2002 The 500
Encyclopedia
The 2002 The 500
was the eighteenth round of the 2002 CART FedEx Champ Car World Series season, held on November 3, 2002 at the California Speedway in Fontana, California
. It was the final 500 mile race in Champ Car
history. A 500-mile race scheduled at the same race track in 2003, the 2003 King Taco 500
, was canceled because of wildfires in Southern California. No further 500 mile races were scheduled by Champ Car
for the remainder of its history, and besides the famed Indianapolis 500
no 500 mile open wheel race
has been held since. The race was won by Jimmy Vasser
, the final Champ Car victory for the 1996 season champion. His average speed of 197.995 mph established a still-standing record for the fastest 500 mile race ever contested.
Toyota Indy 400
The Toyota Indy 400 was an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, USAC, and CART Champ Car race held from 1970 until 1980, and again from 1997 until 2005 at the California Speedway in Fontana, California. The race will be revived in 2012....
was the eighteenth round of the 2002 CART FedEx Champ Car World Series season, held on November 3, 2002 at the California Speedway in Fontana, California
Fontana, California
Fontana is a city of 196,069 residents in San Bernardino County, California. Founded in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser built a large steel mill in the area...
. It was the final 500 mile race in Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
history. A 500-mile race scheduled at the same race track in 2003, the 2003 King Taco 500
2003 King Taco 500
The 2003 King Taco 500 was to have been the nineteenth and final round of the 2003 CART World Series season on November 9, 2003 at the California Speedway in Fontana, California...
, was canceled because of wildfires in Southern California. No further 500 mile races were scheduled by Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
for the remainder of its history, and besides the famed Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
no 500 mile open wheel race
American Championship Car Racing
Since 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
has been held since. The race was won by Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser
Jimmy Vasser is a retired American racing driver and current co-owner of KV Racing Technology. Vasser won the 1996 IndyCar season championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series...
, the final Champ Car victory for the 1996 season champion. His average speed of 197.995 mph established a still-standing record for the fastest 500 mile race ever contested.
Qualifying results
| Pos | Nat | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Tony Kanaan Tony Kanaan Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara... |
Mo Nunn Racing | 31.483 |
| 2 | |
Bruno Junqueira Bruno Junqueira Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:... |
Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
31.601 |
| 3 | |
Cristiano da Matta Cristiano da Matta Cristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:... |
Newman/Haas Racing Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Newman/Haas Racing was a motor racing team competing in the IndyCar Series. The team operations were based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Newman/Haas Racing was formed when actor Paul Newman and long-time racer Carl Haas, competitors in the Can-Am championship, each began looking to Champ Car racing... |
31.679 |
| 4 |  |
Michael Andretti Michael Andretti Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:... |
Team Motorola | 31.685 |
| 5 |  |
Paul Tracy Paul Tracy Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series... |
Team KOOL Green | 31.734 |
| 6 | |
Jimmy Vasser Jimmy Vasser Jimmy Vasser is a retired American racing driver and current co-owner of KV Racing Technology. Vasser won the 1996 IndyCar season championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series... |
Team Rahal Rahal Letterman Racing Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is an auto racing team that currently races in the American Le Mans Series and part–time in the IndyCar Series. Based in Hilliard, Ohio, it is co–owned by 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, television talk show host David Letterman, and businessman Mike... |
31.736 |
| 7 | |
Alex Tagliani Alex Tagliani Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:... |
Team Player's Forsythe Championship Racing Forsythe/Pettit Racing is a racing team that competed in the Champ Car World Series owned by Gerald Forsythe and Dan Pettit. The Champ Car effort ceased operations after the 2008 unification of North American open wheel racing.-History:... |
31.737 |
| 8 | |
Patrick Carpentier Patrick Carpentier Patrick Carpentier is a retired Canadian race car driver. He is best known for his career in the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series. In 2009, Patrick shared the #36 of Tommy Baldwin Racing with Mike Skinner and ran Michael Waltrip's #55 Toyota Camry in the road course races in the... |
