Grand Prix Americas
Encyclopedia
The Grand Prix Americas was a joint American Le Mans Series
and CART Champ Car
race held in Bayfront Park
, Miami, United States
. The event took place in 2002 and 2003.
driver Tony Kanaan
, from Mo Nunn Racing, set the pole.
At the start, Herdez Competition Mexican
driver Mario Dominguez
hit the Canadian driver Patrick Carpentier
, from Forsythe Racing. Neither Carpentier, nor Dominguez retired. Then, Tony Kanaan
hit the New Zealand
driver Scott Dixon, from Chip Ganassi Racing
. Dixon retired. At lap 31, the Spaniard Oriol Servià
, from Patrick Racing
retired due to mechanical problems. Some laps later, Patrick Carpentier lost control of his car and hit the wall. He retired. At lap 47, Forsythe Racing driver Alex Tagliani
overtook fellow Canadian Paul Tracy
, from Team Green. Laps later, the Japanese
former Formula One
driver Shinji Nakano
, from Fernandez Racing
, retired due to an engine fire
. The Japanese was on fire, but anyone saw the fire, because it was methanol
. At lap 75, Paul Tracy hit the wall. 3 laps later, Tracy did a drift
. At lap 81, the Canadian driver spun. Then, Team Green's driver Dario Franchitti
, from Scotland
hit the tyre wall, but did not retired. Laps later, Tony Kanaan was involved in another accident, now with Scott Dixon
's teammate, the Brazilian Bruno Junqueira
. Both drivers continued in the race. With 7 laps to go, Team Rahal's American
driver Jimmy Vasser hit Paul Tracy. The Canadian driver retired. The Brazilian driver Cristiano da Matta
, from Newman/Haas Racing won the race and clinched the 2002 CART World Series Season, with 3 races left. His teammate and fellow Brazilian, Christian Fittipaldi
finished second, and Vasser finished third.
owner-driver, Adrian Fernández
, from Mexico
, set a time of 44.253, and the pole position.
At the start, Fernandez lost his lead to Bruno Junqueira
, from Newman/Haas Racing, but at the following lap, Fernandez did a very good overtake manoeuvre on Junqueira. At the same curve, Rocketsports driver Alex Tagliani
overtook Herdez Competition driver Mario Dominguez
. At lap 43, Patrick Racing
driver Oriol Servià
crashed on the straight. He retired. At lap 56, Mexican driver Rodolfo Lavín
retired due a crash. At lap 69, Forsythe Racing driver Paul Tracy
hit the Newman/Haas Racing French
driver Sébastien Bourdais
. Both retired. Some laps later, Mexican driver Michel Jourdain, Jr.
, from Team Rahal hit the Portuguese
driver Tiago Monteiro
, from Fittipaldi-Dingman Racing in the pits. At lap 91, Monteiro was hit by Bruno Junqueira, who hit Adrian Fernandez. Monteiro retired. For many laps, Jourdain, Jr. was trying to overtake Carpentier, but he didn't accomplished. The winner was Mario Dominguez
. For the second time he won a CART
race. His first win happened at the 2002 Honda Indy 300
, at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit
, Australia
. His teammate, Brazilian driver Roberto Moreno
finished second, while the Finnish driver Mika Salo
, from PK Racing, finished third.
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
and CART Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
race held in Bayfront Park
Bayfront Park
Bayfront Park is a public, urban park in Downtown Miami, Florida on Biscayne Bay.-History:The park began construction in 1924 under the design plans of Warren Henry Manning and officially opened in March 1925. Beginning in 1980, it underwent a major redesign by Japanese-American modernist artist...
, Miami, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The event took place in 2002 and 2003.
