1998 Indy Lights season

The 1998 CART PPG/Dayton Indy Lights Championship consisted of 14 races. Future 2002 CART champion and Formula One driver Cristiano da Matta captured four wins on his way to the championship.

Team and driver chart
The following drivers and teams competed in the series:

Homestead race

 * March 15, 1998
 * Homestead-Miami Speedway, Miami, Florida
 * Pole position: Sérgio Paese, 0:30.098, 179.653 mi/h

Long Beach race

 * April 5, 1998
 * Long Beach Grand Prix, Long Beach, California
 * Pole position: Didier André, 0:57.108, 99.223 mi/h

Nazareth race

 * April 27, 1998
 * Nazareth Speedway, Nazareth, Pennsylvania
 * Pole position: Cristiano da Matta, 0:22.408, 151.981 mi/h

Gateway race
Held May 23 at Gateway International Raceway. Jorge Goeters won the pole. No qualifying held due to rain. The line up was based on combined practice times.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Shigeaki Hattori
 * 2) Philipp Peter
 * 3) Cristiano da Matta
 * 4) Felipe Giaffone
 * 5) Jorge Goeters

Milwaukee race
Held May 31 at The Milwaukee Mile. Sérgio Paese won the pole.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Derek Higgins
 * 2) Felipe Giaffone
 * 3) Sérgio Paese
 * 4) Geoff Boss
 * 5) Tony Renna

Detroit race
Held June 7 at Belle Isle Raceway. Airton Daré won the pole.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Airton Daré
 * 2) Cristiano da Matta
 * 3) Geoff Boss
 * 4) Mark Hotchkis
 * 5) Didier André

Portland race
Held June 21 at Portland International Raceway. Guy Smith won the pole.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Guy Smith
 * 2) Felipe Giaffone
 * 3) Luiz Garcia Jr.
 * 4) Airton Daré
 * 5) Brian Cunningham

Cleveland race
Held July 12 at Burke Lakefront Airport. Luiz Garcia Jr. won the pole.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Luiz Garcia Jr.
 * 2) Derek Higgins
 * 3) Didier André
 * 4) Guy Smith
 * 5) Tony Renna

Toronto race
Held July 19 at Exhibition Place. Guy Smith won the pole.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Guy Smith
 * 2) Naoki Hattori
 * 3) Chris Simmons
 * 4) Philipp Peter
 * 5) Didier André

Michigan race
Held July 25 at Michigan International Speedway. Tony Renna won the pole.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Tony Renna
 * 2) Cristiano da Matta
 * 3) Sérgio Paese
 * 4) Andy Boss
 * 5) Oriol Servià

Trois-Rivières race
Held August 2 at the Trois-Rivières, Quebec Street Circuit. Cristiano da Matta won the pole.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Cristiano da Matta
 * 2) Oriol Servià
 * 3) Naoki Hattori
 * 4) Guy Smith
 * 5) Didier André

Vancouver race
Held September 6 at Pacific Place. Cristiano da Matta won the pole.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Cristiano da Matta
 * 2) Derek Higgins
 * 3) Airton Daré
 * 4) Mike Borkowski
 * 5) Felipe Giaffone

Laguna Seca race
Held September 13 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Didier André won the pole.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Didier André
 * 2) Oriol Servià
 * 3) Derek Higgins
 * 4) Geoff Boss
 * 5) Naoki Hattori

Fontana race
Held October 31 at The California Speedway. Tony Renna won the pole.

Top Five Results
 * 1) Mark Hotchkis
 * 2) Felipe Giaffone
 * 3) Tony Renna
 * 4) Cory Witherill
 * 5) Didier André

Drivers' championship

 * Scoring system


 * The driver who qualifies on pole is awarded one additional point.
 * An additional point is awarded to the driver who leads the most laps in a race.
 * Ties in points broken by number of wins, or best finishes.