Round 13--Grand Prix of Mexico

[mlittle]

With one final race on the 2005 Champ Car World Series season, the series now heads after yet another successful street race at Surfers Paradise to the high-altitude environs of Mexico City and to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the last race of 2005, the Grand Prix of Mexico. As with 2004, it will be a coronation of sorts for Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais, who, unlike 2004, has already clinched the Vanderbilt Cup for this year. There's also the spectre of possibly seeing the last race for long-time veteran Jimmy Vasser, who has hinted strongly that he may well hang up the racing suit and become a full-time owner. With nothing to worry about in the way of titles, everyone's going to hang it all out on the line and drive like the proverbial bat outta' h---. Here is the weekend schedule for Round 13.....

Practice Session #1}11:15 am, 4 November 2005
Practice Session #2}3:00 pm, 4 November 2005
Qualifying Session #1}3:25 pm, 4 November 2005
Practice Session #3}10:15 am, 5 November 2005
Practice Session #4}1:45 pm, 5 November 2005
Qualifying Session #2}2:10 pm, 5 November 2005
Warm-Up Session}11:45 am, 6 November 2005
Grand Prix of Mexico}3:45 pm, 6 November 2005

As always, I'll have the week's storylines later today, followed by qual. and race summaries and oberservations along the way.

[mlittle]

You know, earlier in the year, someone made a joke about Foster's beer and Australians, and come to think about it, Mexicans make the same kind of jokes about Corona around here. Oh, well.....here are the mid-week storylines from Mexico's capital city.

1}Congrats to SeaBass and Timo!! First, congratulations to Sebastien Bourdais and Timo Glock on winning, respectively, the 2005 Vanderbilt Cup and 2005 Roshfrans rookie award. Like their IndyCar counterparts, both earned their awards and it will be refeshing to see the both of them race without any added pressure. Congrats to both of them!

2}Will this be Jimmy's last dance? If it is, then it will truly be the end of the era, for Jimmy's probably the last veteran from the "pre-split" era of NA motorsports still around, and he's had a heck of a career. Like many others, he began with a backmarker(Hayhoe Racing) from 1992-1994, then he hit the proverbial goldmine with Target/Ganassi Racing(from 1996-2000) where he won one CART title and saw his teammates Zanardi and Montoya win the next three. After bouncing around a couple of teams(Pat Patrick Racing, Team Rahal and American Spirit Racing) he finally found a new place to roost in PKV Racing. In a sense, he's kinda knows how Bobby Rahal feels, because in a few short years, barring detours, chances are that Katherine Legge will be sitting in the #12 car come 2007.(Note to Bobby.....when 2007 arrives, tell Vasser what 2005 what like with Danica.....he'll need the advice!)

3}Another stellar crowd on tap? Despite certain reports about grandstands being removed, a/la Montreal, news reports are estimating about 350,000 people for the three-day event weekend. If the weather's perfect.....that number could approach 400,000, easily!

[mlittle]

A lap at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit is a "big balls" lap, to quote Kalkhoven's words to Timo Glock. Starting at the start/finish line, drivers'll hit 7th gear(speeds close to 185-195 mph) into the first set of corners, a quick "switchback" right-left-right, slowing to 2nd or 3rd gear(depending on the bravery of the racer in question). Then its' down another straight, the "Recta Transera" to the first set of esses, the "Ese del Lago", a left-right followed by a short chute, then a quick right, another short chute, then the big esses await.(Think the esses at Suzuka for a good comparison.) The fastest way through the esses is crucial; screw up at the entrace to them, and you're lap time'll suffer for it. Once through them, its' down the "Recta del Ovado"(part of Hermanos' circuit includes a Milwaukee Mile-style oval at one end!) and one more set of short chutes and quick turns before you reach Mx. City's version of Monza's "Parabolica", the Peraltada. The turn's entrance is sharp, but like the Parabolica, the Peraltada eases into a flowing hairpin-style corner that leads onto the main straight and that concludea a lap at H. Rodriguez.