Results
| Year | Series | Winner(s) | Entrant | Car | Distance/Duration | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | ALMS American Le Mans Series The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC... |
 Frank BielaFrank Biela Frank Biela is an auto racing driver, mainly competing in touring cars and sportscar racing. He has raced exclusively in cars manufactured by the Audi marque since 1990....  Emanuele PirroEmanuele Pirro Emanuele Pirro is an Italian former Formula One driver and five time Le Mans 24 hour winner.- Biography :... |
Audi Sport North America Joest Racing Joest Racing is a racing team that was established in 1978 by former Porsche works racer Reinhold Joest... |
Audi R8 | 2 hours, 45 minutes | report 2002 American Le Mans Challenge The 2002 Cadillac American Le Mans Challenge was the ninth round of the 2002 American Le Mans Series season. It took place on a temporary street circuit in Miami, Florida, on October 5, 2002.-Official results:Class winners in bold.-Statistics:... |
| CART Champ Car Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race... |
 Cristiano da MattaCristiano da Matta Cristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:... |
Newman/Haas Racing | Lola-Toyota | 145 mi (233.4 km) | report 2002 Grand Prix Americas The 2002 Grand Prix Americas was the sixteenth round of the 2002 CART FedEx Champ Car World Series season, held on October 6, 2002 on the Bayfront Park street circuit in Miami, Florida... |
|
| 2003 | ALMS American Le Mans Series The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC... |
 Johnny HerbertJohnny Herbert John Paul Herbert is a British racing driver from England. He competed in Formula One, winning three races, and also in sports cars winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1991 driving a Mazda 787B...  JJ Lehto |
ADT ADT Security Services ADT Security Services, originally American District Telegraph, now also known as simply ADT, is a division of Tyco International and a worldwide supplier of electronic security systems, fire alarm systems, communication systems, and integrated building management systems.-History:There were many... Champion Racing Champion Racing Champion Racing is a sports car racing team based in Pompano Beach, Florida, USA. Founded in 1994 by Dave Maraj as the motorsport wing of the Champion Motors car dealership, the team has campaigned various Porsches and Audis in North American road racing series... |
Audi R8 | 2 hours, 45 minutes | report |
| CART Champ Car Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race... |
 Mario DomínguezMario Domínguez Mario Domínguez is a Mexican racing driver. He has competed in the CART and CCWS Champ Car series and later the IndyCar Series.-Early career:Domínguez first began racing in 1987 driving go-karts... |
Herdez Competition | Lola-Ford Cosworth Cosworth Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries... |
155 mi (249.4 km) | report |
Toyota Atlantic history
| Season | Date | Winning Driver |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 Formula Atlantic season The 2003 Toyota Atlantic Championship season was contested over 12 rounds. In this one-make formula all drivers had to utilize Swift chassis and Toyota engines. 14 different teams and 24 different drivers competed. All drivers were able to score points. The Toyota Atlantic Championship Presented... |
September 28 |  Michael ValianteMichael Valiante Michael Valiante is a Canadian racing driver.Michael began racing in karting where his success earned him a full-season scholarship in the Skip Barber 2.0 Series. In his first season, Michael was both series champion and rookie of the year... |
Champ Car
At the inaugural race, the BrazilianBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
driver Tony Kanaan
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara...
, from Mo Nunn Racing, set the pole.
At the start, Herdez Competition Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
driver Mario Dominguez
Mario Domínguez
Mario Domínguez is a Mexican racing driver. He has competed in the CART and CCWS Champ Car series and later the IndyCar Series.-Early career:Domínguez first began racing in 1987 driving go-karts...
hit the Canadian driver Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier is a retired Canadian race car driver. He is best known for his career in the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series. In 2009, Patrick shared the #36 of Tommy Baldwin Racing with Mike Skinner and ran Michael Waltrip's #55 Toyota Camry in the road course races in the...
, from Forsythe Racing. Neither Carpentier, nor Dominguez retired. Then, Tony Kanaan
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver of Lebanese heritage. Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara...
hit the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
driver Scott Dixon, from Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is an automotive racing organization with teams competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Rolex Sports Car Series. It is owned by businessmen Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates. They have won 4 Champ Car, 3 Indy Racing League and 1 Grand-Am championships...
