1990 – 10/21/1990 – F1 – The Japanese Grand Prix
With an determined attitude still fueled by the previous year’s Japan GP perceived ‘injustice’, Ayrton Senna led the F1 entourage into a splendid qualifying showdown in Japan. When the dust had settled, Senna had just barely beaten his World Championship rival Alain Prost, driving for Ferrari, to pole position. Nigel Mansell in the other Ferrari and Gerhard Berger, Senna’s McLaren teammate, were on the second row. Now really, there’s no way Ayrton should have been on pole at Suzuka – it should have been a Ferrari front row sweep. But with an incredible lap more than a second quicker than that of his teammate Gerhard Berger, he beat both Ferraris in qualifying.
Still seething from the previous year’s ‘affront’, Senna’s mood was not improved when he learned that his hard-earned pole position grid spot would be on the dirtier side of the track. Overnight there had been a political battle going on over the pole position situation. McLaren wanted it to be changed so that Senna would be on a clean piece of track but the request was blocked. Senna saw it as collusion between Prost and the officials and it helped him to decide on a frightening course of action at the start. If his position proved to be a disadvantage Senna was not going to back off in the first corner.
Predictably, perennial F1 driving title rival Alain Prost, starting second and now driving for Ferrari, made it to the first corner half a car length ahead, but Senna had already decided that he would not lift off the throttle. With inescapable inevitability the pair collided, but this time, as the duo spun into the gravel trap at high speed, it was Senna who benefitted. The Brazilian had secured his second F1 World Driving Championship. However, there were very few smiles from the champion, just the sense that in his mind at least, a wrong had been righted and justice had been done. Senna was the new World Champion. With only one race left, Prost would not be able to get the points necessary to beat him.
1991 – CART/IndyCar
Michael Andretti won eight races and eight poles to claim his only CART(IndyCar) championship.
1992 – 3/20/1992 – NHRA
Kenny Bernstein made drag-racing history becoming the first driver to break the 300 mph mark. Bernstein recorded a top speed of 301.70 mph at the 1992 Motorcraft Gatornationals – Bernstein covered the quarter-mile from a standing start in 4.823 seconds, also a record.
1992 – 8/30/1992 – F1 – The Belgium Grand Prix
At Spa, Michael Schumacher won the first of his record 91 Formula 1 wins. Driving a Benetton B192-Ford Cosworth in both wet and dry conditions, Schumacher averaged 118.360 mph over the 189.728 mile race distance. The slow average speed a direct result of the wet conditions during parts of the race.
Grid positions were rather different from normal with World Champion Nigel on pole position but Ayrton Senna second in his McLaren Honda and Michael Schumacher third in his Benneton. Mansell’s team mate, Riccardo Patrese, who was usually in second, was a disappointing fourth
At the start Senna took the lead from Mansell. Mansell allowed Senna to remain ahead for a lap and a half and Mansell captured the lead at Blanchimont before being demoted to second due to a botched pit stop, then slowing with a broken exhaust. Schumacher took the lead and held P1 until the finish.
Schumacher took the checkered flag 37 seconds ahead of Mansell in second and Patrese in third. A new star had emerged in Formula 1, but few observers would have predicted the incredible career ahead for the German driver.
1993 – Grand Prix of Long Beach/CART
While Michael Andretti went to F1, Nigel Mansell came over to CART, won the Long Beach pole in his first try and went on to finish third in his Kmart/Texaco Lola behind race winner Canada’s Paul Tracy in his first-ever CART victory . Runner-up was Bobby Rahal (Miller Rahal/Hogan). Tracy logged a 12-second margin of victory in his Marlboro Penske. Paul Tracy would go on to win at Long Beach four times (1993, 2000, 2003 and 2004).
1993 – 11/7/1993 – F1 – The Australian Grand Prix
In the 1993 season finale, McLaren was looking to end the season with a victory to surpass Ferrari for the most Manufacturer‘s F1 Grand Prix wins of all time and Ayrton Senna wanted to end his seven year relationship with the McLaren team on a high note. He got the weekend off to a great start in qualifying with a stunning pole winning lap, beating the two Williams Renaults of Alain Prost and Damon Hill (the first time a Williams missed taking the pole all season). Michael Schumacher was fourth fastest qualifier in his Benetton.
