Honda 200
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| Venue | Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course |
|---|---|
| Corporate sponsor |
Honda Westfield Insurance |
| First race | 1970 |
| First IRL race | 2007 |
| Distance | 203.22 mi (327.05 km) |
| Laps | 90 |
| Previous names |
Red Roof Inns 150 (1980) Escort Radar Warning 200 (1983–1988) Red Roof Inns 200 (1989–1990) Pioneer Electronics 200 (1991–1994) Miller Genuine Draft 200 (1995) Miller 200 (1996–1997) Miller Lite 200 (1998–2001) Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio (2002) Champ Car Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio (2003) Honda 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by Westfield Insurance (2007) Honda Indy Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio (2008) Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (2009, 2012-Present) Honda Indy 200 (2010-2011) |
The Honda Indy 200 is an IndyCar Series race held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Professional open wheel races at the facility date back to 1970. The U.S. Formula 5000 series ran from 1970 to 1976, and the revived Can-Am series ran from 1977 to 1980.
The CART series debuted at the track in 1980, and continued to race there from 1983–2003. In 2007, American open wheel racing returned to the venue, when the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series held an event. The race used to be part of a doubleheader with the American Le Mans Series, however in ALMS chose not to return to the track during its final year, 2013.
The history of open-wheel races has a unique footnote. The race has been won consecutively on seven occasions, including four times in a row from 1991–1997. It is also one of only a few Indy car races to be won by two sets of fathers & sons. (Mario & Michael Andretti and Bobby & Graham Rahal).
Since 2007, the race has been sponsored by Honda. The sponsorship arrangement complements the track's proximity to the manufacturer's assembly plants in Marysville, East Liberty, and Anna.
Indy car racing first visited Mid-Ohio in 1980. After a two-year hiatus, the CART series returned in 1983, after which time Truesports owner Jim Trueman had purchased the facility. CART appeared annually through 2003. The race was well-attended, drawing fans from two major markets nearby, Columbus and Cleveland. Crowds topped 75,000-80,000 at the peak of its popularity. The race schedule usually included a large slate of support races including Indy Lights, Atlantics, and SCCA.
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