2003 IndyCar Series season

IRL Seasons
Current = 2003
Previous = 2002
Next = 2004 The 2003 Indy Racing League 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 as well as former CART engine manufacturers Toyota and Honda, replacing Infiniti who shifted its efforts to the new 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.

Calendar

Note:

Race 7 originally scheduled for 250 laps, but shortened due to rain.

Race summaries

Toyota Indy 300

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

Top ten results
# Scott Dixon
# Gil de Ferran
# Hélio Castroneves
# Tony Kanaan
# Scott Sharp
# Michael Andretti
# Dario Franchitti
# Tomas Scheckter
# Felipe Giaffone
# 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
# Tony Kanaan
# Hélio Castroneves
# Felipe Giaffone
# Al Unser, Jr.
# Kenny Bräck
# Jaques Lazier
# Scott Sharp
# Sarah Fisher
# Buddy Rice
# Shigeaki Hattori

Indy Japan 300

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

Top ten results
# Scott Sharp
# Kenny Bräck
# Felipe Giaffone
# Michael Andretti
# Al Unser, Jr.
# Sam Hornish, Jr.
# Dan Wheldon
# Tora Takagi
# Greg Ray
# 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
# Gil de Ferran
# Hélio Castroneves
# Tony Kanaan
# Tomas Scheckter
# Tora Takagi
# Alex Barron
# Tony Renna
# Greg Ray
# Al Unser, Jr.
# Roger Yasukawa

Bombardier 500

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

Top ten results
# Al Unser, Jr.
# Tony Kanaan
# Tora Takagi
# Kenny Bräck
# Bryan Herta
# Scott Dixon
# Hélio Castroneves
# Gil de Ferran
# Roger Yasukawa
# 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
# Scott Dixon
# Tony Kanaan
# Gil de Ferran
# Dario Franchitti
# Sam Hornish, Jr.
# Tora Takagi
# Kenny Bräck
# Tomas Scheckter
# Buddy Rice
# Buddy Lazier

untrust Indy Challenge

This race was held June 28 at Richmond International Raceway. Scott Dixon won the pole.

Top ten results
# Scott Dixon
# Hélio Castroneves
# Gil de Ferran
# Sam Hornish, Jr.
# Tony Kanaan
# Felipe Giaffone
# Kenny Bräck
# Dan Wheldon
# Buddy Rice
# Al Unser, Jr.

Kansas Indy 300

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

Top ten results
# Bryan Herta
# Hélio Castroneves
# Gil de Ferran
# Tony Kanaan
# Kenny Bräck
# Scott Dixon
# Roger Yasukawa
# Greg Ray
# Tomas Scheckter
# Jaques Lazier

Firestone Indy 200

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

Top ten results
# Gil de Ferran
# Scott Dixon
# Hélio Castroneves
# Dan Wheldon
# Alex Barron
# Kenny Bräck
# Tora Takagi
# Al Unser, Jr.
# Tony Kanaan
# Tomas Scheckter

Firestone Indy 400

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

Top ten results
# Alex Barron
# Sam Hornish, Jr.
# Tomas Scheckter
# Scott Sharp
# Scott Dixon
# Tora Takagi
# Gil de Ferran
# Roger Yasukawa
# Al Unser, Jr.
# Greg Ray

Emerson Indy 250

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

Top ten results
# Hélio Castroneves
# Tony Kanaan
# Gil de Ferran
# Tomas Scheckter
# Dan Wheldon
# Sam Hornish, Jr.
# Tora Takagi
# Greg Ray
# Vitor Meira
# Scott Sharp

Belterra Casino Indy 300

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

Top ten results
# Sam Hornish, Jr.
# Scott Dixon
# Bryan Herta
# Al Unser, Jr.
# Hélio Castroneves
# Tony Kanaan
# Robbie Buhl
# Dan Wheldon
# Gil de Ferran
# Tomas Scheckter

Firestone Indy 225

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

Top ten results
# Hélio Castroneves
# Sam Hornish, Jr.
# Bryan Herta
# Gil de Ferran
# Kenny Bräck
# Al Unser, Jr.
# Dan Wheldon
# Roger Yasukawa
# Robbie Buhl
# Buddy Rice

Delphi Indy 300

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

Top ten results
# Sam Hornish, Jr.
# Scott Dixon
# Bryan Herta
# Dan Wheldon
# Tomas Scheckter
# Tony Kanaan
# Alex Barron
# Roger Yasukawa
# Tora Takagi
# Robbie Buhl

Toyota Indy 400

This race was held September 21 at California Speedway. Hélio Castroneves won the pole.

Top ten results
# Sam Hornish, Jr.
# Scott Dixon
# Tony Kanaan
# Dan Wheldon
# Tomas Scheckter
# Hélio Castroneves
# Roger Yasukawa
# Scott Sharp
# Al Unser, Jr.
# Alex Barron

Chevy 500

This race was held October 12 at Texas Motor Speedway. Gil de Ferran won the pole.

Top ten results
# Gil de Ferran
# Scott Dixon
# Dan Wheldon
# Vitor Meira
# Bryan Herta
# Scott Sharp
# Tora Takagi
# Greg Ray
# Al Unser, Jr.
# Roger Yasukawa

Final point standings

Driver

For every race points were awarded to all starters: 50 points to the winner, 40 for runner up, 35 for third place, 32 for fourth place, 30 for fifth place, 28 for sixth place, 26 seventh place, 24 eighth place, 22 for ninth place, 20 for tenth place, winding down to 1 points for 29th place. Every lower placed driver also was awarded with 1 point. Additional points were awarded to the driver leading the most laps (2 point). No additional points were awarded for the qualifying.

Note:

Race 5 Toranosuke Takagi had 23 points deduction due to unacceptable driving.

All drivers were awarded with points.