Grand Prix of Miami (sports car racing)

The Trans-Am Series, Rolex Sports Car Series, and American Le Mans Series have all held races in the Miami area.

Geoff Brabham in the Nissan NPT-91 about to take the checkered flag at the conclusion of the 1992 Miami Grand Prix on the Bicentennial Park circuit.

IMSA

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Promoter Ralph Sanchez brought auto racing to the Miami area in 1983. A course at Bicentennial Park featured the IMSA GT Championship and the inaugural Grand Prix of Miami. A 1.85-mile (2.98 km) circuit was laid out on the park roads and Biscayne Boulevard. The 1983 event was a failure both competitively and financially. A severe rainstorm flooded the circuit, and stopped the race after less than one-sixth of the distance was completed. Despite not being obligated to, Sanchez decided to pay the entire purse to the competitors, absorbing a $1.3 million loss but earning great respect from the racing fraternity.

A year later, the event returned, and grew into a huge success.

IMSA races were held at the first Bicentennial Park from 1983 until 1985. In 1986, the event moved to a new layout, also located at Bicentennial Park.[1] The new Bicentennial Park circuit was a semi-permanent layout that featured purpose-built roads in the park area, along with a temporary segment taking it out on Biscayne Boulevard near the entrance to the Port of Miami. The event continued through 1993, at which time IMSA itself was experiencing a period of decline and reorganization.

Season Date Race name Overall Winner(s) Car Team
Bicentennial Park
1983 February 27 Budweiser Grand Prix of Miami   Al Holbert March 83G-Chevrolet Holbert Racing
1984 February 26 Budweiser Grand Prix of Miami   Doc Bundy
  Brian Redman
Jaguar XJR-5 Group 44
1985 February 24 Löwenbräu Grand Prix of Miami   Al Holbert
  Derek Bell
Porsche 962 Holbert Racing
1986 March 2 Löwenbräu Grand Prix of Miami   Bob Wollek
  Paolo Barilla
Porsche 962 Bayside Leven Racing
1987 March 1 Grand Prix of Miami   Elliott Forbes-Robinson
  Geoff Brabham
Nissan GTP ZX-T Nissan Electramotive Engineering
1988 February 28 Grand Prix of Miami   Price Cobb
  James Weaver
Porsche 962 Dyson Racing
1989 March 5 Nissan Grand Prix of Miami   Geoff Brabham
  Chip Robinson
Nissan GTP ZX-T Nissan Electromotive Engineering
1990 February 25 Nissan Grand Prix of Miami   Geoff Brabham
  Chip Robinson
  Bob Earl
Nissan GTP ZX-T Nissan Electromotive Engineering
1991 April 7 Nissan Camel Grand Prix of Miami   Raul Boesel Jaguar XJR-10 TWR
1992 February 22 Toyota Grand Prix of Miami   Geoff Brabham Nissan NPT-91A Nissan Performance Technologies
1993 February 21 Toyota Grand Prix of Miami   Juan Manuel Fangio II Eagle Mk III-Toyota All American Racers
  • 1983: Race red-flagged after 27 laps due to heavy rain.[2]

Trans Am

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For 1994, the event at Bicentennial Park switched to the SCCA Trans-Am Series. This event lasted only one year. In 1995, the CART series utilized the course for one race, then the course was partially razed for the construction of American Airlines Arena.

Year Date Winning Driver Car Team
1994 March 5   Tommy Kendall Ford Mustang Roush Racing

American Le Mans Series

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The ALMS and Champ Car held a joint race on a new circuit at Bayfront Park. The event took place in 2002 and 2003.

For 2002, a 1.387-mile (2.232 km) circuit utilized park roads and extended onto Biscayne Boulevard and 3rd and 4th Streets. In 2003, the layout was changed to drop the 3rd/4th Street loop and add a section on Biscayne Boulevard along the north end of the park.

Year Date Race name Winner(s) Entrant Car
2002 October 5 Cadillac American Le Mans Challenge   Frank Biela
  Emanuele Pirro
Audi Sport North America Audi R8
2003 September 27 Grand Prix Americas   Johnny Herbert
  JJ Lehto
ADT Champion Racing Audi R8

Grand Am

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The Rolex Sports Car Series held a race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida. The event was first held in 1998 as a part of the United States Road Racing Championship, but following the cancelation of that series the FIA GT Championship took over the 1999 event. Grand-Am revived the event in 2000. The race took place on the combined road course layout.

For 2002-2009, the race was held in conjunction with the Indycar race. In 2009, it moved to October and served as the Grand Am season finale. In 2010, the Indycar race was dropped, and the Grand Am race returned to the spring as a stand-alone event. It was not scheduled for 2013.

Year Date Race name Overall Winner(s) Team Car
1998 May 17 Road Racing Extravaganza   Butch Leitzinger
  James Weaver
Dyson Racing Riley & Scott Mk III-Ford
1999 26 September Miami 500   Paul Belmondo
  Emmanuel Clérico
Paul Belmondo Racing Chrysler Viper GTS-R
2000 April 30 Nextel 250   Mauro Baldi
  Didier Theys
Doran Lista Racing Ferrari 333SP-Judd
2001 March 3 Nextel 250   Butch Leitzinger
  James Weaver
Dyson Racing Riley & Scott Mk III-Ford
2002 March 2 Nextel 250   Mauro Baldi
  Didier Theys
Doran Lista Racing Ferrari 333SP-Judd
2003 March 1 Nextel Grand Prix of Miami   J.C. France
  Hurley Haywood
Brumos Racing Fabcar FDSC/03-Porsche
2004 February 28 Grand Prix of Miami   Milka Duno
  Andy Wallace
Howard Boss Motorsports Crawford DP03-Pontiac
September 19 Miami 250   Milka Duno
  Andy Wallace
Howard Boss Motorsports Crawford DP03-Pontiac
2005 March 5 Grand Prix of Miami   Wayne Taylor
  Max Angelelli
SunTrust Racing Riley Mk XI-Pontiac
2006 March 25 Linder-Komatsu Grand Prix of Miami   Mike Rockenfeller
  Patrick Long
Alex Job Racing Crawford DP03-Porsche
2007 March 24 Linder-Komatsu Grand Prix of Miami   Bill Auberlen
  Matthew Alhadeff
Team Sigalsport Riley Mk XI-BMW
2008 March 29 Gainsco Grand Prix of Miami   Scott Pruett
  Memo Rojas
Chip Ganassi Racing Riley Mk XI-Lexus
2009 October 10 Gainsco Grand Prix of Miami   João Barbosa
  Hurley Haywood
Brumos Racing Riley Mk XI-Porsche
2010 March 6 Grand Prix of Miami   Scott Pruett
  Memo Rojas
Chip Ganassi Racing Riley Mk XX-BMW
2011 March 5 Grand Prix of Miami   Scott Pruett
  Memo Rojas
Chip Ganassi Racing Riley Mk XX-BMW
2012 April 29 Grand Prix of Miami   Max Angelelli
  Ricky Taylor
SunTrust Racing Corvette DP (Dallara DP01)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Bicentennial Park". Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Budweiser Grand Prix of Miami". Ultimate Racing History. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
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