Historical Grand Prix of Cleveland Races

For 25 years, the high-speed, open-wheel cars of Champ Car have thrilled fans at the Grand Prix of Cleveland, a Northeast Ohio tradition that currently has the longest tenure of any temporary racing venue on the Champ Car circuit. To celebrate the event’s rich history, SportsTime Ohio will broadcast 24 historical races leading up to the 2007 Grand Prix of Cleveland, which takes place June 22-24.

Since Bobby Rahal won the inaugural race as a rookie in1982, some of the greatest names in auto racing have taken the checkered flag on the famous course at Burke Lakefront Airport on the shores of Lake Erie. Fans will be able to tune in to watch some of the thrilling contests from years past, with a list of winners that reads like a “who’s who" in open-wheel racing, including Rahal, Alex Zanardi, Danny Sullivan, Al Unser, Jr., Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Paul Tracy and Sebastien Bourdais.

The broadcasts will begin on Saturday, May 26, with an airing of the 1983 race at 6:30 p.m., followed by the 1984 race at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 27. Broadcasts for the first six races have been scheduled, as follows:

Saturday 5/26 6:30 p.m. 7/3/83
Sunday, 5/27 7:00 p.m. 7/8/84
Monday, 5/28 12:00 a.m. 7/8/84 (rebroadcast)
Wednesday, 5/30 3:00 p.m. 7/7/1985
Thursday, 5/31 1:00 a.m. 7/6/86
Thursday, 5/31 3:00 p.m. 7/5/87
Friday, 6/1 1:30 a.m. 7/3/88

SportsTime Ohio will broadcast all historic Grand Prix of Cleveland races from 1983 up to 2006 leading up to this year’s Grand Prix. Check sportstimeohio.com for air times for further historic race broadcasts as they are scheduled.