2005 Champ Car Preview and Season Thread [Archive]

TLK

04-08-2005, 03:28 AM

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2005 Champ Car Schedule
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cols="8" frame="void" rules="groups"> <colgroup><col width="63"><col width="10"><col width="132"><col width="52"><col width="86"><col width="76"><col width="10"><col width="136"></colgroup> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17" width="63">Date</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="10">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="132">Event</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="52">Type</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="86">Television</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="76">Time (EST)</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="10">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="136">2004 Winner</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38452" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" height="17">04/10/05</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Long Beach</td> <td align="left">Street</td> <td align="left">NBC </td> <td sdval="0.666666666666667" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right">04:00 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Paul Tracy</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38494" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">05/22/05</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Monterrey</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Road</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">TBA</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Sebastien Bourdais</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38507" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" height="17">06/04/05</td> <td align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Milwaukee</td> <td align="left">Oval</td> <td align="left">CBS</td> <td sdval="0.541666666666667" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right">01:00 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Ryan Hunter-Reay</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38522" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">06/19/05</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Portland</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Road</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">CBS</td> <td sdval="0.645833333333333" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966">03:30 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Sebastien Bourdais</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38529" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" height="17">06/26/05</td> <td align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Cleveland</td> <td align="left">Airport</td> <td align="left">CBS</td> <td sdval="0.5625" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right">01:30 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Sebastien Bourdais</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38543" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">07/10/05</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Toronto</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Street</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">CBS</td> <td sdval="0.520833333333333" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966">12:30 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Sebastien Bourdais</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38550" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" height="17">07/17/05</td> <td align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Edmonton</td> <td align="left">Airport</td> <td align="left">Speed</td> <td sdval="0.625" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right">03:00 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left">
</td> <td align="left">-New Event-</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38564" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">07/31/05</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">San Jose</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Street</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Speed</td> <td sdval="0.666666666666667" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966">04:00 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">-New Event-</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38578" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" height="17">08/14/05</td> <td align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Denver</td> <td align="left">Street</td> <td align="left">Speed</td> <td sdval="0.645833333333333" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right">03:30 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Sebastien Bourdais</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38592" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">08/28/05</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Montreal</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Road</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">NBC</td> <td sdval="0.5625" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966">01:30 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Bruno Junqueira</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38619" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" height="17">09/24/05</td> <td align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Las Vegas</td> <td align="left">Oval</td> <td align="left">Speed</td> <td sdval="0.625" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right">03:00 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left"></td> <td align="left">Sebastien Bourdais</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38641" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">10/16/05</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Korea</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Road</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Speed</td> <td sdval="0.6875" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966">04:30 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">-New Event-</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38648" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" height="17">10/23/05</td> <td align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Surfers Paradise</td> <td align="left">Street</td> <td align="left">Speed</td> <td sdval="0.6875" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right">04:30 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left">
</td> <td align="left">Bruno Junqueira</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="38297" sdnum="1033;0;MM/DD/YY" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">11/06/04</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Mexico City</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Road</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Speed</td> <td sdval="0.645833333333333" sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966">03:30 pm</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;HH:MM AM/PM" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">
</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Sebastien Bourdais</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

TLK

04-08-2005, 03:30 AM

2005 Champ Car Driver Preview

(All drivers are listed numerically. Everyone in the field, will race with the Ford/Lola/Bridgestone package. Photos were lifted from Speedsport.de)

#1. Sebastien Bourdais http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/sb.jpg

Team- Newman/Hass Racing
Country- France
Age- 25
Champ Car Experience- 2 years (32 starts, 10 wins, 13 poles)
Sponsor- McDonald's and Centrix

Past Achievements-
2004 Champ Car Series Champion
2003 Champ Car Rookie of The Year
2002 F-3000 Series Champion

Strength- Returning champion on the premier team in Champ Car
Weakness- Pressure to repeat as champion

#2. Bruno Junqueira http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/bj.jpg

Team- Newman/Hass Racing
Country- Brazil
Age- 27
Champ Car Experience- 4 years (71 starts, 7 wins, 8 poles)
Sponsor- Pacific Care and Centrix

Past Achievements-
Three Time Champ Car Series Runner-up (2002-2004)
2000 F-3000 Champion

Strength- Stability with Newman/Hass
Weakness- A bit emotional, lets it effect his driving

#3. Paul Tracy http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/pt.jpg

Team- Forsythe Championship Racing
Country- Canada
Age- 35
Champ Car Experience- 14 years (223 starts, 28 wins, 22 poles)
Sponsor- Indeck

Past Achievements-
2003 Champ Car Series Champion
Current Active Leader in Wins and Poles
2002 Indianapolis 500 Champion

Strength- Past series champion, knows how to get it done, fast and very familiar with most tracks
Weakness- Brain fades coupled with rumors of this being his last year in Champ Car before NASCAR

#4. Björn Wirdheim http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/bw.jpg

Team- HVM Racing (formally Herdez Competition)
Country- Sweden
Age- 25
Champ Car Experience- Rookie
Sponsor- Eurosport

Past Achievements-
2003 F3000 Series Champion
Jaguar Test Driver in 2004

Strength- Rookie, but fast in testing. Has more CC time than any other rookie in the field
Weakness- Has never drove the HVM car (Wirdheim tested with Coyne, Patrick and PKV)

#5. Marcus Marshall http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/mm.jpg

Team- Team Australia Racing (formally Walker Racing)
Country- Australia
Age- 26
Champ Car Experience- Rookie
Sponsor- Aussie Vineyards

Past Achievements-
Veteran competitor of British and Australia F3

Strength- New ownership has past success in V8 Supercars... will it translate to Champ Car success
Weakness- Complete unknown at this point, a few top tens would exceed expectations

#7. Mario Dominguez http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/md.jpg

Team- Forsythe Championship Racing
Country- Mexico
Age- 28
Champ Car Experience- 3 years (51 starts, 2 wins)
Sponsor- Roshfrans and Telmex

Past Achievements-
2002 Champ Car Series Rookie of The Year
2 Champ Car Victories

Strength- New team, but one of the best in Champ Car and will now have Paul Tracy as a teammate
Weakness- Didn't earn the nickname "Stoopid Dominguez" for nothing

#8. Timo Glock http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/tg.jpg

Team- Rocketsports Racing
Country- Germany
Age- 23
Champ Car Experience- Rookie
Sponsor- DHL

Past Achievements-
2004 Jordan F-1 Driver
Graduate of Deutsch Post’s "Speed Academy"

Strength- Cool and fast. Should be a treat to watch on road courses. Could be the surprise of 05'
Weakness- Can the team gain the consistency they need to run for the title?

#9. Justin Wilson http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/jw.jpg

Team- RuSPORT
Country- England
Age- 25
Champ Car Experience- 1 year (14 starts)
Sponsor- Sandisk

Past Achievements-
2001 F-3000 Series Champion
1998 Formula Audi Champion
2003 Minardi and Jordan F-1 Driver

Strength- Road & Street courses. With a new team, that will have better equipment.
Weakness- Team is still relatively new, and he'll be the #2 driver behind Allmendinger

#10. AJ Allmendinger http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/01647.jpg

Team- RuSPORT
Country- United States
Age- 23
Champ Car Experience- 1 year (14 starts, 2 podiums)
Sponsor- Red Bull

Past Achievements-
2004 Champ Car Rookie of The Year
2003 Toyota Atlantic Champion
2002 Barber Dodge Champion
2001 Formula Dodge National Championship Runner-up

Strength- Brightest young star in American open-wheel racing with team showing a commitment that the potential
Weakness- Didn't pull off a win last year, needs to get the "monkey off his back"

#11. Ricardo Sperafico http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/rs.jpg

Team- Dale Coyne Racing
Country- Brazil
Age- 25
Champ Car Experience- Rookie
Sponsor- TBA

Past Achievements-
2003 F-3000 Runner-up
2001 Italian Formula 3000 Champion

Strength- Unlike his relatives, Ricardo can race.
Weakness- He's stuck in a Coyne car

#12. Jimmy Vasser http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/jv.jpg

Team- PKV Racing
Country- United States
Age- 39
Champ Car Experience- 13 years (218 starts, 10 wins, 8 poles)
Sponsor- Gulfstream

Past Achievements-
1996 CART/Champ Car Champion
Owns Record for Most Consecutive Champ Car starts (197+)
Fastest Driver ever in a Champ Car race (197.995mph in Fontana)
Part Owner of PKV Racing

Strength- Experience. Should gel well with da Matta
Weakness- Hasn't won in two seasons, might be the end of the road here

#15. Alex Tagliani http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/at.jpg

Team- Team Australia Racing (formally Walker Racing)
Country- Canada
Age- 32
Champ Car Experience- 5 years (91 races, 1 win, 4 poles)
Sponsor- WPS

Past Achievements-
Veteran of both Champ Car and Toyota Atlantic Series'
Won first Champ Car race in 2004

Strength- Good qualifier and out to prove he can win. Wife is smoking hot :)
Weakness- Had rough off-season, getting dumped from Rocketsports. Will have to recover with a team that hasn't performed up to speed over recent years

#19. Oriol Servia http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/00701.jpg

Team- Dale Coyne Racing
Country- Spain
Age- 31
Champ Car Experience- 5 years (86 starts, 5 podiums)
Sponsor- American Medical Response

Past Achievements-
2000 Runner-up for ChampCar Rookie of The Year
1999 Dayton Indy Lights Champion

Strength- Nothing short of amazing in the Coyne car last year, gets the best out of subpar equipment. Fast and aggressive.
Weakness- Couldn't parlay last years success into a better ride. Will have to make the best out of the situation with Coyne

#21. Christiano da Matta http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/cdm.jpg

Team- PKV Racing
Country- Brazil
Age- 31
Champ Car Experience- 4 years (79 races, 11 wins, 7 poles)
Sponsor- Bell Micro

Past Achievements-
2002 Champ Car Series Champion
1998 Dayton Indy Lights Champion
2003 Toyota F-1 Driver

Strength- Extremely fast with a team that needs to prove themselves
Weakness- Can he go back to his championship ways? A win early would be a step in that direction

#27. Andrew Ranger http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/ar.jpg

Team- Mi-Jack Conquest Racing
Country- Canada
Age- 18 (yes... 18)
Champ Car Experience- Rookie
Sponsor- Tide and Kodak

Past Achievements-
2002 FranAm Champion

Strength- The next great Canadian OW driver.... people want him to succeed
Weakness- Young, very little experience

#31. Ryan Hunter-Reay http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/rhr.jpg

Team- Rocketsports Racing
Country- United States
Age- 24
Champ Car Experience- 2 years (32 starts, 2 wins, 1 pole)
Sponsor- Johnson Controls

Past Achievements-
One win in each of the past two seasons
Three Toyota Atlantic wins in 2002
1999 Formula Barber Dodge Champion (East)

Strength- Excellent on ovals, Rookie teammate, but a quick one at that
Weakness- Three teams in three years

#34. Nelson Philippe http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/02400.jpg

Team- Mi-Jack Conquest Racing
Country- France
Age- 18
Champ Car Experience- 1 year (10 starts)
Sponsor- Hollywood

Past Achievements-
Skipped from Barber Dodge straight to Champ Car in 2004

Strength- Showed improvement last season from start to finish.... hopefully it'll continue this year
Weakness- Age and won't get any help from his teammate who is a 18 year-old rookie

#41. Fabrizio del Monte http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/01392.jpg

Team- Eric Jensen Racing
Country- Italy
Age- 24
Champ Car Experience- Rookie
Sponser- TBA

Past Achievements-
Euro 3000 Series Runner-up (2003 & 2004)

Strength- Impressive in the Euro 3000 Series.
Weakness- Where to start? The team is brand new and didn't have any testing. Fabrizio hasn't had any seat time in Champ Car.

#55. Ronnie Bremer http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/TheLionKing/rb.jpg

Team- HVM Racing (formally Herdez Competition)
Country- Denmark
Age- 26
Champ Car Experience- Rookie
Sponsor- TBA

Past Achievements-
6th in Toyota Atlantics in 2004 despite splitting the season with two teams
4 years of British Formula Ford Experience

Strength- Has been fast in Toyota Atlantics and in Europe
Weakness- Team has yet to announce a sponsor, and they will need all the funding they can get. Ride may only be a one race deal with Jos Verstappen looking for a ride.