On raceday, it took three attempts to get the race started with a couple of drivers stalling on the grid. The third attempt was successful with Senna leading Prost into the first corner. Hill was third with Schmacher behind him in fourth place.
Senna pitted on lap 24 and Prost was briefly in the lead but he pitted on lap 29 and Senna again took P1 with Alain second and Prost’s teammate Damon Hill in third.
The two Williams Renaults had to stop again and that gave Senna a big lead so that when he stopped for the second time on lap 55 he was able to exit pit lane still holding a sizable lead of 20 seconds. Hill later tried to pass Prost for second place and spun, but recovered to eventually finish third.
Due to his death the following year in an accident at Imola this was to be Ayrton Senna’s final Grand Prix victory. During his time at McLaren, Ayrton won 40 percent of all the races he started for McLaren, better than one in three, a tremendous record. In an fascinating coincidence, Senna’s final F1 win came in what was his great rival Alain Prost’s final Grand Prix appearance.
It was the perfect result. Senna and Prost – two great adversaries – two giants of the era – had fought their last battle. Senna had scored a brilliant win and on the podium the two old enemies embraced, shook hands and made their peace. One of auto-racing’s greatest rivalries had finally come to an end.
1994 – 3/11/1994 – IRL/CART/IndyCar
On 3/11/1994, Tony George of the IMS, announced his intention to form the Indy Racing League which would have as its center piece the Indy 500.
1994 – Grand Prix of Long Beach/CART
After 36 years of racing and four Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach wins, Mario Andretti ended his career on the legendary seaside circuit with a 5th place finish in a Kmart/Scotch/Havoline Lola. Al Unser Jr. got back on the victory trail in a Marlboro Penske, winning by 39 seconds over Nigel Mansell (Kmart/Texaco/Havoline Lola) and Robby Gordon (Valvoline/Cummins Lola).
1994 – NASCAR
The IMS (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) ran its first NASCAR race, the Brickyard 400 which was won by Jeff Gordon.
1997 – Grand Prix of Long Beach/CART
It was a year of change featuring new drivers, chassis and engines…and 2/3 of the starting field from outside the U.S! Alex Zanardi, driving Chip Ganassi’s Target/Honda captured the victory in a race that featured seven lead changes. Mauricio Gugelmin (Hollywood Mercedes) and Scott Pruett (Brahma Ford) rounded out an all- Reynard chassis podium.
1997 – 10/15/1997 – Land Speed Record
Establishing a new Land Speed Record, British RAF fighter pilot, Andy Green, was the first to break 700 mph, in September 1997 driving a purpose-built jet car named the ThrustSSC. He broke his own record the next month with a run of 763.035MPH at Black Rock Desert in Nevada. Green became the first driver to break the sound barrier on land.
1998 – Grand Prix of Long Beach/CART
Seven full-course cautions marred Bobby Rahal’s last Long Beach race (he finished 17th) as Italy’s Alex Zanardi, one of the race’s biggest fan favorites, captured his second straight win at Long Beach. The top 14 finishers piloted Reynard chassis. Zanardi (Target Honda) took the checkered flag two-plus seconds ahead of Dario Franchitti (KOOL Honda) and Bryan Herta, who led for 26 laps in his Shell Ford. Zanardi would leave the Indy Car series for F1 in 2000.
1999 – Grand Prix of Long Beach/CART
Colombian rookie Juan Montoya burst onto the CART scene with a convincing win in the 25th Anniversary of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in front of more than 102,000 fans. Montoya’s win – in only his third race – featured a 2.8-second margin of victory over Dario Franchitti (KOOL Honda/Reynard) that was close only because of a yellow flag with eight laps remaining. Bryan Herta was third in a Reynard/Ford. Montoya became the first rookie to win at Long Beach. Driving Chip Ganassi’s Target Honda/Reynard, Montoya averaged 87.915 MPH at Long Beach, and went on to become the 1999 CART FedEx Series Champion.
That year, the 25th Anniversary of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach saw a revamped, 1.85- mile circuit, with a longer front stretch on Shoreline Drive and new Turn one, winding past the new Aquarium of the Pacific.
From all of us at RVC – Stay Healthy and Safe,
Guy Motil
Senior Editor
