2001 CART season

The 2001 FedEx Championship Series season, the twenty-third in the CART era of U.S. open-wheel racing, consisted of 20 of the 22 originally scheduled races, beginning in Monterrey, Mexico on March 11 and concluding in Fontana, California on November 4. What would have been the third race in the season, the Firestone Firehawk 600 in Fort Worth, Texas was canceled after qualifying due to safety concerns. The FedEx Championship Series Drivers' Champion was Gil de Ferran, while the Rookie of the Year was Scott Dixon.

2001 CART season
FedEx Championship Series
Season
Races22 20
Start dateMarch 11
End dateNovember 4
Awards
Drivers' champion Gil de Ferran
Constructors' Cup Reynard
Manufacturers' Cup Honda
Nations' Cup Brazil
Rookie of the Year Scott Dixon
Bryan Herta's #77 Forsythe Reynard at Rockingham Motor Speedway in 2001

Off the track, the 2001 season was an unmitigated disaster for CART, featuring two race cancellations, a disastrous European tour that coincided with the September 11 attacks, infighting amongst engine manufacturers that saw litigation and the announced future departure of Honda and Toyota, the loss of the series' television contract, the loss of longtime tracks Michigan and Nazareth, and the withdrawal of Team Penske at the conclusion of the season.

Team Penske and Team Motorola joined Chip Ganassi Racing in having concurrent IRL teams to run in the 2001 Indianapolis 500, with Penske's Castroneves winning the race. In an unusual move, CART "sanctioned" the participation of teams in the race; This was an attempt to allow Penske's primary sponsor, Marlboro, to appear on cars in the 500 as they were prohibited from being in more than one racing series by the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. This legal maneuver was not successful, and Penske's cars ran without advertising.

Drivers and constructors

The following teams and drivers competed in the 2001 CART Championship Series season. All cars ran on Firestone Tires. [1][2]

Team Chassis Engine No Drivers Races Primary Sponsors
Team Penske Reynard 01i Honda HR-1 1 Gil de Ferran All Marlboro 19
Penske Racing 2
3 Hélio Castroneves All
Chip Ganassi Racing Lola B1/00 Toyota RV8E 4 Bruno Junqueira  R  All Target
12 Nicolas Minassian  R  1–7
Memo Gidley 8–21
Walker Motorsport Reynard 01i Toyota RV8E 5 Toranosuke Takagi  R  All Pioneer 20
Walker Racing 1
Newman-Haas Racing Lola B1/00 Toyota RV8E 6 Cristiano da Matta All Texaco-Havoline
11 Christian Fittipaldi All Kmart
Team Rahal Lola B1/00 Ford-Cosworth XF 7 Max Papis All Miller Lite 17
Miller Genuine Draft 4
8 Kenny Bräck All Shell
Bettenhausen Racing Lola B1/00 Ford-Cosworth XF 16 Michel Jourdain Jr. All Herdez
PacWest Racing Reynard 01i Toyota RV8E 17 Maurício Gugelmin All Nextel
18 Scott Dixon  R  All Powerware 19
Nextel 2
Patrick Racing Reynard 01i Toyota RV8E 19 Townsend Bell 16–17 Visteon
20 Roberto Moreno All
40 Jimmy Vasser All OXXO 1
Patrick Racing 4
Visteon 15
Dale Coyne Racing Lola B2K/00 Ford-Cosworth XF 19 Michael Krumm 1–2 The Dark Dog
21 Luiz Garcia Jr. 1–2 Embratel
Sigma Autosport Lola B1/00 Ford-Cosworth XF 22 Oriol Servià All Sigma Autosport
Arciero-Blair Racing Lola B2K/00 Phoenix 25 Max Wilson  R  1–4 winnerB2B.com 9
Driving 101 10
Ford-Cosworth XF 6–10, 13–19
Alex Barron 20–21
Team Green Reynard 01i Honda HR-1 26 Paul Tracy All KOOL 19
Team Green 2
27 Dario Franchitti All
Forsythe Racing Reynard 01i Ford-Cosworth XF 32 Patrick Carpentier All Player's 19
Racing Since 1961 2
33 Alex Tagliani All
77 Bryan Herta All Indeck
Team Motorola Reynard 01i Honda HR-1
 39 Michael Andretti All Motorola
Fernández Racing Reynard 01i Honda HR-1 51 Adrián Fernández All Tecate
52 Shinji Nakano All Avex
Mo Nunn Racing Reynard 01i Honda HR-1 55 Tony Kanaan All Hollywood Cigarettes 19
No Limits 2
66 Alex Zanardi 1–16 Pioneer 19
Mo Nunn Racing 1
Casey Mears  R  18–21
R Eligible for Rookie of the Year

