2002 Indy Racing League

<p>The 2002 Indy Racing League (IRL) was one of transition, with two reigning <a href="/facts/Champ_Car/YB2e7lIS">CART</a> championship teams, <a href="/facts/Team_Penske/N2CCheJQ">Team Penske</a> and <a href="/facts/Chip_Ganassi_Racing/R5SUFmtY">Target Chip Ganassi Racing</a>, joining the series with full time entries.  The <a href="/facts/Oldsmobile/TIfEKkaz">Oldsmobile</a> engine was rebranded as a <a href="/facts/Chevrolet/lp04IP4m">Chevrolet</a>, and both <a href="/facts/Honda/asGvEBbW">Honda</a> and <a href="/facts/Toyota/wHIb40oG">Toyota</a> announced their participation in the series starting in 2003 while <a href="/facts/Infiniti/9Evzuy22">Infiniti</a> announced its withdrawal.
</p><p><a href="/facts/Sam_Hornish_Jr./pNIzQcDU">Sam Hornish Jr.</a> won 5 races on his way to his second straight championship ahead of Penske juggernaut <a href="/facts/H%25C3%25A9lio_Castroneves/m2pdq052">Hélio Castroneves</a>, winner of two races including a second straight Indy 500, on his way to second in the championship. The season was also notable for seeing six drivers win their first career Indy Racing League races.
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2002 Indy Racing League open-in-new

2002 Indy Racing League