2006 ChampCar Awards Thread............
Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 1:41 pm
Well, we're halfway through the 28th season of ChampCar racing, and it is once again time to drag out the mid-season awards...........so, step up to the plate, and swing away!!
Driver of the Half:(tie)Sebastien Bourdais and A.J. Allmendinger. From Long Beach to Milwaukee, Bourdais had managed to win four consecutive races, and it looked like a third cons. series title was his to lose. My, how times have changed......there's a new sheriff in the paddock, and (......... ...........) it's an American. Since Portland, Allmendinger's been a hotstreak, with three cons. wins. Maybe its' just me, but I think we have a battle for the championship now.
Team of the Half: none................normally, one team usually dominates, but this year, so far, no one has completely dominated, so this award will have to wait 12 months to be awarded.
Rookie of the Half: Will Power, Team Australia. Considering how close the rookie standings are, this was a tough award to issue. Despite challenges from PKV's Katherine Legge and CTE-HVM's "Speedy" Dan Clarke, the Aussie battler has done the best of the rookies so far, finishing consistantly in the middle of the pack at each race, and he's managed to keep his nose clean during the races, which also helps.
Race of the Half: Houston. Normally, street races are known as "follow-the-leader" races, but Houston was pretty good. There was passing a-plenty throughout the field, and even taking into account track officials' decision to put that stupid-*** chicane in turn 1-1A, it was still a good race. (Apologies for the above language..... )
Surprise of the half: Nelson Phillipe. Two years ago, everyone(myself included) thought he was simply a rich-kid playing race car driver......boy, were we wrong; Phillipe's proven himself to be a steady competitor in his ChampCar career, and he's getting closer to that first win. Given a top-shelf team, look for this guy to challenge for the Vanderbilt Cup sometime soon.
Disappointment of the half: knowing, that in all likelihood, ChampCar has run its' last oval race. I've said it before; to even claim to have a diverse schedule, it must have at least one oval-track on the schedule. There is a little consolation, though....if they do drop the Mile, the IRL will most likely place the race the week after the 500(thus reviving that lost tradition.......).
Driver of the Half:(tie)Sebastien Bourdais and A.J. Allmendinger. From Long Beach to Milwaukee, Bourdais had managed to win four consecutive races, and it looked like a third cons. series title was his to lose. My, how times have changed......there's a new sheriff in the paddock, and (......... ...........) it's an American. Since Portland, Allmendinger's been a hotstreak, with three cons. wins. Maybe its' just me, but I think we have a battle for the championship now.
Team of the Half: none................normally, one team usually dominates, but this year, so far, no one has completely dominated, so this award will have to wait 12 months to be awarded.
Rookie of the Half: Will Power, Team Australia. Considering how close the rookie standings are, this was a tough award to issue. Despite challenges from PKV's Katherine Legge and CTE-HVM's "Speedy" Dan Clarke, the Aussie battler has done the best of the rookies so far, finishing consistantly in the middle of the pack at each race, and he's managed to keep his nose clean during the races, which also helps.
Race of the Half: Houston. Normally, street races are known as "follow-the-leader" races, but Houston was pretty good. There was passing a-plenty throughout the field, and even taking into account track officials' decision to put that stupid-*** chicane in turn 1-1A, it was still a good race. (Apologies for the above language..... )
Surprise of the half: Nelson Phillipe. Two years ago, everyone(myself included) thought he was simply a rich-kid playing race car driver......boy, were we wrong; Phillipe's proven himself to be a steady competitor in his ChampCar career, and he's getting closer to that first win. Given a top-shelf team, look for this guy to challenge for the Vanderbilt Cup sometime soon.
Disappointment of the half: knowing, that in all likelihood, ChampCar has run its' last oval race. I've said it before; to even claim to have a diverse schedule, it must have at least one oval-track on the schedule. There is a little consolation, though....if they do drop the Mile, the IRL will most likely place the race the week after the 500(thus reviving that lost tradition.......).