The Marlboro Challenge was an
all-star race in the
CART series race held from 1987–1992, sponsored by cigarette brand
Marlboro
Marlboro (, ) is an American brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by Philip Morris USA (a branch of Altria) within the United States and by Philip Morris International (now separate from Altria) outside the US. The largest Mar ...
. After 1992, the race was discontinued, in part because Phillip Morris reorganized its race sponsorship after the Marlboro Grand Prix of New York fell through. The race was considered a non-points
exhibition race, and did not count towards championship standings or official statistics.
Twelve drivers qualified for the 1987 race, although only ten started the race. In the other editions, ten drivers were selected. The selection criteria were as follows: all race winners and pole position winners since the previous year's Marlboro Challenge; previous year's season champion; and defending
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
winner. If the field was still small, it could be filled out by top race finishers (most second places, third places, etc.) in the current season's standings.
In most years the event was held in conjunction with the final race weekend of the season, but in some years it was at the second-to-last race. The race distance each year was approximately 100 miles, which normally required one pit stop for fuel. The distance was typically one half the accompanying points-paying race distance (≈200 miles). It was held at three different locations during its history:
*
Tamiami Park
Tamiami Park is a public urban park in metropolitan Miami, just south of the Modesto Maidique campus of Florida International University.
Background
The park was built in the late 1960s on the site of the former ''Tamiami Airport'', which was re ...
(1987–1988)
*
Laguna Seca Laguna Seca may refer to:
* Laguna Seca Formation, a geologic formation in California
* Laguna Seca (Mexico), see Convention of London
* Laguna Seca (Santa Clara County), a seasonal lake in California
* Laguna Seca, Texas, United States
* Rancho ...
(1989, 1991)
*
Pennsylvania International Raceway (1990, 1992)
Winners
Race summaries
1987
The inaugural Marlboro Challenge was held at
Tamiami Park
Tamiami Park is a public urban park in metropolitan Miami, just south of the Modesto Maidique campus of Florida International University.
Background
The park was built in the late 1960s on the site of the former ''Tamiami Airport'', which was re ...
, and featured a field of race winners, pole position winners, and top drivers in the points standings from the 1987 season. Drivers were required to make at least one pit stop (changing at least two tires and adding at least 5 gallons of fuel) during the 42-lap race.
Raul Boesel
Raul de Mesquita Boesel (, born 4 December 1957) is a Brazilian former racing driver who raced for the March and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.
He won the 1987 World Sportscar Championship and t ...
started from the pole, but
Bobby Rahal
Robert Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953) is an American former auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 ...
jumped into the lead at the start. Rahal gave up the lead when he pitted on lap 18, handing the lead to
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fittip ...
. Fittipaldi pulled out to a 20-second lead, but he had to make his pit stop on lap 32. Meanwhile, after pitting early, Rahal was charging through the field and re-assumed the lead during Fittipaldi's stop. Fittipaldi charged to catch Rahal, but ran out of fuel on the final lap as Rahal drove to victory.
1988
Heavy rain delayed the start of the race by over an hour, and the race started with a damp track at
Tamiami Park
Tamiami Park is a public urban park in metropolitan Miami, just south of the Modesto Maidique campus of Florida International University.
Background
The park was built in the late 1960s on the site of the former ''Tamiami Airport'', which was re ...
.
Al Unser Jr.
Alfred Unser Jr. (born April 19, 1962), nicknamed "Little Al", "Al Junior", or simply "Junior", is a retired American race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.
History
Unser was born into a racing family in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ...
took the early lead, but
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti (born October 5, 1962) is an American semi-retired auto racing driver and current team owner. Statistically one of the most successful drivers in the history of American open-wheel car racing, Andretti won the 1991 CART PP ...
who started sixth charged through the field in the early going. On lap 20, Unser and Andretti became locked in a fierce battle all the way to the finish. With the track beginning to dry, Andretti switched to slicks during his pit stop on lap 30, as did Unser. On lap 33. Andretti emerged as the leader, but the two cars were nose-to-tail. With two laps to go, the leaders were dicing through traffic, and Unser attempted to pass for the lead going into turn 9. Unser hit a deep puddle of standing water which caused the car to bobble, spin, and crash into the outside wall. Michael Andretti avoided contact, and drove to victory.
1989
The race turned into a battle of fuel mileage calculations.
Al Unser Jr.
Alfred Unser Jr. (born April 19, 1962), nicknamed "Little Al", "Al Junior", or simply "Junior", is a retired American race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.
History
Unser was born into a racing family in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ...
stretched his fuel to the finish, and captured the Marlboro Challenge in its first running at
Laguna Seca Laguna Seca may refer to:
* Laguna Seca Formation, a geologic formation in California
* Laguna Seca (Mexico), see Convention of London
* Laguna Seca (Santa Clara County), a seasonal lake in California
* Laguna Seca, Texas, United States
* Rancho ...