.

TLK

04-08-2005, 03:35 AM

My Series Championship odds and predictions....

<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cols="5" frame="void" rules="groups"> <colgroup><col width="26"><col width="143"><col width="166"><col width="43"><col width="641"></colgroup> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17" width="26">#</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="143">Driver</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="166">Team</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="43">Odds</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966" width="641">Comment</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="1" sdnum="1033;" align="right" height="17">1</td> <td align="left">Sebastien Bourdais</td> <td align="left">Newman/Hass Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left">3:2</td> <td align="left">Won't win as many races as last year, but enough to win the title</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="2" sdnum="1033;" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">2</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Bruno Junqueira</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Newman/Hass Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">2:1</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">He's finished in second the past three years... How can I put anyone else here?</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="3" sdnum="1033;" align="right" height="17">3</td> <td align="left">Paul Tracy</td> <td align="left">Forsythe Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left">3:1</td> <td align="left">Unlike last year, Tracy should outscore his teammate</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="10" sdnum="1033;" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">10</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">AJ Allmendinger</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">RuSPORT</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">8:1</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Breakthrough year upcoming</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="21" sdnum="1033;" align="right" height="17">21</td> <td align="left">Cristiano da Matta</td> <td align="left">PKV Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left">8:1</td> <td align="left">No doubt he'll be fast, but fast enough? </td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="7" sdnum="1033;" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">7</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Mario Dominguez</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Forsythe Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">10:1</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Best team Mario has raced on.... a win is not out of the question</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="9" sdnum="1033;" align="right" height="17">9</td> <td align="left">Justin Wilson</td> <td align="left">RuSPORT</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left">12:1</td> <td align="left">Justin opened a lot of eyes in 04'. A win and a few podiums sounds possible</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="8" sdnum="1033;" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">8</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Timo Glock</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Rocketsports Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">15:1</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">My front-runner for Rookie of The Year</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="31" sdnum="1033;" align="right" height="17">31</td> <td align="left">Ryan Hunter-Reay</td> <td align="left">Rocketsports Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left">15:1</td> <td align="left">Real question this year is if he can beat his teammate...</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="4" sdnum="1033;" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">4</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Björn Wirdheim</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">HVM Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">20:1</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Glock's competiton for ROY</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="15" sdnum="1033;" align="right" height="17">15</td> <td align="left">Alex Tagliani</td> <td align="left">Team Australia Racing </td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left">25:1</td> <td align="left">Might sneak in a podium or two, but I can't see a win this year</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="12" sdnum="1033;" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">12</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Jimmy Vasser</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">PKV Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">25:1</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">It would be nice to see him leave with a win or two, but it probably won't happen</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="19" sdnum="1033;" align="right" height="17">19</td> <td align="left">Oriol Servia</td> <td align="left">Dale Coyne Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left">50:1</td> <td align="left">Would be in the Top 10, if he was with another team. A podium or two isn't out of the question</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="27" sdnum="1033;" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">27</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Andrew Ranger</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Mi-Jack Conquest Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">100:1</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Will be fast, but his inexperience will catch up to him</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="11" sdnum="1033;" align="right" height="17">11</td> <td align="left">Ricardo Sperafico</td> <td align="left">Dale Coyne Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left">150:1</td> <td align="left">Has talent, but due to the nature of the Coyne operation, may not make it through the season</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="55" sdnum="1033;" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="17">55</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Ronnie Bremer</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">HVM Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">200:1</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Isn't going to set the world on fire, but won't be horrible either</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="41" sdnum="1033;" align="right" height="17">41</td> <td align="left">Fabrizio del Monte</td> <td align="left">Jensen Motorsport</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left">200:1</td> <td align="left">del Monte won't be the problem... Jensen had no testing, equaling a long year</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="34" sdnum="1033;" align="right" bgcolor="#ff9966" height="18">34</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Nelson Philippe</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Mi-Jack Conquest Racing</td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">250:1</td> <td align="left" bgcolor="#ff9966">Didn't finish any higher than 9th last season. Will be lucky to do it this year...</td> </tr> <tr> <td sdval="5" sdnum="1033;" align="right" height="17">5</td> <td align="left">Marcus Marshall</td> <td align="left">Team Australia Racing </td> <td sdnum="1033;0;@" align="left">300:1</td> <td align="left">Anything besides a few Top 10's, should be considered a bonus</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

Ryan S

04-08-2005, 05:48 AM

I like Paul Tracy's bio. :)

Northwood_DK

04-08-2005, 06:10 AM

and i like Nelson Philippes hair !!!

RendeR

04-08-2005, 10:38 AM

They still have a Champ Car circuit????? I thought go kart racing had finally died in America.

TLK

04-08-2005, 04:40 PM

CHAMP CAR TEAM OWNER PAUL NEWMAN TO RACE TONIGHT SHOW HOST JAY LENO ON FRIDAY NIGHT'S SHOW ON NBC
Thursday, April 7, 2005

Champ Car Team Owner Paul Newman To Race Tonight Show Host Jay Leno on Friday Night's Show on NBC

BURBANK, Calif. (April 7, 2005) - Long-time Champ Car team owner and legendary actor Paul Newman will carry the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford flag into battle Friday night as he appears on NBC's famed Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Newman, who co-owns the 2004 series championship-winning Newman/Haas Racing team, will appear on the NBC late-night program Friday night at 11:30 p.m., talking with host Jay Leno about his movie career as well as the Champ Car World Series, which opens its season on the streets of Long Beach this weekend.

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/content/photos/2005/By400/20050407P_0004.jpg

After their discussion, the scene will shift to the parking lot where Newman will square off against Leno in a go-kart race, with play-by-play commentary provided by Champ Car television announcer Derek Daly. Newman and former Champ Car driver Memo Gidley will then leave the set in the 750 hp two-seat Champ Car.

The 2005 Champ Car World Series season will open at this weekend's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, and can be seen live on NBC beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. Qualifying for the season opener begins on Friday with a final session coming Saturday afternoon.
The strangest thing about this deal, is that ChampCar selected a driver who is no longer in the series to drive the two-seater tonight.... just strange

Galaxy

04-08-2005, 05:10 PM

It is strange, but it's publicity (and not bad) for ChampCar. Letterman has the IRL, maybe Leno can back the ChampCars. :)

Dutch

04-08-2005, 06:57 PM

I thought go kart racing had finally died in America.

I guess American open-wheel racing deserves slams like this these days.

cartman

04-08-2005, 07:07 PM

A bit surprising that there is both a Laguna Seca and a San Jose event this season. And some strange scheduling that Long Beach is this weekend, then a month and a half until the second event at Laguna Seca.

TLK

04-08-2005, 07:16 PM

Laguna Seca was taken off the schedule this year, to accommodate the San Jose event. The Monterrey listed, is Monterrey, Mexico.

TLK

04-08-2005, 07:49 PM

They still have a Champ Car circuit????? I thought go kart racing had finally died in America.
"What struck me was that da Matta and Wheldon were as much racers as the NASCAR guys, and much easier to talk to. The primary problem in any NASCAR-vs.-the world debate is that “we don’t know the people.” Well, damn it, if you’d just take time out from your NASCAR to watch…."

Ben Blake (http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/16112/)

cartman

04-08-2005, 11:59 PM

Laguna Seca was taken off the schedule this year, to accommodate the San Jose event. The Monterrey listed, is Monterrey, Mexico.

Ah, ok. That's too bad, since Laguna Seca was my favorite CART track.

TLK

04-09-2005, 03:55 PM

The Leno show was pretty good last night. Newman was on for three segments of the show, causing Sandra Oh to get bumped :). He got a lot of plugs in for Champ Car and even a dig or two at the IRL. Amazingly though, they didn't promote the fact that the race was on NBC. Newman then defeated Leno in the race through the studio and then left in the Champ Car 2-seater. All-in-all an excellent showing. I hope when I'm 80 years old, I can be in half the shape than PLN is..... truly amazing guy....

TLK

04-10-2005, 03:18 AM

Starting Lineup Long Beach
SP # Driver Residence Sponsor LT Mph
1 3 P. Tracy Las Vegas, NV Indeck (F/L/B) 1:07.485 104.983
2 2 B. Junqueira Miami, FL PacifiCare/TBA (F/L/B) 1:07.644 104.737

3 7 M. Dominguez Mexico City Indeck (F/L/B) 1:07.803 104.491
4 1 S. Bourdais Temple Terrace, Florida McDonald's (F/L/B) 1:07.821 104.463

5 9 J. Wilson Northampton, England SanDisk (F/L/B) 1:07.919 104.312
6 8 T. Glock Wersau, Germany Rocketsports (F/L/B) 1:08.274 103.770

7 15 A. Tagliani Las Vegas, NV Aussi Vineyards (F/L/B) 1:08.466 103.479
8 21 C. da Matta Miami, FL PKV Racing (F/L/B) 1:08.493 103.438

9 55 R. Bremer Copenhagen, Denmark HVM, Inc. (F/L/B) 1:08.613 103.257
10 10 A. Allmendinger Denver, CO Red Bull (F/L/B) 1:08.638 103.220

11 12 J. Vasser Las Vegas, NV Gulfstream/PKV Racing (F/L/B) 1:08.770 103.022
12 31 R. Hunter-Reay Boca Raton, Florida Rocketsports (F/L/B) 1:08.792 102.989

13 4 B. Wirdheim Aylesbury, UK HVM, Inc. (F/L/B) 1:08.834 102.926
14 19 O. Servia Miami, FL AMR (F/L/B) 1:08.928 102.786

15 34 N. Philippe Key Biscayne, Florida Mi-Jack (F/L/B) 1:09.334 102.184
16 27 A. Ranger Montreal, Quebec Mi-Jack/Tide (F/L/B) 1:09.416 102.063

17 5 M. Marshall Indianapolis, IN Aussie Vineyards (F/L/B) 1:09.784 101.525
18 11 R. Sperafico Dale Coyne Racing (F/L/B) 1:09.879 101.387

19 41 F. Del Monte Rome, Italy Jensen Motorsport (F/L/B) 1:11.723 98.780

:shill:
Hey....watch the Long Beach Grand Prix today on NBC at 4pm (EST)
:/shill:

by the way.... Tracy broke the track record with his qualifying effort....

TLK

04-10-2005, 10:43 PM

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td class="yspsctnhdln">Bourdais beats Tracy in Champ Car opener</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="7"><spacer type="block" height="1" width="1"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> By MIKE HARRIS, AP Motorsports Writer

April 10, 2005

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) -- Sebastien Bourdais (http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/nextel/drivers/1008/) was amazed when he drove past Paul Tracy (http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/nextel/drivers/1022/) for the lead with relative ease in Sunday's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Bourdais, coming out of the pits two laps after Tracy's first stop, noted that passing Tracy anytime is ``usually a handful,'' but on the streets of Long Beach, where Tracy had won the last two races and four overall, and with cold tires, ``it's really tough.

<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" hspace="10" vspace="5"> <tbody><tr> <td> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center">
</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>`My crew was surprised I was able to get by PT like that and I was, too. I came on the radio and said, `How about that!' It was really surprising.''

Tracy, who finished second, shrugged off Bourdais' strong move on the 38th of 81 laps, saying, ``As you can image, my reaction was the opposite.''

But Tracy pointed out he was just going along with the new Champ Car World Series edict prohibiting blocking.

``The rules are very clear on blocking,'' Tracy explained. ``In the past you'd see guys weaving and moving and, if you tried to pass for the lead, you'd wind up crashing. Today, we had three clean passes for the lead and that's good for the sport.''

Tracy tried hard to make a race of it after the pass, but this one belonged to Bourdais, the reigning series champion, who gave his Newman/Haas Racing teams its first Long Beach victory in 19 years.

The last time the team co-owned by Chicago businessman Carl Haas and actor Paul Newman won America's longest running downtown street race was in 1987, when now-retired Mario Andretti finished first and Bourdais was 8 years old.

And it could be the last time the Champ Cars, which replaced Formula One here in 1984, race at Long Beach. This is the final year of the contract and Long Beach officials are considering replacing the Champ Cars with the rival Indy Racing League in 2006.

