The Trans-Am Series, Rolex Sports Car Series, and American Le Mans Series have all held races in the Miami area.
IMSA 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 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. 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 TeamBicentennial 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.
Trans Am 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 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 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 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-Porsche2004 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 2012April 29 Grand Prix of Miami Max Angelelli Ricky Taylor SunTrust Racing Corvette DP (Dallara DP01)
The 1998 race was a part of the United States Road Racing Championship. No race was held in 1999.
See also Grand Prix of Miami (open wheel racing)
References
External links
World Sports Racing Prototypes: IMSA archive Racing Sports Cars: Miami archive Ultimate Racing History: Miami archive Ultimate Racing History: Bayfront Park archive Racing Sports Cars: Homestead archive Ultimate Racing History: Homestead archive