A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| 2013 IndyCar season | |
|---|---|
| IZOD IndyCar Series | |
| Season | |
| Races | 19 |
| Start date | March 24 |
| End date | October 19 |
| Awards | |
| Drivers' champion |  Scott Dixon |
| Manufacturers' Cup |  Chevrolet |
| Rookie of the Year |  Tristan Vautier |
| Indianapolis 500 winner |  Tony Kanaan |
The 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series was the 18th season of the IndyCar Series and the 102nd season of American open wheel racing. Its premier event was the 97th Indianapolis 500 held on Sunday, May 26. The 2013 season was the second to feature the Dallara DW12 chassis. Ryan Hunter-Reay entered the season as the defending drivers' champion. Chevrolet entered as the defending Manufacturers' Cup champion.
The 2013 season has featured four first-time winners, the most since 1965. Also highlighting the season is the introduction of doubleheader races, and the experimentation with standing starts at selected events. Heading into the final race of the season, two-time champion Scott Dixon led Hélio Castroneves by 25 points in a two driver fight for the championship. In a race where only nine drivers finished, Dixon finished fifth while Castroneves finished sixth, and as a result, Dixon won his third series title by 27 points. In the manufacturers' championship, Chevrolet defended their title ahead of Honda.
After Lotus decided to withdraw from the IndyCar Series due to a poor 2012 season, the 2013 season marks the first season since 2002 that the series would feature only two engine manufacturers.[1]
2013 was the final season that Izod—which became the main sponsor in the 2010 IndyCar Series—was the main sponsor of the championship; as Verizon Communications was announced as the new series sponsor for the 2014 season.
This was the last season to feature four time champion Dario Franchitti as in race two in Houston, Franchitti would be involved in an accident that would ultimately end his career after 12 seasons in IndyCar. This would also be the final season of E. J. Viso's IndyCar career. For 2014 and beyond, Viso would focus more on Sports cars and Stadium Super Trucks.
Confirmed entries
- All chassis are composed of a Dallara DW12 "IndyCar Safety Cell" base chassis, and Dallara aerokit. All teams run Firestone tires. On December 21, 2012 Firestone signed a five-year contract extension with IndyCar. Firestone is the official supplier for IndyCar through 2018.[2]
Driver changes
- A. J. Allmendinger, after being released by Penske Racing's NASCAR team for violating the sports substance abuse policy, returned to the team to take over the No. 2 car vacated by Ryan Briscoe.[39] Allmendinger tested with Team Penske at Sebring on February 18 and 19, 2013. Satisfied with the test results, Allmendinger drove the No. 2 at Barber, Long Beach, Detroit, the Indianapolis 500, and Fontana.[40]
- Rubens Barrichello left the IndyCar Series to compete in Brazilian stock car racing for the 2013 season after failing to find a sponsor to continue in IndyCar.[41]
- Graham Rahal moved from Chip Ganassi Racing to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.[30]
- Simona de Silvestro moved from HVM Racing to KV Racing Technology.[23]
- Takuma Sato left Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for A. J. Foyt Enterprises.[3]
- James Jakes left Dale Coyne Racing for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.[31]
- E. J. Viso left KV Racing Technology to join in a 3 team alliance between his own Team Venezuela, Andretti Autosport, and HVM Racing. Andretti continued to run as a three car operation, but supplied Viso's team as a satellite fourth car in conjunction with HVM.[9]
- After running a partial 2012 season with Andretti Autosport, Sebastián Saavedra joined Dragon Racing for the 2013 season, replacing Katherine Legge.[21]
Mid-season changes
- On May 30, 2013 Panther Racing announced it was terminating its contract with driver J. R. Hildebrand by mutual consent. On the same day, the team announced Ryan Briscoe would replace Hildebrand for the races at Belle Isle.[42]
- On July 26, 2013 Barracuda Racing asked Alex Tagliani to relinquish driving the team's entry for the rest of the season. Luca Filippi drove the #98 at Mid-Ohio. J. R. Hildebrand, as well as Filippi, was being considered for the #98 car for the remainder of the season.[43]
Schedule
The 2013 IndyCar Series schedule was formally announced on Speed's WindTunnel with Dave Despain, on the evening of September 30, 2012.[44] The schedule consisted of nineteen races, hosted across sixteen venues. Included were three doubleheader events – with one race of the Toronto and Houston doubleheader featuring a standing start (Belle Isle did not utilize a standing start due to the narrowness of the start-finish area).[45] The IndyCar Triple Crown returned for the first time since 1989, featuring the races at Indianapolis, Pocono and Fontana. IndyCar offered a $1,000,000 bonus to a driver who can win all three events, with a $250,000 consolation prize if a driver can win two of the three events.[46]