The Grand Prix of Denver was a Champ Car race last held on a street circuit in Denver, Colorado, United States. A Champ Car race was first held in Denver in 1909 on a 14.5-mile (23.3-km) road circuit in nearby Brighton. Racing returned to the Centennial Park dirt oval in 1951 and 1952 under AAA sanctioning. In 1990, Champ Cars returned to Denver with a CART-sanctioned event downtown near the Civic Center. However, like the previous incarnation, that race also lasted only two years. CART returned to Denver in 2002 with a race on a 1.64-mile (2.64-km) temporary circuit around the then-named Pepsi Center. The final race was held in 2006. Champ Car initially put the race on its 2007 schedule but removed it after conflicts with other events could not be reconciled.

Grand Prix of Denver
LocationDenver, Colorado, USA
39°44′48″N 105°0′23″W / 39.74667°N 105.00639°W / 39.74667; -105.00639
First race1990
Last race2006
Previous namesTexaco/Havoline Grand Prix of Denver (1990–1991)
Shell Grand Prix of Denver (2002)
Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver (2003–2005)
Most wins (driver)Al Unser Jr. (2)
Bruno Junqueira (2)
Sébastien Bourdais (2)
Most wins (team)Newman/Haas Racing (3)
Most wins (manufacturer)Lola (7)
Circuit information
SurfaceAsphalt/concrete
Length1.647 mi (2.651 km)
Turns9 (Champ Car 2006 version)

Winners

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Paul Tracy and Sébastien Bourdais in a confrontation at the 2006 Denver Grand Prix

AAA Championship Car results

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Season Date Winning driver Chassis Engine
1909[NC 1] July 5   Eaton McMillan Colburn
1910–1950: not held
1951 September 23   Tony Bettenhausen Kurtis Kraft Offy
1952 September 28   Bill Vukovich Kuzma Offy
Source:[1][2]

CART/Champ Car World Series results

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Season Date Winning driver Chassis Engine Team Report
1990 August 26   Al Unser Jr. Lola Chevrolet-Ilmor Galles/Kraco Racing Report
1991 August 25   Al Unser Jr. Lola Chevrolet-Ilmor Galles/Kraco Racing Report
1992–2001: Not held
2002 September 1   Bruno Junqueira Lola Toyota Chip Ganassi Racing Report
2003 August 31   Bruno Junqueira Lola Ford-Cosworth Newman/Haas Racing Report
2004 August 15   Sébastien Bourdais Lola Ford-Cosworth Newman/Haas Racing Report
2005 August 14   Sébastien Bourdais Lola Ford-Cosworth Newman/Haas Racing Report
2006 August 13   A. J. Allmendinger Lola Ford-Cosworth Forsythe Racing Report
Source:[3][4]

Lap records

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The fastest outright all-time track record set during a race weekend on the original layout is 1:25.896, set by Michael Andretti in a Lola T91/00, during qualifying for the 1991 Texaco/Havoline Grand Prix of Denver.[5] The fastest outright all-time track record set during a race weekend on the second layout is 0:59.096 seconds, set by Sebastien Bourdais in a Lola B02/00, during qualifying for the 2006 Grand Prix of Denver. [6] The fastest official race lap records at the Grand Prix of Denver are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event
Second Grand Prix Circuit (Pepsi Center): 2.651 km (2002–2006)[6]
Champ Car 1:00.314 Sebastien Bourdais Lola B02/00 2006 Grand Prix of Denver
Formula Atlantic 1:06.945[7] Graham Rahal Swift 016.a 2006 Denver Formula Atlantic round
Formula BMW 1:14.854[8] Ryan Phinny Mygale FB02 2006 Denver Formula BMW USA round
Super Touring 1:21.119[9] Adam Pecorari Audi A4 2006 Denver Speed World Challenge round
Original Grand Prix Circuit (Denver Civic Center): 3.058 km (1990–1991)[5]
CART 1:25.896[10] Michael Andretti Lola T91/00 1991 Texaco/Havoline Grand Prix of Denver
Indy Lights 1:36.612[11] P. J. Jones Wildcat-Buick 1991 Denver Indy Lights round
Trans-Am 1:42.050[12] Irv Hoerr Oldsmobile Cutlass 1991 Texaco/Havoline Grand Prix of Denver
  1. ^ Non-championship race.

References

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  1. ^ "Denver Trophy Race". Champ Car Stats. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  2. ^ "Centennial Park". Champ Car Stats. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  3. ^ "Denver Street Circuit". Champ Car Stats. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  4. ^ "Pepsi Center". Champ Car Stats. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Denver - Motor Sport Magazine". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Denver-Pepsi Center - Motor Sport Magazine". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  7. ^ "2006 Formula Atlantic Denver". 13 August 2006. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  8. ^ "2006 Formula BMW USA Denver (Race 2)". 13 August 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  9. ^ "2006 SPEED Touring Championship Round Six - Grand Prix of Denver ar Denver Street Course - Final Race Results" (PDF). 13 August 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  10. ^ "1991 Denver Champ Cars". Motor Sport Magazine. 25 August 1991. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  11. ^ "1991 Denver Indy Lights". Motor Sport Magazine. 25 August 1991. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  12. ^ "1991 Texaco/Havoline Grand Prix of Denver". 24 August 1991. Retrieved 16 May 2022.


  NODES
Note 1