1989 CART PPG Indy Car World Series
The 1989 CART PPG Indy Car World Series season was the 11th national championship season of American open wheel racing sanctioned by CART. The season consisted of 15 races, and one non-points exhibition event. Emerson Fittipaldi was the national champion, and the rookie of the year was Bernard Jourdain. Fittipaldi became the second driver after Mario Andretti to win the Formula One World Championship and the CART championship.
The 1989 Indianapolis 500 was sanctioned by USAC, but counted towards the CART points championship. Emerson Fittipaldi won the Indy 500, and would later become the first driver since 1986 to win Indy and the CART championship in the same season.
Emerson Fittipaldi won a total of five races, four pole positions, and had a total of eight podium finishes en route to the championship. Rick Mears won three races, and had a total of 14 top ten finishes, more consistent thaN Fittipaldi. The championship battle came down to those two drivers. In the second-to-last race of the season at Nazareth, Fittipaldi and Mears finished 1st-2nd. Fittipaldi effectively clinched the championship by virtue of a now 22-point lead over Mears. If Mears were to win the season finale at Laguna Seca, win the pole, and lead the most laps, he could tie Fittipaldi in points if Fittipaldi finished 13th or worse. However, Fittipaldi held the tiebreaker with 5 wins versus Mears with 3. Mears did all three at Laguna Seca (won the pole, won the race and led the most laps), but the tiebreaker scenario was moot as Fittipaldi managed a 5th place in the race. It was Mears' first road course victory since Riverside in 1982, and the first since he suffered serious leg injuries in 1984. It was also the last road course win of his career.
At Mid-Ohio, Teo Fabi scored the first and only win of the Porsche Indy Car team. Fabi had eleven top tens, and finished 4th in points. Cosworth unveiled a new engine, the "short-stroke" DFS to some fanfare, but little success. Bobby Rahal won one race in 1989 with the Cosworth DFS in July at the Meadowlands. It would stand as the only race victory for the DFS powerplant.
Drivers and constructors
The following teams and drivers competed for the 1989 Indy Car World Series.
Team |
Chassis |
Engine |
Tires |
No |
Drivers |
Notes |
Newman/Haas Racing |
Lola |
Chevrolet |
Goodyear |
5 |
Mario Andretti |
|
6 |
Michael Andretti |
|
Patrick Racing |
Penske |
Chevrolet |
Goodyear |
20 |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
|
Galles Racing |
Lola |
Chevrolet |
Goodyear |
2 |
Al Unser, Jr. |
|
Team Penske |
Penske |
Chevrolet |
Goodyear |
1 |
Danny Sullivan |
not competing at Portland & Cleveland |
Geoff Brabham |
Portland only |
4 |
Rick Mears |
|
25/1 |
Al Unser |
Indianapolis 500, Cleveland, Michigan & Pocono only |
Porsche North America |
March |
Porsche |
Goodyear |
8 |
Teo Fabi |
|
Truesports |
Lola |
Judd |
Goodyear |
3 |
Scott Pruett |
did not start at Long Beach |
Kraco Racing |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
18 |
Bobby Rahal |
|
Dick Simon Racing |
Lola |
Cosworth/Buick |
Goodyear |
7/9 |
Arie Luyendyk |
|
22 |
Scott Brayton |
disqualified (oversize wing) at Detroit |
28 |
Randy Lewis |
not competing at Nazareth, start at Indianapolis 500 with TeamKar |
17 |
Joe Sposato |
Laguna Seca only but did not qualify |
Doug Shierson Racing |
Lola |
Judd |
Goodyear |
30 |
Raul Boesel |
|
Raynor Racing |
Lola |
Judd |
Goodyear |
10 |
Derek Daly |
|
Machinists Union Racing |
March |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
11 |
Kevin Cogan |
not competing at Nazareth |
Johnny Rutherford |
Nazareth only but did not qualify |
Lola |
29/24 |
Pancho Carter |
start at Indianapolis 500 with Leader Card Racing |
Protofab Racing |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
15 |
James Weaver |
Long Beach, Detroit & Cleveland only |
65 |
John Jones |
not competing at Nazareth |
A. J. Foyt Enterprises |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
14 |
A. J. Foyt |
withdrew (electrical) at Portland, not competing at Cleveland & Laguna Seca |
Rocky Moran |
Laguna Seca only |
March |
29 |
Rich Vogler |
Indianapolis 500 only |
