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1992 PPG Indy Car World Series

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1992 PPG Indy Car World Series
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The 1992 PPG Indy Car World Series season was the 14th national championship season of American open wheel racing sanctioned by CART (d.b.a "IndyCar"). The season consisted of 16 races. Bobby Rahal was the national champion, his third and final career CART title. Stefan Johansson was named the Rookie of the Year. The 1992 Indianapolis 500 was sanctioned by USAC, but counted towards the CART points championship. Al Unser Jr. won the Indy 500 in the closest finish in the history of that event.

Quick facts Season, Races ...

Starting in 1992, and continuing through 1996, the CART organization began operating under the name IndyCar. The term IndyCar was a registered trademark of IMS, Inc., and was licensed to CART from 1992 to 1996. The use of the term "CART" was curtailed in the series and in the media in favor of IndyCar during this period.

The circuit welcomed a new venue in 1992, New Hampshire International Speedway.

Bobby Rahal, who was in his first season as an owner/driver, won four races and three poles en route to the title. Rahal's three oval wins included a dominating wire-to-wire victory at Phoenix, where he led all 200 laps. Rahal fielded the "tried and true" Lola/Ilmor Chevrolet "A" combination. It was the final championship for the Ilmor Chevy A engine. Rahal managed to outperform the newer engines that joined the series in 1992, the Ford/Cosworth XB, as well as the Ilmor Chevy "B" engine, which was used by the Penske team. For the third time, Michael Andretti finished runner-up to Rahal in the points. Andretti promptly left Indy car racing the following year to race in Formula One.

A bevy of crashes, some serious, at the 1992 Indianapolis 500 injured several drivers, and shook up the driver lineup during parts of the season. Jovy Marcelo was fatally injured in a practice crash, while Nelson Piquet suffered devastating leg injures in another practice crash. Hiro Matsushita suffered a fractured leg and missed several races over the summer. Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, and Jimmy Vasser all sat out the race at Detroit while they recovered from injuries. In July, Mears dropped out of the Michigan 500 with nagging injuries, and ultimately sat out the rest of the season. Mears then unexpectedly retired from racing in December.

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Drivers and constructors

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All entries utilized Goodyear tires. The following teams and drivers competed in the 1992 Indy Car World Series season.

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Driver changes

Preseason

Mid-season

Team changes

Preseason

  • On January 24, 1991, Galles-Kraco Racing announced its plans to build its own car, to be named as Galmer G92, for the 1992 season.[136][137][138] The car was first unveiled to the public on August 24, 1991.[139]
  • On August 2, 1991, Chevrolet announced that it would expand its engine program in 1992 to supply Dick Simon Racing's second car, with driver Hiro Matsushita switching from a Cosworth, and Bob Tezak's UNO Racing, who was using Judd engines. Vince Granatelli Racing also received their own Chevrolet contract, as the one they had was initially awarded to Doug Shierson Racing before its merger with Granatelli and Tezak's eventual departure in June 1991.[26] The programme would be further expanded on September 13, 1991, with Truesports, and on January 8, 1992, with P.I.G. Racing, as both teams ditched the Judd engines.[140][68]
  • On October 20, 1991, Alfa Romeo announced its withdrawal from Indy Car racing after three seasons, ending its two-year relationship with Patrick Racing.[141] On the same day, Patrick reported to the press that Chevrolet had denied the team an engine contract earlier in the month, because of a trangression in late 1989 when they had sent a unit to Alfa Romeo engineers, who tore it apart and studied it.[142] An offer to run a limited, unsupported batch of Alfa engines was rejected,[143] and a tentative agreement with Newman/Haas Racing to use their 1991 Chevrolet engines was discarded in November because of a lack of guarantees for rebuilds and electronics supply from Chevrolet builders Ilmor.[144][145][146]
  • On October 23, 1991, Jim Hayhoe announced the reformation of the Hayhoe Racing team, which had fielded Indy Cars in 1967–68 and 1970.[147] The team reached a deal with Galles-Kraco Racing, who sold two Lola T91/00 chassis, facilitated the use of Chevrolet engines and recommended their test driver Jimmy Vasser.[148][149][150] In February, it was reported that race car collector Rick Cole was a co-owner in the team, which was known as Hayhoe-Cole Racing.[46]
  • On October 30, 1991, Ford Motor Company announced its return to Indy Car racing in an official capacity for the first time since 1971, teaming up with Cosworth. The new Ford-Cosworth XB engines would be supplied to Newman/Haas Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing, with both teams switching from Chevrolet. The same day, Chevrolet announced a new version of their engine, to be used exclusively by Penske Racing in 1992.[151]
  • On December 17, 1991, former Indy Lights team Concept Motorsports announced it would enter Indy Car racing, with a five race programme starting at the Indianapolis 500. The team was owned by Cliff Haverson, a former chief mechanic for All American Racers and Patrick Racing, and was set to use a Buick engine with a Lola T90/00 development chassis.[152][153]
  • On December 19, 1991, Bobby Rahal announced he had bought out Patrick Racing along with his business partner Carl Hogan, a former team owner in Can-Am and Formula 5000. The organization was renamed as Rahal-Hogan Racing, signed an engine supply deal with Chevrolet and changed numbers on the car to No. 12. Former team owner Pat Patrick claimed he felt forced to sell after being 'black-listed' by Chevrolet, so the team could receive a competitive engine, and thus retain sponsorship from the Miller Brewing Company.[70]
  • On January 4, 1992, the provisionally named RAL Group, a team with former Indy Lights and Atlantic Championship experience under the Cole Performance banner, announced it would step up to the Indy Cars in 1992. The team became the first and only customer for the Truesports chassis, using the 91C model with Judd engines.[87] The name of the team was later stablished as Robco Racing in late May.
  • On January 22, 1992, Vince Granatelli Racing announced the team would be shut down after five seasons in the series due to a lack of sponsorship. Despite winning two races with Arie Luyendyk, Granatelli run half of the 1991 season without corporate support after its split with co-owner Bob Tezak.[154]
  • On February 13, 1992, it was reported that Bayside Motorsports had shut down after three seasons in Indy Car racing, leaving Jeff Andretti without a drive. The team had lost the Texaco sponsorship, and its owner Bruce Leven had sold all of his auto franchises after a costly divorce settlement.[155][156]
  • On February 20, 1992, Walker Motorsports announced the assimilation of UNO Racing, after Derrick Walker bought a 51% controlling stake from Bob Tezak. The team inherited the last of Scott Goodyear's three-year deal, his sponsorship and the Chevrolet engine, paired with a new Lola T92/00.[78]
  • After the Buick engines received an additional 5 inches of manifold pressure, Leader Cards Racing switched engines as a result, having raced with Cosworth powerplants since 1980.[157] Dale Coyne Racing, which was a Cosworth customer, elected to make an Indy 500-only switch to the Buick engine, first with Eric Bachelart and then during May with Brian Bonner by acquiring a back-up car from King Motorsports.[158]
  • After partnering with Dale Coyne Racing in 1991, Nu-Tech Motorsports returned as an independent operation, entering two events.