``We want to be back here next year,'' Bourdais said as he celebrated the 11th victory of his career. ``The fans here saw great racing today and we want to come back and do that for them again.''

Bourdais started fourth, but came out of the first series of pit stops second to Tracy. Once he got past the Canadian driver, Bourdais built a pair of leads of more than 5.5 seconds, both erased by full-course caution flags. Tracy was unable to take advantage of those opportunities.

The two leaders made their final stops on lap 61 and Bourdais easily beat Tracy's Forsythe Racing entry back onto the track. After Jimmy Vasser (http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/nextel/drivers/945/) and rookie Andrew Ranger, both driving a different pit strategy, made their final stops on lap 70, that put Bourdais and Tracy back on top, with the Frenchman leading by 7.6 seconds.

When rookie Bjorn Wirdheim bumped Ranger into a tire wall on lap 72, bringing out the fourth and final caution of the day, Tracy had one more shot at the leader. But it was no contest.

He got held up slightly by the lapped car of rookie Marcus Marshall, who drove into the pits moments before the restart. By the time Tracy got up to speed, Bourdais was long gone.

Bourdais, who won seven of 14 races last year, took the green flag on lap 76 and, while Tracy briefly fought off a challenge for second by Bruno Junqueira (http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/nextel/drivers/256/), the other Newman/Haas driver, Bourdais easily pulled away.

``That was really the only legitimate shot I had to get by Sebastien,'' Tracy said. ``But that would have been really hard and I don't think I would have outraced him at that point.

``I had a good first stint, but my car didn't seem to improve from there. The track got better as the race went along and the other guys improved, but I was driving as hard as I could and my pace never seemed to change.''

Bourdais finished 4.138 seconds ahead of Tracy, nearly the length of the entire main straightaway on the 1.968-mile street circuit. He led a race-high 37 laps.

``I did everything I could,'' Tracy said. ``I've done a lot of races here at Long Beach and had a lot of success, but this is one of the hardest races I've ever had.''

Echoing Bourdais, Tracy said, ``It would be a real shame if we're not back next year.''

Junqueira finished third, followed by Justin Wilson (http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/nextel/drivers/957/), Tracy's new teammate Mario Dominguez (http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/nextel/drivers/1011/), and a pair of rookies, Timo Glock and Ronnie Bremer.

Junqueira, who has now finished third, second and third in his last three starts at Long Beach, started from the outside of the front row and took advantage of an early mistake by Tracy to briefly take the lead on the third lap. But Tracy got it back on a restart eight laps later.

``We just couldn't get back up there to the leaders because of some yellow flags and traffic,'' Junqueira said. ``But Sebastien getting a win for Newman/Haas is a good way to start the season.''

The race ended up being very good, with seven different leaders and four on-track passes for the lead. The broadcast left much to be desiried, but it was miles ahead of last years Spike programming.

Galaxy

04-10-2005, 11:01 PM

Man, I was pissed today. I watch the Cup race, then when 4 came, got excited and flipped to NBC. The local station decided to do a "Kids Escape Drugs Telethon" until 11. I was not happy.

TLK

04-10-2005, 11:17 PM

Man, I was pissed today. I watch the Cup race, then when 4 came, got excited and flipped to NBC. The local station decided to do a "Kids Escape Drugs Telethon" until 11. I was not happy.
You around Buffalo?....

MrBug708

04-11-2005, 01:31 AM

Good race today. I got to sit right at the hairpin turn for the race in VIP tix. I wouldnt have gone otherwise, and it got very monotonous but Im not a race fan so it was to be expected. I did think that Tracy either wasn't really good after blowin ghis lead or just plain dumb and seemed not to worry today. It happens I guess. #41 sucked big time today though.

TLK

04-11-2005, 02:22 PM

J.A. Adande (http://www.latimes.com/sports/motorracing/la-columnist-jadande,1,1310091.columnist?coll=la-headlines-sports-autoracing):
Traveling at the Speed of Fright

My guy Sebastien Bourdais — mon ami — took the checkered flag at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday.

Sportswriters aren't supposed to take a rooting interest, but I've never covered someone who had my life in his hands before.

Twelve days before he won the Grand Prix, Bourdais took me and a few other journalists on the rides of our lives around the Long Beach course in a special two-seat car. The simple fact that I lived to write about it made the 26-year-old Frenchman my new favorite driver.

But I had a newfound respect for all of the drivers.

It didn't take long into our test ride, about two turns or so, to realize … you can't do this. It's like hitting .300 against major league pitching or shooting in the 60s on any golf course you encounter, a skill set that belongs only to a select group.

It took all I had just to hold the grips. To actually control the car while your stomach keeps jumping up into your throat and you're pulling five Gs on the turns and the air is rushing by so fast on the straightaway that it feels like your strapped-on helmet will fly off … that's talent.

And remember, one lapse of concentration at 200 mph could mean death. Not some time on the bench for making a dumb mistake, or a stint on the injured list. Death.

That's the most underrated quality of these drivers. Yes, the bravery — maybe even foolishness — gets them in the car, but it's their mental sharpness that keeps them alive. Two laps in the passenger seat was as draining as it was exhilarating for me. They do it for 81 laps over an hour and 45 minutes.

Just as remarkable is their nonchalance. Before and after the journalists climbed in and out of his car, their faces filled with a mix of excitement, fear and awe, Bourdais seemed remarkably relaxed. Almost bored.

"This is what I do," he said.

Last year he did it better than anyone on the Champ Car circuit, winning the 2004 series championship.

And Sunday he was the best in the field thundering through the shore-side streets of Long Beach. He started in the fourth position, but he managed to pass the pole-sitter and early leader Paul Tracy on the 38th lap.

Pit stop timing and speediness and choosing when to use the two available types of tires all factor into winning this race. So do split-second decisions.

What we might think of as the difference between life and death is the difference between victory and defeat for them.

"One-tenth of a second is like blinking your eye," said Tracy, the runner-up. "Sometimes that's what separates the top three guys."

"This street course, " Bourdais said. "It takes so little to be fantastic or … be the worst moment of your life."

Bourdais saw his chance on Tracy in Turn 1, managed to get by him without using the 50 horsepower boost from his "Push to Pass" button, then crowed to his crew on the radio: "How about that?"

How about adding his name to the list of Long Beach winners that includes Mario Andretti and Al Unser Jr.?

"To win is great, especially here, because it's a tremendous racetrack and great champions have won here," Bourdais said.

It didn't even hit me until Sunday that now I have a little bit in common with those great racers too: the experience of zooming down Shoreline Drive in an open cockpit.

The two-seater has the same 750-horsepower engine as the competition Champ cars, but it's taller, heavier and longer, and its top speed of 175 mph is about 50 mph slower than the racing cars.

Obviously it was the highest-performance vehicle I'd sat in, but to Bourdais it handled like "a van."

Still, he drove the only way he knows: all out. It wasn't the speed that seemed so different. I've topped 100 mph before, although it was in a rental car on a darkened, empty highway in Indiana.

The acceleration is what takes your breath away. These cars go from 0 to 100 in four seconds. Television doesn't come close to capturing the sensation. Even watching them zoom by you in person doesn't prepare you for it.

Compared with the ol' Camry, it felt like a jet fighter taking off. And just like that it was time to decelerate for Turn 1. In these cars, there's no time to think. There's always a curve ahead. By the time you think about it, you're in it.

(Since I wasn't driving, I also had the "luxury" of thinking about how awful it would be to hit the walls at those speeds).

And this was on an empty track. Imagine doing it with 18 other cars out there, some of them taking those turns at the same time as you. And you're wearing a helmet that restricts your peripheral vision. That's why, when I asked Bourdais how he keeps tabs on the whereabouts of the other cars, he admitted, "You kind of guess."

And you know what's the hard part for him? Going home, with all those speed limit signs and slow cars.

"I have absolutely no fun driving in the street cars," Bourdais said after the race. "It's probably more dangerous to drive in the traffic."

I told him I saw a Bronco flipped over on the 710 Freeway on the way down.

"No crashes out there today," he said, gesturing back at the track. A couple of spinouts into the tires, a couple of stalls, but no bad crashes.

I was rooting for Bourdais to avoid the walls or an engine stall Sunday.

Almost as much as I was rooting for him to get around the track two times without incident on March 29.
I love these types of articles.....

RendeR

04-11-2005, 02:31 PM

"What struck me was that da Matta and Wheldon were as much racers as the NASCAR guys, and much easier to talk to. The primary problem in any NASCAR-vs.-the world debate is that “we don’t know the people.” Well, damn it, if you’d just take time out from your NASCAR to watch…."

Ben Blake (http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/16112/)

I don't have a problem with the drivers, or even the owners, i just expect them to use CARS not go karts.

put fenders on them and then you can call them automobiles, cars, etc.

Galaxy

04-11-2005, 02:43 PM

You around Buffalo?....

Yeap...How'd you know?

TLK

04-16-2005, 12:02 AM

Yeap...How'd you know?
I have a buddy from Buffalo, and he called and told me that they were showing the telethon instead of the race. He was supposed to call the station director and complain. :)

TLK

04-16-2005, 12:05 AM

Bourdais Wins IROC in Texas

By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

April 15, 2005, 8:39 PM CDT

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais became just the fourth foreign-born driver to win an IROC race, leading the final 22 laps Friday night at Texas after Kurt Busch suffered the same fate that has plagued him in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series.

Bourdais also held off a late charge by NASCAR's Mark Martin, the winningest driver in 31 years of the International Race of Champions. Martin, who started at the back of the 12-car field, finished second.

"The biggest chance we had was if he would have made a mistake. It didn't look like that would happen," said Martin, whose Daytona win in February was his 12th in IROC. "He did an awesome job. He is an incredibly talented young race car driver."

Based on the reverse order of finish from his IROC debut when he finished last at Daytona, Bourdais started first at Texas. After Steve Kinser of the World of Outlaws led the first six laps, the 26-year-old Frenchman went out in front.

"When I got passed at the beginning, I was not quite sure if I could make it," Bourdais said. "It was a different race. People could pass, there was a lot of action."

Defending Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice finished third in the 67-lap race that was the 114th for IROC. Defending NASCAR Busch Series champion Martin Truex Jr. was fourth and NASCAR truck champion Bobby Hamilton fifth.

Bourdais led when a caution flag came out on lap 37 for debris caused when defending Texas IROC champion and Outlaws driver Danny Lasoski brushed the wall. Busch took over the lead on the first lap after the restart.

Busch then led nine laps until he apparently cut a tire and slammed hard into the outside wall in the second turn. After starting the Cup season with three straight top-three finishes, Busch has crashed in the last three races.

"It's one thing after the next. I can't shake this deal," Busch said. "I'm really confused. It's tiring hitting the wall this many weeks in a row."

That allowed Bourdais back in front, and he stayed there the rest of the race.

The last foreign-born IROC winner was Geoff Brabham at Michigan in 1992. The last open wheel driver to win was Buddy Lazier at Chicagoland Speedway in 2002.

Busch seemed to get a break with a ride through the grassy infield to avoid a wreck on the fifth lap, when Grand American Road racer Scott Pruett was bumped from behind by Cup driver Matt Kenseth and slammed into the wall and was knocked out of the race.

But the trip through the infield included his car going over a drainage culvert. Busch went in for new front tires, but the right- and left-side tires -- the ones on the car when it crashed -- were inadvertently reversed by the IROC pit crew during the stop.

Max Papis was sixth, followed by Lasoski, Kinser, Kenseth and Helio Castroneves of the IndyCar Series.

Martin is the points leader through two of four races with 42. That's 10 more than Bourdais, who earned 29 points Friday night.

There next IROC race is Sept. 8 at Richmond, and the finale is Oct. 29 in Atlanta. The series winner gets $1 million.

Copyright © 2005, The Associated Press
Take that NASCAR!!! http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

TLK

05-12-2005, 02:02 PM

Champ Car bigwig may buy L.B. Grand Prix
By A.J. Perez
Staff writer

Kevin Kalkhoven, the Australian businessman and major Champ Car owner who made a fortune acquiring telecommunications companies, appears primed for another takeover. His target: The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach.

