San Jose Grand Prix
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| Location |
San Jose, California, United States 37°19′41″N 121°53′26″W / 37.32806°N 121.89056°WCoordinates: 37°19′41″N 121°53′26″W / 37.32806°N 121.89056°W |
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| Corporate sponsor | Canary Fund, Redback Networks |
| First race | 2005 |
| Last race | 2007 |
| Duration | 1 hour, 45 minutes |
| Previous names |
Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix of San Jose (2005) Canary Foundation Grand Prix of San Jose (2006) San Jose Grand Prix at Redback Raceway (2007) |
| Most wins (driver) | Sébastien Bourdais (2) |
| Most wins (team) | Newman-Haas Racing (2) |
| Surface | Asphalt/Concrete |
| Length | 1.42 mi (2.29 km) |
| Turns | 7 |
| Lap record | 48.989 (Sébastien Bourdais, Lola/Ford-Cosworth, 2006, CCWS) |
The San Jose Grand Prix was an annual street circuit race in the Champ Car World Series in San Jose, California. The race had three different title sponsors over the course of its three-year existence, being known as the Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix of San Jose in 2005, Canary Foundation Grand Prix of San Jose Presented by Taylor Woodrow in 2006, and the San Jose Grand Prix at Redback Raceway in 2007.
Initially the track was designed to run near Downtown San Jose, California, circling around the HP Pavilion. However, due to higher than expected costs for street repairs and improvements, among other concerns, race organizers moved to a course running directly through downtown.
The course began on Almaden Boulevard running northerly along the southbound lanes of the road crossing VTA light rail tracks at San Carlos St. Just before reaching Santa Clara Street the course reached turn one, an abrupt hairpin that caused the drivers to double back in the southbound direction along Almaden Blvd again in the opposite direction of normal traffic. The course then turned east along Park Avenue at turn two. Turn 3 took the drivers on to Market Street passing Plaza de César Chávez through the shallow chicane of turns four and five again crossing the VTA light rail track. The course then turned right on to Balbach at turn 6. At the final turn 7 the course again turned right back on to Almaden Blvd. The entrance to the pit lane was also at turn 7.
The course was the shortest and tightest track on the Champ Car schedule the three years the San Jose Grand Prix was run.
The inaugural event was held July 29–31 in 2005. As the newest addition to the world series, the San Jose race was expected to raise interest in racing in Northern California. Although the Champ Car World Series was the main event, a number of other races were also held. Additionally, a week of fairs, music, charity events and promotional activities also supported the Grand Prix.
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