1998 Pep Boys Indy Racing League

Race #1 - Indy 200

The Pep Boys Indy Racing League made their 1st stop of 1998 at the Walt Disney World Speedway, in Orlando, Florida, for the Indy 200.

1997 Indy Racing League Champion Tony Stewart led the field to the green and would quickly pick off where he left off in 1997 as Stewart began to pull away from everyone else as unlike the previous event, wrecks would happen and would keep the field all close while Stewart had to play defense blocking every driver that tried to pass him as Stewart was able to hang onto to become the first ever driver to lead every single lap and scored the win.

Other Noticeables:
Tony Stewart scored his 1st win of the year,
Stewart led 1 time for 200 laps, which was every single lap,
It was the 3rd win of his career in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League and his first since 1997 at Pikes Peak; 4 races ago,
Raul Boesel(17th) and Brian Tyler(18th) made their Pep Boys Indy Racing League debuts,
Tony Stewart, who finished 1st, is the points leader, leading Scott Sharp by 15 points

1.1-Tony Stewart (200 laps led)
2.8-Scott Sharp
3.28-Mark Dismore
4.5-Arie Luyendyk
5.6-Davey Hamilton
6.20-Tyce Carlson
7.35-Jeff Ward
8.15-Eliseo Salazar-1 lap
9.12-Buzz Calkins-1 lap
10.7-Jimmy Kite-1 lap
11.99-Sam Schmidt-1 lap
12.3-Robbie Buhl-1 lap
13.4-Scott Goodyear-1 lap
14.18-John Paul Jr.-2 laps
15.19-Stan Wattles-2 laps
16.14-Kenny Brack-2 laps
17.30-Raul Boesel-2 laps
18.17-Brian Tyler-2 laps
19.51-Eddie Cheever Jr.-3 laps
20.27-Robbie Groff-3 laps
21.21-Roberto Guerrero-3 laps
22.40-Jack Miller-4 laps
23.16-Marco Greco-4 laps
24.97-Greg Ray-5 laps
25.91-Buddy Lazier-16 laps (Engine)
26.77-Stephan Gregoire-88 laps (Accident)
27.11-Billy Boat-164 laps (Accident)
28.10-Mike Groff-178 laps (Accident)

Tony Stewart-1-200

0 Lead Changes among 1 driver

Caution Flags: 6 for 24 laps
Lap 23 (Cars #10 and 16 Accident Turn 3),
Lap 37 (Cars #16, 18, 91, 40, 97 and 11 Accident Turn 3),
Lap 112 (Cars #16 and 77 Accident Turn 3),
Lap 125 (Cars #51 and 30 Spin Turn 1),
Lap 186 (Car #91 Stalled Turn 2),
Lap 193 (Cars #21 and 35 Spin Turn 3)

Margin of Victory: 3.518 Seconds

Time of Race: 2 Hours, 3 Minutes and 17 Seconds

The field has finished qualifying for the 2nd race of the season the Dura Lube 200 at the Phoenix International Raceway.

Scott Sharp won the pole, with a time of 34.152 seconds, beating Scott Goodyear by 0.321 seconds.

Other Noticeables:
Scott Sharp won his 1st pole of the year,
Sharp won his 2nd career pole in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League and his first since 1997 at New Hampshire; 11 races ago,
Marco Greco, who won this race one year ago, will starting 25th,
Tony Stewart, who will start 5th, has a 15 point lead over Scott Sharp

1.8-Scott Sharp
2.4-Scott Goodyear
3.30-Raul Boesel
4.99-Sam Schmidt
5.1-Tony Stewart
6.77-Stephan Gregoire
7.11-Billy Boat
8.35-Jeff Ward
9.3-Robbie Buhl
10.28-Mark Dismore
11.7-Jimmy Kite
12.18-John Paul Jr.
13.21-Roberto Guerrero
14.14-Kenny Brack
15.51-Eddie Cheever Jr.
16.97-Greg Ray
17.12-Buzz Calkins
18.15-Eliseo Salazar
19.20-Tyce Carlson
20.17-Brian Tyler
21.10-Mike Groff
22.22-Dave Steele
23.23-Paul Durant
24.45-J.J. Yeley
25.16-Marco Greco
26.5-Arie Luyendyk
27.6-Davey Hamilton
28.91-Buddy Lazier

Did Not Qualify
29.19-Stan Wattles
30.27-Robbie Groff
31.40-Jack Miller
32.53-Jim Guthrie

Race #2 - Dura Lube 200

The Pep Boys Indy Racing League made their 2nd stop of 1998 at the Phoenix International Raceway, in Avondale, Arizona, for the Dura Lube 200.