. Dixon retired. At lap 31, the Spaniard Oriol Servià
Oriol Servia
Oriol Servià i Imbers is a race car driver in the IndyCar Series, originally from Catalonia, Spain. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.-Early career:...
, from Patrick Racing
Patrick Racing
Patrick Racing was an auto racing team in both Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.Patrick Racing was started by Pat Patrick with the formation of CART in 1978. Patrick Racing would win three Indianapolis 500s and two CART championships, making it one of the most successful CART teams ever.In...
retired due to mechanical problems. Some laps later, Patrick Carpentier lost control of his car and hit the wall. He retired. At lap 47, Forsythe Racing driver Alex Tagliani
Alex Tagliani
Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:...
overtook fellow Canadian Paul Tracy
Paul Tracy
Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series...
, from Team Green. Laps later, the Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
former Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
driver Shinji Nakano
Shinji Nakano
Shinji Nakano is a racing driver from Japan.His father, Tsuneharu was also a racing driver who competed in the All-Japan Formula Three Championship etc.-Pre Formula One Career:-Formula One Career:...
, from Fernandez Racing
Fernández Racing
Fernández Racing is a Mexican motor racing team that competes in the American Le Mans Series and previously Champ Car, the IRL IndyCar Series, and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The team was co-founded by Adrian Fernández and Tom Anderson in 2001.-Open wheel:...
, retired due to an engine fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
. The Japanese was on fire, but anyone saw the fire, because it was methanol
Methanol
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol...
. At lap 75, Paul Tracy hit the wall. 3 laps later, Tracy did a drift
Drifting (motorsport)
Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motorsport where the driver intentionally over steers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while maintaining vehicle control and a high exit speed...
. At lap 81, the Canadian driver spun. Then, Team Green's driver Dario Franchitti
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti is a Scottish racing driver. He formerly competed in the CART series before switching to the IndyCar Series where he was 2007 champion, and won the rain-shortened 2007 Indianapolis 500. Franchitti is also a former NASCAR driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, competing...
, from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
hit the tyre wall, but did not retired. Laps later, Tony Kanaan was involved in another accident, now with Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...
's teammate, the Brazilian Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:...
. Both drivers continued in the race. With 7 laps to go, Team Rahal's American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
driver Jimmy Vasser hit Paul Tracy. The Canadian driver retired. The Brazilian driver Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:...
, from Newman/Haas Racing won the race and clinched the 2002 CART World Series Season, with 3 races left. His teammate and fellow Brazilian, Christian Fittipaldi
Christian Fittipaldi
Christian Fittipaldi is a Brazilian racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR...
finished second, and Vasser finished third.
Champ Car
At the 2003 race, Fernandez RacingFernández Racing
Fernández Racing is a Mexican motor racing team that competes in the American Le Mans Series and previously Champ Car, the IRL IndyCar Series, and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The team was co-founded by Adrian Fernández and Tom Anderson in 2001.-Open wheel:...
owner-driver, Adrian Fernández
Adrian Fernández
José Adrián Fernández Mier is a Mexican racing driver and co-owner of the Fernandez Racing team.-Early career:...
, from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, set a time of 44.253, and the pole position.
At the start, Fernandez lost his lead to Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira
Bruno Junqueira is a Brazilian race car driver that most recently competed in the IRL IndyCar Series. He is a former Formula 3000 champion and three-time runner-up in the Champ Car World Series.-Early career:...
, from Newman/Haas Racing, but at the following lap, Fernandez did a very good overtake manoeuvre on Junqueira. At the same curve, Rocketsports driver Alex Tagliani
Alex Tagliani
Alexandre Tagliani is a Canadian auto racing driver from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He currently competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series, driving the #77 entry for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.-Champ Car career:...
overtook Herdez Competition driver Mario Dominguez
Mario Domínguez
Mario Domínguez is a Mexican racing driver. He has competed in the CART and CCWS Champ Car series and later the IndyCar Series.-Early career:Domínguez first began racing in 1987 driving go-karts...
