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2001 Indy Lights season

The 2001 CART PPG/Dayton Indy Lights Championship Powered By Buick consisted of 12 races. It was dominated by Townsend Bell who captured six victories on his way to the championship. It was the last Indy Lights season, as the series organizer, CART, decided to drop the Indy Lights series and concentrate its efforts on the Toyota Atlantic Championship. Most former Indy Lights teams that wished to stay in business went either to the Atlantic series, which replaced Indy Lights as the support race at most CART events, or the new Infiniti Pro Series, which ran in support of Indy Racing League events.

All teams used the Lola T97/20-Buick spec car. Each round of the championship seldom had more than 12 entries.

The scoring system was 20-16-14-12-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 points awarded to the first 12 (twelve) finishers, with 1 (one) extra point given to the driver who took pole-position, and another extra point given to the driver who led most laps in the race.

Team and driver chart

All teams utilized Lola T97/20 chassis with Buick V6 engines.

Team	No.	Drivers	Round(s)
Brian Stewart Racing	2	USA Larry Mason	2
3	NZL Andy Booth	2
Conquest Racing	11	nowrap	DNK Kristian Kolby	1–8
NZL Matt Halliday	12
21	4–11
nowrap	BRA Nilton Rossoni	1
Dorricott Racing	30	USA Townsend Bell	All
31	IRL Damien Faulkner	All
32	USA Jon Fogarty	1–4, 10–11
USA Geoff Boss	7–8
Indy Regency Racing	12	USA Cory Witherill	1–2, 4–12
Mexpro Racing	15	MEX Rudy Junco Jr.	1–6, 8–9, 11–12
16	IRL Derek Higgins	All
PacWest Lights	1	GBR Dan Wheldon	All
17	MEX Mario Domínguez	All
Roquin Motorsports	64	MEX Rolando Quintanilla	All
65	MEX Luis Díaz	All

Schedule

Rd.	Date	Track
March 11	Fundidora Park	Monterrey, Mexico
April 8	Long Beach street circuit	Long Beach, California
April 28	Texas Motor Speedway	Fort Worth, Texas
June 3	Milwaukee Mile	West Allis, Wisconsin
June 24	Portland International Raceway	Portland, Oregon
July 8	Kansas Speedway	Kansas City, Kansas
July 15	Exhibition Place	Toronto, Canada
August 12	Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course	Lexington, Ohio
August 26	Gateway International Raceway	Madison, Illinois
October 5	Road Atlanta	Braselton, Georgia
October 14	Laguna Seca Raceway	Monterey, California
November 4	California Speedway	Fontana, California

Race results

Round	Circuit	Pole position	Fastest lap	Most laps led	Race winner	Driver	Team	1
MEX Fundidora Park	IRL Derek Higgins	nowrap	MEX Mario Domínguez	IRL Derek Higgins	IRL Derek Higgins	Mexpro Racing
USA Long Beach street circuit	nowrap	MEX Mario Domínguez	USA Townsend Bell	GBR Dan Wheldon	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing
USA Texas Motor Speedway	nowrap	IRL Damien Faulkner	USA Jon Fogarty	nowrap	IRL Damien Faulkner	nowrap	IRL Damien Faulkner	Dorricott Racing
USA Milwaukee Mile	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing
USA Portland International Raceway	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	IRL Damien Faulkner	IRL Damien Faulkner	Dorricott Racing
USA Kansas Speedway	nowrap	MEX Mario Domínguez	nowrap	IRL Damien Faulkner	USA Townsend Bell	DNK Kristian Kolby	nowrap	Conquest Racing
CAN Exhibition Place	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing
USA Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing
nowrap	USA Gateway International Raceway	USA Townsend Bell	GBR Dan Wheldon	USA Townsend Bell	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights
USA Road Atlanta	USA Townsend Bell	USA Jon Fogarty	USA Townsend Bell	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights
USA Laguna Seca Raceway	USA Townsend Bell	MEX Luis Díaz	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing
USA California Speedway	USA Townsend Bell	MEX Mario Domínguez	USA Townsend Bell	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing

Race summaries

Monterrey

March 11, 2001
Fundidora Park, Monterrey, Mexico
Pole position: Derek Higgins, 1:25.345, 88.750 mi/h

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
1	16	IRL Derek Higgins	Mexpro Racing	35	54:48.128	35	22
3	30	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing	35	+0.179	0	16
5	32	USA Jon Fogarty	Dorricott Racing	35	+5.799	0	14
4	17	MEX Mario Domínguez	PacWest Lights	35	+6.334	0	12
10	1	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights	35	+9.437	0	10
Race average speed: 80.625 mi/h
Lead changes: 0
Cautions: 0

Long Beach

April 8, 2001
Long Beach street circuit, Long Beach, California
Pole position: Mario Domínguez, 1:15.968, 93.260 mi/h

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
6	30	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing	38	57:13.430	5	20
3	1	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights	38	+3.775	33	17
5	16	IRL Derek Higgins	Mexpro Racing	38	+5.342	0	14
1	17	MEX Mario Domínguez	PacWest Lights	38	+5.862	0	13
7	11	DNK Kristian Kolby	Conquest Racing	38	+12.326	0	10
Race average speed: 78.412 mi/h
Lead changes: 1 between 2 drivers
Cautions: 3 for 11 laps

Texas

April 28, 2001
Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas
Pole position: Damien Faulkner, 0:29:060, 183.593 mi/h
The CART race that weekend was cancelled due to track incompatibility, so this was the only race completed that weekend.

