Indy Grand Prix 1991: 30 years since inaugural Gold Coast motorsports carnival
They called it the thunder down under and it was held right here on the Gold Coast. The first Indy carnival was held 30 years ago in 2021. HOW IT CHANGED THE CITY
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THEY called it the thunder down under and it was held right here on the Gold Coast.
It was 30 years ago in 1991 that the inaugural Indy Car Grand Prix revved to life on the streets of Surfers Paradise, bringing celebrities and petrolheads to the city for the biggest event in its history.
It was a moment more than two years in the making.
Negotiations to bring the US-based open-wheelers began in 1989 when the state government bid to host the opening round of the Indy World Series.
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Premier Mike Ahern made the announcement in March 1989 and insisted it would be “bigger than the Commonwealth Games”, with a street circuit built through central Surfers Paradise.
“This is a major TV event covered by network television in North America and commercial television in Japan as well as right across Australia,” he said.
“Its value would be incalculable in terms of promotion for Queensland.’’
Mayor Lex Bell backed the bid and the Gold Coast ultimately won out over other rivals.
Two years later, Mr Ahern had lost the premiership and Labor’s Wayne Goss was there to preside over the event.
A global audience of more than 500 million people caught a glimpse of the Gold Coast during the inaugural event.
Tens of thousands of fans poured into the Coast in the days leading up to the event, along with drivers, support crews and even celebrity socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor who stayed at the newly open Royal Pines resort and charmed local police.
Gabor was at the centre of a controversially after she stormed out of the gala ball in response to be branded a “septuagenarian” by Sale of the Century host and event compare Tony Barber.
“She would be one of the most interesting septuagenarians in the world. She’s as old as my mother,” he said.
Local business owners were delighted by the influx of visitors but not everyone was happy.
Main Beach residents complained they had experienced a sleepless week as workmen hammered and drilled 24/7 to get the circuit completed in time for the race.
More than $80 million of cars hit the circuit despite team managers lodging concerns with event organisers about the prospect of sand from Surfers Paradise beach blowing onto the track and turning the circuit into a “slippery nightmare”.
A crowd of 30,000 passed through the gates on the first day of the $25 million, three-day spectacle, which saw the open-wheelers race through the streets of Surfers Paradise and Main Beach at more than 290 km/h.
Indy general manager Bob Minnikin described the first time the cars were seen in action as “breathtaking”.
“We will be able to put on a first-class Saturday show and on Sunday you will see a top-class motor racing event,” he said.
Legendary driver Marco Andretti took to the track and took out second place on day one, behind former Formula One driver Eddie Cheever who led the pack into pole position.
One of the most unusual sights at the event was a giant blow-up King Kong which dangled from a high-rise construction site overlooking the track.
The third and final day of the carnival, which featured the main race, was hailed as a success after more than 50,000 people passed through the gates to see a beaming Mr Goss fire the starting gun and tell drivers: “gentlemen, start your engines”.
Brisbane singer Suzanne Clachair performed the national anthem and it was off and racing as the open-wheelers roared through the streets as fans packed the grandstands and the balconies of Surfers Paradise’s towers to catch a glimpse of the “fastest show on Earth.”
John Andretti, Mario’s nephew, won the inaugural event after 65 action-packed laps across two eventful and incident-packed hours.
It was a fairy-tale finish for the young driver after both the older Mr Andretti and Mr Cheever both colliding at a chicane on the 45th lap.
Fans were also delighted by two Australian Defence Force Iroquois helicopters flying low over Macintosh Island and four army “stuntmen” leapt on and slid down ropes.
A smiling Mr Goss crowed to media that the event had been “sensational”.
“It has been a great success,” he said.
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“We are obviously delighted with the way it has come together and the Queensland Events Corporation and Indy general manager Bob Minnikin have done a great job.”
Tourism bosses were also happy, saying the Indy had been the “golden carrot which lured Easter holiday-makers to the Gold Coast a week earlier than normal”.
The instant success of the first Indy set the stage for future races, which ran until 2008 when the event switched to an all-V8 format following the exit of the Indy cars.
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