No clich
Written by Scott Keller · June 22, 2007
I could have said, “The Champ Car World Series is going to Rock the Lakefront in Cleveland”, but how many more times can that headline be used when referring to this race?
It’s not that Cleveland’s temporary circuit at Burke-Lakefront airport doesn’t rock. It does. It has produced some of the most dramatic starts, races, and endings in the history of Champ Car, and some have gone down in infamy. The year that Robby Gordon banged wheels with Michael Andretti on the cool down lap was a wild one. I can’t even remember the year. It was back before the dark times, before the Empire (of shame).
Sunday’s race is going to be interesting, for certain. Champ Car announced that they use a standing-start for this years racing, which brings some uncertainty and anticipation. I hope they get it right
Champ Car needs to put on a good start, a good show. The off-season wasn’t very successful for Champ Car. After months of tooting their own horns about bigger car counts, new teams, a May race in China, the series disappointed. Several of the teams only started the year with funding for three races. It’s quite a rag-tag bunch at the back end of the 17 car field this year.
However, Champ Car’s drivers and cars have been the bright and shining star for the rebuilding series. Sebastian Bourdais continues to prove that he is one of the best drivers in the world, that is no doubt. And with Paul Tracy injured, other drivers have had to step up and challenge. PKV’s new stable of drivers have been pretty impressive. Robert Doornbos and Tristan Gommendy seemed like European prima donnas going into the season, but both have warmed up to the American fans. I think they realize the Champ Car fans are some of the most supportive, knowledgeable and devoted fans in the world.
Justin Wilson is quick again, but the poor guy seems to always be the bridesmaid and never the bride. Will Power won early, but can the Aussies stay with the front runners? Jan Heylen is back, and a welcome for sore eyes. Now only if Nelson Philippe would return to the series, things would be even better. But newcomers like Graham Rahal are making up for the drivers the series lost over the winter.
And then there is the DP01. What a race car! Sure, it had some teething problems. The mickey-mouse fueling system has been fixed, and so has the seat problem that put Paul Tracy on the sideline for one race. In Portland, the car showed that it is reliable, racy, and an excellent handling car in heavy traffic. It should make for an exciting car to watch in Cleveland. And boy, is it a beautiful car. Those poor guys in NASCAR have to be jealous with envy in the looks department. I mean, there’s a reason they have to pay those guys $3 Million dollars to get them to drove those fugly things?
Like I said earlier, Champ Car needs to step it up and put on a good, exciting race. Sunday is somewhat of a day of reckoning for Champ Car and their rivalry with the IRL. The two series will be head-to-head on national TV. Look for Champ Car on CBS at 1PM ET. If you are more into watching the oval guys go ’round-and-’round on a cookie-cutter oval, the IRL is on ABC. As for me, I’ll be tuning in to something unique, something special, something that only Champ Car has: Cleveland. Don’t miss it.
Disclaimer: I am definitely not a media-type, insider, or friend of anybody in the racing business. A guy who lives in my apartment complex happens to work for the Long Beach Grand Prix, but it’s not like he’s buddies with Kevin K. or Pook or anything like that. My Grandma is buddies with some of Gordy Johncock’s family in Michigan, but that doesn’t mean anything either except that I got to touch a few of his trophies but never have met him, but would definitely like to. I wish the IRL had never been formed, and I believe that unification is the only long term success route that the IRL and Champ Car can take. I lurk on a lot of message boards, and read a lot of blogs, so my news really isn’t news and my views are biased. I don’t care. This is a blog, if you want journalism, try to find news on open-wheel racing in the Associated Press. Hint: you won’t find any because open-wheel racing is in crisis, and nobody wants their leisure time effected by crisis. We all have enough crisis of our own to deal with. And besides, I got a C- in journalist, so I’m not really that good at writing.
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