"All I know is that Dover (Motorsports) is going to sell Long Beach," Kalkhoven told the Press-Telegram in a phone interview Wednesday. "(Dover) has hired bankers and we're in discussions."

Up to this point, Delaware-based Dover Motorsports, the parent company of the GPALB, was only believed to be determining which series will race the streets of Long Beach next year. The 31st running of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 10 was the last of a five-year deal with the Champ Car World Series, the sanctioning body owned in large part by Kalkhoven.

The Indy Racing League the decade-old rival of Champ Car was the only other series considered to be in the running for the new contract.  

But Kalkhoven's bid to purchase the GPALB certainly changes things.

"Quite frankly, this is one of the possibilities," said Jim Michaelian, the head of the Grand Prix Association. "We are going to do whatever is best for the future of the race. Dover is a public company and it has to review all the alternatives it has in front of it and make the right decision."

Michaelian said if the GPALB is indeed sold, he hopes the new owners would leave the organization intact like Dover did seven years ago.

"We have one hell of a team here," he said. "They are a great team that has shown it can run this event effectively over the years. If (a sale) were to transpire, I think anybody would want to retain that capability."

Kalkhoven said he was bound by a confidentiality agreement with Dover, a move that is common when companies start looking at each other's books. Due to the agreement, Kalkhoven said he couldn't go into too much detail on his bid.

He refused to say how much he thinks the GPALB is worth. The Grand Prix Association has been estimated to be worth between $20 million to $25 million.

Kalkhoven appears to be the only bidder at this point.

"The IRL is not a bidder," said Ken Ungar, the vice president of business affairs for the IRL. "The IRL is waiting for a response from our offer to sanction the race, but we won't make a bid to buy (the GPALB)."

That marks a change of strategy for the IRL. Tony George, the founder of the IRL and its CEO, told the Press-Telegram in recent months that he'd be willing to purchase the GPALB if given the opportunity.

"This is not unprecedented," Ungar said. "Champ Car is in a position where it needs to promote many of its own events. We don't promote our own events. That's not something we would contemplate doing."

Kalkhoven has wooed members of the Long Beach City Council in the months leading up to this year's event, going as far as to fly three of them to meet legendary actor Paul Newman in San Jose last December.

While the city council has no say on which series races here, it may be called upon if the GPALB is sold.

"A change of ownership, depending on the type of change, may allow the city to terminate the agreement under certain circumstances," said assistant city attorney Heather Mahood in an April 12 council meeting.

Reached Wednesday night, city attorney Robert Shannon said he didn't know specifically what those circumstances would be.

"We are going to stand by and see what comes from these discussions," city manager Jerry Miller said.

Michaelian didn't say whether Dover officials were leaning toward Kalkhoven's bid to purchase the GPALB or the IRL's bid to purely sanction the race. He said he expects a timely conclusion to the process.

Dover purchased the GPALB in 1998, then led by Chris Pook, for $91.35 million in cash and stock. The deal included the two permanent tracks the GPALB owned the Memphis Motorsports Park and Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis.

The deal took about five months to complete and required Federal Trade Commission approval.

In recent years, GPALB-organized street races in Denver and St. Petersburg, Fla., have fizzled due to the instability of Champ Car's forerunner, CART. Dover lost several hundred thousand dollars as a result.

A financing company now organizes Denver's Champ Car race and St. Petersburg is now an IRL event run by former CART team owner Kim Green.

Even the LBGP long thought to be the premier U.S. street race hasn't been immune. Despite having a slight uptick in attendance at April's LBGP, Dover president and CEO Denis McGlynn said last month that the race didn't make as much money as the 2004 event.

I wish Kalkhoven was around earlier... he sure seems to know how to deal with Tony George.

Galaxy

05-12-2005, 02:54 PM

I wish Kalkhoven was around earlier... he sure seems to know how to deal with Tony George.

Screw George. :) Kalkhoven is a very smart businessmen, not just for buying assets, but buying the right ones at the right value and piecing them together for CART. Does Kalkhoben still live and run CART from Australia? When is the next race? What does going after Long Beach ownership entitle? Just that they hold the rights to organize and stage the event, or does Long Beach the city own the race? I'm always confused about how street circuits work. Why not just sign a new contract with the group?

TLK

05-12-2005, 03:44 PM

The next race is next weekend in Monterrey, Mexico. The race can be seen on Speed at 11:00 PM (EST).

The whole problem stems from the current contract with Champ Car and Dover (LBGP race owner & promoter) expiring. With the IRL now road racing, they expressed interest in racing at Long Beach. Tony George said that he doesn't want to buy the race, just race at the event. Kalkhoven is willing to purchase the event and promote it. They city of Long Beach has said they would prefer to have Champ Car there, but have no say over the final decision. If Dover decides to keep the race, it will be up to them who races in Long Beach in the future. However, if Kalkhoven makes the purchase, Champ Car will be there for a long time.

The IRL is heading for a very uncertain future. They announced today that the 2007 engine specs have been delayed. I believe that they have 0 engine manufactures signed for the 2007 season. Also television and attendance have been horrible this season. Dover making a switch a switch to the IRL would be a huge mistake.

Galaxy

05-12-2005, 09:57 PM

TLK

05-13-2005, 02:26 AM

Galaxy

05-13-2005, 04:08 PM

Long Beach is what it is.... a great street race. The attendance (this year) was right where it was in the glory days of IndyCar. ChampCar had close to 170,000 for the weekend, which is nothing short of outstanding. The television ratings topped what the IRL is putting out, but that isn't saying much.....

Well, its good for ChampCar to top the IRL. But doesn't say much. Are ratings up at all compare to the top races last year? I remember reading the Sufers Paradise (Australia) challenges LB as the "crown jewel" of the series. Had over 300,000 people over that race weekend.

TLK

05-15-2005, 11:52 PM

Well, its good for ChampCar to top the IRL. But doesn't say much. Are ratings up at all compare to the top races last year? I remember reading the Sufers Paradise (Australia) challenges LB as the "crown jewel" of the series. Had over 300,000 people over that race weekend.
It's impossible to compare the ratings with last year, because Champ Car was on Spike. I guess if you wanted to spin it, without any sense or reality..... the ratings are up over 600% :)

Mexico City was the race last year that had over 300,000 folks attending. Surfers had to be close to that, but will never be considered the marquee race, just because of it's distance away from the US.

TLK

05-15-2005, 11:54 PM

FWIW...

Bruno Junqueria and Sebastien Bourdais quailifed 12th and 15th respectively, for some race in Indiana that is held on Memorial Day weekend....

TLK

05-20-2005, 11:45 AM

Goeters to join PKV Racing in Mexico
TSN.ca Staff

Mario Dominguez will not be the only Mexican on hand for this weekend's Champ Car race in Monterrey.

Mexican touring car driver Jorge Goeters has joined PKV Racing for a one-off event at Fundidora Park. The 34 year old currently leads the Desafio Corona Stock Car Challenge having finished in the top-three in all four events with two wins. He made headlines in March when he claimed the pole for the inaugural Busch Series race in Mexico.

"Jorge has a tremendous amount of experience in open wheel cars and has shown throughout his career that he is very competitive," said team owner Kevin Kalkhoven. "We are excited about having a driver of Jorge's caliber in one of our cars and especially pleased that Champ Car fans in Mexico will have another driver to cheer for at this weekend's race in Monterrey."

Goeters is not a complete stranger to open wheel racing, having competed in the Indy Lights series in 1998 against the likes of teammate Cristiano da Matta, Oriol Servia and Dominguez. He scored five top-10 finishes in 12 starts with a season high fifth place performance at Gateway International Raceway, where he also captured the pole.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for me and one I have dreamed about for a long time," said Goeters. "I am really looking forward to competing against some of the same drivers I raced against in Indy Lights."

Goeters replaces former Champ Car driver Michel Jourdain Jr., who was expected to drive the third PKV entry until sponsorship issues got in the way. Unfortunately this time, it was not a lack of sponsorship which will keep Jourdain Jr. sidelined.

Jourdain is currently competing in the Busch Series, which has this weekend off. Ford, who are backing his Busch series ride, apparently did not have a problem with him returning for a one-off to race in Champ Car, a series in which they supply all the engines. This time it appears tires scuttled his return. Goodyear is the exclusive supplier of NASCAR while rival Bridgestone supplies rubber for Champ Car.

"I obviously have a contract with Goodyear and thus couldn't appear in anything for Bridgestone," Jourdain told a Mexican newspaper.

Former Champ Car driver Roberto Gonzalez is also reportedly trying to put together a one-off deal of his own for this race.

Either way, it doesn't appear as if Goeters' entry will increase the Champ Car field. His entry will likely replace Eric Jensen's one car entry as the Canadian-based team does not appear to be making the trip to Monterrey after starting the season in Long Beach last month.

TLK

05-20-2005, 11:46 AM

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Images/RHSMenu/RHS_TVSchedule_175.gif (http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Event/TVSchedule.asp)
Monterrey
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td align="center" width="52">http://www.champcarworldseries.com/images/tvlogos/tvlogo_SPEEDChannel.gif (http://www.speedtv.com/)
</td> <td> Bridgestone Pole Qualifying Show
May 21, 8:30pm ET

</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td align="center" width="52">http://www.champcarworldseries.com/images/tvlogos/tvlogo_SPEEDChannel.gif (http://www.speedtv.com/)
</td> <td> Race (Tape Delay)
May 22, 11:00pm ET

</td></tr></tbody> </table>

Galaxy

05-23-2005, 12:11 AM

Spolier........

I see Bruno took first today. Second was Ranger? How was the race, and business side of the race? I don't get SPEED.

TLK

05-23-2005, 01:16 PM

Galaxy

05-23-2005, 03:06 PM

The race was odd. There was a lot of passing, unfortunately much of it was ill advised. In some instances, ChampCar pulled out a full course yellow, where it didn't need to be out and slowed up the pace. The last 20 laps were really exciting.

Ranger had a hell of run which included a jump from fifth to second on the final restart. Bruno won the race because he stayed out of trouble, and most of his competiton crashed out. A race like this is good every once in a while, but I wouldn't want to see it every race.

ChampCar races again in two weeks at the Milwaukee Mile.

Read the heat was really a big factor, making the track slick. How was the attendence and SPEED ratings?

Glad to see the series get into a racing form now. 9 races over 14 weeks is what they need. 6 weeks is a long time for any series. Milwaukee is on CBS, so hopefully CBS can get some decent ratings. Should be a solid race.

TLK

05-23-2005, 03:22 PM

Attendance was up from 183,311 to 190,319 for the weekend. The television ratings won't be known until later this week. I wouldn't expect too much with awful time slot.

TLK

05-23-2005, 04:45 PM

AutoRacing1.com has learned that Kevin Kalkhoven has completed a deal today tand has bought the Long Beach Grand Prix from Dover Motorsports. This is the third straight key win for Kalkhoven and Champ Car over Tony George. More importantly it secures Champ Car's marquee event. More to follow....
:)

maximus

05-23-2005, 04:49 PM

I watched a Champ car race this past weekend. I thought this series went under a while back. :confused:

TLK

05-24-2005, 01:30 PM

Open-wheel unity: Desirable, difficult
Control of series creates debate

By Steve Ballard
[email protected]

After 10 years of strife, the leaders of U.S. open-wheel racing's two major series might finally be working toward a resolution of their differences.

Indications are that serious negotiations are under way that could bring the Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series back together for the first time since Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George formed the IRL in 1995 and launched it at Orlando, Fla., the following January.

Fearing the news leaks that have undermined previous talks, the principals are revealing few details. But George, after saying Sunday at the Speedway that to even confirm the discussions "wouldn't be constructive," agreed the time has come for a reconciliation.

"I think with each day that passes, it becomes more and more obvious it would be the right thing to do," he said.

The time is ripe because both series are in the process of putting together their programs for 2006. In addition, engine manufacturers Honda and Toyota -- which are in their third year in the IRL after jumping from the former CART series -- are threatening to leave the sport entirely when their contracts expire after next season.

IRL president Brian Barnhart said last week the technical and scheduling issues between the series can be resolved. The stumbling block is one of control.

"For there still to be two series after 10 years tells you it's not a simple problem to solve," he said. "The biggest difference is in philosophy and what role a sanctioning body should play and how a series should be run.

