IndyCar/CART/Champ Car | |
---|---|
Location | Burke Lakefront Airport, Cleveland, Ohio, United States 41°31′2″N81°40′59″W / 41.51722°N 81.68306°W |
First race | 1982 |
Last race | 2007 |
Previous names | Budweiser Cleveland 500 (1982–1983) Budweiser Cleveland Grand Prix (1984–1991) Budweiser Grand Prix of Cleveland (1992) Budweiser Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by Dairy Mart (1993–1994) Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by Dairy Mart (1995) Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland (1996–1997) Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by Star Bank (1998) Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by Firstar (1999) Firstar Presents the Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland (2000) Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by Firstar (2001) Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by U.S. Bank (2002) U.S. Bank Presents the Grand Prix of Cleveland (2003) U.S. Bank Presents the Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland (2004) Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by U.S. Bank (2005–2006) Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by LaSalle Bank (2007) |
Most wins (driver) | Danny Sullivan (3) Emerson Fittipaldi (3) Paul Tracy (3) |
Most wins (team) | Penske Racing (6) |
Most wins (manufacturer) | Lola (8) Reynard (8) |
Circuit information | |
Surface | Concrete |
Length | 2.106 mi (3.389 km) |
Turns | 10 |
The Grand Prix of Cleveland was an Indy car event in the CART series, held annually at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The race was most recently held in 2007. After the 2008 open wheel unification, the 2008 race was cancelled. Attempts to revive the race have not yet come to fruition. [1] [2] [3]
Normally a fully functioning airport year-round, Burke Lakefront Airport was shut down for the week leading up to the event each year, requiring careful maintenance of the runways in order to keep them safe for cars at high speeds. The race was very popular amongst fans, as the long, wide, runways (much wider and longer than typical courses) allowed for side-by-side racing, fast speeds, and superb passing zones around the entire track. The layout and overall flatness of the circuit also allowed a view of nearly the entire course from the grandstands. The track was less popular with drivers, as the runways were much bumpier than normal asphalt courses. The first turn, in which the runway narrowed and the cars turned at an almost 45-degree angle at the end of the front straight, was seen as one of the toughest in the circuit.
Originally known as the Budweiser Cleveland 500, it was first held on July 4, 1982 as part of the CART series. Kevin Cogan started from pole position; however, to the delight of the Cleveland crowd, local rookie driver Bobby Rahal (from nearby Medina) won the race.
From 1982 to 1989, the race was held on a 2.48-mile layout. [4] In 1990, the track configuration was abruptly changed. After practice, several cars were experiencing problems in a bumpy section in turns one and two. Prior to the start of the race, the track was slightly reconfigured, eliminating the left-right combination of turns one and two. The main straight was extended towards the location of what was turn three, which then became turn one. The new layout measured 2.369 miles, and the segment eliminated became instead an extended exit to the pit road. The new layout was then adopted permanently. In 1997 the track length was remeasured to 2.106 miles without visible changes on the layout. The current layout is known for its turn 1 "vortex" at the start of races - after the green flag dropped, drivers would fan out on the wide concrete to gain position and then arrive at the corner sometimes five or six cars abreast, and all at once be "sucked" into the apex of the corner, frequently resulting in multi-car crashes at or just past the corner and leading to cars retiring before completing a single lap of the race.
Twice, in 1984 and 1990, a round of IROC was held as a support race. Formula Lightning also participated as a support race in the mid-1990s.
In 2007, it was announced the race would continue at Cleveland through to 2012. [5] However, the race did not return in 2008 with the merger between the Champ Car and IndyCar.
The event's name has changed several times over the years to reflect naming rights sponsors of the race. However, from 1984, the event's generic name was the Cleveland Grand Prix. The name was switched around in 1992 to the Grand Prix of Cleveland, and the race retained this name until its cancellation.
Budweiser held naming rights through 1994. Cleveland-based pharmacy chain Medic Drug owned the rights from 1995 to 1999, and Marconi from 2000 to 2002. Presenting sponsors included Cleveland-based convenience store chain Dairy Mart from 1993 to 1995, Cincinnati-based Star Bank in 1998, and Star Bank's successor Firstar from 1999 to 2001. Minneapolis-based US Bank, the successor of Firstar, held the presenting sponsorship from 2002 to 2006, with LaSalle Bank being the final presenting sponsor in 2007.
The 25th running of the Grand Prix of Cleveland was held in June 2006. As well as the Champ Car race, scheduled support events included Champ Car Atlantic, Formula Ford 2000 and Touring Challenge for Corvettes. It was commemorated by a painting of memorable grand prix events, with the background being every winning car entering the first turn.