. At lap 43, Patrick Racing
Patrick Racing
Patrick Racing was an auto racing team in both Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.Patrick Racing was started by Pat Patrick with the formation of CART in 1978. Patrick Racing would win three Indianapolis 500s and two CART championships, making it one of the most successful CART teams ever.In...
driver Oriol Servià
Oriol Servia
Oriol Servià i Imbers is a race car driver in the IndyCar Series, originally from Catalonia, Spain. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.-Early career:...
crashed on the straight. He retired. At lap 56, Mexican driver Rodolfo Lavín
Rodolfo Lavin
Rodolfo Lavín is a Mexican racing driver from San Luis Potosí. He most notably raced in the Champ Car World Series.In Mexico, Lavín raced in Formula Azteca and Formula 3. With funding in the form of sponsorship from Corona, with whom his father is on the board, Lavin raced in Indy Lights from...
retired due a crash. At lap 69, Forsythe Racing driver Paul Tracy
Paul Tracy
Paul Tracy is a professional automobile racer who has competed in CART, the ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series...
hit the Newman/Haas Racing French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
driver Sébastien Bourdais
Sébastien Bourdais
Sébastien Olivier Bourdais is a French race car driver. He is one of the most successful drivers in the history of the Champ Car World Series, having won four successive championships from 2004 to 2007....
. Both retired. Some laps later, Mexican driver Michel Jourdain, Jr.
Michel Jourdain, Jr.
Michel Jourdain Jr. is an IndyCar driver. Jourdain Jr. started racing cars in the Mexican Formula Junior series at the age of 12. He then moved to the Mexican Formula K and Formula 2 series.-Champ Car:...
, from Team Rahal hit the Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
driver Tiago Monteiro
Tiago Monteiro
Tiago Vagaroso da Costa Monteiro is a Portuguese racing driver. He drove for Jordan, Midland and Spyker MF1 teams—all different iterations of the same team as it was bought by new owners during a two year stint as part of the Formula One paddock...
, from Fittipaldi-Dingman Racing in the pits. At lap 91, Monteiro was hit by Bruno Junqueira, who hit Adrian Fernandez. Monteiro retired. For many laps, Jourdain, Jr. was trying to overtake Carpentier, but he didn't accomplished. The winner was Mario Dominguez
Mario Domínguez
Mario Domínguez is a Mexican racing driver. He has competed in the CART and CCWS Champ Car series and later the IndyCar Series.-Early career:Domínguez first began racing in 1987 driving go-karts...
. For the second time he won a CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
race. His first win happened at the 2002 Honda Indy 300
2002 Honda Indy 300
The 2002 Honda Indy 300 was the seventeenth round of the 2002 CART World Series season, held on 27 October 2002 on the Streets of Surfers Paradise, Surfers Paradise, Australia.-Qualifying results:-Race:-Caution flags:-Notes:...
, at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit
Surfers Paradise Street Circuit
The Surfers Paradise Street Circuit is a temporary street circuit at Surfers Paradise, in south east Queensland, Australia. The challenging track has several fast sections and four chicanes. It is the third of three motor racing circuits that have existed in the Surfers Paradise area, after the...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. His teammate, Brazilian driver Roberto Moreno
Roberto Moreno
Roberto Pupo Moreno , usually known as Roberto Moreno and also as Pupo Moreno, is a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 75 Formula One Grands Prix, achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 15 championship points. He raced in CART in 1986, and was Formula 3000 champion before joining...
finished second, while the Finnish driver Mika Salo
Mika Salo
Mika Juhani Salo is a Finnish racing driver. He competed in Formula One between and . His best ranking was 10th in the world championship in 1999. He also won the GT2 class in the 2008 and 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans....
, from PK Racing, finished third.