IRL Announces 1998 Schedule
8 October 1997
INDY RACING LEAGUE ANNOUNCES 1998 SCHEDULE For Immediate Release INDIANAPOLIS, October 6, 1997 -- The Indy Racing League has added three additional races for the 1998 season, bringing the total number of races to 11 for next year, IRL officials announced today. "The 1998 Indy Racing League schedule is exactly in line with what we had hoped to accomplish," said Leo Mehl, executive director of the Indy Racing League. "We have expanded the series to 11 races and added two highly significant markets - Atlanta and Dover - where we will once again introduce Indy car racing to areas of the country which haven't seen it for many years. This 11 race schedule offers sponsors and fans just about everything imaginable, from Walt Disney World to Las Vegas." The 1998 season will be the first that the IRL schedule will run on a calendar year basis and will include races at Walt Disney World (January 24), Phoenix International Raceway (March 22), the Indianapolis 500 (May 24), two races at Texas Motor Speedway (June 6 and September 20), Dover Downs (July 19), Charlotte Motor Speedway (July 25), New Hampshire International Speedway (June 28), Pikes Peak International Raceway (August 16), Atlanta Motor Speedway, (August 29), and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (October 10). Four of the races on the 1998 schedule will be run on Saturday night, under the lights -- the Texas Motor Speedway race on June 6; Charlotte Motor Speedway on July 25, Atlanta Motor Speedway on August 29 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 10. Six of the races will be run on Sunday; Phoenix (March 22), the Indianapolis 500 (May 24), New Hampshire (June 28), Dover Downs (July 19), Pikes Peak (August 16), Texas (September 20), Las Vegas (October 10). The IRL's season-opening race at Walt Disney World will be run on Saturday, during the day. This season's champion will be decided at the Las Vegas 500k race on October 11 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The current 1996-97 IRL points leader is Tony Stewart (254 points) of Team Menard, followed by Davey Hamilton of AJ Foyt Power Team with 244 points. Eddie Cheever, Jr. of FirstPlus Team Cheever is in third place with 216 points, followed by Arie Luyendyk of Treadway Racing in fourth with 213 points. The Las Vegas finale will be run on Saturday at 7 p.m. (PDT), and will be live on the Indianapolis Radio Network. The race will air via tape-delay on Sunday, October 12 on ABC at 4:00 p.m. (EDT). ..IRL97-61..
