The
2003 IRL IndyCar Series season brought some of the biggest changes in its history. The league adopted the name
IndyCar Series, after a settlement with
CART prohibiting its use, had expired. Several former
CART teams brought their full operations to the IRL, most notably major squads
Chip Ganassi Racing and
Andretti Green Racing, as well as former CART engine manufacturers
Toyota and
Honda, replacing
Infiniti who shifted its efforts to the new feeder series
Infiniti Pro Series. Many of the IRL's old guard including
Robbie Buhl,
Greg Ray, and
Buddy Lazier
had difficulty competing in this new manufacturer-driven landscape. The
league, also added its first international race this year, taking over
the CART date at
Twin Ring Motegi. Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_IndyCar_Series_season.
The
2003 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford season, the twenty-fifth and final in the
CART era of
American open wheel racing, consisted of 18 races, beginning in
St. Petersburg,
Florida on February 23 and concluding in
Surfers Paradise,
Queensland,
Australia on October 26.
The intended final event, scheduled to be held in
Fontana,
California on November 9 was canceled due to
wildfires, one of which was known as the "Grand Prix Fire", burning in and around
San Bernardino County.
The
Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by
Ford Drivers' Champion was
Paul Tracy.
Rookie of the Year was
Sébastien Bourdais. At the end of the season, the operations of a now
bankrupt CART were assumed by
Open Wheel Racing Series, who later rebranded themselves as the Champ Car World Series. Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_CART_season.
Race Results:
