cleveland part deux

Cleveland.

6 races, 8 qualifying sessions, all in the span of 8 days. Truly, this past week has been an open-wheel fans dream. Okay, maybe not dream, since qualifying isn’t scheduled on television, but for us who are fortunate enough to be part of the team and have a deep passion for the sport, it really was. After all the dust has settled in both the Atlantics and the Champ Car, both have new series points leaders. Charles Swolsman, in the Atlantic took both races this weekend in Cleveland and even had the pole on Sunday. It was eerily similar to what happened last week in Portland, where Tonis Kasamets won both races, Sunday’s from the pole position. The Saturday Atlantic race was a very entertaining race, where once again numerous battles were taking place throughout the track and what better track to have that happen. Its enough for a fan to get dizzy trying to watch all the action taking place. With grandstand views of 90 percent of the track, your eyes had to be constantly scanning the track to watch all the great fights. At the end of the day (Saturday) Swolsman held off Kasamets to take the checkered flag. I hadn’t really talked to Charles Swolsman much throughout the season, but kept reading how “unassuming he is” in the press releases. I got a chance to speak with him on Friday and, well, he is very unassuming in the sense that he is polite and uncharacteristically quiet for a racecar driver, even coming off as shy. He is tall, so physically you can’t miss him, but he is quiet. Nonetheless a very nice and intelligent man and a hell of a racecar driver. He repeated Saturday’s performance on Sunday, this time in grand fashion by dominating the race. I should emphasis though that he didn’t get off to a great start, losing up to 4 (I believe off the top of my head) spots off the notorious hairpin. But he quickly made up those spots (in part thanks to Kasamets running off the track) and once he was leading, he continued to distance himself from the rest of the field. But again though, a great battle for second between Antoine Bessette and Andreas Wirth (it went to Bessette). And the entire weekend, Chris Dyson and Al Unser III always seemed to be trading spots. Both races had those two drivers going back in forth, battling for either 6th, 5th, or 4th position at different times during the race. Two great young American drivers putting on a heck of a show for the fans. Props must also go out to Andreas Wirth, who found the podium twice in Portland and also twice in Cleveland. He’s a model of consistency and is not too far from climbing to the top of the podium.
Toronto marks the first time these guys go back to a tight street course and if Long Beach is any indication, the teams better get automobile insurance. You can expect (and hope) lots of bumping out there!

I want to thank Tom Michaels, whom I had so much fun working with this weekend. A better broadcasting partner I don’t think I could find. We did the pit stop challenge together on Thursday and covered each event together throughout the weekend. The banter between us was so natural, that I’m sure at times we forgot the mic was even on and just went at it, trading barbs back and forth. But we were also able to provide good coverage for the fans and could be serious when we needed too (luckily, that wasn’t too often). If they asked me co-host a radio show with anybody, I would definitely push for Tom. Now, if it was television, I may not, since Tom clearly has a face for radio. Old zing, but I know Tom would expect nothing less from me.

On to Champ Cars.

One of those ‘serious’ times I just mention was witnessing AJ being taking out on the stretcher following Saturday’s qualifying, but at the same time having to read over the PA about the Bridgestone Pole Award being presented by the mayor of Cleveland to Paul Tracy. Our PA booth as right in front of turn 8. we had small windows, but truly had to rely on the television pictures we were receiving cause our view was obstructed at best. We couldn’t see much of the actual track, but we could see turn 8 where AJ hit the tire wall. So as they were putting him on the stretcher, we were witnessing it right in front of us. Meanwhile, on my television screen, the mayor was handing Paul the Bridgestone Pole Award, which was my cue to read the little blurb. Needless to say, my mind was elsewhere and had trouble, at that point, getting excited about Tracy’s pole position. Of course, I read the script, but with one eye on the paper and with one eye on the Champ Car Safety team taking AJ away. I was simply looking for movement on AJ’s part, so I could at least report that. But of course, under those circumstances, the last thing you want to do is actually move and risk further injury. Big props to the Champ Car safety team and big props to AJ for coming out of that accident essentially unscathed. And we all know what happened during the race.
He was cleared to drive that morning and would jump in his backup car, starting mid-field in 9th. What a race it was! Different strategies being used, some bumping out there, 4 different lead changes and excitement right down to the end, with Tracy, thanks to a very quick, short-fill pit stop taking the checkered flag. AJ was right behind him followed by Oriol Servia, who put on a strong, yet unassuming (there’s that word again!) drive all weekend. The sweat coming off the drivers after the race was really notable. Tracy talked of the relentless pace of the race. It was high 90’s for the rest of us, so the track and onboard temperatures were even more sweltering. Each driver in all series earned they’re paycheck this weekend! Tracy (as is my understanding. I am writing this with no notes in my hotel room Monday morning) is now ahead of Bourdais by one point going into his home race (and mine!) in two weeks. I think everybody deserves a short break, but emphasize short, because the season is in full swing and there is little time to relax! It’s the grueling part of the schedule for the Champ Car World Series, but its also the most exciting for the fans. And I know the series wouldn’t have it any other way!

I’ll write more this weekend on what was a full weekend of racing in the States, including Stewarts win in Sonomo (Fellows finished 8th) as well as (I hate to say it) the relatively boring race that was held in Richmond.

Champ Car Baby! Champ Car for life!