The 1996 Indy Car calendar season was the first year of the split between CART and the newly formed Indy Racing League. It started Jan. 27th with the first ever IRL race at Walt Disney World Speedway, and ended Sept. 15th with the first IRL race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Jimmy Vasser won his only championship on the CART side while Scott Sharp and Buzz Calkins were co-champions on the IRL side. The 1996 IRL season actually ended with the Indy 500. And the August 18th race at New Hampshire and Sept race at Las Vegas were counted toward the 1997 season.


Here are the race results:
DATE      League    Location        # of Cars    WINNER

1/27/1996	IRL	Disney	20	Buzz Calkins
3/3/1996	CART	Homestead	27	Jimmy Vasser
3/17/1996	CART	Jacarepagua	27	Andre Ribeiro
3/24/1996	IRL	Phoenix	22	Arie Luyendyk
3/31/1996	CART	Queensland	25	Jimmy Vasser
4/14/1996	CART	Long Beach	28	Jimmy Vasser
4/28/1996	CART	Nazareth	26	Michael Andretti
5/26/1996	CART	Michigan	27	Jimmy Vasser
5/26/1996	IRL	Indianapolis	33	Buddy Lazier
6/2/1996	CART	Milwaukee	28	Michael Andretti
6/9/1996	CART	Belle Isle	26	Michael Andretti
6/23/1996	CART	Portland	28	Alex Zanardi
6/30/1996	CART	Cleveland	26	Gil de Ferran
7/14/1996	CART	Toronto	28	Adrian Fernandez
7/28/1996	CART	Michigan	25	Andre Ribeiro
8/11/1996	CART	Mid-Ohio	26	Alex Zanardi
8/18/1996	CART	Elkhart Lake	26	Michael Andretti
8/18/1996	IRL	Loudon	23	Scott Sharp
9/1/1996	CART	Vancouver	27	Michael Andretti
9/8/1996	CART	Laguna Seca	29	Alex Zanardi
9/15/1996	IRL	Las Vegas	28	Richie Hearn

Final Points standings:
CART
1. Jimmy Vasser 4 wins
2. Michael Andretti -22 5 wins
3. Alex Zanardi -22 3 wins
4. Al Unser Jr. -29 (Highest driver in points with no wins)


IRL
1. Scott Sharp
1. Buzz Calkins 1 win
2. Robbie Buhl -2


Wins by team:
Chip Ganassi 7 wins (Jimmy Vasser #12 Target Reynard/Honda 4 wins, Alex Zanardi #4 Target Reynard/Honda 3 wins.)
Newman-Haas 5 wins (Michael Andretti #6 Kmart/Havoline Lola/Ford)
Tasman Racing 3 wins (Andre Ribeiro #31 LCI Lola/Honda 2 wins, Adrian Fernandez #32 Tecate Lola/Honda 1 win.)
Jim Hall 1 win (Gil de Ferran #8 Pennzoil Reynard/Honda)
Bradley Motorsports 1 win (Buzz Calkins #12 Bradley Reynard/Ford)
Team Treadway 1 win (Arie Luyendyk #5 Bryant Reynard/Ford)
Team Hemelgarn 1 win (Buddy Lazier #91 Delta Faucet Reynard/Ford)


Races won from the pole:
Arie Luyendyk Phoenix
Jimmy Vasser Australia
Jimmy Vasser Michigan U.S. 500
Alex Zanardi Portland
Alex Zanardi Mid-Ohio
Alex Zanardi Laguna Seca


Farthest back a driver started and won: 12th Scott Sharp at New Hampshire
Most cautions: 12 U.S. 500 at Michigan
Fewest cautions: 1 Portland and Cleveland
Fastest average speed: 156.403 U.S. 500 at Michigan
Slowest average speed: 75.136 Detroit
Most lead changes: 15 Indianapolis 500 and Michigan 500
Fewest lead changes: 1 Nazareth and Vancouver
Longest race by time: 3 hours 22 minutes Indianapolis 500
Shortest race by time: 1 hour 25 minutes at Nazareth.