. Unser ran out of fuel pulling into victory lane, after holding off second place
Danny Sullivan
Daniel John Sullivan III (born March 9, 1950), better known as Danny Sullivan, is an American former racing driver. He earned 17 wins in the CART Indy Car World Series, including the 1985 Indianapolis 500. Sullivan won the 1988 CART Champions ...
by 4 seconds at the finish line. Sullivan grabbed second when
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fittip ...
ran out of fuel on the final lap.
Bobby Rahal
Robert Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953) is an American former auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 ...
came home third, throwing an aggressive block on
Teo Fabi
Teodorico Fabi (born 9 March 1955) is an Italian former racing driver. He competed in Formula One and sports car racing, and claimed pole position in his rookie year at the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Teo is the older brother of former Formula One dri ...
down the homestretch.
1990
The race moved to
Nazareth, the first time being held on an oval.
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
who started 3rd, but dropped to 4th position after the start, worked his way to the front of the field on lap 66. After a pit stop on lap 72 (of 100), Mears made the handling adjustments he needed to later pull out to a 9-second lead. However, over the final handful of laps, Mears was stuck behind the lapped car of
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an Italian-born American former racing driver. One of the most successful drivers in the history of motorsports, Andretti is one of only two drivers to have won races in Formula One, IndyCar, t ...
, which slowed his pace. Second place
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fittip ...
closed the gap, be he himself had trouble getting around
Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luijendijk (anglicised as Arie Luyendyk; born 21 September 1953), nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman," is a Dutch former auto racing driver, and winner of the 1990 and 1997 Indianapolis 500 races. He was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Sp ...
. Mears finally cleared the traffic, and held on for a 4.2 second victory over Fittipaldi.
1991
The event was back at
Laguna Seca Laguna Seca may refer to:
* Laguna Seca Formation, a geologic formation in California
* Laguna Seca (Mexico), see Convention of London
* Laguna Seca (Santa Clara County), a seasonal lake in California
* Laguna Seca, Texas, United States
* Rancho ...
for 1991.
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
led 42 of the 45 laps, and was leading second place
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti (born October 5, 1962) is an American semi-retired auto racing driver and current team owner. Statistically one of the most successful drivers in the history of American open-wheel car racing, Andretti won the 1991 CART PP ...
on the final lap. Mears was poised to win a total of $425,000 which included a $125,000 bonus for winning two of the three legs of the Marlboro Million. On the final corner of the final lap, Mears suddenly slowed. A fuel pickup problem caused the car to sputter, and Michael Andretti pounced, darting by and taking the lead in the final few hundred yards. Andretti won, becoming the first two-time winner of the Marlboro Challenge.
1992
The final edition of the Marlboro Challenge was held at
Nazareth, the second time at that track.
Bobby Rahal
Robert Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953) is an American former auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 ...
and
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti (born October 5, 1962) is an American semi-retired auto racing driver and current team owner. Statistically one of the most successful drivers in the history of American open-wheel car racing, Andretti won the 1991 CART PP ...
dominated much of the race, leading the first 62 laps between themselves, but controversy erupted after a caution came out on lap 54. On lap 56, Rahal, Andretti, and
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fittip ...
all ducked into the pits for their mandatory pit stop. Exiting the pits, CART officials ruled that both Rahal and Andretti passed the pace car before crossing the blend line, and issued both drivers a stop-and-go penalty. Rahal was later issued a second black flag penalty for an alleged fuel leak, which dropped him to 6th. The competition went from a three-car battle to just Fittipaldi, who cruised unchallenged the remainder of the race to victory.
Marlboro Million
During its tenure, from 1988–1991, the race was part of the Marlboro Million bonus program, which was similar to NASCAR's
Winston Million
Winston may refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Winston Glacier
Australia
* Winston, Queensland, a suburb of the City of Mount Isa
United Kingdom
* Winston, County Durham, England, a village
* Winston, Suffolk, England, a village and civil pari ...
. Any driver who won the
Marlboro Grand Prix at the
Meadowlands, the
Marlboro 500 at
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
, and Marlboro Challenge in the same season, would win a
$1,000,000 bonus.
The first driver to win two of the three races was eligible for a $150,000 bonus. The award was never achieved, and no driver won two of the three races in the set in a year.
In 1991,
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
was leading the Marlboro Challenge on the final lap when his car sputtered in the final turn due to low fuel pressure. He had won the Marlboro 500 earlier that year, and would have won the $150,000 bonus had he held on over the final few seconds to win.
Marlboro Million results
References
{{Reflist
Champ Car races
All-star games