Team Player's | 31.740 |
| 9 | Dario Franchitti Dario Franchitti George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing... |
Team KOOL Green | 31.759 | |
| 10 |  |
Max Papis Max Papis Massimiliano "Max" Papis is a racing driver who has competed in several top-level motorsports events such as Le Mans 24 Hours, Formula One and Champ Car. He has three Champ Car victories. He is the son-in-law of Emerson Fittipaldi. His son's godfather is fellow Italian Alex Zanardi... |
Fernández Racing Fernández Racing Fernández Racing is a Mexican motor racing team that competes in the American Le Mans Series and previously Champ Car, the IRL IndyCar Series, and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The team was co-founded by Adrian Fernández and Tom Anderson in 2001.-Open wheel:... |
31.798 |
| 11 |  |
Michel Jourdain, Jr. Michel Jourdain, Jr. Michel Jourdain Jr. is an IndyCar driver. Jourdain Jr. started racing cars in the Mexican Formula Junior series at the age of 12. He then moved to the Mexican Formula K and Formula 2 series.-Champ Car:... |
Team Rahal | 31.804 |
| 12 |  |
Shinji Nakano Shinji Nakano Shinji Nakano is a racing driver from Japan.His father, Tsuneharu was also a racing driver who competed in the All-Japan Formula Three Championship etc.-Pre Formula One Career:-Formula One Career:... |
Fernández Racing | 31.836 |
| 13 | |
Christian Fittipaldi Christian Fittipaldi Christian Fittipaldi is a Brazilian racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR... |
Newman/Haas Racing | 31.877 |
| 14 |  |
Scott Dixon Scott Dixon Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins... |
Target Chip Ganassi Racing | 31.923 |
| 15 |  |
Kenny Bräck Kenny Bräck Kenny Bräck is a race car driver from Sweden. Until his retirement from racing, he competed in the CART, Indy Racing League and the IROC series. He is the winner of the 1999 Indianapolis 500 and the 1998 driving champion of the Indy Racing League. He survived one of the racing sport's biggest... |
Target Chip Ganassi Racing | 31.981 |
| 16 | |
Tora Takagi Toranosuke Takagi Toranosuke Takagi, known simply as Tora Takagi is a Japanese race car driver.- Early career :... |
Walker Racing Walker Racing Walker Racing is a racing team founded by Derrick Walker in 1991 racing originally in the CART Championship Car series. Presently the team competes in the Firestone Indy Lights series.-Early success:... |
32.050 |
| 17 | |
Mario Domínguez Mario Domínguez Mario Domínguez is a Mexican racing driver. He has competed in the CART and CCWS Champ Car series and later the IndyCar Series.-Early career:Domínguez first began racing in 1987 driving go-karts... |
Herdez Competition | 32.087 |
| 18 |  |
Oriol Servià Oriol Servia Oriol Servià i Imbers is a race car driver in the IndyCar Series, originally from Catalonia, Spain. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.-Early career:... |
Patrick Racing Patrick Racing Patrick Racing was an auto racing team in both Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.Patrick Racing was started by Pat Patrick with the formation of CART in 1978. Patrick Racing would win three Indianapolis 500s and two CART championships, making it one of the most successful CART teams ever.In... |
32.277 |
Race
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Jimmy Vasser Jimmy Vasser Jimmy Vasser is a retired American racing driver and current co-owner of KV Racing Technology. Vasser won the 1996 IndyCar season championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series... |
Team Rahal Rahal Letterman Racing Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is an auto racing team that currently races in the American Le Mans Series and part–time in the IndyCar Series. Based in Hilliard, Ohio, it is co–owned by 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, television talk show host David Letterman, and businessman Mike... |
250 | 2:33:42.977 | 6 | 21 |
| 2 | 39 | Michael Andretti Michael Andretti Michael Mario Andretti is a retired American CART and Formula One driver and owner of the Andretti Autosport team in the IndyCar Series. Andretti is the son of Mario Andretti. His son is Marco Andretti.-Early career:... |
Team Motorola | 250 | +0.400 secs | 4 | 16 |
| 3 | 32 | Patrick Carpentier Patrick Carpentier Patrick Carpentier is a retired Canadian race car driver. He is best known for his career in the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series. In 2009, Patrick shared the #36 of Tommy Baldwin Racing with Mike Skinner and ran Michael Waltrip's #55 Toyota Camry in the road course races in the... |
Team Player's Forsythe Championship Racing Forsythe/Pettit Racing is a racing team that competed in the Champ Car World Series owned by Gerald Forsythe and Dan Pettit. The Champ Car effort ceased operations after the 2008 unification of North American open wheel racing.-History:... |
250 | +1.794 secs | 8 | 14 |
| 4 | 10 | Tony Kanaan Tony Kanaan Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara... |
Mo Nunn Racing | 250 | +2.502 secs | 1 | 13 |