Past Race and Pole Winners.....
1980:Rick Mears, Bobby Unser
1981:Rick Mears, Bobby Unser
2002:Kenny Brack, Bruno Junquiera
2003:Paul Tracy, Paul Tracy
2004:Sebastien Bourdais, Sebastien Bourdais

Race Length:2.786 miles/lap, 70 laps(195.020 miles)
Qual. Record:2004-Sebastien Bourdais, 1:25.919 secs.(116.733 mph)

Major Event History....
1980,1981, 2002-present:CART/Champ Car
1986-1992:Formula 1
mid-1960's to 1970:Formula 1

[mlittle]

For the second time this year, the provisional pole sits with RuSport's A.J. Allmendinger(#10 Western Union FC/L) as he set a very blistering flyer, stunning the rest of the 19 qualifiers(the exception being Fabrizio Del Monte, who suffered a mild concussion as a result of a hard crash during practice #1 today and, under Champ Car's medical protocols, will not be allowed to race on Sunday) with a prov. time nearly 1/2-sec. faster than second. A.J. lapped the 2.786 mile Hermanos Rodriguez circuit with a time of 1:27.396 secs.(114.822 mph), winning one champ. pt. for the prov. pole and guaranteeing himself a front-row starting spot(either P1 or P2). However, his pole wasn't easily won; the prov. pole changed hands 12 times duringt he 35+ min. session.

As the session began around 2:25 pm locat time(3:25 pm Eastern UST) the provisional pole changed hands quickly, with Ronnie Bremer(#19 American Medical Response FC/L), then Michael McDowell(#31 Cytomax/Red Paw Systems FC/L), and them Ricardo Sperafico(#11 AMR FC/L), taking the lead. It wouldn't last, as McDowell, in his second CC race weekend, retook P1, only to lose it to 2002 series winner Cristiano Da Matta(#21 Bell Micro FC/L), who....you guessed it, lost it to teammate Jimmy Vasser(#12 Gulfstream FC/L). It was that kind of session, a constant "I got it!.....No, I got it!!!" kind of session. Then a local yellow came out as Da Matta's car spun and stalled in the Peraltada; he got a bump start from one of the ChampCar safety trucks and was on his way. Right as he got back on pace, Justin Wilson(#9 Intel/SanDisk FC/L) took P1, only to lose to teammate Allmendinger for the moment. Following a red flag caused by Timo Glock(#8 DHL Global FC/L) who spun and stalled the car at the pit-in entrance.

With just 10 minutes to go, several drivers took their best flyers in an effort to knock Flattop off of P1; only 2003 race winner Paul Tracy(#3 Indeck/Forsythe FC/L) could do so, but A.J. put his prov.-winning pole time on the chart just as the session ended, securing the prov. pole. It also helped that the second red flag of the session came out just after he set that lap, ruining the flyers of Bourdais, Tracy and Tagliani, who were on flyers on their own at the time. The provisional top-5 from the QS-1 session are as follows(and other notables)....

1}A.J. Allmendinger 1:27.396 secs.
2}Paul Tracy 1:27.962 secs.
3}Mario Dominguez 1:28.314 secs.
4}Justin Wilson 1:28.564 secs.
5}Jimmy Vasser 1:28.773 secs.
6}Sebastien Bourdais 1:28.802 secs.
7}Oriol Servia 1:28.804 secs.
9}Will Power 1:29.445 secs.
11}Alex Tagliani 1:29.562 secs.
14}Cristiano Da Matta 1:29.804 secs.
16}Michael McDowell 1:30.349 secs.
18}Charles Zwolsman 1:30.719 secs.

Observations to follow later this evening......if I can only find Julian and Bundy(didn't they say they were headed to Cabo Wabo's...I think?)

