IROC XXI was the twenty-first season of the International Race of Champions, which started on February 17, 1997. The series used identically prepared Pontiac Firebird Trans Am race cars, and contested races at Daytona International Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, California Speedway, and Michigan International Speedway. Mark Martin won $225,000 and the IROC championship, his second straight win and third in four seasons.
The roster of drivers and final points standings were as follows:[1]
| Position | Driver | Points | Winnings | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mark Martin |
72 | $225,000 | NASCAR Winston Cup |
| 2 | Robby Gordon |
63 | $100,000 | CART, SCORE |
| 3 | Randy LaJoie |
58 | $60,000 | NASCAR Busch Series |
| 4 | Al Unser Jr. |
57 | $50,000 | CART |
| 5 | Terry Labonte |
43 | $45,000 | NASCAR Winston Cup |
| 6 | Jeff Gordon |
39 | $40,000 | NASCAR Winston Cup |
| 7 | Dale Earnhardt |
35 | $40,000 | NASCAR Winston Cup |
| 8 | Dale Jarrett |
34 | $40,000 | NASCAR Winston Cup |
| 9 | Tommy Kendall |
34 | $40,000 | SCCA Trans-Am Series |
| 10 | Jimmy Vasser |
30 | $40,000 | CART |
| 11 | Darrell Waltrip |
18 | $40,000 | NASCAR Winston Cup |
| 12 |  Alex Zanardi |
17 | $40,000 | CART |