Mid-season

  • Walther Motorsports did not enter the Indianapolis 500 after failing to qualify in the last two editions, putting a definite end to the team after decades in Indy car racing. Driver Salt Walther was arrested in March 1992 over the theft of a golf cart owned by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the 1991 race.[159]
  • For the 1992 season, Arciero Racing changed names to McCormack Motorsports-Arciero Racing, reflecting the ownership change that had already taken place the previous season between team manager Dennis McCormack and franchise owner Frank Arciero.[160][161] In August 1992, the team came to be known only as McCormack Motorsports, as both entities were set to split for 1993.[131]
  • For the Indianapolis 500, Dick Simon Racing entered cars for Scott Brayton that featured both its regular Chevrolet engines and stock-block Buick engines, built by Brayton Engineering. After practising with both cars, Brayton elected to qualify with a Buick.[32]
  • After failing to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, and the departure of its former driver Dominic Dobson, Concept Motorsport failed to appear at any other race during the season due to a lack of sponsorship, and was closed shortly after.[162]
  • After missing the New Hampshire race, Leader Cards Racing struck a deal with Hemelgarn Racing to lease its racing operation for the remainder of the season. The car was run in Hemelgarn colors, and it switched to a Chevrolet engine from Cleveland onwards.[163][164] Although it was reported during the year that Leader Cards had closed up shop, the team retained its franchise and retook control after the season.[165][166]
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Schedule

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 O  Oval/Speedway
 R  Road course
 S  Street circuit
  Non-championship event

  • Indianapolis was USAC-sanctioned but counted towards the PPG Indy Car title.
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Results

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Point standings

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Driver standings

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Note: 1 Jovy Marcelo was killed in practice for the 1992 Indianapolis 500. He was 27 years old.

Results by entrant

  • Only full-time entrants and points scoring cars shown.
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Chassis Constructors' Cup

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Engine Manufacturers' Cup

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See also

Footnotes

  1. Used by the No. 14 car at rounds 4, 8, 10, 12–13 and 15–16
  2. Practiced for round 2, but withdrew from the event due to a shoulder injury.
  3. Entry run by P.I.G. Racing
  4. Deserted the ride on Bump Day to drive for D. B. Mann Motorsports.
  5. Used by Brian Bonner at round 4, and by the No. 19 car at rounds 13-16
  6. Used at Round 4 (Indianapolis 500).
  7. Used by Scott Brayton at round 4 (Indianapolis 500).
  8. Practiced for round 4, but withdrew from the event due to a leg injury.
  9. Withdrew from the event after a practice crash.
  10. Used by Al Unser Jr. at round 15.
  11. Team run by Hemelgarn Racing from round 9 onwards.
  12. Practiced for round 4, but was replaced.
  13. Used by Mario Andretti at round 1, and by Michael Andretti at rounds 1-2.
  14. Practiced and withdrew from the event due to extensive leg injuries.
  15. Practiced and withdrew from the event because he didn't fit in the car.
  16. At the Indianapolis 500, Scott Goodyear qualified his spare car, a Lola T91/00, due to a mechanical issue in his primary car. On the second week of qualifications, Groff was signed to qualify the former primary car as the No. 15T entry, and was set to switch rides with Goodyear for the race. However, Groff had to relinquish his spot in the starting field after Goodyear was bumped.
  17. Car loaned by Leader Cards Racing.
  18. Entry run by Hayhoe-Cole Racing.
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References

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