[mlittle]

After an interesting friday(hey, my high school alma mater won their annual year-end football rivalry game tonight, plus I finally figured out where our two intrepid warriors were at, it was indeed Cabo Wabo's!....and the place reminds me of the idiots' bar, too!) Here are the friday observations from Aztec country.....

1}Some debut.... For 2005 Atlantic champion Charles Zwolsman, it wasn't a good ChampCar debut. Then again, his team's co-owner, Derrick Walker, gave him some advice...take it easy out there. Hopefully, tomorrow, he'll listen to other advice, namely...son, drive it like you stole it, okay.

2}The reds have it. Of the top 5 in QS-1 qualifying, all but the fourth-place car(Wilson) were on the red-walled Bridgestone Potenza "option" tires, which are faster but wear faster in return. However, his fastest run of the day went up in tire smoke when Timo Glock brought out the first red flag in QS-1.

3}Welcome back, guys. Walking around the ChampCar paddock, you'd swear it was a old-time CART reunion. Present in the paddock....Chip Ganassi, Stefan Johannson, Mike Hull, Scott Pruett, "Mad" Max Papis, Jan Magnussen, and Morris Nunn. It was like steping back into the "heady" days of CART, in a sense. It's a shame Chip doesn't have his Target cars entered for the CC race, though. Then it would be a reunion, for his race engineers from 3 of his 4 championship years....Mike Hull and Morris "Mo" Nunn.

4}They call me the "Ironman". By the end of Sunday's race, Michael McDowell will have done what Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt, Jr. have done....run two different races in a single weekend. Saturday, he'll run the #19 Air Force Reserve BMW/Riley Daytona Prototype in the Rolex Sports Car Series, then turn around and run his ChampCar in Sunday's race. It's an exclusive club, and he'll be only the fourth driver to run a double-race weekend. Good luck, Michael!

[mlittle]

Just as Vitor Meira became the IRL's "Invisible Man", RuSport's Justin Wilson(#9 Intel/SanDisk FC/L) is ChampCar's version, and for the second time this year, he will lead the field to the green for Sunday's race, as he set a very blistering pace in QS-2, taking the overall pole for the Grand Prix of Mexico with a time of 1:26.602 secs.(115.813 mph). Joining him in row 1 for the race will be his teammate, A.J. Allmendinger(#10 Western Union FC/L), who will sit P2(courtesy of his provisional pole yesterday).

As the session began, it was the Rocketsports' entry piloted by Michael McDowell(#31 Cytomax/Red Paw Systems FC/L) that set the pace early, only to lose it to both Paul Tracy(#3 Indeck/Forsythe FC/L) and Oriol Servia(#2 PacifiCare FC/L). Then 2005 series champion Sebastien Bourdais(#1 McDonald's FC/L) vaulted into P1. By the halfway point of the session, the top-5 in qual. were Bourdais, Allmendinger, Tracy, Wilson and Tagliani.

Now, the laps started to fly. It was on his 5th lap that Wilson set the unassailable hot lap, just before Charles Zwolsman(#25 Aussie Vineyards FC/L) brought out a red flag for a spin at turn 6, losing his fastest lap but also causing several others, including Bourdais, Tracy and Jimmy Vasser(#12 Gulfstream FC/L) to "lose" their flying laps in the process. In the end, no one, not PT, not Flattop nor SeaBass could knock the lanky Brit from P1. Here is the starting lineup for tomorrow's Grand Prix of Mexico.....

