The 1997
PPG/
Firestone Indy Lights
Indy NXT, previously Indy Lights, is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as Firestone Indy NXT Series for sponsorship reasons. Indy Lights is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a program ...
Championship Powered By
Buick
Buick () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American marques of automobiles, and was the company that established General ...
consisted of 13 races.
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
edged out good friend and teammate
Hélio Castro-Neves to the title by only four points.
Calendar
Race summaries
Homestead race
Held March 2 at
Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Hélio Castro-Neves won the pole.
Top Five Results
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David Empringham
David Empringham (born December 28, 1963) is a Canadian auto racing driver. He is a two-time Toyota Atlantic, one-time Indy Lights and two-time Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge champion. Most recently, Empringham won the 2012 Grand-Am Contin ...
#
Fredrik Larsson Fredrik Larsson may refer to:
* Fredrik Larsson (racing driver), Swedish racing driver
* Fredrik Larsson (golfer), Swedish golfer
*Fredrik Larsson, bassist for Swedish heavy metal band HammerFall
HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from ...
#
Chris Simmons
Christopher Matthew Simmons (born 8 January 1975 in Gravesend, Kent) is an English television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as DC Mickey Webb in ''The Bill'', Mark Garland in '' EastEnders'' and Stuart Summer in ''Hollyoaks''.
...
#
Mark Hotchkis
Mark Hotchkis (born April 17, 1969) is an American former racing driver from Pasadena, California.
Racing career
After graduating from the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving and the Elf-Winfield School first in class Hotchkis star ...
#
Lee Bentham
Lee Bentham (born July 27, 1970) is a Canadian former racing driver from Richmond Hill, Ontario. In 1990 and 1992 he competed in the Formula K karting World Championship series. He moved to cars in the Toyota Atlantic series in 1995 in a success ...
Long Beach race
Held April 13 at
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California.
Incorporate ...
Street Course.
Hélio Castro-Neves won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Hélio Castro-Neves
#
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born 19 September 1973) is a Brazilian former professional racing driver. He won the CART Championship in 2002, and drove in Formula One with the Toyota team from 2003 to 2004.
Career biography
Origins and early car ...
#
Mark Hotchkis
Mark Hotchkis (born April 17, 1969) is an American former racing driver from Pasadena, California.
Racing career
After graduating from the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving and the Elf-Winfield School first in class Hotchkis star ...
#
Chris Simmons
Christopher Matthew Simmons (born 8 January 1975 in Gravesend, Kent) is an English television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as DC Mickey Webb in ''The Bill'', Mark Garland in '' EastEnders'' and Stuart Summer in ''Hollyoaks''.
...
#
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
Nazareth race
Held April 27 at
Nazareth Speedway
Nazareth Speedway was an auto racing facility near Nazareth in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania which operated from 1910 to 2004 in two distinct course configurations. In its early years, it was a dirt twin oval layout. In 1987 it was reo ...
.
Chris Simmons
Christopher Matthew Simmons (born 8 January 1975 in Gravesend, Kent) is an English television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as DC Mickey Webb in ''The Bill'', Mark Garland in '' EastEnders'' and Stuart Summer in ''Hollyoaks''.
...
won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born 19 September 1973) is a Brazilian former professional racing driver. He won the CART Championship in 2002, and drove in Formula One with the Toyota team from 2003 to 2004.
Career biography
Origins and early car ...
#
Chris Simmons
Christopher Matthew Simmons (born 8 January 1975 in Gravesend, Kent) is an English television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as DC Mickey Webb in ''The Bill'', Mark Garland in '' EastEnders'' and Stuart Summer in ''Hollyoaks''.
...
#
Fredrik Larsson Fredrik Larsson may refer to:
* Fredrik Larsson (racing driver), Swedish racing driver
* Fredrik Larsson (golfer), Swedish golfer
*Fredrik Larsson, bassist for Swedish heavy metal band HammerFall
HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from ...
#
Hélio Castro-Neves
#
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
Savannah race
Held May 18 on
Hutchinson Island.
Hélio Castro-Neves won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Hélio Castro-Neves
#
Sérgio Paese
#
Lee Bentham
Lee Bentham (born July 27, 1970) is a Canadian former racing driver from Richmond Hill, Ontario. In 1990 and 1992 he competed in the Formula K karting World Championship series. He moved to cars in the Toyota Atlantic series in 1995 in a success ...
#
Luiz Garcia Jr.
#
Naoki Hattori
is a motoring journalist and racing driver from Japan.
After he won the Japanese Formula Three, Formula 3 championship in 1990, he failed to pre-qualify for two Formula One Grands Prix with Enzo Coloni Racing Car Systems, Coloni in 1991 as a late ...
