Honda 200

Indycar race infobox
Name=Honda 200
Track_

Venue=Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Sponsor=Honda
Westfield Insurance
First race=1980
First IRL race=2007
Distance=191.93
Laps=85
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)

The Honda 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by Westfield Insurance is an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

American open wheel racing debuted at the track in 1980. The CART series 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 is part of a doubleheader with ALMS. On November 21, 2006, it was announced that weekend of racing secured the sponsorship of Honda. [http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=239166&FS=IRL]

The history of open-wheel races has a unique footnote. The race has been won consecutively on six occasions, including four times in a row from 1991-1997.

The initial contract will have the race held for three years from 2007-2009. On June 5, 2007, Truesports, Incorporated announced a three-year partnership with Westfield Insurance to serve as presenting sponsor of the IndyCar Series event. [http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/06/05/050560.html]

In early years, the race was scheduled for Labor Day weekend. In 1990, it was pushed back two weeks. Rain and cool temperatures and rain, however, prompted officials to move the race to the summer. It started being held in early- to mid-August, the weekend after the Brickyard 400. When the race was revived by the Indy Racing League in 2007, it was placed in July. Carried by ABC, it immediately followed the final round coverage of the British Open. Such a lead-in created a strong television audience, but it was at the risk of the golf tournament running long due to a playoff, as it did in 2007. For 2009, the race will revert back to its former mid-August date.

Past winners

Past races

*1987: With less than 20 laps to go, Bobby Rahal held an impressive lead, going for his third consecutive win in the event. He tangled with backmarker Rick Miaskiewicz, however, and fell to second place. Roberto Guerrero went on to win the race. A few days later, however, Guerrero would suffer an almost career-ending practice crash at Indianapolis.
*1989: Teo Fabi won the first and only race of the Porsche Indy car program.
*1990: Despite heavy rain, Michael Andretti dominates, with his father Mario Andretti finishing second.

Atlantic Championship/Indy Lights winners

Formula 5000

Prior to the CART series arriving at Mid-Ohio, the U.S. Formula 5000 series ran open wheel races at Mid-Ohio. The race ended when the series withered.

*1970 George Follmer
*1971 Sam Posey
*1973 Jody Scheckter
*1974 Brian Redman
*1975 Brian Redman
*1976 Brian Redman

References

* [http://www.indycar.com http://www.indycar.com]

Indycar next race
Previous_race = Firestone Indy 200
Next_race = Rexall Edmonton Indy