"Can there be middle ground? I believe there can be if there is give-and-take on both sides. But when you get beyond those issues, it introduces egos and personalities, and that complicates matters even further."

George attempted to purchase the racing assets of a bankrupt CART in January 2004, but a federal bankruptcy judge awarded those assets to a triumvirate of CART team owners, who have kept the series going under the Champ Car name.

Majority owner Kevin Kalkhoven, who had a meeting scheduled Monday in Los Angeles with Honda Performance Development president Robert Clarke, could not be reached for comment. But last month in Long Beach, Calif., at the Champ Car season opener, he said he would be willing to meet with IRL officials at any time.

"Tony has my phone number," he said.

Long Beach has become the latest battleground between the series as both have submitted bids for what has long been regarded the nation's premier street race. News reports out of Long Beach have Kalkhoven making an offer to buy the race outright.

It is merely the latest in a long line of skirmishes between the series that have devalued both in the eyes of the public, media, sponsors and manufacturers. TV ratings are miniscule and neither has been able to build a solid fan base during a 10-year span in which NASCAR has dominated the scene.

"Anytime you have a strike or anything negative in your sport that boils over into the public, it's a problem," NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter said. "It put open-wheel racing fans in the position of having to choose and I would say it had to help us."

Roger Penske, a CART co-founder whose jump to the IRL in 2001 began a shift in the balance of power between the series, has tried for years to broker a resolution. The latest was last summer when a cash and compromise offer from the IRL was met with a counter offer from Champ Car. Talks broke down over how the unified series would be governed and Champ Car's insistence that George not be involved.

Earlier this month, Penske expressed frustration that those negotiations fizzled.

"I was real disappointed that we had a very fair opportunity and it was a time we could have put this together, which would have been effective in 2005," he said.

"But the parties didn't want to get together based on what was discussed. I'm not really involved in it at all now."

At the time of the split, the differences between the series were complex and visible. George's vision was an affordable, all-oval series featuring American drivers. CART was a high-tech, high-cost series with international fields and a schedule evenly split between road courses and ovals.

But, as George noted Sunday, "A lot has changed in 10 years."

The IRL, in many ways, is what CART used to be, including the addition of three road races this season.

Champ Car has gone from having four engine, three chassis and two tire manufacturers to one of each and has taken its schedule even more international with half of its 14 races this season outside the U.S.

The failure of either to stir the public's imagination much beyond the Indianapolis 500 is what drove Toyota and Honda to first switch allegiances and now threaten to follow General Motors and get out completely. GM, which has been with the IRL since its inception, has announced it won't be back in 2006.

IRL team owner Bobby Rahal, a three-time CART driving champion who served briefly as its interim president, said the IRL can't allow its engine manufacturers to dictate policy.

"That's where CART failed," he said, adding that the promotional dollars Honda and Toyota spend give them a right to be heard.

"Nobody pulls out of NASCAR because it has value. That's what we need to create. If we do, new sponsors and manufacturers will come and the ones we have will stay. If we don't, nobody will be here."

Les Unger, national motor sports manager for Toyota, said the company is in wait-and-see mode but made clear a sport with one series would make it a much more attractive proposition.

Short of that, he suggests cooperation on rules and schedules could serve both series well by allowing crossover somewhere other than Indy. Newman/Haas Racing, Champ Car's top team, has two drivers in this year's 500 field.

"You would think that something would be able to occur that would at the very least involve a degree of commonality," Unger said.

"For TV viewers, for the teams, for the sponsors, it would enhance the value of both series."

But Barnhart rejects that notion, claiming it would do nothing more than compound the confusion.

"That's not the solution," he said. "We need to agree to agree and work toward unification, or agree to disagree and work to completely differentiate the two products."

Veteran driver Jimmy Vasser, a partner in Kalkhoven's Champ Car team, expressed at Long Beach a sentiment shared by a majority of competitors, who, like fans, simply are fed up with the whole thing.

"There should be one series. It's what the fans deserve. It's what the competitors deserve," he said.

"The powers-that-be in this sport have a responsibility to get together and figure it out."

Call Star reporter Steve Ballard at (317) 444-6184.
It's May... so the unification stories have been out all month. I found this one interesting. Basically the only thing stopping unification is Tony George stepping down..... will it happen.... fat chance.

Galaxy

05-24-2005, 02:25 PM

What really does ChampCar truly gain by merging with IRL, expect getting back Indy?

I can understand the competition, but it seems that ChampCar has a strong foundation, with it's own engine manufacture, the bid for Long Beach, and increasing support. IRL seems to be floundering.

Ryan S

05-26-2005, 01:25 PM

As long as Tony George is involved I don't want to see any kind of unification.

Ryan S

05-26-2005, 01:39 PM

I guess it is bad form to bring IRL discussion into a Champ Car thread, but does anybody think that Danica Patrick is getting way too much attention before the Indy 500?

She might turn out to be a great driver, but she has not won a single race at a high junior series levels yet, let alone in the IRL. Hell, she is not even sitting on the pole at Indy this year. The IRL has a history of putting way too much pressure on female drivers. I remember when Sarah Fisher was driving, the race revolved around her, even when she was at the back of the field (much like Nascar coverage revolves around Jr, but at least he is one of the top drivers in that series). I would be much happier to see this coverage being focused on the pole sittor, or on Kenny Brack's comeback.

If she wins she deserves all the attention she will get, but if the media wants to talk up a female driver they should look at Katherine Legge, who recently won her first ever race in a Toyota Atlantic car at Long Beach.

TLK

05-26-2005, 01:48 PM

Any unification with TG at the helm... and I'm out as a fan.

Let Tony go back to running IMS, give him the spot on the board he desired and he can run his team... but he must not have control of the series. Both sides involed must come up with a third-party person, that has racing knowledge and could run a series.

As to the advantages of a merger...

Any type of merger now is purely cosmetic. I don't think the old fans will come back, but it will put closure to this mess, and allow the unified series to grow and look for new fans.... something both series have been lacking for some time.

TLK

05-26-2005, 02:03 PM

If she wins she deserves all the attention she will get, but if the media wants to talk up a female driver they should look at Katherine Legge, who recently won her first ever race in a Toyota Atlantic car at Long Beach.
Legge was truely impressive in Long Beach. The story they told during the CC broadcast was pretty cool also....

Kevin Kalkhoven walked in the lobby of Cosworth after the purchase and Legge was just sitting there. He asked her why she was there, and she said she wanted to drive for him. Kevin told her he would get her a test in an Atlantic car and she did well. He told her he would sponsor her for a few races and see how it goes. He knew she could compete, but never thought she could win...

The Danica chick mentioned earlier... I've haven't heard anything about http://dynamic.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif

maximus

05-26-2005, 02:09 PM

IRL seems to be floundering.

IMO, the IRL is far from floundering.

TLK

05-26-2005, 02:24 PM

IMO, the IRL is far from floundering.
Yep... everything is just peachy. Could of fooled me with massive 8,000 person crowd in Phoenix, the fact that the Indy 500 isn't anywhere near sold out or those great television ratings...

http://img215.exs.cx/img215/2444/ratingsirl3lb.jpg

TLK

05-29-2005, 07:13 PM

Well... now the question needs to be who will replace Bruno after that race in Indiana. I'd have to say in order....

1. Mario Harbefeld- Brazil
2. Memo Gidley- USA/Mexico
3. Jon Fogerty- USA
4. Ryan Dalziel- SCO
5. Michel Valiente- CAN

Galaxy

05-29-2005, 09:46 PM

TLK

05-29-2005, 10:26 PM

Care to give more info on those five? How long is Bruno out? What is his condition? Bruno is out until at least October... according to whom I have talked to.

Haberfeld- raced in CC the past two years with moderate success. He was in a slower Reynard, and a chance in a Lola will push him near the top.

Gidley- Memo has been all over the place but has never had a full season shot at Champ Car. He's a crowd favorite, with decent results.

Fogerty- Fogerty won the Toyota Atlantics Series twice and is unemployed (besides ALMS) at the moment...

Dalziel- Employed as PKV's third driver and will be in the series next year in a PKV car. A future star.... no doubt.

Valiente- Valiente has been extremely successful in Toyota Atlantics and should get a ride in Champ Car soon.

TLK

05-29-2005, 11:17 PM

Other drivers who might get considered for the ride:

Christian Fittipaldi- Champ Car and NASCAR reject. Name value but much not much else.

Robero Moreno- The Super Sub from a few years ago. In his 40's... does he still have it?

Michel Jourdain Jr.- This would be great... but his commitments to NASCAR (BUSCH) make this difficault.

Antonio Pizzona- Has shown intrest in Champ Car, but has a contract with Williams :(

Jos Verstappen- No idea here....

Buddy Lazier- Kill me now... If it happens... kill me now.... :) (and it might)

Al Unser III Why not? He just jumped over from the IRL.... this would be perfect, but not in a Newman/Hass

TLK

05-30-2005, 12:50 PM

from OffCamber:

Local sports radio station FAN 590 (http://www.fan590.com/) reporting today that "according to our sources", the 2 organizations are close to an joint agreement for shared participation in 6 venues for 2006:

Long Beach
Indy 500
Toronto
Mexico
Chicago
Dallas

No other details yet.

Galaxy

05-30-2005, 02:24 PM

You mean ChampCar and IRL? What does "shared participation" mean?

Craptacular

06-03-2005, 10:52 PM

Any type of merger now is purely cosmetic. I don't think the old fans will come back, but it will put closure to this mess, and allow the unified series to grow and look for new fans.... something both series have been lacking for some time.
I'd probably come back, as long as TG is not heavily involved in anything but Indy. I'd have a hard time forgiving guys like Andretti and Rahal for jumping ship to EARL, but a unified series would be great. Open-wheel racing is so much more enjoyable than stock car racing, but I've barely watched any of it in the last few years.

Galaxy

06-04-2005, 12:52 PM

Anyone watching the race on CBS now? Only one caution so far.
I hope ChampCar starts to draw bigger-name sponsors.

Galaxy

06-04-2005, 02:13 PM

SPOILER ALERT:

Not a bad race. The last 75 laps were fun. Tracy got some competition from AJ. That last restart, AJ laid back way too much. Servia was pretty good for his limited experience with the car.

Craptacular

06-08-2005, 07:27 PM

Sorry for the tardiness ...

I watched the entire race at The Mile (on TV, I wasn't there). It was the first race I've watched in a while, and I enjoyed it. However, it really showed why we need one league. With less than 20 cars on the track to begin with, they were spread out a little too much, even on a 1-mile oval. In the heyday, they were usually in the mid-20s, which kept the cars a little closer together and resulted in more exciting racing. Let's fill these tracks with the best drivers in the world and then see what happens.

TLK

06-08-2005, 07:41 PM

Blah.... the race sucked. Though all of this crap, Saturday was the first day where I was embarrassed to be a Champ Car fan. Even with masive promotion, there were no more than 15,000 in attendance. That combined with the final yellow, that was as contrived as an IRL race, runined what was a decent race.

I have to wonder if Milwaukee will be on the schedule next year. The contract runs through 2006, but the attendance was poor enough to dump it early. I almost wonder if it would be smarter to go back to Road America and promote the hell out of it.

TLK

06-09-2005, 02:13 PM

WGN revs up reality 'Race'
Superstation gets real with racer Tracy

By JOHN DEMPSEY

NEW YORK -- The WGN Superstation is going for speed, greenlighting its second original series, "Race Car Driver," a weekly reality half-hour that will go behind the scenes with star driver Paul Tracy. Show is WGN's second commissioned original following the previously announced "Ultimate Arena Paintball," another reality half-hour. Both kick off in the fall.

WGN general manager Bill Shaw said he's nurturing a strategy that will add exclusive firstrun shows to the superstation's usual mix of theatrical movies, sports and off-network series such as "Moesha," "Becker""Becker" and two that premiere in September: "Sex and the City""Sex And The City" and "24."

"Driver" follows Tracy as he and the Forsythe championship-racing team travel the circuit of the Champ Car World Series of Racing in locales including Las Vegas, Montreal, Mexico City and parts of Korea and Australia.

WGN reaches more than 66 million U.S. households.

