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IRL

Active championship · 1996 - 2026

The IRL began as an Indianapolis-centred alternative to CART and eventually became the base of the reunited IndyCar Series, carrying the sport into its modern single-championship era.

The Indy Racing League is impossible to separate from the politics of the American open-wheel split. Its early identity leaned on ovals, cost control and access to the Indianapolis 500, while the later IndyCar Series absorbed road courses, street races and former Champ Car teams. This archive follows the competitive side of that transformation: drivers, teams, Dallara eras, race winners and seasons that rebuilt one championship from two rival worlds.

Interesting facts

  • The IRL was launched in the 1990s around an Indianapolis-focused vision.
  • American open-wheel racing reunified in 2008 after the Champ Car/CART split years.
  • Modern IndyCar combines ovals, road courses and street circuits.
31
Seasons
462
Races
295
Drivers
198
Teams
45
Tracks
4
Countries

Explore the championship

Seasons

31

Follow the championship season by season, from 1996 to 2026. Current status: Active championship.

Drivers

295

Explore driver profiles, standings, race starts and title battles. The title benchmark is Scott Dixon.

Teams

198

See how teams shaped the championship through entries, standings and race wins. The title benchmark is Not available.

Tracks

45

Browse the circuits and venues that define this racing series. The most familiar stop is Indianapolis.

Races

47

Open the race and Grand Prix history behind the championship. The most frequent race is Texas Indycars.

Cars

39

Compare winning cars, chassis and manufacturers across the results. The standout winner is DW12.

Season and race snapshot

First race 1996 Disney World Indycars
Latest race 2026 Indianapolis 500
Latest season 2026
Latest driver champion Alex Palou (2025)
Races with results 462

Drivers by titles

Scott Dixon Scott Dixon 6
Alex Palou Alex Palou 5
Dario Franchitti Dario Franchitti 4
Sam Hornish, Jr. Sam Hornish, Jr. 3
Will Power Will Power 2

Drivers by race wins

Scott Dixon Scott Dixon 58
Will Power Will Power 43
Josef Newgarden Josef Newgarden 33
Helio Castroneves Helio Castroneves 25
Alex Palou Alex Palou 22

Teams by race wins

Team Penske 114
Chip Ganassi Racing Team 96
Andretti Green Racing 34
Andretti Autosport 32
Marlboro Team Penske 23

Most used tracks

Indianapolis Indianapolis 49
Texas Motor Speedway 36
Iowa 23
St Petersburg 22
Mid-Ohio 20

Most frequent races

Texas Indycars 36
Indianapolis 500 31
Detroit Grand Prix 23
Iowa Indycars 23
St Petersburg Indycars 22

Cars by race wins

Dallara DW12 Dallara DW12 129
Dallara DW12 Dallara DW12 111
Dallara IR4 Dallara IR4 85
Dallara IR2 Dallara IR2 34
Dallara IR7 Dallara IR7 18

Manufacturers by race wins

Dallara 421
G-Force 29
Reynard 4
Panoz 4
Lola 1

Championship by eras

Era Years Seasons Races
1990s 1996 - 1999 4 35
2000s 2000 - 2009 10 152
2010s 2010 - 2019 10 170
2020s 2020 - 2026 7 105

Championship FAQ

When did IRL start?

IRL starts on this timeline in 1996.

How many seasons are covered?

This championship page covers 31 seasons, from 1996 to 2026.

Who has the most driver titles?

Scott Dixon sets the title benchmark here with 6 championships.

Which team has the most race wins?

Team Penske is the leading team by race wins here, with 114 victories.

Which track appears most often?

Indianapolis is the most frequent venue on this championship page, with 49 races.