The City of Arlington hosted its inaugural Java House Grand Prix weekend, which took place from March 13 to 15.
Bill Miller, the first president of the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington, said in a press release,
“It’s just such a great footprint.” This is the first road race on a temporary circuit here in North Texas, so it’s going to bring a different element with the IndyCar series.”
“When you have the cars going down Randol Mill at 180 miles an hour on a street people typically drive 35-40 miles an hour, it’s going to be a pretty neat experience,” Miller said. “I can’t wait for the first car to take a lap down these streets after all the anticipation and hard work.”
According to a press release on gparlington.com, “The race delivered a landmark debut with a historic sellout and an unmatched fan experience.” “Set against the backdrop of AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field and Choctaw Stadium, the weekend races showed that Arlington is built for a new world-class experience.
We aimed to introduce IndyCar to a new generation of fans by making this a family-friendly event,” Miller said. “We were energized by the number of families who came out and enjoyed the race weekend, and this is just the beginning, he added.”
Christian Rasmussen, Danish IndyCar driver #21 for Ed Carpenter Racing, said before the traditional, “Gentlemen, start your engines,” “Come out and see it, the race is going to be a really cool event, and there’s a lot that has gone into it, and I think it’s going to be quite a unique event for IndyCar and will be one to experience for fans of the sport.”
Rasmussen added, “Students wanting to jump into a racing career should start as early as 5 years old, racing go-karts and building up their skills, then eventually switching to a racecar, climbing the racecar ladder and ultimately landing in IndyCar racing as a driver.”
Kyle Kirkwood, #27, won the Grand Prix by making a risky turn to pass Alex Palou, #10, to get the checkered flag.
The Fox Sports broadcast team called the race “America’s Street Race.”
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones attended the race weekend and praised the event’s execution.
“I can’t imagine the quality the Penske group and all the workers put into this,” Jones said. “Everything about it is extremely high quality. The track, the equipment, everything involved. It was better than I expected. It gives me a chill,” according to a press release on indycar.com
During a press conference, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said, “This event here didn’t just let Arlington make some money; it helped all our surrounding communities make money, while putting the city on a global stage. I was blown away. What a wonderful, wonderful time,” Ross said. “This is what Arlington was born to do.”
