Honda Indy 200

The Honda Indy 200 is an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

The U.S. Formula 5000 series ran open wheel races at Mid-Ohio beginning in 1970. The race transferred to the revived Can-Am series in 1977.

The CART series debuted at the track in 1980, and continued to race there from 1983–2003. In 2007, American open wheel racing returned to the venue, when the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series held an event. The race used to be part of a doubleheader with the American Le Mans Series, however in ALMS chose not to return to the track during its final year, 2013. On November 21, 2006, it was announced that weekend of racing secured the sponsorship of Honda.

The history of open-wheel races has a unique footnote. The race has been won consecutively on six occasions, including four times in a row from 1991–1997.

The initial contract will have the race held for three years from 2007–2009. On June 5, 2007, Truesports, the promoters of the race, announced a three-year partnership with Westfield Insurance to serve as presenting sponsor of the IndyCar Series event.

In early years, the race was scheduled for Labor Day weekend. In 1990, it was pushed back two weeks. Rain and cool temperatures and rain, however, prompted officials to move the race to the summer. It started being held in early- to mid-August, the weekend after the Brickyard 400. When the race was revived by the Indy Racing League in 2007, it was placed in July. Carried by ABC, it immediately followed the final round coverage of the British Open. Such a lead-in created a strong television audience, but it was at the risk of the golf tournament running long due to a playoff, as it did in 2007. For 2009, the race will revert to its former mid-August date.

Through 1989, the race utilized the 2.4-mile track layout, which included the chicane just before the keyhole. Since 1990, the race has utilized the 2.25-mile layout, which bypasses the chicane. In all years, the Indycars have utilized the starting line located on the backstretch, while the finish line an all other scoring is done at the line on the pit straight.

Past winners

 * 1994: Race shortened due to time limit.

Past races

 * 1987: With less than 20 laps to go, Bobby Rahal held an impressive lead, going for his third consecutive win in the event. He tangled with backmarker Rick Miaskiewicz, however, and fell to second place. Roberto Guerrero went on to win the race. A few days later, however, Guerrero would suffer an almost career-ending practice crash at Indianapolis.
 * 1989: Teo Fabi won the only race of the Porsche Indy car program.
 * 1990: Despite heavy rain, Michael Andretti dominates, with his father Mario Andretti finishing second.
 * 1993: Nigel Mansell starts on the pole, but tangles with Paul Tracy in the esses on the first lap, damaging his front wing. Tracy dominates for the first 20 laps, but spins off course trying to pass the lap car of Scott Pruett. Emerson Fittipaldi leads the rest of the way to victory.
 * 1998: Michael Andretti suffers a serious crash at the end of the backstrech, touching wheels with P. J. Jones. His car flipped several times and landed in the sandtrap in the runoff area.
 * 2009: Scott Dixon earns his 20th Indy Racing League IndyCar Series victory, making him the most successful driver in series history.