As December turns into 2003, it's time to look back on all the good, bad and memorable of 2002 with a multiple-choice quiz.

Whether you idolize Tony Stewart, Sam Hornish Jr., Michael Schumacher or Cristiano da Matta this is an equal-opportunity exercise guaranteed to offend most sanctioning bodies. And hopefully make you laugh or curse.

1. What did NASCAR drivers fear the most in 2002?
    a. IRS agents at their souvenir stands.
    b. A tell all book by Brooke Gordon.
    c. Dozing off during races at Fontana or Michigan.
    d. Brett Bodine.

2. What did CART drivers fear the most in 2002?
    a. Cristiano da Matta.
    b. The discretion of its officials.
    c. A cab ride in Mexico City.
    d. Townsend Bell.

3. What did IRL drivers fear the most in 2002?
    a. Sam Hornish Jr.
    b. Backing into the wall.
    c. Losing to Sarah Fisher at Michigan.
    d. Tomas Scheckter.

4. The best visual image of 2002:
    a. Sterling Marlin leading the Cup points much of the season.
    b. Steve Kinser, 47, celebrating yet another World of Outlaw title.
    c. Jack Roush, battered and bruised, but still kicking after his near-death experience.
    d. Alex Barron, Johnny Benson and Jeff Ward finally standing in victory lane.
    e. Mike Bliss dancing (or some form of it) on the hood of his truck after taking the Craftsman title.
    f. Alex Zanardi walking through the CART pits again.

5. The most maddening moment of 2002:
    a. The staged finish of the U.S. Grand Prix.
    b. The flawed finish of the Indianapolis 500.
    c. The ridiculous finish of CART's "race" in Australia.
    d. The yellow-flag finish at NASCAR's race in Rockingham.

6. Which duo you didn't see dining together over Christmas.
    a. Chip Ganassi and Jimmy Spencer.
    b. Tomas Scheckter and Eddie Cheever.
    c. Chip Ganassi and Bruno Junqueira.
    d. Mike Helton and Bill Simpson.
    e. Juan Montoya and Ralf Schumacher.
    f. Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle.

7. Jeff Gordon won less but smiled more in 2002 because:
    a. He's learned how to smell the roses.
    b. He co-owned Jimmie Johnson's car.
    c. He was happy for open-wheel buddy Tony Stewart.
    d. C'mon. You know exactly why.

8. What were people calling Paul Tracy in 2002?
    a. CART's voice of loyalty.
    b. Same old Paul.
    c. CART's most popular driver.
    d. Indy 500 winner.

9. Two things you wouldn't normally associate:
    a. Formula One and excitement.
    b. CART and common sense.
    c. John Force and quiet time.
    d. Christian Fittipaldi and wedge.
    e. NASCAR and safety.

10. Tony Stewart can accurately be defined as:
    a. The most versatile driver on this planet.
    b. An immature brat that needs to understand that fame brings responsibilities and 32 is usually a good time to grow up.
    c. A puzzling blend of talent and tantrums.
    d. A.J. Foyt with more hair and less patience.

11. The best race of 2002:
    a. Jeff Gordon shoving Rusty Wallace aside at Bristol.
    b. Jimmy Vasser nips Michael Andretti in CART's Cal 500.
    c. Hornish wins finale, edges Helio Castroneves for IRL crown.
    d. David Coulthard at Monaco and Ralf Schumacher at Malaysia (the only races Ferrari didn't win).

12. The best innovation of this past season:
    a. The soft walls at Indianapolis.
    b. Speed Channel's visor cam.
    c. CART's crowd count at Cleveland.
    d. NASCAR "discovered" something besides aluminum seats.

13. It would have really been embarrassing if:
    a. They would have announced the true IRL crowd at Fontana.
    b. Mark Martin wound up Winston Cup champ with only one win.
    c. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway had shared the film Barry Green used in his appeal with the media.
    d. CART allowed Mario Dominguez a victory lap at Australia.
    e. Chocolate Myers made the cover of Time.

14. Which is likely to happen first:
    a. IRL and CART merge.
    b. NASCAR gets a full-time safety team.
    c. An American gets a full-time ride in F1.
    d. Ward Burton makes a public service announcement.
    e. Michael Andretti wins the Indy 500.
    f. A.J. Foyt quits eating butter and raw meat.

15. Next year the IRL will have:
    a. Toyota, Honda and engine leases.
    b. More foreign road racers than American drivers.
    c. A race in Japan.
    d. Penske, Ganassi and Rahal.
    e. Everything it supposedly hated about CART in 1996.

16. The biggest disappointment of 2002:
    a. Jeff Burton (no wins and nowhere all season).
    b. Kenny Brack (only one win for Target/Ganassi).
    c. Townsend Bell (hit everything but the lottery).
    d. NASCAR (refusing to apologize to Bill Simpson).
    e. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (for its charade of hearing a protest that obviously was never considered).

17. The biggest surprise of 2002:
    a. Jimmie Johnson won as many times as boss Jeff Gordon.
    b. Honda changing gears and announcing it was going to the IRL.
    c. Ward Burton and Bill Davis captured Daytona.
    d. Tony Kanaan hitting oil, then the wall while leading Indy because nobody threw the yellow flag.
    e. CART only canceled one race.
    f. Jamie McMurray, winless in Busch, snagging his Winston Cup debut.
    g. Paul Tracy only ran into Dario Franchitti once.

18. Things I can't quite comprehend:
    a. Former CEO Joe Heitzler is suing CART.
    b. Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the N.Y. Times best seller list.
    c. Bobby Rahal and Honda are back together.
    d. That F1 teams can come up with $100 million budgets to run for eighth place.
    e. Why there are 150,000 people to watch the NASCAR race at Michigan and only a fourth of that number to watch Indy cars.
    f. Designers can no longer come up with an idea and show up in May because the Indy 500 is now restricted competition.
    g. Why IRL and CART would ever have two days of practice on ovals.
    h. That Mike Skinner owns a huge home, airplane, motor coach and not one Cup victory.
    i. Why anyone would pay Eddie Irvine to drive.
    j. How all those old guys ever drove without spotters.
    k. Why nobody in the IRL will give USAC star J.J. Yeley a ride.
    l. Larry McReynolds' use of the English language.
    m. That Bernie Ecclestone is now an ally of CART's.
    n. Why most car owners are such bad liars.
    o. RPM2Night is going to be on Sundays only.
    p. It's been 40 years since I first saw Jim Hurtubise throw a sprinter around Terre Haute.