The Cleveland Grand Prix nearly went to the IRL in 2000, but the plan was eventually scuttled. CART officials elected to drop the race from the schedule after a dispute with the promoter over the sanctioning fee. [6]
On June 29, 1999, it was announced that the race would switch alliances and become an event on the Indy Racing League schedule for 2000. The original course layout would be transformed into an oval configuration approximately 1.2 miles in length. A three-year initial contract was signed. The decision was not well received by fans. Weeks later, however, it was determined that construction necessary for the oval configuration would require FAA approval, and the city deemed the improvements excessive and not enhancing to the airport. On September 9, 1999, Cleveland Mayor Michael R. White announced he was withdrawing his support of the project, and the IRL dropped the event. In 2000, the race returned as a Champ Car event on the original course.
The all-time outright unofficial track record on the original circuit layout is 1:04.636 seconds, set by Mario Andretti in a Lola T89/00, during qualifying for the 1989 Budweiser Grand Prix of Cleveland. The outright track record on the later modified Grand Prix Circuit layout is 56.417 seconds, set by Jimmy Vasser in a Reynard 98I, during qualifying for the 1998 Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland. [7] The official race lap records at the Grand Prix of Cleveland are listed as:
Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Modified Grand Prix Circuit: 3.389 km (1990–2007) [8] | ||||
Champ Car | 0:57.508 | Nelson Philippe | Lola B02/00 | 2006 Grand Prix of Cleveland |
CART | 0:58.473 [9] | Paul Tracy | Lola B02/00 | 2002 Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland |
Formula Atlantic | 1:04.255 [10] | Andreas Wirth | Swift 016.a | 2006 Cleveland Formula Atlantic round |
Indy Lights | 1:05.720 [11] | Sergio Paese | Lola T97/20 | 1998 Cleveland Indy Lights round |
Trans-Am | 1:13.475 [12] | Scott Pruett | Jaguar XKR | 2003 Cleveland Trans-Am round |
Formula BMW | 1:16.483 [13] | Tommy Milner | Mygale FB02 | 2004 Cleveland Formula BMW USA round |
Original Grand Prix Circuit: 3.999 km (1982–1989) [8] | ||||
CART | 1:09.670 [14] | Emerson Fittipaldi | March 87C | 1987 Budweiser Grand Prix of Cleveland |
Indy Lights | 1:13.902 [15] | Didier Theys | Wildcat-Buick | 1987 Cleveland Indy Lights round |
Trans-Am | 1:20.217 [16] | Scott Pruett | Merkur XR4Ti | 1988 Cleveland Trans-Am round |
Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) was a sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing that operated from 1979 until dissolving after the 2003 season. CART was founded in 1979 by United States Auto Club (USAC) Championship Division team owners who disagreed with the direction and leadership of USAC, with the then-novel idea of team owners sanctioning and promoting their own series collectively instead of relying on a neutral body to do so. Through the 1980s, CART's Indy Car World Series became the pre-eminent open-wheel auto racing series in North America, featuring street circuits, road courses, and oval track racing. CART teams continued to compete at the USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500, which was effectively integrated into the series schedule.
Watkins Glen International, nicknamed "The Glen", is an automobile race track in the northeastern United States, located in Dix, New York, just southwest of the village of Watkins Glen, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. It is long known around the world as the former home of the Formula One United States Grand Prix, which it hosted for twenty consecutive years (1961–1980). In addition, the site has also been home to road racing of nearly every class, including the World Sportscar Championship, Trans-Am, Can-Am, NASCAR Cup Series, the International Motor Sports Association, and the IndyCar Series. The facility is currently owned by NASCAR.
Anton Hulman "Tony" George is the former Chairman, President, and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Hulman & Company, serving from 1989 to 2009. He was also formerly on the Board of Directors of both entities. He founded the Indy Racing League and co-owned Vision Racing.
The Grand Prix of Long Beach is an IndyCar Series race held on a street circuit in downtown Long Beach, California. It was the premier race on the CART/Champ Car World Series calendar from 1996 to 2008, and the 2008 race was the final Champ Car series race prior to the formal unification and end of the open-wheel "split" between CART and IRL. Since 2009, the race has been part of the unified IndyCar Series. The race is typically held in April. It is one of the longest continuously running events in IndyCar racing and is considered one of the most prestigious events on the circuit.
Homestead–Miami Speedway is a motor racing track located in Homestead, Florida. The track, which has several configurations, has promoted several series of racing, including NASCAR, the IndyCar Series, the IMSA SportsCar Championship series, and the Championship Cup Series.
American open-wheel car racing, generally known as Indy car racing, or more formally Indianapolis car racing, is a category of professional automobile racing in the United States. As of 2024, the top-level American open-wheel racing championship is sanctioned by IndyCar. Competitive events for professional-level, open-wheel race cars have been conducted under the auspices of various sanctioning bodies, tracing its roots as far back as 1902. A season-long, points-based, National Championship of drivers has been officially recognized in 1905, 1916, and each year since 1920. As such, for many years, the category of racing was known as Championship car racing. That name has fallen from use, and the term Indy car racing has become the preferred moniker.
