Well, my 2005 Champ Car season is over. I got the word yesterday that I am not going to Mexico City. They have no budget for it, unfortunately. So ends another season, which has gone by remarkably quick, but that just means I had a lot of fun. And I really did. I worked with great people this year, I saw great action on the track, I got to know a lot of people within the Champ Car community, whether crew member or employee. I got to have a little fun with the video camera, when I had the time. I got to work with the likes of Paul Page and Todd Lewis. It was the first time in 5 years involved with Champ Car that I really felt part of the family. 2004 was so abbreviated and prior to that it was 95 percent revolving around Players. But this year, I literally cheered for no-one and everyone. As long as they were putting on a great show, it didn’t matter. I knew I was going to be part of the podium celebration and it didn’t matter who was up there.

The fan forums were great. Absolute best part of my weekend. Interacting with both fans and personalities was fantastic. Champ Car fans are so unique in that they love the product, will take a bullet for the product, but also aren’t afraid to voice their displeasure with aspects of the product. That’s passion. And the drivers and Cotman or Ziggy were always there to answer as candidly as possible. We really are family. One big Champ Car family. It’s just a very large family.

I haven’t quite figured out my favorite moment of 2005 just yet. Off the top of my head, the perfect fly-over in Denver at the end of the Star Spangled Banner in front of 75K was pretty darn special. Moments like that are extraordinary, no question about it.

Favorite event?: I have to start with Toronto, not only because its home, but because of the intensity of that event. Drivers are on fire that race and with the tight confines, well it’s a recipe for excitement and being able to call that race in front of my hometown is cool. If it were a parade I wouldn’t think the same, but it’s so darn exciting right until the very end.

Anyway, enough nostalgia. The season isn’t even over yet. We have the wonderful Surfer’s Paradise event coming up. In 2003 I decided that it would be a good idea to go to Australia for the weekend. For some strange reason, I thought it would be ‘romantic’ to tell people that I was headed to Oz for the weekend. I think I left Wednesday, got there Thursday and returned Monday. Not a good idea. I slept for weeks after that (I was happy, selfishly, that they cancelled the Fontana race just because I needed to sleep) and missed most of the MLB playoffs. Brilliant.
Word of advice: if you are planning on going to Australia, go for more than a weekend. You’ll thank me that you did.