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.

IMSA

Promoter Ralph Sanchez brought auto racing to the Miami area in 1983. A course at Bayfront 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 was almost a failure both competitively and financially. A severe rainstorm turned the circuit into a quagmire. However, a year later, the event returned, and grew into a huge success.
IMSA races were held at the first Bayfront Circuit from 1983 until 1985. For 1986, the event moved to a new layout at nearby Bicentennial Park. The Bicentennial Park circuit was a semi-permanent layout which 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.
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.
YearDateWinning DriverCarTeam
1994March 5 Tommy KendallFord MustangRoush 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.
YearDateRace nameWinnerEntrantCar
2002October 5Cadillac American Le Mans Challenge Frank Biela
Emanuele Pirro
Audi Sport North AmericaAudi R8
2003September 27Grand Prix Americas Johnny Herbert
JJ Lehto
ADT Champion RacingAudi 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.
YearDateRace nameOverall WinnerTeamCar
1998May 17Road Racing Extravaganza Butch Leitzinger
James Weaver
Dyson RacingRiley & Scott Mk III-Ford
199926 SeptemberMiami 500 Paul Belmondo
Emmanuel Clérico
Paul Belmondo RacingChrysler Viper GTS-R
2000April 30Nextel 250 Mauro Baldi
Didier Theys
Doran Lista RacingFerrari 333SP-Judd
2001March 3Nextel 250 Butch Leitzinger
James Weaver
Dyson RacingRiley & Scott Mk III-Ford
2002March 2Nextel 250 Mauro Baldi
Didier Theys
Doran Lista RacingFerrari 333SP-Judd
2003March 1Nextel Grand Prix of Miami J.C. France
Hurley Haywood
Brumos RacingFabcar FDSC/03-Porsche
2004February 28Grand Prix of Miami Milka Duno
Andy Wallace
Howard Boss MotorsportsCrawford DP03-Pontiac
2004September 19Miami 250 Milka Duno
Andy Wallace
Howard Boss MotorsportsCrawford DP03-Pontiac
2005March 5Grand Prix of Miami Wayne Taylor
Max Angelelli
SunTrust RacingRiley Mk XI-Pontiac
2006March 25Linder-Komatsu Grand Prix of Miami Mike Rockenfeller
Patrick Long
Alex Job RacingCrawford DP03-Porsche
2007March 24Linder-Komatsu Grand Prix of Miami Bill Auberlen
Matthew Alhadeff
Team SigalsportRiley Mk XI-BMW
2008March 29Gainsco Grand Prix of Miami Scott Pruett
Memo Rojas
Chip Ganassi RacingRiley Mk XI-Lexus
2009October 10Gainsco Grand Prix of Miami João Barbosa
Hurley Haywood
Brumos RacingRiley Mk XI-Porsche
2010March 6Grand Prix of Miami Scott Pruett
Memo Rojas
Chip Ganassi RacingRiley Mk XX-BMW
2011March 5Grand Prix of Miami Scott Pruett
Memo Rojas
Chip Ganassi RacingRiley Mk XX-BMW
2012April 29Grand Prix of Miami Max Angelelli
Ricky Taylor
SunTrust RacingCorvette DP