With Team Green, Tracy returned to the Indianapolis 500 in 2002 for the first time since 1995. A late-race caution flag for a crash appeared at nearly the same time he passed Hélio Castroneves for what would have been the race lead. Team Green protested the result but the official investigation put the determination of the leader of the race as the sole discretion of the race officials. Tracy and Barry Green contended that the decision was made to stop a CART driver beating the regulars of the rival Indy Racing League, which was run by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George.