| Location | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
|---|---|
| First race | 1998 |
| Last race | 1999 |
| Distance | 101.12 |
| Laps | 64 |
| Most wins (driver) |  Bill Saunders (1)Brian Simo (1) |
| Most wins (manufacturer) | Chevrolet Corvette (1) Ford Mustang Cobra (1) |
| Circuit information | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.580 mi (2.543 km) |
| Turns | 13 |
| Lap record | 1:15.062 (Todd Snyder,Reynard 98E, 1999,Barber Dodge Pro Series) |
TheWest Michigan Grand Prix was a weekend of professional auto racing held at theScott Brayton Memorial Street Circuit inGrand Rapids, Michigan. The first edition was held in 1998 and the final edition in 1999. The Grand Prix was sanctioned bySCCA Pro Racing.
The West Michigan Grand Prix was first announced in 1997 by SCCA Pro Racing.[1] As part of the promotion of the event threeTrans-Am Series cars raced downFulton Street. AFord Mustang Cobra,Oldsmobile Cutlass andChevrolet Camaro passed Grand Rapids mayorJohn H. Logie waving the green flag.
Alan Wilson designed the 13-turn track named after lateIndyCar Series driverScott Brayton. Brayton suffered a deadly crash duringIndy 500 practice in1996.[2] Before the inaugural Grand Prix weekend official pre parties were held at theGrand Rapids Art Museum andVan Andel Museum Center.
The Trans-Am Series was the headline event of both West Michigan Grand Prix editions. The first edition saw 31 Trans-Am cars take the green flag.Bill Saunders won the race with a margin of victory of over 44 seconds.
The fastest overall racelap was set byTodd Snyder in the 1999Barber Dodge Pro Series. Snyder passed polesitterSepp Koster for the lead on lap 17. Koster left a gap coming out of turn one and Snyder could pass him for the lead.
The largest field was that of theSCCA Spec Racer Ford Pro Series in 1999. 40 cars participated in the race.
Without backing from a major corporate sponsor the Grand Prix folded after 1999. Despite attracting more than 100,000 racefans both years, there were also complaints about the noise and the large number of streets that were closed.[3]
The track is now home to theGrand Cycling Classic, an event part of theUnited States National Criterium Championships.
| Year | Winner (car) | Fastest lap (car) | Pole position (car) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998[4] | Bill Saunders (Chevrolet Corvette) | Paul Gentilozzi (Chevrolet Corvette) | Paul Gentilozzi (Chevrolet Corvette) |
| 1999[5] | Brian Simo (Ford Mustang Cobra) | Chris Neville (Ford Mustang Cobra) | Brian Simo (Ford Mustang Cobra) |
| Year | Winner (car) | Fastest lap (car) | Pole position (car) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998[6] | Peter Cunningham (Acura NSX) | Peter Cunningham (Acura NSX) | Terry Borcheller (Saleen Mustang) |
| 1999[7] | Peter Kitchak (Porsche 911 RSR) | Peter Kitchak (Porsche 911 RSR) | Peter Kitchak (Porsche 911 RSR) |
| Year | Winner (car) | Fastest lap (car) | Pole position (car) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Lance Stewart (Acura Integra R) | Michael Galati (Acura Integra R) | Michael Galati (Acura Integra R) |
| 1999 | Will Turner (BMW 328) | Michael Galati (Acura Integra R) |  Pierre Kleinubing (Acura Integra R) |
| Year | Winner (car) | Fastest lap (car) | Pole position (car) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998[8] | Will Langhorne (Reynard 98E) | Jeff Simmons (Reynard 98E) |  Victor Gonzalez, Jr (Reynard 98E) |
| 1999[9] | Todd Snyder (Reynard 98E) | Todd Snyder (Reynard 98E) |  Sepp Koster (Reynard 98E) |
| Year | Winner (car) | Fastest lap (car) | Pole position (car) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998[10] | John Strickler (Spec Racer Ford) | Warren Stilwell (Spec Racer Ford) | Warren Stilwell (Spec Racer Ford) |
| 1999[11] | Neil Tilbor (Spec Racer Ford) | Keith Scharf (Spec Racer Ford) | Warren Stilwell (Spec Racer Ford) |
| Year | Winner (car) | Fastest lap (car) | Pole position (car) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Steve Prewitt (1967Chevrolet Corvette Coupe) |
42°57′40″N85°39′20″W / 42.96111°N 85.65556°W /42.96111; -85.65556