
Bronze |
3rd place |
Green |
4th-6th place |
Light Blue |
7th-12th place |
Dark Blue |
Finished (Outside Top 12) |
Purple |
Did not finish |
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 |
RY |
Rookie of the Year |
R |
Rookie |
|
|
Nation's Cup
- Top result per race counts towards Nation's Cup.