A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
 | |
| IndyCar Series | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Road America |
| Corporate sponsor | Sonsio |
| First race | 1982 |
| Distance | 222.64 miles (358.304 km) |
| Laps | 55 |
| Previous names | Road America 200 (1982) Provimi Veal 200 (1983–1985) Race for Life 200 (1986) LivingWell/Provimi 200 (1987) Briggs & Stratton 200 (1988) Texaco/Havoline 200 (1989–1990) The Chicago Tribune Presents the Texaco/Havoline 200 (1991–1999) Motorola 220 (2000–2002) Mario Andretti Grand Prix at Road America Presented by Briggs & Stratton (2003) Champ Car Grand Prix of Road America (2004) Grand Prix of Road America (2006) Generac Grand Prix (2007) Kohler Grand Prix (2016–2018) REV Group Grand Prix at Road America (2019–2021) Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America (2022–2023) |
| Most wins (driver) | Mario Andretti (3) Emerson Fittipaldi (3) Michael Andretti (3) |
| Most wins (team) | Newman/Haas Racing (10) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) | Chassis: Lola (12) Engine: Chevrolet (10) |
The Grand Prix of Road America, also known as the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America for sponsorship reasons, is an IndyCar Series race held at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. For twenty-five years, the event was part of CART/Champ Car World Series, with the first race being held in 1982. The event was put on hiatus in 2008 after the unification of Champ Car into the Indy Racing League.
On August 8, 2015, it was announced that the race would return beginning in 2016. The race weekend typically includes all three series under the Road to Indy and the GT World Challenge America as support races.[1]
Race history
The first major open wheel racing at Road America was a USAC/SCCA Formula 5000 (SCCA Continental Championship) held from 1974 to 1976.
The CART Indy Car Series first visited Road America in 1982. Road America was one of several road and street races that were added to the series during the 1980s. Immediately, the race became a popular event, owing much to the challenging, competitive, and picturesque nature of the course. Along with Milwaukee, the CART series for many years featured two stops annually in the state of Wisconsin.
Since its inception, Road America has been the longest track utilized on the Indy car circuit. At 4.048 miles (6.515 km), fuel mileage has been a deciding factor in many races. On more than one occasion, competitors have run out of fuel within sight of victory, occasionally leading to surprise winners. In some years, rain has been a factor, again adding a difficult challenge to even the most experienced drivers.
Throughout nearly its entire history as part of the CART/CCWS series calendar, the race was scheduled for either August or September, usually late in the season. The race was oftentimes a pivotal race in the championship hunt. The race began as a 50-lap/200-mile race, but was later lengthened. In 2007 only, the race was paired in a double-header weekend with the ALMS Road America 500.
The high speeds obtained on the course have seen several major crashes. A. J. Foyt went off in turn one in 1990, and nearly ended his career due to severe leg and ankle injuries. During a test session in 2006, Cristiano da Matta hit a deer, suffering a subdural hematoma. Katherine Legge suffered one of the most severe crashes during the 2006 race. the car lost a rear wing going into the Turn 11 Kink, and flipped into the catchfence.
Race revival
In February 2003, CART officials filed a lawsuit against the promoters of the race, stating they had failed to pay sanctioning fees due from the previous year's race, and failed to make payments due for the 2003 race.[2][3] On March 11, series officials cancelled the race outright.[3]
The reaction among media and fans was very negative, as many believed the series was dropping one of its marquee events. A few weeks later, the track issued a countersuit against CART,[4] stating that the sanctioning body broke the contract by cancelling the race. Mario Andretti stepped in to mediate,[5] and in April the two sides came together to reinstate the event. The race was renamed the "Mario Andretti Grand Prix" in his honor.[6]
After coming back for two more seasons, Road America was left off the 2005 Champ Car schedule due to lack of sponsorship and declining attendance.[7] Promoters, however, were able to bring the race back for 2006 and 2007.[8] The track was to be part of the 2008 Champ Car schedule, but it became a casualty of the 2008 open wheel unification. The event went on hiatus for nearly a decade.
After several years of speculation, the race was revived as part of the IndyCar Series in 2016[9] to a rousing success. It essentially replaced the Milwaukee 250 on the schedule.
First wins
Despite the demanding and challenging nature of the course, Road America has been the site of the first career win for several drivers in Indy car racing. In early years, Héctor Rebaque and "Uncle" Jacques Villeneuve both scored their first and only wins in the Indy cars. In 1986, Emerson Fittipaldi won his second-career CART series race at Road America, but it was notably his first such win on a road course.
In the 1990s, Paul Tracy won his first career pole position at Road America, and Jacques Villeneuve followed in the footsteps of his uncle in winning his first Indy car race here as well.
Dario Franchitti, Christian Fittipaldi, Bruno Junqueira, and Alex Tagliani also all scored their first-career CART/Champ Car series wins at Road America. In 2020, Felix Rosenqvist won his first career IndyCar Series race, while Patricio O'Ward (who finished second, and had led the most laps) scored his first pole position and first podium finish.
Unser jinx
The father and son duo of Al Unser Sr. and Al Unser Jr., both champions in the CART series and multiple time Indianapolis 500 winners, notably failed to ever win a race at Road America. On numerous occasions, Unser Sr. or Unser Jr. were well on their way to victory, only for their race to come to a shocking and heartbreaking end. This is in stark contrast to the rival Andretti family, which scored six victories at Road America but only one win (1969) at Indianapolis.
Al Sr. ran out of fuel on the final lap while leading in 1982. Al Jr. was leading handily in 1985 until he lost control in a sudden rain shower, crashed and broke his ankle. Unser Jr. crashed again in 1986, and ran out of fuel in 1988. In 1991, Michael Andretti narrowly beat out Unser Jr. in the final two laps. In 1996, Unser Jr. blew his engine on the final lap, two corners short of victory.
Al Unser Jr. also started on the pole in a Can-Am race at Road America, but broke the transmission on the second lap.[10]
