Eddie Cheever might not be a household name for newer Formula 1 fans, but he’s a legendary figure in American motorsports. The Arizona native holds the record for most F1 races entered (143) and started (132) by an American. And although he never managed to win a grand prix, he did finish seventh in the driver’s standings in 1983 and land nine total podiums. One of which came at the 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix — a hot, messy, short-lived race capping off one of the most chaotic seasons in F1 history.
That 1982 race was not like the celeb-studded, high-production-value Las Vegas GP we’ll be watching this weekend. Its makeshift track was built in the Caesars Palace parking lot. And it ran on a hot September afternoon, with temperatures reaching nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