| 5 | 20 | Oriol Servià Oriol Servia Oriol Servià i Imbers is a race car driver in the IndyCar Series, originally from Catalonia, Spain. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.-Early career:... |
Patrick Racing Patrick Racing Patrick Racing was an auto racing team in both Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.Patrick Racing was started by Pat Patrick with the formation of CART in 1978. Patrick Racing would win three Indianapolis 500s and two CART championships, making it one of the most successful CART teams ever.In... |
249 | + 1 Lap | 18 | 10 |
| 6 | 44 | Scott Dixon Scott Dixon Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins... |
Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships... |
249 | + 1 Lap | 14 | 8 |
| 7 | 11 | Christian Fittipaldi Christian Fittipaldi Christian Fittipaldi is a Brazilian racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR... |
Newman/Haas Racing Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing Newman/Haas Racing was a motor racing team competing in the IndyCar Series. The team operations were based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Newman/Haas Racing was formed when actor Paul Newman and long-time racer Carl Haas, competitors in the Can-Am championship, each began looking to Champ Car racing... |
249 | + 1 Lap | 13 | 6 |
| 8 | 33 | Alex Tagliani Alex Tagliani Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:... |
Team Player's | 248 | + 2 Laps | 7 | 5 |
| 9 | 4 | Bruno Junqueira Bruno Junqueira Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:... |
Target Chip Ganassi Racing | 247 | + 3 Laps | 2 | 4 |
| 10 | 27 | Dario Franchitti Dario Franchitti George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing... |
Team KOOL Green | 242 | Engine | 9 | 3 |
| 11 | 1 | Cristiano da Matta Cristiano da Matta Cristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:... |
Newman/Haas Racing | 236 | Engine | 3 | 2 |
| 12 | 12 | Kenny Bräck Kenny Bräck Kenny Bräck is a race car driver from Sweden. Until his retirement from racing, he competed in the CART, Indy Racing League and the IROC series. He is the winner of the 1999 Indianapolis 500 and the 1998 driving champion of the Indy Racing League. He survived one of the racing sport's biggest... |
Target Chip Ganassi Racing | 235 | Drive shaft | 15 | 1 |
| 13 | 9 | Michel Jourdain, Jr. Michel Jourdain, Jr. Michel Jourdain Jr. is an IndyCar driver. Jourdain Jr. started racing cars in the Mexican Formula Junior series at the age of 12. He then moved to the Mexican Formula K and Formula 2 series.-Champ Car:... |
Team Rahal | 218 | Engine | 11 | 0 |
| 14 | 51 | Max Papis Max Papis Massimiliano "Max" Papis is a racing driver who has competed in several top-level motorsports events such as Le Mans 24 Hours, Formula One and Champ Car. He has three Champ Car victories. He is the son-in-law of Emerson Fittipaldi. His son's godfather is fellow Italian Alex Zanardi... |
Fernández Racing Fernández Racing Fernández Racing is a Mexican motor racing team that competes in the American Le Mans Series and previously Champ Car, the IRL IndyCar Series, and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The team was co-founded by Adrian Fernández and Tom Anderson in 2001.-Open wheel:... |
214 | Engine | 10 | 0 |
| 15 | 52 | Shinji Nakano Shinji Nakano Shinji Nakano is a racing driver from Japan.His father, Tsuneharu was also a racing driver who competed in the All-Japan Formula Three Championship etc.-Pre Formula One Career:-Formula One Career:... |
Fernández Racing | 202 | Upright | 12 | 0 |
| 16 | 55 | Mario Domínguez Mario Domínguez Mario Domínguez is a Mexican racing driver. He has competed in the CART and CCWS Champ Car series and later the IndyCar Series.-Early career:Domínguez first began racing in 1987 driving go-karts... |
Herdez Competition | 107 | Engine | 17 | 0 |
| 17 | 26 | Paul Tracy Paul Tracy Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series... |
Team KOOL Green | 86 | Throttle | 5 | 0 |
| 18 | 5 | Tora Takagi Toranosuke Takagi Toranosuke Takagi, known simply as Tora Takagi is a Japanese race car driver.- Early career :... |
Walker Racing Walker Racing Walker Racing is a racing team founded by Derrick Walker in 1991 racing originally in the CART Championship Car series. Presently the team competes in the Firestone Indy Lights series.-Early success:... |
85 | Contact | 16 | 0 |
Caution flags
| Laps | Cause |
|---|---|
| 34-37 | Junqueira (4) Bruno Junqueira Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:... lost wheel |
| 99-104 | Jourdain (9) Michel Jourdain, Jr. Michel Jourdain Jr. is an IndyCar driver. Jourdain Jr. started racing cars in the Mexican Formula Junior series at the age of 12. He then moved to the Mexican Formula K and Formula 2 series.-Champ Car:... spin; Tagliani (33) Alex Tagliani Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:... spin |
| 238-241 | da Matta (1) Cristiano da Matta Cristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:... tow in |
| 245-247 | Franchitti (27) Dario Franchitti George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing... fire |