1998 Atlanta 500 Classic
# 1998 Atlanta 500 Classic

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 1.54 mi (2.48 km) 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 | Didn't qualify | No speed |
| 28 | 23 | Roberto Guerrero | Didn't qualify | Didn't qualify | No speed |
| Source ||||||

* ^ 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 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 14 | Kenny Bräck | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 208 | 2:17:05.289 | 6 | 17 | 50 |
| 2 | 6 | Davey Hamilton | Nienhouse Motorsports | 208 | +0.944 sec | 10 | 19 | 40 |
| 3 | 51 | Eddie Cheever | Team Cheever | 208 | Running | 11 | | 35 |
| 4 | 4 | Scott Goodyear | Panther Racing | 208 | Running | 4 | 93 | 34 |
| 5 | 1 | Tony Stewart | Team Menard | 208 | Running | 25 | 12 | 30 |
| 6 | 35 | Jeff Ward | ISM Racing | 208 | Running | 2 | 64 | 30 |
| 7 | 28 | Mark Dismore | Kelley Racing | 208 | Running | 5 | | 26 |
| 8 | 5 | Arie Luyendyk | Treadway Racing | 207 | +1 Lap | 9 | | 24 |
| 9 | 15 | Andy Michner R | Riley & Scott | 206 | +2 Laps | 14 | | 22 |
| 10 | 30 | Raul Boesel | McCormack Motorsports | 202 | +6 Laps | 15 | | 20 |
| 11 | 3 | Robbie Buhl | Team Menard | 185 | Clutch | 21 | | 19 |
| 12 | 11 | Billy Boat | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 169 | Contact | 1 | | 21 |
| 13 | 16 | Marco Greco | Phoenix Racing | 167 | Contact | 7 | 3 | 17 |
| 14 | 18 | Steve Knapp R | PDM Racing | 167 | Contact | 19 | | 16 |
| 15 | 99 | Sam Schmidt | LP Racing | 158 | Engine | 22 | | 15 |
| 16 | 52 | Robby Unser R | Team Cheever | 143 | Contact | 13 | | 14 |
| 17 | 91 | Buddy Lazier | Hemelgarn Racing | 136 | Engine | 18 | | 13 |
| 18 | 8 | Scott Sharp | Kelley Racing | 135 | Gearbox | 3 | | 13 |
| 19 | 23 | Roberto Guerrero | Cobb Racing | 133 | Clutch | 28 | | 11 |
| 20 | 77 | Stéphan Grégoire | Chastain Motorsports | 131 | Contact | 8 | | 10 |
| 21 | 81 | Brian Tyler R | Team Pelfrey | 123 | Engine | 23 | | 9 |
| 22 | 98 | Donnie Beechler R | Cahill Racing | 110 | Engine | 24 | | 8 |
| 23 | 10 | John Paul Jr. | Byrd-Cunningham Racing | 96 | Contact | 17 | | 7 |
| 24 | 97 | Greg Ray | Knapp Motorsports | 94 | Contact | 16 | | 6 |
| 25 | 44 | J. J. Yeley R | Sinden Racing Services | 58 | Engine | 26 | | 5 |
| 26 | 19 | Stan Wattles | Metro Racing Systems | 29 | Engine | 19 | | 4 |
| 27 | 40 | Jack Miller | Sinden Racing Services | 15 | Electrical | 27 | | 3 |
| 28 | 12 | Buzz Calkins | Bradley Motorsports | 2 | Brakes | 12 | | 2 |
| Source |||||||||

## Race Statistics

* Lead changes: 12 among 6 drivers

Lap Leaders :

| Laps | Leader |
| - | - |
| 1-27 | Jeff Ward |
| 28-46 | Scott Goodyear |
| 47-48 | Marco Greco |
| 49-97 | Scott Goodyear |
| 98 | Marco Greco |
| 99-110 | Tony Stewart |
| 111-135 | Scott Goodyear |
| 136-151 | Davey Hamilton |
| 152-154 | Kenny Bräck |
| 155-165 | Jeff Ward |
| 166-168 | Davey Hamilton |
| 169-194 | Jeff Ward |
| 194-208 | Kenny Bräck |

Cautions: 6 for 56 laps :

| Laps | Reason |
| - | - |
| 54-59 | Track lights malfunction |
| 63-71 | J. J. Yeley's engine leaks oil on the track |
| 95-107 | Greg Ray crash / John Paul Jr. crash |
| 133-140 | Stéphan Grégoire crash |
| 164-168 | Sam Schmidt's engine leaks oil on the track |
| 170-184 | Knapp, 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.