Scott Sharp led the field to the green and would lead the first lap but it was Tony Stewart who would take over the lead on Lap 14 and from that point on the 1997 Champion proved to be as dominate as he was at Walt Disney two months earlier, never being passed on track, losing the lead during pit stops as he would take the lead for the final time with sixty laps to go and would go on to score his second win in a row.

Other Noticeables:
Tony Stewart scored his 2nd win of the year and second in a row,
Stewart led 3 times for 163 laps, including the final 59 laps,
It was the 4th win of his career in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League and his first since Walt Disney; 1 race ago,
Dave Steele(18th) and J.J. Yeley(19th) made their Pep Boys Indy Racing League debuts,
Tony Stewart, who finished 1st, kept his point lead, leading Scott Sharp by 24 points

1.1-Tony Stewart (163 laps led)
2.8-Scott Sharp-1 lap (19 laps led)
3.4-Scott Goodyear-1 lap (18 laps led)
4.77-Stephan Gregoire-1 lap
5.35-Jeff Ward-2 laps
6.11-Billy Boat-2 laps
7.14-Kenny Brack-2 laps
8.51-Eddie Cheever Jr.-2 laps
9.20-Tyce Carlson-3 laps
10.12-Buzz Calkins-3 laps
11.7-Jimmy Kite-3 laps
12.3-Robbie Buhl-3 laps
13.97-Greg Ray-3 laps
14.28-Mark Dismore-4 laps
15.99-Sam Schmidt-5 laps
16.15-Eliseo Salazar-5 laps
17.17-Brian Tyler-5 laps
18.22-Dave Steele-5 laps
19.45-J.J. Yeley-5 laps
20.21-Roberto Guerrero-5 laps
21.10-Mike Groff-6 laps
22.18-John Paul Jr.-6 laps
23.91-Buddy Lazier-6 laps
24.6-Davey Hamilton-7 laps
25.16-Marco Greco-7 laps
26.5-Arie Luyendyk-7 laps
27.30-Raul Boesel-71 laps (Clutch)
28.23-Paul Durant-131 laps (Igniton)

Scott Sharp-1-13
Tony Stewart-14-106
Scott Goodyear-107-124
Tony Stewart-125-135
Scott Sharp-136-141
Tony Stewart-142-200

5 Lead Changes among 3 drivers

Caution Flags: 1 for 4 laps
Lap 134 (Car #30 Stalled Turn 4)

Margin of Victory: 1 Lap

Time of Race: 2 Hours, 8 Minutes and 24 Seconds

The field has finished qualifying for the 3rd race of the season the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Kenny Brack won the pole, with a time of 56.612 seconds, beating Andy Michner by 0.137 seconds.

Other Noticeables:
Kenny Brack won his 1st pole of the year,
Brack won his 1st career pole in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League in his 10th start,
Jeff Ward, who won this race one year ago, will be starting 21st,
Tony Stewart, who will start 12th, has a 24 point lead over Scott Sharp

1.14-Kenny Brack
2.17-Andy Michner
3.52-Robby Unser
4.55-Steve Knapp
5.51-Eddie Cheever Jr.
6.7-Jimmy Kite
7.91-Buddy Lazier
8.6-Davey Hamilton
9.8-Scott Sharp
10.81-John Paul Jr.
11.44-J.J. Yeley
12.1-Tony Stewart
13.16-Marco Greco
14.97-Greg Ray
15.4-Scott Goodyear
16.12-Buzz Calkins
17.11-Billy Boat
18.18-Jack Hewitt
19.77-Stephan Gregoire
20.9-Johnny Unser
21.35-Jeff Ward
22.3-Robbie Buhl
23.5-Arie Luyendyk
24.99-Sam Schmidt
25.10-Mike Groff
26.21-Roberto Guerrero
27.53-Jim Guthrie
28.19-Stan Wattles
29.30-Raul Boesel
30.28-Mark Dismore
31.40-Jack Miller
32.33-Billy Roe
33.98-Donnie Beechler

Did Not Qualify
34.10-Brian Tyler
35.15-Eliseo Salazar
36.20-Tyce Carlson
37.23-Paul Durant
38.24-Dan Drinan
39.27-Claude Bourbonnais
40.29-Joe Gosek
41.54-Hideshi Matsuda
42.66-Scott Harrington
43.68-Jaques Lazier
44.81-Danny Ongais
45.90-Lyn St. James