The AMS Production Group produces "Driver." Executive producers are David Willox and Jay Gillian.
Well this should be good.....

TLK

06-19-2005, 11:59 AM

Teammates Wilson and Allmendinger to start in the front row
By ANNE M. PETERSON, AP Sports Writer

June 18, 2005

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Sebastien Bourdais is causing a stir at the Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland.

In first-round qualifying on Friday, he had to forfeit his best lap because he came out of the pits at the same time another car was passing. Then he contested second-round qualifying results Saturday, claiming a power outage at Portland International Raceway meant his best lap wasn't timed.

The drama took away from Justin Wilson, who won his first pole for the race Sunday. The other front-row spot will go to RuSport teammate A.J. Allmendinger.

``I'm obviously really happy for all of the team to have an all-RuSport front row and hopefully we can drive it home to 1-2 tomorrow,'' Allmendinger said, ``But I'll take the `1.''

Bourdais, the defending champion, contested that his best lap of qualifying -- which would have put him in the No. 2 position on race day -- came during the outage that disrupted the timing system.

After a lengthy review, Champ Car officials stood on the initial results, which gave the outside spot for Sunday's race to Allmendinger based on his best lap on the 1.964-mile road course Friday. Instead, Bourdais will start fifth.

Wilson won the provisional pole Friday when he toured the road course in 57.597 seconds (122.756 mph). That guaranteed him a front-row spot and earned him a series point.

He also had the fastest lap on Saturday at 57.808 seconds. But Bourdais claimed he was running a 57.791-second lap when the outage occurred.

Wilson still earned the pole, because he had the best lap for both rounds, but Bourdais' claim called into question the next spot. Allmendinger was second-best on Friday in 57.816 seconds.

Wilson's first Champ Car pole also was a first for the 2-year-old RuSport team.

``I was halfway through my first run on the standard tires, so I only got two or three laps on those. But I presume everyone else is in a similar situation,'' Wilson said about the outage. ``I think the lap I was on was slightly quicker than my previous, so I was still building up and getting quicker, but at the end of the day it didn't make that much difference.''

The second round of qualifying, which was delayed for 5 minutes by the power outage, ended with rookie Ronnie Bremer crashing into the tire barrier on turn 10. He was alert and moving, but was taken to a local hospital for precautionary X-rays, which were negative. He was cleared to race on Sunday.

Bourdais also grabbed attention when he had to forfeit the third-fasted lap Friday because he surprised Wilson by coming out of the pits just as the No. 9 car was passing. Champ Car rules forbid interfering with a driver running at full pace.

Bourdais insisted the move was inadvertent, but he fell to fifth after the first round. Paul Tracy will start the race in the third position.

Bourdais won the race from the pole last year, finishing ahead of Newman-Haas teammate Bruno Junqueira. Bourdais led for most of the race and won by 1.247 seconds.

Junqueira was leading the series in points this year before he broke his back at the Indianapolis 500, where he and Bourdais were the only Champ Car drivers in the 33-car Indy Racing League lineup.

Junqueira fractured two vertebrae and underwent surgery the next day. There is no timetable for his return. Oriol Servia is taking his place on the team.

Wilson's lap Friday established the record on the road course, which was modified and shortened slightly, smoothing out the Festival Curves.

Wilson, who started second at Monterrey, has finished fourth in each of the first three Champ Car races this season.

``Yesterday we started the deal and today we closed the deal on qualifying,'' RuSport team owner Carl Russo said. ``Our first pole and out first 1-2 qualifying represents a great reward for a great effort by a great team of people.''
Race on CBS at 3:30 EST....

TLK

06-24-2005, 12:35 AM

Uneasy rider
A few laps around Burke Lakefront Airport in a specially designed Champ Car give an apprehensive reporter an appreciation for the performances of a car and its driver.

Thursday, June 23, 2005
James Ewinger
Plain Dealer Reporter

Champ Car drivers and bullets.differ only a little. Both go very fast and are assured of a complete stop when they hit something.

The drivers are re-usable, they are fully aware when they wrench forward from a dead stop, and they are in control. Generally.

Bullets are just along for the ride. So the Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland gave reporters, race sponsors and public officials a chance to be bullets on June 7, over part of the course on the runway at Burke Lakefront Airport. This was so they could tell everyone else how it feels to defy physics, death and common sense before the big race Sunday. But bullets are pleasantly unaware of their career path.

The back-seat drivers, as they are called, know entirely too much. They know that they have signed waivers of liability, that they are climbing into an open-wheel racer that has no reverse gear, six forward speeds and a top end of 175 mph.

The guest riders are advised that they might be thrown around inside the car as it goes into a turn, or that wind pressure might make their helmets feel like they are going to fly off, or that there’s a panic button they can hit to tell the driver they don’t feel well.

The riders sit behind the driver, are isolated from him and cannot speak or even thrust a hand out to seek help or to hurl one last bit of invective. They are alone, in a fiberglass womb, but aware that if a major change occurs, it is not going to be birth.

And then there are the revelations when the car moves.

Physicists will tell you that something cannot start instantly at a high speed, that it must climb up to it.

Physicists have never been in one of these cars.

One moment it is perfectly still, and silent. Then it is started and makes a noise so loud that all of Ontario can hear it across Lake Erie, and war with Canada is a distinct possibility. Then it is going 60, with no preliminaries.

And that’s just the beginning. Next you are rattling around (was it trembling or engine vibration?) as the car hits 130 mph and approaches a wall of tires with a bunch of curious people behind the barrier.

Obviously these are people who have never bowled, otherwise they’d realize they could be displaced by the roaring yellow sliver heading toward them and the only source of suspense is whether it will be a strike, or a split.

You are hoping that Mayor Jane Campbell has a stoplight camera nearby and legal intercession is at hand.

Instead, the skilled foot of Sebastien Bourdais intercedes, and the car slows as unnaturally as it took off. Then you are going into a right turn that mom’s Buick couldn’t make if it drove off a cliff.

And you find out later it’s between 70 and 80 mph. During the turn. In a radius that looks like it could fit inside a two-car garage with room left for the mower.

Bourdais’ foot is the right one for the job. He is 26, the defending Champ Car World Series Champion. And he has the reflexes of the deer that never gets hit by a car. “When you have a day off you don’t have a day off,” he says. “You work out. Running, bike, swimming, weights.”

Appropriately, he is from Le Mans, France, home of the endurance race that lent its name to a style of start in which the drivers run to their cars, get in and roar off – not exactly a biathlon but close.

By the first turn, it is clear that auto racing is an endurance event because you have to retain control of the car and yourself and resist gravity and inertia.

And the impulse to pray to every pagan god who could possibly cheat motor racing’s actuarial tables.

Actually “you” don’t.

Bourdais does.

But the Champ Car people still advise you to tense up in the turns and tip your head forward to resist lateral force and wind pressure.

To this end, the passenger climbs in and is strapped in the way they used to secure people for surgery before there was anesthesia.

You aren’t going anywhere, pal.

Then the cockpit is assembled around your head as three pieces of foam- and kevlar-reinforced fiberglass are emplaced about your head like form-fitting bricks. This process takes about four minutes, with the help of two technicians.

The trip, four laps totaling nearly as many miles, takes two minutes. You peek out of the car the way allied troops peeked over the top of the trenches at Verdun – what’s happening outside is coming on too fast to process, you can’t control it, and it might end badly. But you don’t want to miss a second.

That was the opening act. The next was a few turns in a pace car.

Much tamer, but only relatively.

The two pace cars on hand are 2003 Mustang Cobras, supercharged, 32-valve little snapdragons that feel like they have major-league baseball bats where the shock absorbers are supposed to be.

The only pre-flight instruction is to put your cell phone in your pocket. And the car doesn’t have to be assembled around you. Genteel, family transportation without the kids or groceries. You could chat pleasantly with the driver, for example, as she accelerates toward the wall of tires.
You are in the front seat. You can see a dash board. And the instruments.

The little needles are jumping up and down at different rates, like the arms of a drum major at war with himself.

Then the tire barrier is still coming, the speedometer is still climbing, you haven’t stopped or turned and its 95 mph.

This is slower than the Champ Car ride, but still no slower than 60, and in a space no wider than a Giant Eagle parking lot.

But Linda Pobst, one of the pace-car drivers, is a pro, has been doing competition driving for 30 years, and she projects the Zen-like serenity that most of us reserve for stop signs. Her eyes don’t leave the track.

But she smiles. Her passenger smiles, too. But only after a complete stop.

The only mishap on June 7 is cosmetic. The radiant sun-yellow Champ Car has a ding in the driver’s cockpit, from the steel stairstep that allows guest passengers to climb in with their dignity intact.

The technicians talk about touching it up and rubbing it out. What kind of paint, they are asked.

“Oh, Sherwin-Williams,” one says, aware that the Cleveland based coatings company is right behind U.S. Bank in sponsoring the race this year. He laughs nervously, like someone who just walked away from a car that raced up to a barrier and made the turn.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-3905

Cleveland Rocks....

TLK

07-01-2005, 02:05 AM

Well..... Toyota annouced it's departure from the IRL.... and Honda is soon to follow.

ChampCar is rumored to be talking to ALMS about six spilt races among the organizations. CC might be back at Mid-Ohio, Road America and their debut at Sebring... with ALMS running at Long Beach, Montreal and Mexico City.... Sounda good to me.

TLK

07-01-2005, 02:07 AM

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/17918/

Ryan S

07-22-2005, 10:32 AM

On autosport.com right now. (I think you need to be a magazine subscriber to view the story)

Former Indy Racing League championship-winning team Panther are in talks about making a high-profile defection to Champ Cars, according to a report in this week's Autosport magazine.

The team's sponsor Pennzoil is believed to be keen to make a return to Champ Cars after eight years in the IRL, and senior figures from the outfit are believed to have held talks with Champ Car president Dick Eidswick.

Panther Motorsport co-owner Doug Bowles told Autosport: "We've got a lot of unanswered questions, the first being what's our engine situation going to look like.

"We wanted to create a relationship with Kevin (Kalkhoven) and Gerry (Forsythe) since we're carrying their flag in the IRL with the Cosworth."

There is a possibility of the team fielding entries in both the IRL and Champ Cars next year.

"Some of the potential sponsors we've been talking to also wanted us to look at both series."

TLK

07-25-2005, 08:36 PM

One rumor debunked... a new one started....

Panther staying in IRL

Panther Racing has declined an offer to join the Champ Car World Series in 2006, opting to remain in the IRL for what will be a ninth season.

Team co-owner John Barnes said Panther would "absolutely not" be changing its status at the end of the season. He refused to detail the financial offer made by the owners of Champ Car, citing a confidentiality agreement he signed.

One part he did confirm was an agreement to run Champ Car teams in next year's Indy 500, much as Panther did in 2003 with Michael Andretti.

Barnes said he doesn't know which engine manufacturer his team will be partnered with in 2006. His staff will meet with top General Motors officials this week in an attempt to convince them to keep their Chevrolet brand with the league beyond this season.

Barnes said he has a group of Chevrolet dealership owners that wants the manufacturer to stay in Indy-car racing. But if GM doesn't come back, Barnes said his team will become a Honda outfit.

Barnes said Chevrolet officials have met with their Cosworth counterparts in England about extending their contract, although an agreement has not been reached. Cosworth has helped build Chevrolet's IRL engines since the middle of the 2003 season.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.d...D=2005507250377 (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2005507250377)

We were sworn to secrecy on this one, but since someone else let the cat out of the bag......The July issue of PRN (Performance Racing News).has an article written by Cathy Haag in her Caution Period column: It says, and we quote, "Cedric Kyles announced his intentions to start a Champ Car team in 2006. Kyles, better known as "Cedric The Entertainer", starred in the recent Honeymooners remake and is a regular on the "Tonight Show" with car guy Jay Leno. Kyles met with Paul Newman to get the ins and outs of running a team. There's been no speculation on who might be the driver." AutoRacing1.com will tell you part of the story, but not all. Cedric won't start a new team, but will buy into an existing team, a team that is good, but just needs a co-owner with resources (i.e. money) and a name to attract sponsors. We won't tell you what team it is, but we were told by a source to expect an announcement this weekend in San Jose. Mark C
http://www.AutoRacing1.com

Galaxy

07-25-2005, 10:23 PM

Who won the Edmonton race? How was it and how was the attendence? It was on SPEED, which I don't get.