Bayside Motorsports |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
86 |
Dominic Dobson |
Phoenix, Long Beach, Indianapolis 500, Detroit, Portland, Meadowlands, Toronto & Laguna Seca only |
Andale Racing |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
69 |
Bernard Jourdain |
not competing at Road America |
Johnny Parsons |
Indianapolis 500 only but did not qualify |
Euromotorsport |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
50/16 |
Jean-Pierre Frey |
Phoenix & Portland only, did not qualify at Milwaukee & Detroit, entry declined (not enough experience) at Indianapolis 500 |
50 |
Davy Jones |
Indianapolis 500 only |
Scott Atchison |
Portland, Cleveland & Meadowlands only |
Tero Palmroth |
Pocono only |
Guido Daccò |
Michigan, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Nazareth & Laguna Seca only |
Alex Morales Motorsports |
March |
Alfa Romeo |
Goodyear |
21 |
Roberto Guerrero |
not competing at Phoenix, Long Beach, Indianapolis 500 & Milwaukee |
Arciero Racing |
Penske |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
12 |
Didier Theys |
Phoenix, Long Beach, Indianapolis 500 & Milwaukee only |
Fabrizio Barbazza |
Detroit, Portland, Cleveland, Meadowlands, Toronto, Mid-Ohio, Road America & Laguna Seca only |
Rich Vogler |
Michigan only |
Hemelgarn Racing |
Lola |
Judd/Buick |
Goodyear |
71 |
Ludwig Heimrath |
Phoenix, Long Beach, Indianapolis 500, Toronto, Mid-Ohio, Road America & Nazareth only, did not start at Milwaukee, did not qualify at Michigan & Laguna Seca |
Tero Palmroth |
Detroit only |
71/91 |
Didier Theys |
Detroit, Portland, Cleveland & Meadowlands only |
91 |
Gordon Johncock |
Indianapolis 500, Michigan & Pocono only |
Scott Goodyear |
Toronto & Road America only |
Robby Unser |
Laguna Seca only but did not qualify |
81 |
Billy Vukovich III |
Indianapolis 500 only |
Granatelli Racing |
Lola/March |
Buick/Cosworth |
Goodyear |
9 |
Didier Theys |
Mid-Ohio, Road America, Nazareth & Laguna Seca only |
9/70 |
John Andretti |
Indianapolis 500, Toronto, Michigan, Pocono, Nazareth & Laguna Seca only |
9/7 |
Tom Sneva |
Long Beach, Indianapolis 500, [ABC Supply Wisconsin 250|Milwaukee]], Detroit, Portland, Cleveland & Meadowlands only, did not start (wrecked after qualifying) at Phoenix |
Dale Coyne Racing |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
19 |
Guido Daccò |
Phoenix, Long Beach, Milwaukee, Detroit, Portland & Cleveland only, did not qualify at Indianapolis 500 & Meadowlands |
Dale Coyne |
Pocono only |
Fulvio Ballabio |
Mid-Ohio only, did not qualify at Road America |
Ken Johnson |
Laguna Seca only |
John Paul, Jr. |
Michigan only but did not qualify |
ATEC Environmental |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
96 |
Guido Daccò |
Toronto only |
Bernstein Racing |
Lola |
Buick |
Goodyear |
15 |
Jim Crawford |
Indianapolis 500 only |
Saleen |
March |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
59 |
Steve Saleen |
Long Beach, Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto, Mid-Ohio, Road America & Laguna Seca only, did not qualify at Indianapolis 500 |
Gohr Racing |
Lola/March |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
56 |
Jeff Wood |
Cleveland, Meadowlands, Michigan, Mid-Ohio & Road America only, did not qualify at Toronto, Nazareth & Laguna Seca |
Tero Palmroth |
Long Beach & Indianapolis 500 only |
Bettenhausen Motorsports |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
16 |
Jon Beekhuis |
Toronto, Road America & Laguna Seca only |
Steve Chassey |
Meadowlands & Michigan only |
Michael Greenfield |
Pocono only but did not qualify |
Dennis Vitolo |
Detroit & Mid-Ohio only but did not qualify |
15/16 |
John Paul, Jr. |
Cleveland & Meadowlands only |
27 |
Fulvio Ballabio |
Long Beach only |
Tony Bettenhausen, Jr. |
Pocono only |
Mann Motorsports |
Lola |
Buick |
Goodyear |
99 |
Gary Bettenhausen |
Indianapolis 500 only |
96 |
John Paul, Jr. |
Detroit only, did not qualify at Laguna Seca |
Mark Dismore |
Mid-Ohio only |
Stoops Freightliner |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
17 |
Johnny Rutherford |
Michigan & Pocono only |
Steve Butler |
Indianapolis 500 only but did not qualify |
U.S. Engineering |
Lola |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