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
1	31	IRL Damien Faulkner	Dorricott Racing	67	39:35.632	65	22
4	16	IRL Derek Higgins	Mexpro Racing	67	+0.349	1	16
3	11	DNK Kristian Kolby	Conquest Racing	67	+0.529	0	14
7	65	MEX Luis Díaz	Roquin Motorsports	67	+0.737	0	12
10	64	MEX Rolando Quintanilla	Roquin Motorsports	67	+1.127	0	10
Race average speed: 150.491 mi/h
Lead changes: 3 between 3 drivers
Cautions: 2 for 8 laps

Milwaukee

June 3, 2001
Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, Wisconsin
Pole position: Townsend Bell (qualifying rained out; grid determined by championship points)

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
1	30	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing	100	43:27.503	100	21
6	17	MEX Mario Domínguez	PacWest Lights	99	-1 lap	0	16
5	1	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights	98	-2 laps	0	14
9	65	MEX Luis Díaz	Roquin Motorsports	97	-3 laps	0	12
8	15	MEX Rudy Junco Jr.	Mexpro Racing	97	-3 laps	0	10
Race average speed: 142.481 mi/h
Lead changes: none
Cautions: 1 for 4 laps

Portland

June 24, 2001
Portland International Raceway, Portland, Oregon
Pole position: Townsend Bell, 1:04.991, 109.067 mi/h

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
3	31	IRL Damien Faulkner	Dorricott Racing	38	58:58.791	16	21
8	15	MEX Rudy Junco Jr.	Mexpro Racing	38	+16.134	0	16
7	13	IRL Derek Higgins	Mexpro Racing	38	+20.501	0	14
10	21	NZL Matt Halliday	Conquest Racing	38	28.936	0	12
9	64	MEX Rolando Quintanilla	Roquin Motorsports	38	+28.936	0	10
Race average speed: 76.116 mi/h
Lead changes: 1 between 2 drivers
Cautions: 3 for 8 laps

Kansas

July 8, 2001
Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas
Pole position: Mario Domínguez, 0:30.252, 180.881 mi/h

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
6	11	DNK Kristian Kolby	Conquest Racing	67	40:25.322	19	20
7	31	IRL Damien Faulkner	Dorricott Racing	67	+0.001	0	16
4	1	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights	67	+0.213	0	14
3	21	NZL Matt Halliday	Conquest Racing	67	+0.962	3	12
2	30	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing	67	+0.017‡	27	11
Race average speed: 151.323 mi/h
Lead changes: 9 between 4 drivers
Cautions: 2 for 7 laps

‡Townsend Bell was penalized two positions for aggressive driving.

Toronto

July 15, 2001
Exhibition Place, Toronto, Ontario
Pole position: Townsend Bell, 1:04.202, 98.408 mi/h

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
1	30	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing	43	51:18.593	43	22
1	17	MEX Mario Domínguez	PacWest Lights	43	+7.002	0	16
4	31	IRL Damien Faulkner	Dorricott Racing	43	?	0	14
9	21	NZL Matt Halliday	Conquest Racing	43	+8.333	0	12
6	65	MEX Luis Díaz	Roquin Motorsports	43	+10.658	0	10
Race average speed: 88.959 mi/h
Lead changes: none
Cautions: 3 for 6 laps

Mid-Ohio

August 12, 2001
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio
Pole position: Townsend Bell, 1:13.809, 110.133 mi/h

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
1	30	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing	34	50:19.940	34	22
2	1	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights	34	+0.235	0	16
3	31	IRL Damien Faulkner	Dorricott Racing	34	+0.466	0	14
4	11	DNK Kristian Kolby	Conquest Racing	34	+1.771	0	12
5	21	NZL Matt Halliday	Conquest Racing	34	+2.148	0	10
Race average speed: 91.518 mi/h
Lead changes: none
Cautions: 3 for 9 laps

Gateway

August 26, 2001
Gateway International Raceway, Madison, Illinois
Pole position: Townsend Bell (qualifying rained out; grid determined by championship points)