Also, I see that alot of the drivers in IRL are voicing their displeasures with Patrick and her hype (which I think she is overhyped to a big extent).

TLK

07-25-2005, 10:40 PM

Edmonton was a huge success in every form. Attendance was announced at over 200,000 for the weekend, with the 78,000+ for the race. The race was very good for a new course, with Bourdais taking the win. Both RuSport drivers made mistakes to hand the race to Bourdais. The event had it's contract extended until 2010 after the race. San Jose, another new event, is up this Sunday.

Galaxy

07-25-2005, 10:44 PM

Nice.
Is San Jose on any regular channels besides Speed?

King, what you think of the Toronto race? Was very good race. I'm really enjoying this season, and the rise of the series.

TLK

07-30-2005, 04:08 PM

Nice.
Is San Jose on any regular channels besides Speed?

King, what you think of the Toronto race? Was very good race. I'm really enjoying this season, and the rise of the series.
San Jose is only being shown on Speed, with the exception of NBC in San Jose showing it on tape delay (because their a sponsor of the event). ChampCar only has one race left on national television, with that being Montreal.

The Toronto race is quickly becoming my favorite street circuit. I had the opportunity to attend this year, and passed it up. After watching the race and seeing the crowd.... I was kicking myself. The race was very good and had a little something for everyone.... (passing, pit strategy, accidents….etc)

TLK

07-30-2005, 04:14 PM

CC announced the new formula for the Atlantics feeder series. There are a few modifications to the chassis, and a completely new engine powered by Cosworth (of course) was added. Also announced was a program to help the stars of the Atlantic series make the move up to CC. Something like this has been missing for a while and will assist the drivers that need help securing a ride.

Top Atlantic Competitors to Reap Benefits from Champ Car Incentive Program
July 30, 2005
SAN JOSE, California (July 30, 2005) - The top driver in the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic championship will enjoy an unprecedented opportunity to showcase their skills the following season in the Champ Car World Series, under the new Atlantic Incentive Program announced by series officials today.

Further demonstrating its belief in the talented drivers produced by North America's top open-wheel development series, Champ Car has agreed to provide a $2 million bonus to next season's Atlantic series champion to help to secure a ride in the Champ Car World Series for the 2007 campaign.

The impressive championship award follows the unique Champ Car opportunity earned by this season's Atlantic titlewinner. Champ Car officials announced last December that the 2005 Atlantic champion will compete at the Gran Premio de Mexico season finale of the Champ Car World Series in Mexico City, November 4-6.

"We're very proud of the talented drivers that have emerged from the Atlantic Championship in recent years," said Champ Car President Dick Eidswick. "All too frequently we've watched these impressive racing stars struggle to secure sponsorship to compete at the next level. With the Champ Car Atlantic Incentive Program that will be in place for next season we've created a way to ease the financial burden and make the transition smoother for the driver that's earned the right to compete in the Champ Car World Series."

Throughout its rich 32-year history, the Champ Car Atlantic Championship, as it will be known beginning in 2006, has produced some of the top stars of open-wheel racing. From Jacques Villeneuve to Danny Sullivan to Jimmy Vasser, the Atlantic ranks have proven to be the best training ground for the future champions of racing. In recent years, the series has produced such rising stars as 2004 Champ Car rookie of the year AJ Allmendinger and Champ Car race winners and current competitors Alex Tagliani and Ryan Hunter-Reay. This season, two of the top rookies in Champ Car - Andrew Ranger and Ronnie Bremer - both graduated from Atlantics in 2004. The Champ Car Atlantic Incentive Program and similar initiatives will ensure that the top Atlantic talents will continue to get the opportunity to shine at the next level in Champ Cars.

"We want to thank Champ Car for providing this tremendous opportunity for the 2006 Atlantic champion," said Vicki O'Connor, Managing Director of the Atlantic series. "Clearly, this incentive demonstrates the level of commitment and belief that Champ Car has in Atlantics and the ability of the series to continue producing the next generation of Champ Car stars. We know that next season's champion will certainly make the most of this unique opportunity."

In addition to the awards and opportunities awaiting the driver that will wear the 2006 Atlantic crown, Champ Car officials are also discussing a detailed off-season testing program that will clear the way for this season's top Atlantic performers to test with Champ Car teams in hopes of creating more opportunities for series drivers in 2006.

The Champ Car Atlantic Championship continues to be the premier open-wheel development series in North America. The championship is noted for its long history of graduating its stars into Champ Car competition and has helped produce past Champ Car champions Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti and Jacques Villeneuve. For more information on the Atlantic series, please visit www.champcaratlantic.com (http://www.champcaratlantic.com/).
http://www.toyotaatlantic.com/News/Article.asp?ID=1829

TLK

08-03-2005, 02:42 PM

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Extends Title Sponsorship Agreement for Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

Wednesday August 3, 2:51 pm ET

LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 3, 2005--The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, LLC announced today that it has reached a five-year agreement with Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc. and the Southern California Toyota Dealers Association to continue as the title sponsor of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

The extension of the previous Grand Prix title sponsorship arrangement ensures that Toyota's 31-year relationship with America's premier street race will continue through 2010. Toyota has been title sponsor of the event since 1980.

"Toyota is proud to continue our relationship with one of America's premier motorsports events," said Les Unger, Toyota national motorsports manager. "The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is believed to be the longest running motorsports title sponsorship in this country, and we are enthusiastic to continue to be a part of such a great event."

The centerpiece of the 2006 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is the Champ Car World Series, which has been featured since 1984. The race weekend will also present the 30th anniversary running of the ever-popular Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, pitting Hollywood celebrities and sports stars against professional drivers in identically-prepared Toyota vehicles.

"We are absolutely thrilled to continue our relationship with Toyota Motor Sales and the Southern California Toyota Dealers Association," said Jim Michaelian, CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. "They have been an extraordinary partner in our event from the very beginning, and we look forward to extending this relationship to new heights in the coming years."

"We are proud to have a company like Toyota, with its rich history and tradition in motorsports, continue as title sponsor of our cornerstone event," said Kevin Kalkhoven, co-owner of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, LLC. "Their involvement ensures that the event will continue to grow in the future."

In addition to its 31-year sponsor relationship with the Grand Prix, Toyota has a long-standing association with the City of Long Beach. Toyota owns Airflite Aviation Services, a full service, private jet fixed base operation (FBO) facility at the Long Beach Airport, and TABC, Inc. In addition, the Port of Long Beach is utilized extensively by the company, bringing in over 350,000 vehicles each year. Toyota is also involved in a number of philanthropic activities in the city, including, but not limited to the support of the Long Beach Museum of Art, California State University Long Beach Foundation, Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach Public Library, Aquarium of the Pacific and the Long Beach Symphony. Last year, Toyota was title sponsor of the Aquatics Festival which included the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials.

The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is owned and operated by Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, LLC, and features the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford, Formula Drift, the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, the Champ Car Atlantic Series and other support events during its three-day race weekend.
More good news....

Galaxy

08-03-2005, 03:53 PM

Nice,
Do you think Toyota might look at badging the ChampCars?

Also, how was the San Jose race?

TLK

08-03-2005, 09:11 PM

The San Jose race was horrible. As an event, it was a slam-dunk. The track will need to be completely redesigned if they plan on returning next year, which they will. The track was the worst I have seen. The railroad tracks on the street caused a huge bump, that had cars in mid-air. The raced finished with half of the field out with banged up suspensions. Thankfully most of those in attendance didn't know what to expect, and most went away happy. The mayor and city spoke very highly of the event.

Toyota will completely leave open-wheel after 2006, so I can't see the badging an engine for CC (although they could do it on 10% of their IRL budget). The fact that they will continue to sponsor Long Beach was a surprise, and they had signage all over San Jose, so who knows for the future.....

ChampCar's 2006 schedule is supposed to be released next week (Tuesday...maybe). A new race that might be announced is a street race in Philadelphia. Paul Newman & CC reps were in Philadelphia to talk to the city council about the race. Rumor has it that it's a lot closer to being done, than anyone knows. We'll have to wait and see...

Good things are happening.... I think.

TLK

08-03-2005, 09:30 PM

The San Jose "bumps"
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y142/DodgeRamtastic/SanJose20050731-0571l.jpg

http://www.motorsport.com/photos/champcar/2005/sj/champcar-2005-sj-tc-0290.jpg

Nothing like PT in 2002 though.....
http://www.cygniseason.com/image33.jpeg

That has to be my favorite open-wheel pic... just crazy.

Galaxy

08-03-2005, 10:16 PM

Damn...
I've heard the views were terrible are bad as well.

TLK

08-03-2005, 11:48 PM

I think San Jose will work out okay. Many first year street races have problems, Long Beach and Denver come to mind. The good thing is that CC pulled off a successful event and avoided a USGP or Texas incident. With the city fully behind CC, I think that we'll see a longer, wider, more fan friendly track for next year. As bad as the race was for San Jose, they are a hell of a streak from Toronto, to Edmonton, and San Jose.

TLK

08-03-2005, 11:58 PM

I just want to add that I'm more optimistic now, than I have been about the future of ChampCar. There have been some things that I have scratched my head over the past few years, but I know realize that Kalkhoven is in for the long haul. He had an opportunity to sell to the IRL at a price that probably would have benefited him... and he passed it up. I like what I'm seeing and hope it continues.....

Galaxy

08-04-2005, 02:03 PM

Great to hear...

Is the IRL starting to lose steam again, with the Danica "hype"?

Do you see the series expanding internationally more? Do you think they'll get bigger tv (more "premier") deal, and capture US fan base? Sponsorship seems to be growing as well.

Galaxy

08-04-2005, 02:04 PM

How much is Kalkhoven worth?

Galaxy

08-04-2005, 02:30 PM

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Aug-04-Thu-2005/sports/26994391.html

TLK

08-20-2005, 07:24 AM

Champ Car's future keeps getting brighter

By John Oreovicz
Special to ESPN.com





<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>INDIANAPOLIS -- After 20 months under its current owners, if the Champ Car World Series hasn't completely turned the corner yet, it is certainly past the apex and hard on the throttle.

By revealing its 2006 race schedule on Aug. 13, Champ Car is two to four months ahead of where it has been for the last few years when the series was in survival mode. People talk in terms of "when" and not "if" when assessing the future of Champ Car in August 2005, which is a big turnabout from recent summers.

Aside from its 15-race slate for 2006, which includes the addition of a revamped Houston Grand Prix, Champ Car announced a management succession plan that will see Sports Car Club of America president and CEO Steve Johnson take over Sept. 19 from Dick Eidswick as Champ Car's de facto leader. Eidswick, a turnaround specialist with a long association with Champ Car co-principal Kevin Kalkhoven, will remain in the background as CEO and chairman of the board.

Johnson joined the SCCA in 2000 after a stint with the National Hot Rod Association and he guided the non-profit group through a period of sustained growth. Now boasting nearly 70,000 members, the SCCA stages more than 2,000 professional and amateur-level road racing events every year.

Last year, Johnson held his own on a panel of racing luminaries at the annual SAE Motorsport Conference that included FIA president Max Mosley, NASCAR president Mike Helton and IndyCar Series founder Tony George. He said the opportunity to take the reigns at Champ Car at a time when the series appears poised to take off was too good to pass up.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=4><SPACER height="1" width="3" type="block"></TD><TD>“</TD><TD width=225>The results they are getting aren't by accident. Champ Car's business model realizes that fans want entertainment, not just racing. ”</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD width=4><SPACER height="1" width="3" type="block"></TD><TD></TD><TD width=225>— Steve Johnson</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

"Kevin is so passionate about the product that I was sold from day one and I'm not an easy sell," Johnson remarked. "I've followed very closely what has happened in the series since he and his partners [Gerald Forsythe and Paul Gentilozzi] took over after the CART bankruptcy. After they shared their vision, I realized it was an incredible opportunity for me. They aren't distracted by what NASCAR is doing or what the IRL is doing. They're totally focused on the Champ Car World Series and where it's going."

This summer, Champ Car has averaged more than 150,000 fans for its races in July and August, including popular new events in San Jose, Calif., and Edmonton.