Row 1:#9 Justin Wilson, 1:26.602 secs.
#10 A.J. Allmendinger, 1:27.033 secs.
Row 2:#1 Sebastien Bourdais, 1:26.827 secs.
#3 Paul Tracy, 1:26.978 secs.
Row 3:#21 Cristiano Da Matta, 1:27.287 secs.
#7 Mario Dominguez, 1:27.292 secs.
Row 4:#2 Oriol Servia, 1:27.503 secs.
#34 Nelson Phillipe, 1:27.653 secs.
Row 5:#55 Rodalfo Lavin, 1:27.688 secs.
#12 Jimmy Vasser, 1:27.760 secs.
Row 6:#15 Alex Tagliani, 1:28.089 secs.
#8 Timo Glock, 1:28.141 secs.
Row 7:#5 Will Power, 1:28.195 secs.
#11 Ricardo Sperafico, 1:28.413 secs.
Row 8:#19 Ronnie Bremer, 1:28.426 secs.
#31 Michael McDowell, 1:28.481 secs.
Row 9:#27 Andrew Ranger, 1:28.566 secs.
#25 Charles Zwolsman, 1:29.503 secs.
Row 10:#50 Homero Richards, 1:29.746 secs.

The race itself is scheduled for 3:30 PM on Speed Channel; I'll have the race reviews, plus commentary and observations where needed. Saturday's observations to follow later tonight....

[Julian Mayo]

Power seems to be coming to grips with the beast

[mlittle]

Yeah, I know its' Sunday morning, but....here are the day's observations from Mexico City....

1}"I fought the law and the law won." Remember that classic song? I'll bet Timo Glock does; he got pulled for the remainder of Saturday's practice sessions(practice #3) for "running" fellow driver Will Power off the track. Here's how CC's VP of Race Ctrl./Operations, Tony Cotman, put it...

Timo basically took the law into his own hands and decided to run someone off the road. He was four or five car lengths behind the #5(Power). The blue flags were being frantically waved but the blue flags mean that somebody's following you closely. The #5 car moved over to the edge of the track in turn 14(entering the baseball stadium/Mil. Mile-style oval) where there's a lot of run-off room on the track. There's a lot of room on the outside of the corner. Timo slowed right down, kept moving over, showed him a wheel and ran Power off (the track).

Despite protestations from Glock and Rocketsports' owner Paul Gentilozzi, who referred to the officiating as "like being in kindergarten class", race control still kept Glock in until practice #4.

2}If the car's set-up doesn't work..... There's one good thing for A.J. Allmendinger going into the race; if he doesn't like the car's set-up....well, let Flattop explain.

We've got some work to do to match Justin. We'll go over the data tonight and see if we can't come up with some ideas. If not, we'll just have to steal Justin's data. If I can't win with the fastest car then it's my own fault!

3}No conspiracies here. Remember at Montreal all those missing grandstands? Several autoracing news sites brought up the same things to Gerry Forsythe, who along with race promoters CIE/OCESA, spent upwards of $60 million USD renovating Hermanos Rodriguez for the 2002 CC race. He said to the assembled scribes that they don't own the property; Mexico City does and they removed some of the grandstands along the front straight and around turns 6 & 7(explaining why they weren't there). He also added that Champ Car has a 7-year agreement(from 2002 to 2008) with "ironclad" protections for Champ Car and that, unlike Montreal, Mexico City has agreed to move some additional seating around for 2006 to make up for the absent seats this year.

[mlittle]

For the second time this year, RuSport's Justin Wilson(#9 Intel/SanDisk FC/L) took the checkers; unlike Toronto, it almost seemed to be a cakewalk. It was the effort that proved how capable the ex-F1 driver has become in manhandling the 750-hp ChampCars, as he led 65 of the 70 laps in the Grand Prix of Mexico.

As the field took the green from chief marshal Jim Swintal, the lanky Brit immediately took off from his teammate A.J. Allmendinger(#10 Western Union FC/L) while just behind them, Paul Tracy(#3 Indeck/Forsythe FC/L) had the first of his two trips to the rear, getting a punctured front tire through turn 1; by the time he got the trie changed, he had fallen back to last place but began a spirited charge(one of two) to the front. Meanwhile, 2005 series champion Sebastien Bourdais(#1 McDonald's FC/L) stayed locked to Dinger's rear-wing; going into the first round of stops, the top-3 were separated by less than 5 secs. while they had checked out on the field behind them. It wouldn't last, though. Gambling on fuel strategy, Rodalfo Lavin(#55 Corona FC/L) was the first to pit on lap 19, and it paid off the next lap when Ronnie Bremer(#19 American Medical Response FC/L) slammed his car hard into the turn 13 tirewalls, ending his day and drawing the first full-course caution of the race.

