The Dallas Grand Prix Circuit (aka State Fair Park) was a temporary circuit laid out on the grounds of the Texas State Fair, in Dallas, Texas. It was used for the one-off 1984 Dallas Grand Prix. The circuit was poorly designed and prepared, the event was held under some of the warmest temperatures ever recorded in F1, and the entire event was regarded as a black eye for the sport.
Circuit History[]
Circuit Layouts[]
Original Layout[]
Piquet leading Senna in practice going into the first turn, with Rothengatter leaving the pits in the background.
The circuit was laid out among the buildings of the state fairgrounds, with the main requirements to avoid usage of exterior roads and keep the noise in local residential areas to a minimum. The circuit was lined with concrete walls topped by chain-link fnecing along its entire length, even in areas where runoff could have been added. The teams insisted the pits be as close to the paddock structure as possible, which led to the pits and start/finish being placed in the northeast corner of the grounds. The straight was less than half a kilometer, but led into a sweeping, double-apex 90° (Turn 1) right that wrapped around the paddock building, with pit out on driver's right at the exit. The course then made a pair of slight lefts (Turn 2), roughly following outside the large Cotton Bowl football/soccer stadium, before making a sharp 90° left (Turn 3) onto one of the main avenues of the grounds.
At the end of a another short straight, the cars made an 80° right (Turn 4), into a short track section created specially for the event. This was comprised of another series of gentle arcs to the left (Turn 5), but with a decreasing radius. That bend ended with a sharp 90° right (Turn 6), before almost immediately hitting a very tight 135° left hairpin (Turn 7) onto one of the main perimeter roads of the grounds. Exiting that, the cars went up a short straight before hitting a right-left jog (Turn 8) into a parking lot, with both corners at 45°. Another short straight led to another chicane, this time a much tighter left-right combination (Turn 9), putting the cars back on the perimeter road.
This started the fastest part of the track. The course had a slightly longer straight than the previous two, but the sweeping double-apex left (Turn 10) was actually wider than the bend, and the cars exited in another parking lot straight. This was met by yet another tight right-left chicane (Turn 11), but another longer straight led to a wide sweeping left (Turn 12), similar to Turn 10, but actually turning 110°. A quick straight was followed by a left kink immediately followed by a sharp left hairpin, the two totaling about 160°. A final short straight led into a sweeping 120°, leading back past the start/finish. Pit in was also on that short straight.
Post 1984[]
The circuit lay dormant for several years, then a modified and shortened version of the course was used for IMSA sports car racing in 1988-1989, before relocating to a local airport. No auto racing has occurred at the fairgrounds since then. The original circuit has since been blocked by a 15,000 seat outdoor amphitheater.
Current[]
Event history[]
The following is a list of Formula One World Championship events held at the Dallas Grand Prix circuit:
| Year | Event | Winning Driver | Winning Constructor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Dallas Grand Prix |  Keke Rosberg
|
 Williams-Honda
|
Notes[]
| V T E |  Dallas Grand Prix
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Circuit | Dallas (1984) |  |
| Races | 1984 | |
| See also | United States Grand Prix • United States Grand Prix West • Indianapolis 500 • Detroit Grand Prix • Caesars Palace Grand Prix • Questor Grand Prix • Miami Grand Prix |
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