Season summary

Schedule
Rnd Race Name Circuit City/Location Date
1 Tecate/Telmex Grand Prix of Monterrey  S  Fundidora Park Monterrey, Mexico March 11
– Rio 200 (Cancelled)  O  Autódromo de Jacarepaguá Rio de Janeiro, Brazil March 25
2 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach  S  Streets of Long Beach Long Beach, California April 8
– Firestone Firehawk 600 (Cancelled)  O  Texas Motor Speedway Fort Worth, Texas April 29
3 Lehigh Valley Grand Prix  O  Nazareth Speedway Nazareth, Pennsylvania May 6
4 Firestone Firehawk 500  O  Twin Ring Motegi Motegi, Japan May 19
5 Miller Lite 225  O  Milwaukee Mile West Allis, Wisconsin June 3
6 Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit  S  The Raceway on Belle Isle Park Detroit, Michigan June 17
7 Freightliner/G.I. Joe's 200  R  Portland International Raceway Portland, Oregon June 24
8 Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland  S  Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport Cleveland, Ohio July 1
9 Molson Indy Toronto  S  Exhibition Place Toronto, Ontario July 15
10 Harrah's 500  O  Michigan International Speedway Brooklyn, Michigan July 22
11 Target Grand Prix of Chicago  O  Chicago Motor Speedway Cicero, Illinois July 29
12 Miller Lite 200  R  Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, Ohio August 12
13 Motorola 220  R  Road America Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin August 19
14 Molson Indy Vancouver  S  Concord Pacific Place Vancouver, British Columbia September 2
15 The American Memorial  O  EuroSpeedway Lausitz Klettwitz, Germany September 15
16 Rockingham 500  O  Rockingham Motor Speedway Corby, United Kingdom September 22
17 Texaco/Havoline Grand Prix of Houston  S  George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, Texas October 7
18 Honda Grand Prix of Monterey  R  Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Monterey, California October 14
19 Honda Indy 300  S  Surfers Paradise Street Circuit Surfers Paradise, Australia October 28
20 Marlboro 500  O  California Speedway Fontana, California November 4

 O  Oval/Speedway
 R  Dedicated road course
 S  Temporary street circuit

  • The original calendar called for 22 races on five continents, by far the most ambitious calendar CART had ever attempted. With the race at Texas being canceled and the Rio 200 being dropped, the 2001 season ultimately had the same number of races as the previous year.
  • For the first time, CART would race in the United Kingdom and Germany and also return to Mexico for the first time in almost twenty years.
  • The original calendar released on August 5, 2000, had the first round of the season at Jacarepaguá in Brazil, but disagreements with the track owners several months later led to the event being dropped.
  • The events at Homestead-Miami and Gateway were dropped after negotiations with the owners of the track; rival series Indy Racing League secured the contracts instead, and both tracks were featured in the 2001 Indy Racing League season.
  • The removal of Gateway from the calendar meant that Memorial Day weekend would be empty, allowing several teams and drivers the opportunity to compete at the Indianapolis 500.

Race results
Rnd Race Name Pole position Fastest lap Lead most laps Winning driver Winning team Report
1 Tecate/Telmex Grand Prix of Monterrey Kenny Bräck Dario Franchitti Cristiano da Matta Cristiano da Matta Newman-Haas Racing Report
2 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves Team Penske Report
3 Firestone Firehawk 600 Kenny Bräck Race cancelled Report
4 Lehigh Valley Grand Prix Bruno Junqueira  R  Tony Kanaan Kenny Bräck Scott Dixon  R  PacWest Racing Report
5 Firestone Firehawk 500 Hélio Castroneves Alex Zanardi Hélio Castroneves Kenny Bräck Team Rahal Report
NC Indianapolis 500 Scott Sharp Sam Hornish Jr. Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves Team Penske Report
6 Miller Lite 225 Kenny Bräck Dario Franchitti Kenny Bräck Kenny Bräck Team Rahal Report
7 Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit Hélio Castroneves Michael Andretti Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves Team Penske Report
8 Freightliner/G.I. Joe's 200 Max Papis Max Papis Max Papis Max Papis Team Rahal Report
9 Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland Maurício Gugelmin Roberto Moreno Memo Gidley Dario Franchitti Team Green Report
10 Molson Indy Toronto Gil de Ferran Hélio Castroneves Gil de Ferran Michael Andretti Team Motorola Report
11 Harrah's 500 Kenny Bräck Patrick Carpentier Max Papis Patrick Carpentier Forsythe Racing Report
12 Target Grand Prix of Chicago Tony Kanaan Kenny Bräck Hélio Castroneves Kenny Bräck Team Rahal Report
13 Miller Lite 200 Gil de Ferran Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves Hélio Castroneves Team Penske Report
14 Motorola 220 Kenny Bräck Bruno Junqueira  R  Hélio Castroneves Bruno Junqueira  R  Chip Ganassi Racing Report
15 Molson Indy Vancouver Alex Tagliani Hélio Castroneves Alex Tagliani Roberto Moreno Patrick Racing Report
16 The American Memorial Gil de Ferran Tony Kanaan Kenny Bräck Kenny Bräck Team Rahal Report
17 Rockingham 500 Kenny Bräck Patrick Carpentier Gil de Ferran Gil de Ferran Team Penske Report
18 Texaco/Havoline Grand Prix of Houston Gil de Ferran Jimmy Vasser Gil de Ferran Gil de Ferran Team Penske Report
19 Honda Grand Prix of Monterey Gil de Ferran Hélio Castroneves Gil de Ferran Max Papis Team Rahal Report
20 Honda Indy 300 Roberto Moreno Jimmy Vasser Roberto Moreno Cristiano da Matta Newman-Haas Racing Report
21 Marlboro 500 Alex Tagliani Max Papis Max Papis Cristiano da Matta Newman-Haas Racing Report