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
3	1	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights	80	43:31.081	11	20
4	17	MEX Mario Domínguez	PacWest Lights	80	+23.822	0	16
8	21	NZL Matt Halliday	Conquest Racing	80	+624.573	0	14
5	16	IRL Derek Higgins	Mexpro Racing	79	-1 lap	0	12
2	31	IRL Damien Faulkner	Dorricott Racing	79	-1 lap	0	10
Race average speed: 140.080 mi/h
Lead changes: 1 between 2 drivers
Cautions: 1 for 6 laps

Road Atlanta

October 5, 2001
Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia
Pole position: Townsend Bell, 1:14.883, 122.110 mi/h

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
6	1	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights	29	42:57.299	1	20
1	30	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing	29	+0.256	28	18
3	31	IRL Damien Faulkner	Dorricott Racing	29	+2.536	0	14
5	17	MEX Mario Domínguez	PacWest Lights	29	+4.780	0	12
2	32	USA Jon Fogarty	Dorricott Racing	29	+5.791	0	10
Race average speed: 102.889 mi/h
Lead changes: 1 between 2 drivers
Cautions: 1 for 4 laps

Laguna Seca

October 14, 2001
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California
Pole position: Townsend Bell, 1:16.313, 105.576 mi/h

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
1	30	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing	34	44:34.521	34	22
2	32	USA Jon Fogarty	Dorricott Racing	34	+2.963	0	16
4	65	MEX Luis Díaz	Roquin Motorsports	34	+9.974	0	14
6	31	IRL Damien Faulkner	Dorricott Racing	34	+16.433	0	12
5	1	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights	34	+17.532	0	10
Race average speed: 102.423 mi/h
Lead changes: none
Cautions: none

Fontana

November 4, 2001
California Speedway, Fontana, California
Pole position: Townsend Bell (qualifying rained out; grid determined by championship points)
This was the last CART-sanctioned Indy Lights race.

Top Five Finishers	Fin.
Pos	St.
Pos	Car
No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time	Laps
Led	Points	1	2	3	4	5
1	30	USA Townsend Bell	Dorricott Racing	44	29:22.667	44	21
5	1	GBR Dan Wheldon	PacWest Lights	44	+0.051	0	16
7	11	NZL Matt Halliday	Conquest Racing	44	+17.354	0	14
8	16	IRL Derek Higgins	Mexpro Racing	44	+17.356	0	12
9	17	MEX Mario Domínguez	PacWest Lights	44	+17.361	0	10
Race average speed: 182.334 mi/h
Lead changes: none
Cautions: 1 for 3 laps

Championship standings

Drivers' championship

; Scoring system

Position	Points
1st	2nd
20	16

The driver who qualifies on pole is awarded one additional point.
An additional point is awarded to the driver who leads the most laps in a race.

Pos	Driver	MTY
MEX	LGB
USA	TEX
USA	MIL
USA	POR
USA	KAN
USA	TOR
CAN	MOH
USA	GAT
USA	ATL
USA	LAG
USA	FON
USA	Points	1	192	2	149	3	141	4	120	5	113	6	89	7	88	8	80	9	67	10	62	11	48	12	44	13	11	14	8	15	3	16	1	Pos	Driver	MTY
MEX	LGB
USA	TEX
USA	MIL
USA	POR
USA	KAN
USA	TOR
CAN	MOH
USA	GAT
USA	ATL
USA	LAG
USA	FON
USA	Points
USA Townsend Bell	2	1	8	*1**1	*6*	5*	*1**	*1**	9*1	2*	1*	1*1
GBR Dan Wheldon	5	2*	10	3	10	3	7	2	1	1	5	2
IRL Damien Faulkner	7	13	1*	7	1*	2	3	3	5	3	4	7
MEX Mario Domínguez	4	4	6	2	11	10	2	6	2	4	10	5
IRL Derek Higgins	1*	3	2	DNS	3	11	9	12	4	6	6	4
NZL Matt Halliday				9	4	4	4	5	3	8	7	3
MEX Luis Díaz	11	9	4	4	9	7	5	11	6	7	3	6
DNK Kristian Kolby	6	5	3	6	8	1	10	4
MEX Rudy Junco Jr.	8	8	7	5	2	9		7	7		9	8
MEX Rolando Quintanilla	10	11	5	8	5	8	8	9	8	9	8	9
USA Jon Fogarty	3	12	9	10						5	2
USA Cory Witherill	9	7		11	7	6	11	8	10	10	11	10
USA Geoff Boss							6	10
NZL Andy Booth		6
USA Larry Mason		10
BRA Nilton Rossoni	12

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

1	Qualifying cancelled
no bonus point awarded

Ties in points broken by number of wins, or best finishes. |} |}

Footnotes

References

(November 5, 2001). "Dan Wheldon wins Rookie of the Year award". DanWheldon.com.
(September 10, 2001). "CART to drop Indy Lights, focus on Atlantic". [[Champ Car.
(August 13, 2001). "Jon Fogarty out for remainder of 2001". Dorricott Racing.
(November 1, 2001). "Dorricott Racing season finale Fontana preview". Dorricott Racing.

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