Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver
Encyclopedia
The Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver is a former Champ Car
race held on a street circuit
in Denver, Colorado
. A Champ Car race was first held in Denver at Centennial Park
dirt oval in 1951 and 1952 under AAA sanctioning. 38 years later Champ Cars returned to Denver with a downtown CART-sanctioned 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 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, and the possibility of a 2008 race was ruled out due to scheduling conflict with the Democratic National Convention.
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 on a street circuit
Street circuit
A street circuit is a racing circuit composed by temporarily closed-off public roads of a city, town or village, used in motor races. Facilities such as the paddock, pit boxes, fences and grandstands are usually placed temporarily and removed soon after the race is over but in modern times the...
in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. A Champ Car race was first held in Denver at Centennial Park
Centennial Park
Centennial Park could be:In Argentina:*Parque Centenario, a public park in Buenos AiresIn Australia:*Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia, a large cemetery, approximately 40 hectares in size...
dirt oval in 1951 and 1952 under AAA sanctioning. 38 years later Champ Cars returned to Denver with a downtown CART-sanctioned near the Civic Center
Civic Center, Denver
Civic Center is a neighborhood and park in Denver, Colorado. The area is known as the center of the civic life in the city, with numerous institutions of arts, government, and culture as well as numerous festivals, parades, and protests throughout the year...
. 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 Pepsi Center
Pepsi Center
Pepsi Center is a multi-purpose arena in Denver, Colorado, United States. The building is home to the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League...
. 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, and the possibility of a 2008 race was ruled out due to scheduling conflict with the Democratic National Convention.
AAA Championship Car Results
| Season | Date | Winning Driver | Chassis | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | September 23 |  United States Tony BettenhausenTony Bettenhausen Melvin E. "Tony" Bettenhausen was an American racing driver, who won the National Championship in 1951 and 1958.... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... |
Offy |
| 1952 | September 28 | United States Bill Vukovich Bill Vukovich Bill Vukovich was a Serbian American automobile racing driver. He won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500 plus two more American Automobile Association National Championship races... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... |
Offy |
CART/Champ Car World Series Results
| Season | Date | Winning Driver | Chassis | Engine | Team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | August 26 | United States Al Unser, Jr. Al Unser, Jr. Alfred Unser, Jr. , nicknamed "Little Al", "Al Junior" or simply "Junior" is a retired American race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.-History:... |
Lola | Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... -Ilmor Ilmor Ilmor, founded by Mario Illien and Paul Morgan in November 1983, is a British independent high-performance autosport engineering company. With manufacturing based in Brixworth, Northamptonshire, and maintenance offices in Plymouth, Michigan, the company supplies engines and consultancy to the... |
Galles/Kraco Racing Galles Racing Galles Racing is a former auto racing team owned by Rick Galles that competed in the CART series, Can-Am and Indy Racing League, winning the 1990 CART Championship and 1992 Indianapolis 500 with driver Al Unser, Jr..-Early years:... |
Report |
| 1991 | August 25 | United States Al Unser, Jr. Al Unser, Jr. Alfred Unser, Jr. , nicknamed "Little Al", "Al Junior" or simply "Junior" is a retired American race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.-History:... |
Lola | Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... -Ilmor Ilmor Ilmor, founded by Mario Illien and Paul Morgan in November 1983, is a British independent high-performance autosport engineering company. With manufacturing based in Brixworth, Northamptonshire, and maintenance offices in Plymouth, Michigan, the company supplies engines and consultancy to the... |
Galles/Kraco Racing Galles Racing Galles Racing is a former auto racing team owned by Rick Galles that competed in the CART series, Can-Am and Indy Racing League, winning the 1990 CART Championship and 1992 Indianapolis 500 with driver Al Unser, Jr..-Early years:... |
Report |
| 2002 | September 1 |  Brazil Bruno JunqueiraBruno 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:... |
Lola | Toyota | 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... |
Report 2002 Shell Grand Prix of Denver The 2002 Shell Grand Prix of Denver was the fourteenth round of the 2002 CART FedEx Champ Car World Series season, held on September 1, 2002 on the streets of Denver, Colorado around Pepsi Center... |
| 2003 | August 31 | Brazil 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:... |
Lola | Ford-Cosworth | Newman/Haas Racing | Report 2003 Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver The 2003 Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver was the fifteenth round of the 2003 CART World Series season, held on August 31, 2003 on the streets of Denver, Colorado.-Qualifying results:- Race :- Caution flags :- Notes :... |
| 2004 | August 15 |  France Sébastien BourdaisSébastien 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.... |
Lola | Ford-Cosworth | Newman/Haas Racing | Report 2004 Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver The 2004 Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver was the ninth round of the 2004 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford season, held on August 15, 2004 on the streets of Denver, Colorado near the Pepsi Center.-Qualifying results:... |
| 2005 | August 14 | France 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.... |
Lola | Ford-Cosworth | Newman/Haas Racing | Report 2005 Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver The 2005 Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver was the ninth round of the 2005 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford season, held on August 14, 2005 on the streets of Denver, Colorado near the Pepsi Center... |
| 2006 | August 13 | United States A. J. Allmendinger A. J. Allmendinger Allmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega... |
Lola | Ford-Cosworth | Forsythe Racing | Report 2006 Grand Prix of Denver The 2006 Grand Prix of Denver was the tenth round of the 2006 Champ Car World Series season, held on August 13, 2006 on the streets of Denver, Colorado.-Qualifying results:-Race:... |