Meadowlands Grand Prix

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Meadowlands Grand Prix
CART IndyCar World Series
Location Meadowlands Sports Complex, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Corporate sponsor Marlboro
First race 1984
Last race 1991
Distance 182.55 mi (293.79 km)
Most wins (driver) Bobby Rahal (3)
Most wins (team) Newman-Haas Racing (2)
Galles Racing (2)
Most wins (manufacturer) Lola (6)
Circuit information
Surface Asphalt
Length 1.217 mi (1.959 km)
Turns 6
Lap record 37.772 (Rick Mears, Penske PC19-Chevrolet, 1990, IndyCar)

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,[1] and came with high expectations, including the potential of rivaling the Indianapolis 500 in stature, and crowds of up to 60,000.[2][3]

History

In 1982, Formula One announced a race in the New York City area for the 1983 season.[4] However, the race, which was to take place in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, was first postponed, then canceled.[5] At the same time, CART and the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the help of Long Beach promoter Chris Pook, announced a race for the 1984 season.[2] The race would take place on a 15-turn, 1.682-mile (2.707 km), temporary road course set up in the parking lots around Giants Stadium.

The inaugural event's purse of $536,000 made it the richest race in CART history apart from Indianapolis.[6] The race carried high expectations, was televised nationally, and came on the heels of high-profile successes at former Formula One events in Long Beach and Las Vegas. A crowd of 50,000 was expected.[3] During practice and qualifying, drivers criticized the tight nature of the course.[7][8] The race began on a damp track, and Mario Andretti led all 100 laps to win.[9] Despite the rainy weather, 34,388 spectators watched the race.[6]

The 1985 event saw better weather and better attendance, but still fell short of expectations.[10] The organizers signed a 3-year contract to continue the race, but the circuit's parking lot nature, giving neither the park-like setting of a natural terrain road course nor the atmosphere of a downtown street race, began to draw criticism from drivers and journalists.[11] In 1988, officials changed the layout to a 1.217-mile (1.959 km) semi-oval layout surrounding Brendan Byrne Arena in an attempt to improve competition and sight lines for spectators, and the race attracted a record 45,025.[12] In addition, new race sponsor Marlboro offered a $1 million bonus for any driver who could win at the Meadowlands, Michigan, and the Marlboro Challenge in Miami in the same season;[13] no driver would ever win the bonus.

Despite the new layout and increasing purses, attendance dipped and the race failed to turn a profit.[14] The promoters considered moving the event to Washington, D. C., Miami, or Englishtown, New Jersey. The race was eventually scheduled for 1992 on a circuit in Manhattan on the roads surrounding the World Trade Center and West Street. The race was postponed until 1993 then cancelled due to cost and conflicts between sponsor Marlboro and Mayor David Dinkins' anti-tobacco advertising policies.[5][15]

Race winners

Year Date Winning Driver Chassis Engine Team Race title Report
1984 July 1 United States Mario Andretti Lola Cosworth Newman-Haas Racing Meadowlands Grand Prix Report
1985 June 30 United States Al Unser, Jr. Lola Cosworth Doug Shierson Racing Meadowlands United States Grand Prix Report
1986 June 29 United States Danny Sullivan March Cosworth Penske Racing Chase Grand Prix at the Meadowlands Report
1987 June 28 United States Bobby Rahal Lola Cosworth Truesports Meadowlands Indy Report
1988 July 24 United States Al Unser, Jr. March Cosworth Galles Racing Marlboro Grand Prix at the Meadowlands Report
1989 July 16 United States Bobby Rahal Lola Cosworth Kraco Racing Marlboro Grand Prix Report
1990 July 15 United States Michael Andretti Lola Chevrolet Newman-Haas Racing Marlboro Grand Prix at the Meadowlands Report
1991 July 14 United States Bobby Rahal Lola Chevrolet Galles Racing Marlboro Grand Prix Report
[16][17]


Broadcasting

Year Network Lap-by-lap Color commentator(s) Pit reporters
1984 NBC Paul Page Johnny Rutherford and Bobby Unser Gary Gerould and Bruce Jenner
1985 NBC Paul Page Bobby Unser Gary Gerould and Bruce Jenner
1986 NBC Paul Page Bobby Unser Gary Gerould and Bruce Jenner
1987 NBC Paul Page Jackie Stewart Gary Gerould and Bruce Jenner
1988 NBC Charlie Jones Jackie Stewart Gary Gerould and Sally Larvick
1989 NBC Don Criqui Johnny Rutherford Gary Gerould and Sally Larvick
1990 NBC Don Criqui Johnny Rutherford Brian Hammons and Sally Larvick
1991 ESPN Paul Page Derek Daly Gary Gerould and Jon Beekhuis

Race notes

  • 1988: Al Unser, Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi battled at the end. The two cars touched and Fittipaldi veered into a bank of tire barriers. Unser, Jr. went on to win. The following year at Indy, the two would be involved in another late-race duel.
  • 1989: Bobby Rahal scores his only victory of the 1989 season. It was the lone victory for the "short stroke" Cosworth, and the 153rd and final race win overall for Cosworth in Indy car racing. The race was halted 5 laps early due to heavy rains and standing water on the course. Rahal held off points leader Emerson Fittipaldi for the victory.
  • 1991: Bobby Rahal snaps a 34-race losing streak and wins his first CART race in nearly two years to the day of his last win (1989 Meadowlands Grand Prix). It would be the final Meadowlands Grand Prix.

References

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