Gateway race
Held May 24 at
Gateway International Raceway
World Wide Technology Raceway (formerly Gateway International Raceway and Gateway Motorsports Park) is a motorsport racing facility in Madison, Illinois, just east of St. Louis, Missouri, United States, close to the Gateway Arch. It features a o ...
.
Chris Simmons
Christopher Matthew Simmons (born 8 January 1975 in Gravesend, Kent) is an English television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as DC Mickey Webb in ''The Bill'', Mark Garland in '' EastEnders'' and Stuart Summer in ''Hollyoaks''.
...
won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Lee Bentham
Lee Bentham (born July 27, 1970) is a Canadian former racing driver from Richmond Hill, Ontario. In 1990 and 1992 he competed in the Formula K karting World Championship series. He moved to cars in the Toyota Atlantic series in 1995 in a success ...
#
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born 19 September 1973) is a Brazilian former professional racing driver. He won the CART Championship in 2002, and drove in Formula One with the Toyota team from 2003 to 2004.
Career biography
Origins and early car ...
#
Hélio Castro-Neves
#
David Empringham
David Empringham (born December 28, 1963) is a Canadian auto racing driver. He is a two-time Toyota Atlantic, one-time Indy Lights and two-time Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge champion. Most recently, Empringham won the 2012 Grand-Am Contin ...
#
Chris Simmons
Christopher Matthew Simmons (born 8 January 1975 in Gravesend, Kent) is an English television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as DC Mickey Webb in ''The Bill'', Mark Garland in '' EastEnders'' and Stuart Summer in ''Hollyoaks''.
...
Milwaukee race
Held June 1 at The
Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile is a oval race track in the central United States, located on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin, a suburb west of Milwaukee. Its grandstand and bleachers seats approximately 37,000 spectator ...
.
Clint Mears won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Clint Mears
#
David Empringham
David Empringham (born December 28, 1963) is a Canadian auto racing driver. He is a two-time Toyota Atlantic, one-time Indy Lights and two-time Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge champion. Most recently, Empringham won the 2012 Grand-Am Contin ...
#
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
#
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born 19 September 1973) is a Brazilian former professional racing driver. He won the CART Championship in 2002, and drove in Formula One with the Toyota team from 2003 to 2004.
Career biography
Origins and early car ...
#
Fredrik Larsson Fredrik Larsson may refer to:
* Fredrik Larsson (racing driver), Swedish racing driver
* Fredrik Larsson (golfer), Swedish golfer
*Fredrik Larsson, bassist for Swedish heavy metal band HammerFall
HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from ...
Detroit race
Held June 8 at
Belle Isle Raceway.
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
#
Hélio Castro-Neves
#
Geoff Boss
Geoff Boss is an American racing driver best known for his appearance in the 2003 CART season for Dale Coyne Racing. Boss also competed across 5 years in Indy Lights where he won the Toronto Grand Prix from pole position and had 4 additional podiu ...
#
David Empringham
David Empringham (born December 28, 1963) is a Canadian auto racing driver. He is a two-time Toyota Atlantic, one-time Indy Lights and two-time Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge champion. Most recently, Empringham won the 2012 Grand-Am Contin ...
#
Sérgio Paese
Portland race
Held June 22 at
Portland International Raceway
Portland International Raceway (PIR) is a motorsport facility in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is part of the Delta Park complex on the former site of Vanport, just south of the Columbia River. It lies west of the Delta Park/Vanport ...
.
Hélio Castro-Neves won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Hideki Noda
is a Japanese professional racing driver. He participated in three Formula One Grands Prix, débuting in the 1994 European Grand Prix, but did not score any championship points. He replaced Yannick Dalmas in the Larrousse car for the last thre ...
#
Hélio Castro-Neves
#
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
#
Cristophe Tinseau
#
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born 19 September 1973) is a Brazilian former professional racing driver. He won the CART Championship in 2002, and drove in Formula One with the Toyota team from 2003 to 2004.
Career biography
Origins and early car ...
Toronto race
Held July 20 at
Exhibition Place
Exhibition Place is a publicly owned mixed-use district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located by the shoreline of Lake Ontario, just west of downtown. The site includes exhibit, trade, and banquet centres, theatre and music buildings, monuments ...
.
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Hélio Castro-Neves
#
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
#
David Empringham
David Empringham (born December 28, 1963) is a Canadian auto racing driver. He is a two-time Toyota Atlantic, one-time Indy Lights and two-time Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge champion. Most recently, Empringham won the 2012 Grand-Am Contin ...
#
Didier André
Didier André (born 3 September 1974) is a race car driver born in Lyon, France. In the late 1990s he competed in Indy Lights, driving in the Indy Racing League in 2001 and Nissan World Series from 2003 until the present day. During 2006 he dr ...
#
Cristophe Tinseau
Trois-Rivières race
Held August 3 at the
Trois-Rivières, Quebec Street Circuit.
Mark Hotchkis
Mark Hotchkis (born April 17, 1969) is an American former racing driver from Pasadena, California.
