Race details | |
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10th round of the 1998 Indy Racing League season | |
Date | September 20, 1998 |
Official name | Lone Star 500 |
Location | Texas Motor Speedway |
Course | Permanent racing facility 1.500 mi / 2.414 km |
Distance | 208 laps 312.000 mi / 502.115 km |
Pole position | |
Driver | Billy Boat (A. J. Foyt Enterprises) |
Time | 23.896 |
Fastest lap | |
Driver | Jeff Ward (ISM Racing) |
Time | 24.081 (on lap unknown of 208) |
Podium | |
First | John Paul Jr. (Byrd-Cunningham Racing) |
Second | Robby Unser (Team Cheever) |
Third | Jeff Ward (ISM Racing) |
The 1998 Lone Star 500 was the tenth round of the 1998 Indy Racing League season. The race was held on September 20, 1998 at the 1.50 mi (2.41 km) Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Open-wheel veteran John Paul Jr. earned his first win since the 1983 Michigan 500 in a race determined by attrition and fuel strategy. It would be Paul's only win in his IRL career and the only win for Byrd-Cunningham Racing in the series. Rookie Robby Unser scored his first and only podium as well as led the only laps in his career.
The race saw many crashes and problems plague the usual frontrunners, including Arie Luyendyk (fuel pump), Eddie Cheever (engine malfunction), Scott Sharp (crash), Greg Ray (engine malfunction), and Tony Stewart (led 51 laps before an engine problem ended his race). By finishing 5th, points leader Kenny Bräck maintained his comfortable lead in the points standings, all but ensuring he would be the next IRL champion in the next race.