Who formed the Indy Racing League before the 1996 Indianapolis 500 season?

Tony George formed the Indy Racing League before the 1996 Indianapolis 500 season. As president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, George announced the new league in March 1994, and it began competition in 1996.

The IRL grew out of a dispute with Championship Auto Racing Teams, or CART, over the direction of American open-wheel racing. George criticized rising costs, the declining number of American drivers, and CART’s emphasis on road and street courses. He envisioned a more affordable series centered on oval racing and the Indianapolis 500.

The creation of the IRL triggered the famous “Split.” George reserved 25 of the 33 Indianapolis 500 starting positions for IRL regulars, while CART teams staged the competing U.S. 500 at Michigan in 1996. That division lasted until the 2008 reunification of American open-wheel racing. Chip Ganassi, A. J. Foyt, and Roger Penske were major owners or competitors, but none formed the league.