toronto thoughts and more

You could never convince that the Champ Car World Series is NOT the best form of racing today following Sunday’s Toronto race. I knew it was going to be a good race, as it has been for the last several years. But this year, it was just a great race. It had everything: passing, strategies, collisions and a storybook ending for A.J.
I was so excited after this race and still am. I can’t wait until Edmonton because the season has a complete different feel to it now. It’s a brand new game. Naturally, A.J. is the story of the series right now. Whatever he touches these days turns to gold, whether it’s on the track or in the form of a ring. ;)
But seeing Team Australia put the number 15 in 6th at the end of the day, watching Paul Tracy having some success and finishing 2nd at home, watching Wilson get the Pole and still unable to muster a win shows you how competitive Newman/Haas and Forsythe is. Watching DaMatta finish 5th in his first REAL race with RuSport shows he will be competitive. I say first, because it was the first time the tub was custom fitted to him and no A.J. In-between Cleveland and Toronto, they flew him down to Colorado and custom fitted the seat for him. Obviously, they didn’t have time when he joined Rusport mere days before Portland. I liked Philippe’s competitive nature as well as Oriol and I’m glad they are mad at each other for their incidents. They should be, its racing. Honestly, everything that happened in that race was great and I know I could be perceived as a mere cheerleader, but I challenge anybody to try and convince me otherwise.
Didn’t a certain goofball predict that it would be the beginning of the AJ era following his win in Portland? I’m not right very often, so I have to boast when I can!

I want to thank all the people who I met this weekend and who had kind words to say about Overheard or This or That. Its nice to know the work is appreciated. I know some of the drivers like that stuff because it allows them to be themselves during interviews and not just spew out clichés and answer the same questions over and over. I’m glad the fans like it too. Of course, I want to thank Kelly for helping me out this weekend again and I honestly don’t know what I will do without her for the remaining races. She’s not easily replaceable, that’s for sure.

I’m glad Montoya is going to NASCAR. If you read this blog, I have made some harsh comments on Formula One in the past. While the cars are gorgeous, as are the tracks, the sport is way too political for me and Montoya obviously feels that way too. I’d also like to see Villeneuve go there. I mean, if you are looking forward to the movie Talladega Nights with Will Ferrell as much as I am, you know that the ‘villain’ in the movie is a French driver (played brilliantly by Ali G.). Now NASCAR may actually have one for real next season! Wouldn’t it be funny. By the way, Ali G’s character being sponsored by Perrier? Brilliant. Just brilliant. As for Danica going there, well its obvious she isn’t getting it done in the IRL, despite the many advantages she is given (no minimum weight, for example), so its natural that her dad wants to continue to ride the Danica Momentum and he knows that NASCAR is the next step. Frankly, I think she might be a little too petite for NASCAR, but I probably also don’t give her enough credit for her muscles. I just imagine driving a stock car for 500 miles 36 times a year might be a little more difficult than it appears. I hope she does well and I am sure she’ll land a ride somewhere, given the immediate attention she brings to the table. Who knows, she could even pull one out of her hat. But she and her father definitely need to strike while the iron’s hot and, well right now the iron is turned off and cooling rapidly. And let’s face it, her departure would help Champ Car as 90 percent of the IRL’s coverage would vanish without her. If it’s true that Chip and Penske are planning on leaving the I and focusing on other programs, then that series is really on its last breath. I want ONE open-wheel series, but I would rather we win by shutting them down then a 50-50 merger. By the way, don’t hold your breath on Chip or Roger running Champ Car programs next year. I believe that COULD leave the IRL all together, but I don’t think they will join a Champ Car program next year. Remember though, I said I don’t THINK they will. I’m wrong a lot, as mentioned above and I hope I am wrong in this case.

by the way, if I am elected as a "Big Brother: All-Star", does that mean I am the best at sitting around a house for 30 days literally doing nothing except whinning and plotting against others? just a question.