44 |
Scott Harrington |
Road America only, did not qualify at Indianapolis 500 & Laguna Seca |
Phil Krueger |
Michigan only |
Team Lazier |
March |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
35 |
Buddy Lazier |
Indianapolis 500 only but did not qualify |
Curb Racing |
March |
Cosworth |
Goodyear |
33 |
Rocky Moran |
Indianapolis 500 only |
Season Summary
Race results
Rnd |
Date |
Race Name |
Circuit |
City/Location |
TV Network |
Pole position |
Winning driver |
Winning team |
Report |
1 |
April 9 |
Checker Autoworks 200 |
Phoenix International Raceway |
Phoenix, Arizona |
ABC |
Rick Mears |
Rick Mears |
Team Penske |
Report |
2 |
April 16 |
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach |
Streets of Long Beach |
Long Beach, California |
ABC |
Al Unser, Jr. |
Al Unser, Jr. |
Galles Racing |
Report |
3 |
May 28 |
73rd Indianapolis 500 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
Speedway, Indiana |
ABC |
Rick Mears |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Patrick Racing |
Report |
4 |
June 4 |
Miller High Life 200 |
Milwaukee Mile |
West Allis, Wisconsin |
ABC |
Rick Mears |
Rick Mears |
Team Penske |
Report |
5 |
June 18 |
Valvoline Detroit Grand Prix |
Streets of Detroit |
Detroit, Michigan |
CBS |
Michael Andretti |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Patrick Racing |
Report |
6 |
June 25 |
Budweiser/G. I. Joe's 200 |
Portland International Raceway |
Portland, Oregon |
ESPN |
Teo Fabi |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Patrick Racing |
Report |
7 |
July 2 |
Budweiser Cleveland Grand Prix |
Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport |
Cleveland, Ohio |
ESPN |
Michael Andretti |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Patrick Racing |
Report |
8 |
July 16 |
Marlboro Grand Prix |
Meadowlands Sports Complex |
East Rutherford, New Jersey |
NBC |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Bobby Rahal |
Kraco Racing |
Report |
9 |
July 23 |
Molson Indy |
Exhibition Place |
Toronto, Ontario |
NBC |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Michael Andretti |
Newman/Haas Racing |
Report |
10 |
August 6 |
Marlboro 500 |
Michigan International Speedway |
Brooklyn, Michigan |
ABC |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Michael Andretti |
Newman/Haas Racing |
Report |
11 |
August 20 |
Quaker State 500 |
Pocono Raceway |
Long Pond, Pennsylvania |
NBC |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Danny Sullivan |
Team Penske |
Report |
12 |
September 3 |
Red Roof Inns 200 |
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course |
Lexington, Ohio |
ESPN |
Teo Fabi |
Teo Fabi |
Porsche North America |
Report |
13 |
September 10 |
Texaco/Havoline 200 |
Road America |
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin |
ESPN |
Danny Sullivan |
Danny Sullivan |
Team Penske |
Report |
14 |
September 24 |
Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix |
Nazareth Speedway |
Nazareth, Pennsylvania |
ESPN |
Rick Mears |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Patrick Racing |
Report |
NC |
October 14 |
Marlboro Challenge |
Laguna Seca Raceway |
Monterey, California |
ESPN |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
Al Unser, Jr. |
Galles Racing |
Report |
15 |
October 15 |
Toyota Monterey Grand Prix Featuring the Champion Spark Plug 300 |
Laguna Seca Raceway |
Monterey, California |
ESPN |
Rick Mears |
Rick Mears |
Team Penske |
Report |
Oval/Speedway
Road Course/Street Circuit
Non-championship race
- Indianapolis was USAC-sanctioned but counted towards the CART title.
Final driver standings
|
Color |
Result |
Gold |
Winner |
Silver |
2nd place |
Bronze |
3rd place |
Green |
4th & 5th place |
Light Blue |
6th-10th place |
Dark Blue |
Finished (Outside Top 10) |
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 |
* |
Led most race laps |
Rookie of the Year |
Rookie |
|
|
Nation's Cup
- Top result per race counts towards Nation's Cup.
Chassis Constructor's Cup
Pos |
Chassis |
Pts |
1 |
Penske PC-18/PC-17 |
283 |
2 |
Lola T8900/T8800/T8700 |
254 |
3 |
March 89CE/89P/88C/86C |
149 |
Pos |
Chassis |
Pts |
Engine Manufacturer's Cup
See also
References