Final driver standings
Pos Driver MTY LBH NAZ MOT MIL DET POR CLE TOR MIC CHI MDO ROA VAN LAU ROC HOU LAG SUR FON Pts
1 Gil de Ferran 2 3 23 13 7 6 13 4 14* 24 3 2 5 2 8 1* 1* 3* 4 6 199
2 Kenny Bräck1 5 25 2* 1 1* 9 11 6 20 17 1 20 14 8 1* 2 7 25 5 26 163
3 Michael Andretti 4 28 6 23 2 4 8 15 1 19 24 26 2 3 4 5 21 14 2 7 147
4 Hélio Castroneves 8 1* 11 2* 26 1* 17 12 19 8 7* 1* 7* 18 12 4 5 6 20 22 141
5 Cristiano da Matta 1* 2 10 25 25 7 10 7 15 4 19 10 6 20 26 3 6 20 1 1 140
6 Max Papis 12 17 24 6 8 11 1* 18 8 16* 13 24 16 22 2 11 9 1 9 2* 107
7 Dario Franchitti 9 6 8 17 9 2 6 1 24 2 15 16 19 9 25 9 2 19 23 23 105
8 Scott Dixon  RY  13 19 1 9 3 22 7 20 5 10 4 12 4 13 9 22 18 4 15 17 98
9 Tony Kanaan 7 7 16 3 6 Wth 24 16 10 21 8 5 12 4 7 8 12 8 17 5 93
10 Patrick Carpentier 25 23 25 19 17 8 5 26 21 1 2 3 9 16 3 16 10 26 11 10 91
11 Alex Tagliani 21 18 22 22 12 21 12 9 2 6 6 7 8 23* 21 14 19 15 3 3 80
12 Jimmy Vasser 6 5 4 5 21 18 16 5 26 23 14 23 21 19 15 7 11 5 6 12 77
13 Roberto Moreno 27 11 12 10 15 3 2 8 11 12 20 6 11 1 23 13 22 22 22* 19 76
14 Paul Tracy 3 4 3 18 24 14 21 24 6 7 12 4 26 26 10 6 24 18 14 24 73
15 Christian Fittipaldi 20 24 5 4 18 5 3 11 12 18 25 8 18 11 19 24 8 9 8 13 70
16 Bruno Junqueira  R  22 9 7 24 4 19 23 23 13 9 17 13 1 12 11 25 23 7 21 4 68
17 Memo Gidley 25 2* 17 14 5 11 20 10 14 18 3 2 10 14 65
18 Adrián Fernández 19 16 19 16 5 12 19 21 3 25 10 22 3 21 24 23 14 10 19 18 45
19 Oriol Servià 14 14 9 14 14 16 9 17 23 11 18 9 10 5 5 10 26 17 25 11 42
20 Michel Jourdain Jr. 17 13 13 11 13 25 15 25 16 3 23 17 17 6 17 19 25 23 7 16 30
21 Toranosuke Takagi  R  10 20 14 20 202 20 18 14 223 13 11 21 22 7 6 26 4 13 16 15 29
22 Bryan Herta 16 10 21 21 22 15 14 3 18 5 21 25 24 17 27 15 13 12 18 25 28
23 Alex Zanardi 24 26 20 7 11 24 26 13 4 20 9 19 13 24 204 24
24 Maurício Gugelmin 15 22 12 10 10 20 10 7 15 22 14 23 15 16 20 20 16 24 20 17
25 Max Wilson  R  28 21 17 23 23 4 19 25 15 25 25 18 21 16 24 12
26 Shinji Nakano 18 12 15 8 16 13 22 22 9 22 16 18 15 14 22 17 15 21 12 21 11
27 Nicolas Minassian  R  11 8 18 15 19 17 7
28 Casey Mears  R  17 11 26 8 7
29 Alex Barron 13 9 4
30 Townsend Bell  R  13 12 1
31 Michael Krumm  R  23 15 0
32 Luiz Garcia Jr. 26 27 0
Pos Driver MTY LBH NAZ MOT MIL DET POR CLE TOR MIC CHI MDO ROA VAN LAU ROC HOU LAG SUR FON Pts
Color Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green 4th–6th place
Light Blue 7th–12th place
Dark Blue Finished
(Outside Top 12)
Purple Did not finish
Red Did not qualify
(DNQ)
Brown Withdrawn
(Wth)
Black Disqualified
(DSQ)
White Did not start
(DNS)
Blank Did not
participate
(DNP)
Not competing
In-line notation
Bold Pole position
Italics Ran fastest race lap
* Led most race laps
 RY  Rookie of the Year
 R  Rookie
  1. ^ Kenny Bräck also awarded 1 point for his pole position in Fort Worth. The race was canceled after qualifying due to excessively high speeds.
  2. ^ Toranosuke Takagi was excluded from the race on Lap 134 for taking out Jimmy Vasser as he was being lapped.
  3. ^ Toranosuke Takagi was penalized 2 points for rough driving in Toronto.
  4. ^ Alex Zanardi's car was impacted from the side by Alex Tagliani's car at EuroSpeedway Lausitz. He lost both of his lower legs in the impact. This signaled the end of his open-wheel racing career.

Nation's Cup
  • Top result per race counts towards Nation's Cup.
Pos Country MTY LBH NAZ MOT MIL DET POR CLE TOR MIC CHI MDO ROA VAN LAU ROC HOU LAG SUR FON Pts
1 Brazil 1 1 5 2 4 1 2 4 7 5 3 1 1 1 7 1 1 3 1 1 341
2 United States 4 5 4 5 2 4 8 2 1 4 5 11 2 3 4 5 3 2 2 7 240
3 Canada 3 4 3 18 12 8 5 9 2 1 2 3 8 16 3 6 10 15 3 3 187
4 Sweden 5 25 2 1 1 9 11 6 20 17 1 20 14 8 1 2 7 25 5 26 163
5 Italy 12 17 20 6 8 11 1 18 4 16 9 19 13 22 2 11 9 1 9 2 118
6 United Kingdom 9 6 8 17 9 2 6 1 24 2 15 16 19 9 25 9 2 19 23 23 105
7 New Zealand 13 19 1 9 3 22 7 20 5 10 4 12 4 13 9 22 18 4 15 17 98
8 Mexico 17 13 9 11 5 12 15 21 3 3 10 17 3 6 17 19 14 10 7 16 75
9 Japan 10 12 14 8 16 13 18 14 9 13 11 18 15 7 6 17 4 13 12 15 42
10 Spain 14 14 9 14 14 16 9 17 23 11 18 9 10 5 5 10 26 17 25 11 42
11 France 11 8 18 15 19 17 7
12 Germany 23 15 0
Pos Country MTY LBH NAZ MOT MIL DET POR CLE TOR MIC CHI MDO ROA VAN LAU ROC HOU LAG SUR FON Pts

Chassis Constructor's Cup
Pos Chassis Pts
1 Reynard 01i 378
2 Lola B1/00 & B2K/00 335
Pos Chassis Pts

Engine Manufacturer's Cup
Pos Engine Pts
1 Honda 342
2 Toyota 309
3 &
Ford-Cosworth		 297
4 Phoenix 0
Pos Engine Pts

References
  • Åberg, Andreas. "CART FedEx Champ Car World Series 2001". Driver Database. Archived from the original on 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  • "2001 CART FedEx Champ Car World Series". Champ Car Stats. Archived from the original on 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  • "CART Postpones Firestone Firehawk 600 Presented by Pioneer Due to Unprecedented Physical Demands on Drivers" (Press release). CART / PR Newswire. 2001-04-30.
  • "Standings after Fontana". Champ Car World Series. Archived from the original on 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2009-05-19.

See also
  1. https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/honda-championship-auto-racing-highlights?l=en-US&mode=print
  2. https://www.museumofamericanspeed.com/2002toyota.html
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