 | |
| CART PPG 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 | 1.958 km (1.217 mi) |
| Turns | 6 |
| Lap record | 37.219 ( Emerson Fittipaldi, Penske PC-18, 1989, CART) |
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]
After only eight years, and two separate course layouts, the event proved to be unpopular and a money-loser. Both course layouts were criticized, and the event is generally regarded as one of the worst CART races in the series' history. Despite its negative legacy, the event holds some distinctions, including a notable late-race duel between Al Unser Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi in 1988, and in 1989 the milestone final victory for the Cosworth DFX/DFS.
- ^ "Ground Is Broken For Meadowlands Grand Prix Course". The Hour. Norwalk, CT. AP. 22 March 1984. p. 28. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ^ "CART/U.S. Grand Prix set for Meadowlands in July". Reading Eagle. 17 August 1983. p. 34. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ^ Harris, Mike (29 June 1984). "Pivotal Weekend For CART". Times-Union. Warsaw, IN. AP. p. 14. Retrieved 20 May 2011.