The 2002 IRL Infiniti Pro Series was the first season of an official development series to the then-named Indy Racing League, and is considered as the 17th season of the Indy NXT open wheel auto racing series. The Infiniti Pro Series is officially considered a direct continuation of the original CART-owned Indy Lights series, which was created in 1986 as the American Racing Series and operated for 16 years. While the formation of the Pro Series was independent, CART announced shortly after that Indy Lights would fold after the 2001 season. The Pro Series would adopt the Indy Lights name in 2008 when IndyCar bought the intellectual property from CART, and was subsequently renamed Indy NXT in 2023. 
A. J. Foyt IV, the youngest driver in the field, won the championship at the final race while taking his fourth race win of the season, in a car owned by his legendary grandfather A. J. Foyt. As of 2023, Foyt IV holds the record as the youngest Indy NXT champion of all time dating back to 1986, at 18 years and three months of age. 
Series news.
The Infiniti Pro Series was first announced on August 31, 2001, with the aim to streamline the path into IRL competition and provide a training ground for aspiring drivers, This was particularly aimed at addressing competitors from the USAC ranks that were having a harder time transitioning directly into the IRL in previous years. The season started halfway through the IRL season in the summer of 2002, with a reduced all-oval seven race schedule over two months before embarking on an extended calendar in 2003.
The series had a target budget of $750,000 per season and per car for a full 12-race season, featuring a spec chassis and a racing version of the V8 engine used in the Infiniti Q45, which produced 420 horsepower (310 kW). Shortly before the start of the season, the Japanese brand announced in June it would concentrate its efforts on the Infiniti Pro Series from 2003, signalling the end of their engine program in the Indy Racing League after 2002. Purses for the series were allocated at $100,000 per race, with $25,000 for the winner, all the way down to 20th place.
Team and driver chart.
All teams used Dallara IPS cars with a TWR produced Infiniti sourced 3.5 litre engine and Firestone tires. The following drivers and teams competed in the series.
Schedule.
The initial schedule for the Infiniti Pro Series was announced on February 2, 2002. Competition started halfway through the Indy Racing League season, which the Infiniti Pro Series accompanied at all of its final seven events, with all events being held on ovals. Kansas, Gateway and Texas had all been featured in the last season of Indy Lights competition, which had last visited Michigan in 2000, while Nashville, Kentucky and Chicagoland held an open-wheel feeder series race for the first time.
Race results.
A. J. Foyt IV, the youngest driver in the field, was the inaugural champion in a car owned by his legendary, grandfather A. J. Foyt. As of 2023, Foyt IV holds the record as the youngest Indy NXT champion of all time dating back to 1986, at 18 years and three months of age. Foyt IV won four of the seven races, including the inaugural event at Kansas, and was crowned at the final race in Texas against the American-born Dutch driver Arie Luyendyk Jr. The son of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk had four second-place finishes, but no wins, finishing behind Cory Witherill at Nashville, Ryan Hampton at Gateway and Aaron Fike at Chicagoland. 
Former IRL drivers Cory Witherill, Ronnie Johncox, and Dave Steele participated in the championship, alongside full-time IRL teams A. J. Foyt Enterprises, Kelley Racing, Hemelgarn Racing and Sam Schmidt Motorsports, although Kelley Racing withdrew from the championship after actor-turned-driver Jason Priestley was seriously injured in a warm-up crash at Kentucky Speedway. The series started with 12 cars at its first round, and the field was up to 16 drivers for the events at Michigan and Kentucky. Eight drivers took part in every round, with three others contesting all but one event.
References.
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