I guess the only way I can make time nowadays to contribute to this thing is to make some treat out of it. So I am sitting on my front porch (straining a little bit to see the screen, but that’s like a day in race control) with a cold bottle of Steinlager beer, trying to keep in mind how much I love what I do and those I do it with.
I’ve had a bit more to do on my drawing board this year than normal, which is great, but it keeps me away from checking in regularly. Enough said, you all can relate.
I want to heavily thank all that contributed to our first three-in-a-row to get this season underway. It’s certainly a little to easier to do 3 on the trot at the start of the season when you aren’t already worn thin, but it’s a little like jumping into the deep end of an ice-cold pool. Our volunteer marshals were a nice, steady dependable constant in a whirling array of new venues and materials, some not so new. Five people: Bob Bidmead, Bob Griffith, Nancy Digh-Carbini, Rod Kramer and Dutchman Maurice Pijpers completed the hat trick by working all 3 events! Our hats are off to you, your families and your jobs for allowing y’all to come thru for us!
I also want to thank our Chiefs and organizers: Mike Jennings, Ian Cook, John Proctor & Keith Rude from Vegas: Ceci Smith, Linda Haneline, Bil Baldwin and Monte Lawler from The Beach: and most decidedly Gentleman Jim Lowe and Bryan Gregory from the Republic of Houston, who had an absurd schedule to deal with. Linda and Bryan will be succeeding their forebears next season and I am confident they shall come through, thanks to all of you good people out there!!
Thank you also for the good comments regarding the podcast posted in the last blog. There is a lot in there that I now don’t really need to write all out anymore, and look for another to be put up right after Memorial Day.
VEGAS - ONE THOUSAND YEARS EXPERIENCE?
I also want to make mention of the amazing amount of talent that showed up in these first three, and with it came a very generous number of Brits and Europeans. I will have to say that on the numbers alone, the Las Vegas event should be the most experienced we have ever assembled for a Champ Car race, and all the flexibility and “ambassadoring” you had to do really was a godsend. We made a list to give to the TV commentators regarding how many different countries were represented. At the first three races we had USA, Canada, England, Holland, Germany and Mexico, and I think at Vegas, we also had 7 different event flag chiefs on board!
MONKEY NOW A WALLFLOWER
As an unfortunate result of the absurdly-messy Atlantic race in Las Vegas, which featured both a six and a seven-car pile-up for overdriving the flags, the stewards and Race Directors have asked us to suspend our “Monkey-Dance” (waving all the flags) for both series. With good reason, they can see that we are just asking for trouble, and you won’t blame them once you get an opportunity to see the Atlantic boys (and girl) do their stuff. The average age of the field is 23 point something, and when you lop off the three 40-somethings who are doing partial seasons, the average drops to under 21. They are a caring, understanding and conscientious group outside the car, but get them behind the wheel and you will run to get your kids off the streets!
LGB
With a new complicated event in Las Vegas and a terrible schedule in Houston, Long beach actually seemed quite restful!!! Paul Tracy took a wallop when his car DROPPED off a retaining wall after contact, but as of now he will be back in the 3 car at PDX, alongside the man who filled in during his absence, Oriol Servia.
HOUSTON
Houston, God bless ‘em had 615AM marshal briefings and the cars were on course until 915PM, 945 PM and 4PM on the three days. Yeah, do the math. Last year we had 83 marshals and this year we had 53, as many of the out of region marshals attended the first two races. The region will have its work cut out for it getting even 33 for next year if it accepts another schedule like this and understandably, Houston Region felt like they would be looked upon as the “Bad Guys” had they refused to staff the event on grounds of too long on duty. I can tell you all from CCWS Race Director Tony Cotman that they will not be, and will have the total support of CCWS Operations and our front office if they stand up to the promoter on this issue next season, so we will see! I want to thank all that bore up decidedly well under the strain, and we all got through well in what proved to be a difficult race.
I don’t often launch into war stories, but I must take this point to honor what in my mind was the move of the season so far, as the end of the Houston Race wound down. Our “Pit In” comm, Jim Livings, had the hapless Tristan Gommendy of the PKV team stop just upstream of his post, out of fuel, while leading. Naturally, TG was quite distraught and wandered on foot down the track past the Pit In post, looking for a gap in the wall to exit. As we all watched with intensity from Race Control as to just where TG might stumble to, he appeared to veer again toward the center of the track and the racing line. Enter Jim, who does a huge stretch out over the wall to give Tristan the quick “exit stage left” hook around the shoulder which had Tristan scamper over the wall and off the track like a scalded Frenchman. I’m not one to ever advocate touching a driver in most circumstances (especially when they are pissed!) but this really did the trick this time. Race Control erupted with roars of approval and laughter, and Replay Steward Gary Barnard was so impressed that he later presented Jim with a DVD burned on the spot from the race coverage!
Well, three down and 12 or 13 to go, depending on who you talk to. Such is our series, such is our season. Standing starts should be upon us next time out, as of this writing. Have a look for another two podcasts before I sit down again. Another Steinlager, please.
See you at the track!!!
JHS
