Split: F1 in Dallas

Split thread from Indy thread

 

I can't wait, I haven't been to an F1 race since Dallas back in 1984!

 

Yeah I heard they used to race in Dallas. What was it like? Did they shut down the street?

 

Here's the Dallas map. I didn't go, wasn't into it back then

On the trip, we went straight through in 2005, 13 hours or so. Hw 69 up to 44(?) through Springfield and St. Louis and points east
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It was held in Fair Park during the summer of 84, I think it's stated as one of the biggest failures in F1 history. To sum it up, the track came apart, lots of crashes, rumors of bankrupt investors, pissed off teams, & way too hot for an event like this, even Nigel Mansell passed out from heat exhaustion trying to push his stalled car across the start/finish line. But for me at the age of 15 it was a blast! On the good note I met Keke Rosberg at the hotel where I was staying the day before he won the race.

I have some photos somewhere, I need to post them.

 

I was there too... good description! The event that was going to put Dallas on the international map. Wild time for sure.

 

Here's a few pics from Dallas 1984.
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I was there to! MAN was it hot. The Can Am cars shredded the track the day before. We enjoyed it but it was a logistical disaster and whoever planned it lost their wallet and those of several of their investors. We were completely sunburned when it was over but it was my first F1 race and I still remember it as a great time. We were cheering for Nelson Piquet.

 

Was the last pic a picture of the Can Am race, or was it a Vintage race? Looks like a GT40 and (maybe) a Ferrari P car?

 

There was a vintage race on Saturday after the celebrity race & F1 qualifying, more than 20 years later I still remember that.

 

So what was the real track map for Dallas? I found these two also, and none of the three match.
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Looks like there is a site selling a VHS copy of the race, but it's in PAL.

http://www.dukevideo.com/Cars/VHS/FORMULA%20ONE/Events%201980%20to%201989/F1%201984%20Dallas%20GP%20VHS.aspx

 

Here's another one...
http://www.racingcircuits.net/UnitedStates/tx/FairPark.html
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That one Dave is pretty close to it, we (my family) was sitting across from the pit area, I also got to walk a lot of the course. Still digging for my photos.

 

Dave, that was the vintage race on saturday. After 3 days in the sun, I got heat sick, and had to leave during the F1 race. Buddy Boren was the promoter that lost a lot of people's money. Few more pics.
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1984 hmm! i dont remember.

 

I went to Indy last year and I still haven't been to an F1 race!

 

What little remains of my memory seems to recall a race being held on the streets around Reunion Arena back in the 80's. Does anyone else have a similar memory? Prior to reading this thread I thought it might have been the F1 race, but that is obviously incorrect. We lived in Dallas at that time and and were playing a bit with sporty cars but somehow missed the F1 event. Oh well.
Ciao,
John

 

I remember there was some kind of amusement park on the interior of the track.

 

It was an IMSA race I believe. I know that BMW had several M3 factory cars there. Did not get to go. Someone had to keep the store open during the race....

 

It looks like there were Trans Am races around Reunion for a couple of years - I thought they were held before the Addison races...

http://cdscds.net/Corrective/dallasgp/failures.htm

 

I went to the Trans Am races in 94. Visibility was less than poor. Nobody seemed to know what was going on, and attendance appeared minimal. It was pretty cool, but not how they had it set up.

 

Among many of the problems of the DallasF1 race was that the local residents around fair park complained about the noise and filed several lawsuits. These then assured that the following years event would not be held there. Not to mention the track falling apart and severe heat.

 

Now there's a surprise

Why is it that every time Dallas has a major event, they insist on putting it in that crappy area (especially back then)? Such an impression to leave on the international community....