The 1998 Atlanta 500 Classic was the ninth round of the 1998 Indy Racing League season. The race was held on August 29, 1998 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. Sophomore Kenny Bräck took his third consecutive win after surging into the lead during the final sections of the 208-lap race ahead of Davey Hamilton, whose second place would be his best result of the season. Both Bräck and Hamilton jumped ahead of Scott Sharp in the points standings into first and second place, respectively, after Sharp suffered a gearbox malfunction and finished 18th. Polesitter Billy Boat, despite setting the fastest lap of the race, was taken out in a crash involving Marco Greco and Steve Knapp on Lap 167.
Report Key Meaning R Rookie W Past winner
Qualifying
Two laps qualifying. The worst lap from some of the drivers are unknown.
Pos No. Name Lap 1 Lap 2 Best (in mph) 1 11 Billy Boat 24.738 24.734 224.145 2 35 Jeff Ward 24.771 24.753 223.973 3 8 Scott Sharp 24.807 24.768 223.837 4 4 Scott Goodyear 24.794 24.778 223.747 5 28 Mark Dismore 24.843 24.847 223.161 6 14 Kenny Bräck 24.886 24.848 223.117 7 16 Marco Greco 24.992 24.969 222.035 8 77 Stéphan Grégoire 25.050 unknown 221.317 9 5 Arie Luyendyk 25.063 25.081 221.203 10 6 Davey Hamilton 25.135 25.097 220.903 11 51 Eddie Cheever 25.211 25.230 219.904 12 12 Buzz Calkins 25.274 25.245 219.608 13 52 Robby Unser R 25.338 unknown 218.802 14 15 Andy Michner R 25.359 unknown 218.621 15 30 Raul Boesel 25.383 25.414 218.414 16 97 Greg Ray 25.464 25.482 217.719 17 10 John Paul Jr. 25.553 25.495 217.454 18 91 Buddy Lazier 25.503 unknown 217.386 19 18 Steve Knapp R 25.588 25.555 216.944 20 19 Stan Wattles 25.701 25.655 216.098 21 3 Robbie Buhl 25.685 unknown 215.846 22 99 Sam Schmidt 25.777 25.740 215.385 23 81 Brian Tyler R 25.853 25.846 214.501 24 98 Donnie Beechler R 25.909 unknown 213.980 25 1 Tony Stewart 25.961 unknown 213.543 26 44 J. J. Yeley R 26.077 26.102 212.601 27 40 Jack Miller Didn't qualify No speed 28 23 Roberto Guerrero Didn't qualify No speedSource
Didn't qualify, but were allowed to start the race at the back of the field.
Failed to qualify or withdrew Stevie Reeves R for Pagan Racing - the team withdrew the entry on Thursday, before the start of practice sessions.
Race
Pos No. Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Laps Led Points 114 Kenny BräckA. J. Foyt Enterprises2082:17:05.28961750 26 Davey HamiltonNienhouse Motorsports208 +0.944 sec101940 351 Eddie CheeverTeam Cheever208Running1135 44 Scott GoodyearPanther Racing208Running49334 51 Tony StewartTeam Menard208Running251230 635 Jeff WardISM Racing208Running26430 728 Mark DismoreKelley Racing208Running526 85 Arie LuyendykTreadway Racing207 +1 Lap924 915 Andy Michner RRiley & Scott206 +2 Laps1422 1030 Raul BoeselMcCormack Motorsports202 +6 Laps1520 113 Robbie BuhlTeam Menard185Clutch2119 1211 Billy BoatA. J. Foyt Enterprises169Contact121 1316 Marco GrecoPhoenix Racing167Contact7317 1418 Steve Knapp RPDM Racing167Contact1916 1599 Sam SchmidtLP Racing158Engine2215 1652 Robby Unser RTeam Cheever143Contact1314 1791 Buddy LazierHemelgarn Racing136Engine1813 188 Scott SharpKelley Racing135Gearbox313 1923 Roberto GuerreroCobb Racing133Clutch2811 2077 Stéphan GrégoireChastain Motorsports131Contact810 2181 Brian Tyler RTeam Pelfrey123Engine239 2298 Donnie Beechler RCahill Racing110Engine248 2310 John Paul Jr.Byrd-Cunningham Racing96Contact177 2497 Greg RayKnapp Motorsports94Contact166 2544 J. J. Yeley RSinden Racing Services58Engine265 2619 Stan WattlesMetro Racing Systems29Engine194 2740 Jack MillerSinden Racing Services15Electrical273 2812 Buzz CalkinsBradley Motorsports2Brakes122Source
Race Statistics Lead changes: 12 among 6 drivers
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1-27 Jeff Ward28-46 Scott Goodyear47-48 Marco Greco49-97 Scott Goodyear98 Marco Greco99-110 Tony Stewart111-135 Scott Goodyear136-151 Davey Hamilton152-154 Kenny Bräck155-165 Jeff Ward166-168 Davey Hamilton169-194 Jeff Ward194-208 Kenny Bräck
Cautions: 6 for 56 laps Laps Reason54-59Track lights malfunction63-71J. J. Yeley's engine leaks oil on the track95-107Greg Ray crash / John Paul Jr. crash133-140Stéphan Grégoire crash164-168Sam Schmidt's engine leaks oil on the track170-184Knapp, Greco, Unser and Boat crash
Standings after the race Drivers' Championship standings
Rank +/– Driver Points 1 1 Kenny Bräck 282 2 2 Davey Hamilton 259 3 Tony Stewart 257 4 3 Scott Sharp 246 5 Scott Goodyear 228
Note: Only the top five positions are included for the standings.
References