OCTOBER UPDATE

OK, we have a lot of catching up to do…

THE 41 HOURS OF DENVER

Yes, over 41 hours were required by our Denver GP marshals to work 3 days from briefing time until being hauled in at the end of the day. Meetings all 3 days were very early at 6 AM (and could not be changed as they would digress from the ever-so-holy minute-by-minute schedule, but I tried,) until the Drifters got off the track on Friday and Saturday sometime after eight! Not a healthy schedule, especially on Saturday in the pouring rain, but Champ Car takes its sopping-wet hat off to first-year Flag Chief Stan McLaughlin and his merry men and women for carrying us through a tough weekend. Thank you, thank you!

Some promoters these days – not all – pump as many series as possible into their events both to entertain the fans and to financially justify the running of the event. Economics in this day and age is something we can all understand, but I have had several discussions on your behalf with our Race Director, Scheduling Coordinator, Promoter Liaison and our new CCWS President Steve Johnson about the toll these schedules take on your overall performance. These schedules can beat you up for two days and then we ask you to be on your peak on Sunday afternoon? Hardly fair.

We will see what develops next year, as we have had some good discussions and ALL of the above agree with me. I have recommended no longer than 10 hours per day of track time, which should give you at least 12 hours off before the next mornings briefing.


GERMANS, GERMANS, GERMANS

Not that there’s anything wrong with them of course, but on course at Denver, they were a significant part of the weekend. Klaus Graf won the Trans-Am race for Rocketsports (along with the title a week later,) Andreas Wirth won his first Atlantic race, and the outcome of the Champ Car race was heavily influenced by Paul Tracy’s inability to put a lap on 5th placed Timo Glock, as PT bit the barrier in his frustration.

I have been attempting to guide the blue flagging this season over the land line, and at some places we have successfully added another headset on a post just for the blue flagger. I used a technique I developed during my years on the start stand during the Tracy – Glock scrap, and I would like all of you blue flaggers out there to give it some consideration. Paul was leading the race and came up to lap Timo, who was up in 5th place, certainly not going at back marker speed. Blue flags flew liberally as Paul reeled him in, but then as a result of aerodynamics and speed, Tracy could get not get nearer than a second. Keep the blues going, but when you see the positions have stabilized (PT even dropped back a bit,) lay off the flags until the gap gets smaller again. Otherwise, you not only get frustrated, but you also KNOW that the slower car in this case is perfectly aware of the presence of the faster car, and thus YOU HAVE DONE YOUR JOB. Lap after lap of blue flags in this case is just crying ‘wolf’ and reduces the effectiveness of the flag. The blue flag ain’t a command, although the faster driver always regards it as such. I asked all posts in this case to lay off until the status changed. Fine. Then Paul picked it up again, waved his fist a few times at JD, and Race Director Tony Cotman called for us to pile the blues on them again, but two corners later that was that and ol’ SeaBass went on for another victory.


MONTREAL

Now began the wind-down of the season as Denver, in early August, was our last road race in the USA. Really. Claude-Olivier Malepart and Alain Racine again did an outstanding job organizing their troops, and Richard LeDuc as our French-English Communicator/Translator served us very well for the 3rd consecutive year. I do not know how Richard (and Fritz Herrmann in Mexico) do it, listening to calls arrive in their native tongue yet keeping us in Race Control well informed, but I’m not complaining!!

We did not lean as hard on our Quebecois marshals as much as we did in 2004 (they saved 5 full-course yellows on race day) but they all possess a special passion for their duties found nowhere else we travel. Regardless, I always enjoy my time spent in that part of the world (plus you cannot find ANY bad meals up there.) I thank you all.

The big story at this event saw Race Director Tony Cotman stick to his guns and whistle Timo Glock (HIM AGAIN!!!) for a shortcut with just a few laps remaining as Glock attempted to hold off Oriol Servia for the lead. Timo was given clear warning that he was not going to be given another break after doing the same deed several laps prior, and on the penultimate lap Timo was ordered by the Race Director to give up the lead after the second offense. GOOD CALL.

Of note was a series of cute little exchanges on the start stand, as the injured Bruno Junqueira was given the honor of starting the race, the only non-CCWS Champion to be
accorded such an honor. Braggart and bulls@#ter that he is, upon arrival at the start stand, BJ loudly proclaimed “I will not go green until we have 10 rows paired up!” Umm, Bruno, do the math please. And also at my egging, JD was compelled to invite Bruno’s flame-haired sister Diana (pronounced JEE-onna in Portuguese,) upon whom he has an EXTREME crush, up to the stand for the occasion. She watched closely as JD explained the procedures to Bruno, ending with “I’ll tap you on the leg when you need to throw the green.” To Diana’s consternation, she puzzled, “I thought it would be more technical than that!”


LAS VEGAS – HEAT AND DARK

Once more we met in the arid desert of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and two dozen or so Observers braved the elements and darkness in this rapidly disappearing specialty in our series. I would like to thank them all, be they veteran, novice or rookie, for pitching in and helping out, all the way down to the special “Rat Pack” tribute final course clearance. Some of these people can actually sing, but only in the dark. Damn fine job, everyone, especially on your input during the Tracy – Bourdais incident at the pit entrance. Your reports really helped back up & clarify Tony Cotman’s thoughts and subsequent ruling (i.e., Tracy cooked his own goose by not obeying the pit entry procedure.)

Rumblings regarding the venue for next year’s visit to Las Vegas continue to concentrate on a street race either downtown or near the strip, at night of course. I have also heard that LVMS’s banking will be torn up and elevated to a degree resembling Texas Motor Speedway to make it more NASCAR-able, and you all know what that would mean for us! Arrivederci, LVMS!


KOREA: THE RACE THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN – AGAIN

Imagine what it would be like to put on the Long Beach Grand Prix WITHOUT CalClub, the SCCA or The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach? That’s about as far as the promoter/organizer got this time. Yes they had a track built that was about raceable, but that was all. Marshals, Volunteers, Grandstands, Security, Food Service – all big question marks when the plug was rightfully pulled. The Government was (and still is) totally behind the event, and now a sponsor is ready, but the middle man was the weak point here.

The Korean ASN, KARA, only came on board with two weeks to go and it remains to be seen when and how they will be re-mobilized. We have another year to work on it, and we are also one year wiser, so I’m hearing that we are pretty sure for ’06 and beyond.


HABEMUS SCHEDULAM

Almost lost in all the ruckus is our 2006 Schedule, which was released at Denver, in August, the earliest release in many a year. 15 races are definite with the addition of a night street race near Reliant Stadium (Astrodome) in Houston, and our Political Department is still plugging for a street race in Philadelphia. 16 events would make the schedule grow for the first time since 2001, another portent for our future returning health. You can check out the 2006 Schedule at

http://www.champcarworldseries.com/News/Article.asp?ID=9523

I have some insights to share next time on our new car that will debut in 2007 (which I’ll bet will juice up our car count once it’s available) and a wrap up on the final two events Down Under and South of the Border. I hope you have all been watching “Race Car Driver” Wednesdays on Superstation WGN and “Champ Car Garage” Mondays on SPEED. They may be the two most excellent shows ever made about our series. I hear the October 26 airing on the Denver race should feature something about Race Control!

‘Til next time,

JHS

UPDATE SOON!!

Well, again the art thing... I have been really knee-deep in work since before Montreal and there is a lot to talk about. New Schedule, new car, exciting races in Race control, no Korea, etc... I should have finally some time to get you all updated before leaving for Oz this weekend.

Cheers for now!

JHS