The 1998 FedEx Championship Series season was the twentieth in the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) era of American open-wheel car racing . It 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 , his second consecutive championship, 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. Fernández was uninjured.[ 1]
This was the final season with Bobby Rahal on the CART grid. Other notable events of the 1998 season include first wins for Bryan Herta and future Indycar Series and Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Franchitti . Mexican driver Adrián Fernández got his second career win at Twin Ring Motegi , the first race run there by Champ Cars.
Drivers and constructors
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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 HRK
F
1
Alex Zanardi
Alle
Target
12
Jimmy Vasser
Alle
Marlboro Team Penske
Penske PC-27
Mercedes IC108E
G
2
Al Unser Jr.
Alle
Marlboro
3
André Ribeiro
Alle
Walker Racing
Reynard 98i
Honda HRK
G
5
Gil de Ferran
Alle
Valvoline
Newman-Haas Racing
Swift 009.c
Ford XB
G
6
Michael Andretti
Alle
Texaco -Havoline
11
Christian Fittipaldi
1–6, 8–19
Kmart
Roberto Moreno
7
Team Rahal
Reynard 98i
Ford XB
F
7
Bobby Rahal
Alle
Miller Lite
8
Bryan Herta
Alle
Shell
Hogan Racing
Reynard 98i
Mercedes IC108E
F
9
JJ Lehto
Alle
Hogan Motor Leasing
Della Penna Motorsports
Swift 009.c
Ford XB
F
10
Richie Hearn
Alle
Budweiser
43
Hideshi Matsuda
2
BMB Mini-Juke
Project CART
Reynard 98i
Mercedes IC108E
G
15
Roberto Moreno
1–2
Hawaiian Tropic
Domenico Schiattarella
3
Bettenhausen Racing
Reynard 98i
Mercedes IC108E
G
16
Hélio Castroneves
Alle
Alumax
PacWest Racing Group
Reynard 98i
Mercedes IC108E
F
17
Maurício Gugelmin
Alle
Hollywood Cigarettes
18
Mark Blundell
Alle
Motorola
Payton/Coyne Racing
Reynard 98i
Ford XB
F
19
Michel Jourdain Jr.
Alle
Herdez
34
Dennis Vitolo
1, 4, 6–10, 12, 15–19
SmithKline Beecham Payton/Coyne Racing Banco Cacique
Gualter Salles
2–3, 5, 11, 13–14
Patrick Racing
Reynard 98i
Ford XB
F
20
Scott Pruett
Alle
Visteon
40
Adrián Fernández
Alle
Tecate Beer
Tasman Motorsports Group
Reynard 98i
Honda HRK
F
21
Tony Kanaan
Alle
LCI
Arciero-Wells Racing
Reynard 98i
Toyota RV8C
F
24
Hiro Matsushita
1–3, 5
Panasonic
Robby Gordon
4, 6–19
25
Max Papis
Alle
MCI Worldcom
Team KOOL Green
Reynard 98i
Honda HRK
F
26
Paul Tracy
Alle
KOOL
27
Dario Franchitti
Alle
Forsythe Racing
Reynard 98i
Mercedes IC108E
F
33
Patrick Carpentier
Alle
Player's
99
Greg Moore
Alle
All American Racing
Reynard
Toyota RV8C
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
Alle
BAAN Business Software Hasseröder
Rnd
Date
Race Name
Circuit
Standort
1
March 15
Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami Presented by Toyota
O Homestead Motorsports Complex
Homestead, Florida
2
March 28
Budweiser 500K
O Twin Ring Motegi
Motegi , Japan
3
April 5
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
R Streets of Long Beach
Long Beach, California
4
April 27*
Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix Presented by Toyota
O Nazareth Speedway
Nazareth, Pennsylvania
5
May 10
Rio 400K
O Autódromo de Jacarepaguá
Rio de Janeiro , Brazil
6
May 23
Motorola 300
O Gateway International Raceway
Madison, Illinois
7
May 31
Miller Lite 200
O Milwaukee Mile
West Allis, Wisconsin
8
June 7
ITT Automotive Detroit Grand Prix
R The Raceway on Belle Isle Park
Detroit , Michigan
9
June 21
Texaco/Havoline Presents the Budweiser/G. I. Joe's 200
R Portland International Raceway
Portland, Oregon
10
July 12
Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by Star Bank
R Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport
Cleveland, Ohio
11
July 19
Molson Indy Toronto
R Exhibition Place
Toronto, Ontario
12
July 26
U.S. 500 Presented by Toyota
O Michigan Speedway
Brooklyn, Michigan
13
August 9
Miller Lite 200
R Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Lexington, Ohio
14
August 16
The Chicago Tribune Presents the Texaco/Havoline 200
R Road America
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
15
September 6
Molson Indy Vancouver
R Streets of Vancouver
Vancouver, Britisch-Kolumbien
16
September 13
Honda Grand Prix of Monterey Featuring the Texaco/Havoline 300
R Laguna Seca Raceway
Monterey, California
17
October 4
Texaco Grand Prix of Houston
R George R. Brown Convention Center
Houston, Texas
18
October 18
Honda Indy 300
R Surfers Paradise Street Circuit
Surfers Paradise , Australia
19
November 1
Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota
O California Speedway
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.
O Oval/Speedway
R Road/Street course
Final driver standings
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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
Kühn
Pole position
Italics
Ran fastest race lap
*
Led most race laps
RY
Rookie of the Year
R
Rookie
Top result per race counts towards Nations' Cup.
Pos
Chassis
Pts
Wins
1
Reynard 98I
409
18
2
Swift 009.c
167
1
3
Penske PC-27
72
0
4
Lola T98/00
4
0
5
Eagle 987
1
0
Pos
Chassis
Pts
Wins