By John Oreovicz for the Feb/Mar 2024 concern of Classic Motorsport
The NTT IndyCar Sequence’ creation of the $1 Million Problem – a made-for-television, in-season, non-points exhibition race set for March 22-24 at The Thermal Membership close to Palm Springs, Calif. – actually created a speaking level for the game’s fanbase. It additionally stirred reminiscences of the final time Indy automotive racing put up a non-points, massive money jackpot in an try to extend consciousness and pleasure. No, not the stillborn Hawaiian Tremendous Prix set for November 1999, however the Marlboro Problem, based on a lot firmer footing.
It was not with out controversy. Emerson Fittipaldi is credited with attracting Philip Morris USA into the CART collection in 1986, first to sponsor his automotive fielded by Patrick Racing. Inside a yr, the tobacco big was all-in. Every week earlier than the beginning of the ’87 season, CART CEO John Frasco unveiled the Marlboro Problem, a limited-field, non-points occasion consisting of pole winners (who would obtain a $5,000 bonus), race winners, and high factors scorers. The inaugural version could be staged on the Tamiami Park circuit in Miami on October 31, 1987 – the day earlier than the PPG/CART IndyCar World Sequence season finale.
The $730,000 purse for the Marlboro Problem exceeded all different races on the CART schedule exterior of the Indy 500, and its inclusion as a high-profile sideshow to the title decider upset CART’s title sponsor PPG Industries. The corporate’s racing director Jim Chapman, advised Indianapolis Star reporter Robin Miller: “We don’t wish to make a federal case out of this. I advised (Frasco) we didn’t object to the occasion, however we do object to the timing and priorities that let the prize cash to exceed not solely the purse for the official Miami race, however for another official race on the CART schedule.”
However the furor quickly died down, and with the ’87 CART championship already determined in Bobby Rahal’s favor, Rahal drew the No. 2 grid spot for the inaugural Marlboro Problem. The then two-time collection champion dominated the 42-lap race to gather $225,000. Fittipaldi was Rahal’s most convincing challenger, however his Lola-Chevrolet ran out of gas halfway across the penultimate lap. That left Danny Sullivan and Staff Penske to gather the $135,000 prize for second place.
“I feel with about seven laps to go they frolicked a ‘Gas’ signal, and I assumed, ‘My God…please!’” Rahal stated in Victory Lane. “The final two laps, my gas gentle was flashing on and on and off. It appears to be like just like the race was extra of an economic system run than a splash.”
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A brand new promotion referred to as the Marlboro Million was added in 1988, impressed by related schemes launched in inventory automotive racing and golf. Any Indy automotive driver who gained the Marlboro 500 at Michigan Speedway, the Marlboro Grand Prix on the Meadowlands, and the Marlboro Problem would take dwelling a seven-figure payday. The Problem grid would now be primarily based on poles and wins from the season correct, as a substitute of a random draw.
The second Problem, additionally held along with the Miami season finale, was delayed two hours by tropical storms. Rain began once more on the tempo laps, however by the tip of the race, the solar was shining brightly. Mario Andretti took the early lead, however Unser Jr. spun him out in an incident that foreshadowed their contentious collision six months later in Lengthy Seaside. Michael Andretti then handed Unser for the lead earlier than the obligatory pit stops.
Michael once more reclaimed the lead from Unser when Al Jr. emerged from his cease, however Junior reeled him again in because the observe dried. Unser made a transfer for the lead with two laps remaining, however hit a puddle and crashed at Flip 9, permitting Andretti to win by 2.455sec over Fittipaldi.
Unser acquired his revenge in 1989, when the CART season finale and Marlboro Problem moved to Laguna Seca Raceway. The youthful Andretti led the primary 12 laps whereas Unser slashed his approach ahead from fifth on the grid, taking second place from Rick Mears in a jawdropping out-braking maneuver across the exterior of Flip 2. Junior then took Andretti for the lead into The Corkscrew and gapped the sphere by 23 seconds earlier than backing off to avoid wasting gas. He banked $250,000 for profitable by 4.1sec over Sullivan, who inherited the place when Fittipaldi once more ran dry.
The 1990 Marlboro Problem relocated to Pennsylvania Worldwide Raceway, later generally known as Nazareth Speedway, marking the primary time the occasion could be staged on an oval. Nazareth was tough and quick, with minimal banking, three distinctive corners, and even a little bit of elevation change baked into its 0.946-mile format. Not surprisingly, it produced a traditional Rick Mears victory. He began third, misplaced a spot to Penske teammate Sullivan initially, then got here beneath hearth from Fittipaldi (by then one other Penske teammate). However the race got here again to Mears as he picked off Sullivan, Unser, and Andretti in a collection of decisive Flip 3 strikes to ultimately beat Fittipaldi and Unser.
“After the pit cease, I may lean on the automotive fairly good,” Mears stated. “We’ve been shut however no cigar this yr attempting to get a win, so it is a good uplift for the staff.”
Mears’s win in 1990 could be his solely Indy automotive triumph at Nazareth. Photograph: Dan R. Boyd
Along with his acquainted Pennzoil livery exchanged for Marlboro pink and white, Mears was once more the person to beat within the 1991 Marlboro Problem, again at Laguna Seca. He showcased his street racing abilities from the beginning and was headed towards a well-judged victory over Michael Andretti till his Penske-Chevy suffered a gas pick-up drawback within the final nook of the ultimate lap. Rick bumped it again to life, however by then, Andretti had steamed previous to steal the $250,000 high prize. So as to add insult to damage, Mears would have collected the $150,000 Marlboro Million bonus, because of his earlier win within the 500-miler at Michigan.
“That little hiccup at Laguna actually price me a fairly good chunk,” Mears displays with a chuckle. “I noticed coming down the hill that I had a sufficiently big hole to Michael so he couldn’t divebomb me within the hairpin, and I assumed I had it fairly nicely made. When that factor coughed popping out of the nook, I about fell over.
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“The Marlboro Problem was at all times enjoyable, and it paid a couple of bucks, too. The fellows loved it, and Marlboro did an excellent job placing it on. It was an excellent factor throughout the board.”
The sixth and remaining Marlboro Problem shifted again to Nazareth in October 1992. “Marlboro Man” Fittipaldi lastly claimed a Problem win, over Andretti and newcomer Paul Tracy, however controversial penalties levied by chief steward Wally Dallenbach in opposition to Michael Andretti and Rahal killed their possibilities and any prospects for a aggressive race. “This resolution price us no less than $140,000,” fumed Rahal after ending sixth.
PM USA put the Marlboro Problem “on hiatus to refine the idea” previous to the ’93 season and changed it with the Marlboro Pole Award, which paid $10k for every pole place and added a $15k bonus for profitable from pole. The $15K would accumulate till the following win by the highest qualifier. The Pole Award adopted Marlboro from CART to the Indy Racing League and continued till 2006; Dario Franchitti’s pole-to-flag win at Vancouver in ’98 netted a $330k bonus, the most important within the historical past of this system.
One million bucks is not the startling determine it was within the ’80s or ’90s, however nonetheless grabs consideration. Will IndyCar’s gamble on the $1 Million Problem at The Thermal Membership repay like a profitable lottery ticket? Keep tuned.