Mobility Resort Motegi (モビリティリゾートもてぎ) is a motorsport venue located in Motegi, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It is a.k.a.Twin Ring Motegi (ツインリンクもてぎ), the venue's name came from the facility having two race tracks: a 2.493 km (1.549 mi) oval track and a 4.801 km (2.983 mi) road course. It was built in 1997 by Honda Motor Co., Ltd., as part of the company's effort to bring the Championship Auto Racing Teams series to Japan, helping to increase their knowledge of American open-wheel racing. The oval was last raced on in 2010 by the Indycar Series. On 1 March 2022, the name of the track was changed to Mobility Resort Motegi, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the facility. The road course's most notable event is the Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix which is currently held every year. The track also currently hosts rounds in the domestic Super Formula Championship and Super GT series each year.
The Gold Coast Indy 300 was an annual open-wheel motor race event that took place at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia from 1991 to 2008. The challenging 4.47-kilometre (2.78 mi) track, alongside a strip of beaches, had several fast sections and four chicanes. The event had various names during its history for sponsorship reasons; in its final year, it was known as the Nikon Indy 300.
The Edmonton Indy was a round of the IndyCar Series held at a temporary circuit set up at the Edmonton City Centre Airport near the downtown area of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was originally launched in 2005, as a race in the Champ Car World Series called the West Edmonton Mall Grand Prix, and was one of three Champ Car races added to the 2008 IndyCar Series following the merger of the two American open-wheel racing series.
The Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston Presented by the Greater Houston Honda Dealers was an annual auto race on the IndyCar Series circuit. It was held in a street circuit located in downtown Houston for four years, then returned after a four-year hiatus for two years on a course laid out in the parking lot of the Reliant/NRG Park complex. Before resuming in 2013, the last race was held on April 22, 2007,.
The Indy Japan 300 presented by Bridgestone was an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan. The 2008 race marked the historic first ever win for a woman driver in American open wheel racing when Danica Patrick of Andretti-Green Racing took the checkered flag.
The Grand Prix at The Glen was an IndyCar Series race held at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York. American open wheel racing at the circuit dates back to 1979.
The Grand Prix of Denver was a Champ Car race last held on a street circuit in Denver, Colorado, United States. A Champ Car race was first held in Denver in 1909 on a 14.5-mile (23.3-km) road circuit in nearby Brighton. Racing returned to the Centennial Park dirt oval in 1951 and 1952 under AAA sanctioning. In 1990, Champ Cars returned to Denver with a CART-sanctioned event downtown near the Civic Center. However, like the previous incarnation, that race also lasted only two years. CART returned to Denver in 2002 with a race on a 1.64-mile (2.64-km) temporary circuit around the then-named Pepsi Center. The final race was held in 2006. Champ Car initially put the race on its 2007 schedule but removed it after conflicts with other events could not be reconciled.
The Surfers Paradise Street Circuit is a temporary street circuit in Surfers Paradise, in Queensland, Australia. The 2.960 km (1.839 mi) beach-side track has several fast sections and two chicanes, having been shortened from an original 4.470 km (2.778 mi) length in 2010. It is the third of three motor racing circuits that have existed in the Gold Coast region, after the Southport Road Circuit (1954–1955) and Surfers Paradise International Raceway (1966–1987).
The Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix is an IndyCar Series race held at Barber Motorsports Park, a 17-turn 2.38-mile (3.83 km) road course, in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. Officially announced on July 27, 2009, the inaugural event was on the weekend of April 9–11, 2010. The event is under the management of the local group Zoom Motorsports. The venue is designed to allow for nearly 100,000 spectators and will have an estimated economic impact on Greater Birmingham of $30 million.
IndyCar, LLC, is an auto racing sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization sanctions two racing series: the premier IndyCar Series with the Indianapolis 500 as its centerpiece, and the developmental series Indy NXT. IndyCar is recognized as a member organization of the FIA through the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States.
The Meadowlands Grand Prix was a CART IndyCar race held at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey from 1984 until 1991. The event was the first major auto race in the New York City metropolitan area since the 1937 Vanderbilt Cup, and came with high expectations, including the potential of rivaling the Indianapolis 500 in stature, and crowds of up to 60,000.
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is an IndyCar Series race held in St. Petersburg, Florida. In most years since 2009, the race has served as the season opener. The race is held annually in the spring, with the exception of 2020, when it was postponed until October due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Grand Prix of Miami refers to an intermittent series of American open wheel races held in South Florida dating back to 1926. AAA held one board track race in 1926, and then the facility was destroyed by a hurricane. The popular CART IndyCar World Series debuted in the Miami area in the mid-1980s with a street circuit at Tamiami Park, then returned to race at Bicentennial Park in 1995.
The Grand Prix of Indianapolis, also known as the IndyCar Grand Prix is an IndyCar Series race held on the combined road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The race was first held in 2014 and is typically held on a Saturday in mid-May, two weekends prior to the Indianapolis 500. The race serves as a lead-in to the Indianapolis 500, and includes support races from the Road to Indy, including Indy NXT, USF Pro 2000 Championship and USF2000 Championship.