2001 Indy Racing League season

The 2001 Indy Racing Northern Light Series season saw the addition of five races and loss of one to bring the total to 13. Chip Ganassi Racing returned to the Indy 500 with four cars and were joined on the grid by Penske Racing and Team Kool Green. Many other CART teams made clear their intention to enter the IRL given their series' financial difficulties. Sam Hornish, Jr. won 3 races on his way to the championship while the less consistent Buddy Lazier won four races on his way to second place in his title defense.

2001 Indy Racing League schedule
All races running on Oval/Speedway.

Pennzoil Copper World Indy 200
This race was held March 18 at Phoenix International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 2) 14- Eliseo Salazar
 * 3) 91- Buddy Lazier
 * 4) 8- Scott Sharp
 * 5) 98- Billy Boat
 * 6) 21- Felipe Giaffone
 * 7) 35- Jeff Ward
 * 8) 10- Robby McGehee
 * 9) 12- Buzz Calkins
 * 10) 88- Airton Daré

Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami
This race was held April 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Jeff Ward won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 2) 15- Sarah Fisher
 * 3) 14- Eliseo Salazar
 * 4) 21- Felipe Giaffone
 * 5) 35- Jeff Ward
 * 6) 3- Al Unser, Jr.
 * 7) 28- Mark Dismore
 * 8) 8- Scott Sharp
 * 9) 51- Eddie Cheever
 * 10) 32- Didier André

zMax 500
This race was held April 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 2- Greg Ray
 * 2) 8- Scott Sharp
 * 3) 12- Buzz Calkins
 * 4) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 5) 14- Eliseo Salazar
 * 6) 91- Buddy Lazier
 * 7) 35- Jeff Ward
 * 8) 55- Shigeaki Hattori
 * 9) 88- Airton Daré
 * 10) 21- Felipe Giaffone

85th Indianapolis 500
The Indy 500 was held May 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Scott Sharp sat on pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 68- Hélio Castroneves
 * 2) 66- Gil de Ferran
 * 3) 39- Michael Andretti
 * 4) 44- Jimmy Vasser
 * 5) 50- Bruno Junqueira
 * 6) 33- Tony Stewart
 * 7) 14- Eliseo Salazar
 * 8) 88- Airton Daré
 * 9) 98- Billy Boat
 * 10) 21- Felipe Giaffone

Casino Magic 500
This race was held June 9 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mark Dismore won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 8- Scott Sharp
 * 2) 21- Felipe Giaffone
 * 3) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 4) 91- Buddy Lazier
 * 5) 98- Billy Boat
 * 6) 11- Donnie Beechler
 * 7) 14- Eliseo Salazar
 * 8) 3- Al Unser, Jr.
 * 9) 77- Jaques Lazier
 * 10) 55- Shigeaki Hattori

Radisson Indy 200
This race was held June 17 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 91- Buddy Lazier
 * 2) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 3) 24- Robbie Buhl
 * 4) 98- Billy Boat
 * 5) 88- Airton Daré
 * 6) 51- Eddie Cheever
 * 7) 21- Felipe Giaffone
 * 8) 8- Scott Sharp
 * 9) 99- Richie Hearn
 * 10) 15- Sarah Fisher

SunTrust Indy Challenge
This race was held June 30 at Richmond International Raceway. Jaques Lazier won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 91- Buddy Lazier
 * 2) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 3) 3- Al Unser, Jr.
 * 4) 32- Didier Andre
 * 5) 8- Scott Sharp
 * 6) 28- Mark Dismore
 * 7) 11- Donnie Beechler
 * 8) 35- Jeff Ward
 * 9) 24- Robbie Buhl
 * 10) 12- Buzz Calkins

Ameristar Casino Indy 200
This race was held July 8 at Kansas Speedway. Scott Sharp won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 51- Eddie Cheever
 * 2) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 3) 11- Donnie Beechler
 * 4) 21- Felipe Giaffone
 * 5) 91- Buddy Lazier
 * 6) 88- Airton Daré
 * 7) 14- Eliseo Salazar
 * 8) 55- Shigeaki Hattori
 * 9) 98- Billy Boat
 * 10) 10- Robby McGehee

Harrah's 200
This race was held July 21 at Nashville Superspeedway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 91- Buddy Lazier
 * 2) 98- Billy Boat
 * 3) 99- Jaques Lazier
 * 4) 10- Robby McGehee
 * 5) 8- Scott Sharp
 * 6) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 7) 55- Shigeaki Hattori
 * 8) 21- Felipe Giaffone
 * 9) 12- Buzz Calkins
 * 10) 11- Donnie Beechler

Belterra Resort Indy 300
This race was held August 12 at Kentucky Speedway. Scott Sharp won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 91- Buddy Lazier
 * 2) 8- Scott Sharp
 * 3) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 4) 3- Al Unser, Jr.
 * 5) 11- Donnie Beechler
 * 6) 98- Billy Boat
 * 7) 55- Shigeaki Hattori
 * 8) 21- Felipe Giaffone
 * 9) 24- Robbie Buhl
 * 10) 35- Jeff Ward

Gateway Indy 250
This race was held August 26 at Gateway International Raceway. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 3- Al Unser, Jr.
 * 2) 28- Mark Dismore
 * 3) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 4) 51- Eddie Cheever
 * 5) 24- Robbie Buhl
 * 6) 98- Billy Boat
 * 7) 35- Jeff Ward
 * 8) 8- Scott Sharp
 * 9) 88- Airton Daré
 * 10) 10- Robby McGehee

Delphi Indy 300
This race was held September 2 at Chicagoland Speedway. Jaques Lazier won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 2- Jaques Lazier
 * 2) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 3) 51- Eddie Cheever
 * 4) 35- Jeff Ward
 * 5) 11- Donnie Beechler
 * 6) 99- Richie Hearn
 * 7) 34- Laurent Rédon
 * 8) 3- Al Unser, Jr.
 * 9) 12- Buzz Calkins
 * 10) 21- Felipe Giaffone

Chevy 500
This race was held October 6 at Texas Motor Speedway. Sam Hornish, Jr. won the pole.

Top ten results
 * 1) 4- Sam Hornish, Jr.
 * 2) 8- Scott Sharp
 * 3) 24- Robbie Buhl
 * 4) 14- Eliseo Salazar
 * 5) 5- Rick Treadway
 * 6) 3- Al Unser, Jr.
 * 7) 88- Airton Daré
 * 8) 11- Greg Ray
 * 9) 18- Jon Herb
 * 10) 12- Buzz Calkins

Final points standings
In every race, points are awarded to drivers on the following basis:
 * Ties in points broken by number of wins, followed by number of 2nds, 3rds, etc., and then by number of pole positions, followed by number of times qualified 2nd, etc.