Homestead-Miami Indy 300

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**Toyota Indy 300**

Venue	Homestead-Miami Speedway
Corporate sponsor	Toyota
First race	1996
First IRL race	2001
Distance	300 miles
Number of laps	200
Previous names	Beatrice Indy Challenge (1985) Miami Indy Challenge (1986) Nissan Indy Challenge (1987-1988) Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami Presented by Toyota (1995-2000) Infiniti Grand Prix of Miami presented by 123.com Americatel (2001) 20th Anniversary Miami Grand Prix (2002) Toyota Indy 300 (2003-2006)

The Homestead-Miami Indy 300 is an Indy Racing League Indycar Series race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida.

American open wheel racing in the Miami-area dates back to 1985. In that year, the CART Champ Car series began racing on a temporary street circuit in Tamiami Park. The race continued through 1988, and served as the season finale. In addition, in 1987-1988, the short-lived CART all-star exhibition race, the Marlboro Challenge was held at the Tamiami circuit, the same weekend as the main race. In 1995, race promoter Ralph Sanchez brought open wheel racing back to Miami. He had already begun construction on the Homestead Motorsports Complex (now known as Homstead-Miami Speedway), where the race would be, but the track would not be completed until later in the year. For 1995 only, CART held a race on the downtown Miami steet circuit used by IMSA from 1983-1993. It was, however, run in the opposite direction to prevent drivers familiar with the circuit from having an experience advantage.

In 1996, CART debuted at the Homestead oval with a 200-mile CART Champ Car event. In 1997, the race was lengthened to 225 miles. In 2001, the event switched to an Indycar Series event and was again lengthened, to 300 miles.

1 Past winners
2 References

[edit] Past winners

[edit] CART Champ Car street race history

1985 Danny Sullivan
1986 Al Unser, Jr.
1987 Bobby Rahal (Marlboro Challenge)
1987 Michael Andretti
1988 Michael Andretti (Marlboro Challenge)
1988 Al Unser, Jr.
1995 Jacques Villeneuve

[edit] CART Champ Car history

Season	Date	Winning Driver	Chassis	Engine
1996	March 3	Jimmy Vasser	Reynard	Honda
1997	March 2	Michael Andretti	Swift	Ford-Cosworth
1998	March 15	Michael Andretti	Swift	Ford-Cosworth
1999	March 21	Greg Moore	Reynard	Mercedes
2000	March 26	Max Papis	Reynard	Ford-Cosworth

[edit] IRL Indycar Series history

Season	Date	Winning Driver	Chassis	Engine
2001	April 8	Sam Hornish, Jr.	Dallara	Oldsmobile
2002	March 2	Sam Hornish, Jr.	Dallara	Chevrolet
2003	March 2	Scott Dixon	G-Force	Toyota
2004	February 29	Sam Hornish, Jr.	Dallara	Toyota
2005	March 6	Dan Wheldon	Dallara	Honda
2006	March 26	Dan Wheldon	Dallara	Honda