Racing career
After graduating from the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving and the Elf-Winfield School first in class Hotchkis star ...
won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
#
Mark Hotchkis
Mark Hotchkis (born April 17, 1969) is an American former racing driver from Pasadena, California.
Racing career
After graduating from the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving and the Elf-Winfield School first in class Hotchkis star ...
#
Cristophe Tinseau
#
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born 19 September 1973) is a Brazilian former professional racing driver. He won the CART Championship in 2002, and drove in Formula One with the Toyota team from 2003 to 2004.
Career biography
Origins and early car ...
#
David Empringham
David Empringham (born December 28, 1963) is a Canadian auto racing driver. He is a two-time Toyota Atlantic, one-time Indy Lights and two-time Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge champion. Most recently, Empringham won the 2012 Grand-Am Contin ...
Vancouver race
Held August 31 at
Pacific Place.
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born 19 September 1973) is a Brazilian former professional racing driver. He won the CART Championship in 2002, and drove in Formula One with the Toyota team from 2003 to 2004.
Career biography
Origins and early car ...
won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born 19 September 1973) is a Brazilian former professional racing driver. He won the CART Championship in 2002, and drove in Formula One with the Toyota team from 2003 to 2004.
Career biography
Origins and early car ...
#
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
#
Hideki Noda
is a Japanese professional racing driver. He participated in three Formula One Grands Prix, débuting in the 1994 European Grand Prix, but did not score any championship points. He replaced Yannick Dalmas in the Larrousse car for the last thre ...
#
Chris Simmons
Christopher Matthew Simmons (born 8 January 1975 in Gravesend, Kent) is an English television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as DC Mickey Webb in ''The Bill'', Mark Garland in '' EastEnders'' and Stuart Summer in ''Hollyoaks''.
...
#
David Empringham
David Empringham (born December 28, 1963) is a Canadian auto racing driver. He is a two-time Toyota Atlantic, one-time Indy Lights and two-time Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge champion. Most recently, Empringham won the 2012 Grand-Am Contin ...
Laguna Seca race
Held September 7 at
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Laguna Seca Raceway (branded as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and previously Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca) is a paved road racing track in central California used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, built in 1957 near both Salinas and M ...
.
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born 19 September 1973) is a Brazilian former professional racing driver. He won the CART Championship in 2002, and drove in Formula One with the Toyota team from 2003 to 2004.
Career biography
Origins and early car ...
#
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
#
Hélio Castro-Neves
#
Mark Hotchkis
Mark Hotchkis (born April 17, 1969) is an American former racing driver from Pasadena, California.
Racing career
After graduating from the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving and the Elf-Winfield School first in class Hotchkis star ...
#
Lee Bentham
Lee Bentham (born July 27, 1970) is a Canadian former racing driver from Richmond Hill, Ontario. In 1990 and 1992 he competed in the Formula K karting World Championship series. He moved to cars in the Toyota Atlantic series in 1995 in a success ...
Fontana race
Held September 27 at The
California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway, originally opened as California Speedway, is a , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in unincorporated San Bernardino County, California, near Fontana. It has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. It was also previ ...
.
Clint Mears won the pole.
Top Five Results
#
Clint Mears
#
Chris Simmons
Christopher Matthew Simmons (born 8 January 1975 in Gravesend, Kent) is an English television and stage actor. He is best known for his roles as DC Mickey Webb in ''The Bill'', Mark Garland in '' EastEnders'' and Stuart Summer in ''Hollyoaks''.
...
#
Lee Bentham
Lee Bentham (born July 27, 1970) is a Canadian former racing driver from Richmond Hill, Ontario. In 1990 and 1992 he competed in the Formula K karting World Championship series. He moved to cars in the Toyota Atlantic series in 1995 in a success ...
#
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (born 19 September 1973) is a Brazilian former professional racing driver. He won the CART Championship in 2002, and drove in Formula One with the Toyota team from 2003 to 2004.
Career biography
Origins and early car ...
#
Hélio Castro-Neves
Final points standings
Driver
For every race the points were awarded: 20 points to the winner, 16 for runner-up, 14 for third place, 12 for fourth place, 10 for fifth place, 8 for sixth place, 6 seventh place, winding down to 1 points for 12th place. Additional points were awarded to the pole winner (1 point) and to the driver leading the most laps (1 point).
Complete Overview
R23=retired, but classified NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify
References
{{Firestone Indy Lights Series
Indy Lights seasons
Indy Lights Season, 1997
Indy Lights
Indy NXT, previously Indy Lights, is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as Firestone Indy NXT Series for sponsorship reasons. Indy Lights is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a program ...
Indy Lights
Indy NXT, previously Indy Lights, is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as Firestone Indy NXT Series for sponsorship reasons. Indy Lights is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a program ...