"The results they are getting aren't by accident," Johnson said. "Champ Car's business model realizes that fans want entertainment, not just racing. The races at Edmonton and San Jose were great examples from that standpoint because those are events that people were talking about at the water cooler on Monday morning, telling their friends, 'You need to be there next year.'"

However, Johnson realizes that Champ Car's outlook isn't completely rosy and said one of his first priorities is to put additional cars on the grid in 2006.

"So many things are going right, but the main thing that needs to happen is we need to work with our teams to help them out financially in terms of finding sponsors," said Johnson. "We need to have the right number of cars out there. But when you're averaging 150,000 fans for a weekend, that adds to the return on investment for sponsors, teams and partners. So we need to work harder on the marketing and sponsorship side. We want to offer value and keep sponsors wanting to stay for the long term."

Since he quietly arrived in American open-wheel racing as a Champ Car team owner in early 2003, Kalkhoven has demonstrated two things: He's not afraid to think big and he's a man of his word. Not only has Kalkhoven saved a historic form of open-wheel racing from execution, he and his partners have laid the groundwork to restore the popularity Champ Car racing enjoyed in the 1980s and '90s before America turned into NASCAR Nation.

"The fan base is developing very rapidly," said Kalkhoven. "I think it's obvious that if we bring racing close to urban centers, whether it's a permanent track like Montreal or Portland or a street course, if you turn it into a three-day festival, the fans and the families will come. You don't have to stand out in some mud-ridden field to watch cars come by.

"The winning formula we've got is this urban approach, allowing the fan base to grow, which will in turn complete the prosperity of the city, the promoters, and our own race series."

John Oreovicz covers open-wheel racing for National Speed Sport News and ESPN.com.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?series=cart&id=2136902

Good words from the IRL's television partner..... gotta love it.

TLK

09-07-2005, 11:54 AM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Champ Car Public Relations

SUPERSTATION WGN GIVES FANS AN ALL-ACCESS PASS TO LIFE ON THE CHAMP CAR TRAIL WITH SEPTEMBER 7 DEBUT OF ‘RACE CAR DRIVER’

INDIANAPOLIS (September 5, 2005) – Fans of the Champ Car World Series are well-versed in what goes on during the two hours that their heroes are strapped into their 750hp turbocharged scream machines on race day, but not much is known about the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into a race weekend on the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford trail.

Starting Wednesday September 7, Superstation WGN will shed some light on what it takes to be a part of the premier open-wheel racing series in the United States with the premiere of its new prime-time reality show Race Car Driver. The 30-minute show takes fans around the world with the drivers and teams of Champ Car, chronicling every aspect of making a successful – and sometimes not so successful – race weekend.

The show has closely followed the exploits of series legend-in-the-making Paul Tracy and his Forysthe Championship Racing teammate Mario Dominguez from the drop of the green flag in Long Beach, and will take viewers beyond Pit Lane and into the minds of everyone involved in the team’s quest for another championship. Fans will be able to watch strategies develop, see problems solved, and experience how victories are celebrated as well as how losses are dealt with. The weekly show will give fans a better insight of why talent is only a part of what it takes to compete at the top of the motorsport ladder.

The show does more than focus on the Chicago-based Forsythe squad, as Race Car Driver sheds insights on nearly every team and driver in the series, from perennial championship contender Newman/Haas Racing and its 2004 series champion Sebastien Bourdais to PKV Racing with veterans Jimmy Vasser and Cristiano da Matta and all stops in between.

“We couldn’t be happier with Race Car Driver and we expect that the viewers will come away with a new appreciation for our drivers, our teams and our sport,” said Champ Car President Dick Eidswick. “We are sure that once viewers get a look at the show, they will want to keep watching not only Race Car Driver but Champ Car racing as well.”

Episodes are broadcast weekly across the USA on Superstation WGN on Wednesday nights at 8pm ET beginning September 7th immediately following “Will & Grace" and "Home Improvement" and repeated on Saturday evenings (check local listings).
http://www.champcarfanatics.com/gallery/data//500/1234popup.JPG

I'm looking forward to this.... :)

TLK

02-14-2006, 08:47 PM

Huge night for ChampCar...

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="ArticleHeadline">CHAMP CAR AND CHAMP CAR ATLANTIC ANNOUNCEMENTS TO BE WEBCAST LIVE ON SERIES' OFFICIAL WEBSITES </td></tr> <tr><td>http://www.champcarworldseries.com/images/clear.gif</td> <td>http://www.champcarworldseries.com/images/clear.gif</td> <td style="font-size: 11px; padding-right: 3px;" align="right" valign="bottom" width="201">Monday, February 13, 2006</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2">http://www.champcarworldseries.com/images/clear.gif</td> <td align="right" width="201">http://www.champcarworldseries.com/images/clear.gif</td> </tr> <tr><td valign="top" width="100%"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td colspan="2" background="/images/news/DottedLine_h.gif">http://www.champcarworldseries.com/images/clear.gif</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2">http://www.champcarworldseries.com/images/clear.gif</td></tr> <tr><td align="left" valign="center"> http://www.champcarworldseries.com/CONTENT/Images/prIcon/20020618PRi_0002.gif </td> <td align="right" valign="center">  http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Images/News/NewsOption_Print.gif (http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=9957&print=true)
http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Images/News/NewsOption_Email.gif (Someone?Subject=Fw:%20ChampCarWorldSeries.com%20Link&Body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Echampcarworldseries%2Ecom%2FNews%2FArticle%2Easp%3FID%3D9957%26print%3Dtrue)
http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Images/News/NewsOption_Language_ES.gif (http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/ES_Article.asp?ID=1809)

</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2">http://www.champcarworldseries.com/images/clear.gif</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2">
LOS ANGELES (February 13, 2006) - Like an eager Valentine awaiting a bouquet of flowers, owners and participants in the Champ Car Atlantic Series Presented by Yokohama are anticipating the debut of the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic chassis and engine combination. On Tuesday, February 14 they, along with Champ Car fans, will be able to see the debut of the made-in-the-USA Swift 016.a chassis powered by a 2.3-liter, 300-horsepower Cosworth engine riding on Yokohama Racing Slicks live on www.champcar.ws (http://www.champcar.ws/)

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Images/News/PullQuoteTop_Links.gif
WATCH THE WEBCAST LIVE 2/14/05 10:30 PM ET (http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia-live/champ/6294/300_champ-champcaratlantic_040406.asx)

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Images/News/PullQuoteBottom.gif

Both the Champ Car and Atlantic series official websites will host an exclusive webcast of the debut live from the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles on Tuesday night at 10:30 p.m. ET. This will be the first public viewing of the next generation Atlantic Championship car that will then go to Firebird Raceway in Arizona for its first test.

"We are very excited to be able to bring this opportunity to our fans," said Champ Car President Steve Johnson. "Our website showcases the technology of Champ Car by bringing special events like Tuesday's debut directly to our fans."

In addition to some of the top rising stars of racing and legends of the sport like Jimmy Vasser and Bobby Rahal, several Hollywood celebrities are also expected to be in attendance for the invitation-only affair and several significant Champ Car and Atlantic series announcements are also planned for the evening.

www.champcar.ws (http://www.champcar.ws/) is the official site of Champ Car and the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford. The site is also home to Race Director, Champ Car's online broadcast of each race that allows fans to direct the video feed from the event by using up to six different camera angles. Race Director also allows fans to see live telemetry from the pits and listen to driver's radio communication to their teams. It also allows fans to go into the archives and watch any Champ Car race from 2002 through 2005.

</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody> </table>
Mazda has already been leaked as the title sponsor of the Atlantic division.... more to come tonight.

Craptacular

03-06-2006, 10:15 PM

Not that we haven't heard these rumors before, but from a little blurb in the latest ESPN the Magazine:
American open-wheel racing could finally be headed for a merger in 2007. EARL founder Tony George and ChampCar owner Kevin Kalkhoven both acknowledge recent meetings, though they've yet to divulge details.

TLK

03-23-2006, 01:19 PM

Champ Car, IRL in preliminary talks about merger By Gary Graves and A.J. Perez, USA TODAY
It's been a rite of spring for more than a decade.

Dozens of reporters gather for the Indianapolis 500 each May, and stories soon flow that the two sides of American open-wheel racing may be ready to merge. Weeks pass with no resolution, and the respective series continue on divergent paths.
This time, news that the IRL and Champ Car could be headed toward reconciliation didn't even wait until the start of spring. A report in AutoWeek last month inferred a deal was in place to bring the two sides together, ending the split that began when Tony George founded the IRL in 1995.

While Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven characterizes discussions with George as informal meetings at ski resorts, he says they have broadened communications between the series enough that they plan to continue talking in the coming months. But he suggests it would be 2007 at the earliest before any settlement.

"I think we all recognize the virtue of bringing the two series together, but the most difficult thing isn't doing (the deal) but what happens afterward," Kalkhoven says. "It's a matter of Tony and me getting to know each other. We keep talking, and that's good and things are moving forward. I can't say if it's this year or next, but progress is being made."

"The most important thing is to get it right, because the worse thing is for a merger to fail. All the details have to be agreed upon."

Kalkhoven says being new to ownership and not having a personal history of the animosity between the series have helped him keep an open mind during talks with George, whom some blame for the split that has allowed NASCAR to become racing's premier series. And in acknowledging that fans on both sides might maintain hard feelings even with a resolution, he believes the enmity will evolve into acceptance whenever racing's longest standoff finally ends.

"It's been 10 years since the split, and you're not going to repair that overnight," Kalkhoven says. "But we've got good teams and good partners and the spirit of willingness and cooperation, which is great."

Of course, before there's reconciliation, one major element needs to be agreed upon.

"Historically, the biggest stumbling block has been the different philosophies on how to run series," IRL president Brian Barnhart says.

But more specifically, it will come down to who will run the series. Once that's settled, all the details — combining the two schedules, choosing a race car and uniting personnel — will likely fall into place.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2006-03-21-open-wheel-merger_x.htm
Everything I've heard is that the "merger" is a done deal and will be announced during the month of May. Rumor has it that both sides have made major concessions, so May will be an interesting month.

TLK

03-29-2006, 12:32 PM

CRISTIANO DA MATTA JOINS DALE COYNE RACING FOR 2006

Fontana, California...........Dale Coyne Racing proudly announces the addition of Champion driver Cristiano da Matta for the 2006 Champ Car World Series.

Da Matta brings an outstanding record to the efforts of Dale Coyne Racing. "Dale has consistently produced competitive cars as shown by the results good drivers have experienced in the past," commented the popular Brazilian. "I am excited about this opportunity and we are both committed to putting out a competitive effort for 2006."

Cristiano da Matta represents the strongest driver yet to drive for Dale Coyne Racing. Da Matta ran two years with Newman/Haas Racing, which included 10 race wins and a Championship winning season in 2002. His solid efforts for the Toyota powered team vaulted him to the newly formed Toyota Formula 1 effort, where he showed his expertise during a development program in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, the 31 year-old returned to Champ Cars driving for PKV Racing winning one round in Portland and finishing 11th in the season points battle.

"Our team has smelled victory in the past, it is now time to taste it," commented team owner Dale Coyne. "I am very proud to have Cristiano join our efforts for 2006 and look forward to an exciting season." Dale Coyne Racing has campaigned cars in the Champ Car World Series and CART since 1984. Scoring multiple top tens with an array of drivers, podiums with Roberto Moreno and Oriol Servia and near wins with Alex Barron, the team is now poised to have its best season ever.

Da Matta will drive the entire 2006 season in the teams #19 entry. Sponsorships continue from several loyal sponsors including Northern Illinois Steel, Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q, Vernon & Maz, Aurora Bearings and a few new surprises to be announced prior to Houston. David Watson returns to the team to engineer the effort headed by Chief Mechanic Andy Greene and crew.

The team is currently in Fontana for a two-day test. Cristiano will take the wheel of the Coyne Lola for the first time in preparation for the first race next week at Long Beach.
Definitely a holy shit moment. A past series champion signing with the perennial worst team on the grid. It will be interesting to follow da Matta and see how he does in that car. It would be a great moment to see Coyne in the winners circle after everything he has done for ChampCar.