As the rest of the field except Lavin and Tracy pitted, a costly miscue put Bourdais in the back of the field, as the Frenchman stalled the car in the pits. Bourdais later returned to the pits so that his pitcrew could check for damage; there was none, and he went back out. When the green fell on lap 27, Tracy got the jump on Lavin and took the lead into 1, only to collide with lavin in the turn; in the ensuing melee, Wilson slipped past him. Then, things got a little ugly; as Allmendinger tried to pass PT, Tracy nearly forced Allmendinger into the concrete barrier going into 3. Race control would give Tracy a drive-through pitlane penalty, putting Tracy at the back of the field, but PT would charge back to the front. Top 3 at that point was Wilson, Allmendinger and Da Matta. Newman-Haas's Oriol Servia(#2 PacifiCare FC/L) was fourth at the time, with Tracy's teammate Mario Dominguez(#7 Roshfrans/Forsythe FC/L) in close pursuit.

As the halfway point passed, Wilson was still in the leaad, with A.J. riding shotgun on him; Wilson now had a 6.5-sec. lead on his teammate. Meanwhile, Servia passes Da Matta for third; then Dominguez passes Da Matta for fourth in quick succession. Soon, the second and final round of stops began; first Servia, Tagliani and McDowell. Then, Allmendinger pits from 2nd, followed by Vasser and Phillipe. Wilson then pits, and his team does yeomans' work on him, getting him out before both Dominguez and Timo Glock(#8 DHL Global FC/L) can pass him; Wilson held onto P1.

Then things got interesting. First up, Glock and Dominguez. As the two are going into turn 1 at the end of the long main-straight, Glock collides with the hometown hero, Dominguez. Dominguez would get a tow-start from the ChampCar safety truck(when it happened, the announcers quipped that Glock would need a police escort from the track. I wonder why....?) After a one-lap caution, the green fell again on lap 60, then....Bourdais and Da Matta tangle in the same place on lap 62; Da Matta stays on the grass, but SeaBass ends up like a beached whale in the gravel traps....his day's over. Bourdais would wind up 17th, his worst finish of the year. When the green fell on lap 64, Wilson began pulling away, not to be bothered again the remainder of the race; the only noteable move was when Tracy freight-trained his way past Glock and Servia for third, but it was smooth sailing for Wilson, who bagged his second career ChampCar win in the thin-air of Mexico City. Second would go to Allmendinger, giving RuSport's its' first-ever 1-2 finish. Tracy would round out the podium in third, while Servia and Glock ended up P4 and P5, thus concluding the 2005 Champ Car World Series season.

Observations to follow later tonight.....

[mlittle]

Well, it's been a blast this weekend, what with all the sights and sounds of Mexico City and the Grand Prix of Mexico, here are my observations from the high-altitude of Mexico's capital....

1}He's back. Okay, so Bruno Junquiera wasn't on the track today. But he did say he would be teating with Newman-Haas Racing in early December, his first test since being injured at the Brickyard in May. Welcome back, Junky!

2}It was my fault, A.J. It's refreshing to hear a driver admit he did something stupid...the only surprise was hearing Paul Tracy say that, in reference to blocking Allmendinger during the race. It seems as though A.J. wasn't listening(he did refer to PT as an idiot), but at least he was forthright in taking blame for the on-track tussle.

3}He came oh so close! By retiring just a half-dozen or so laps from the end, Sebastien Bourdais failed to knock Rick Mears off of the pedastal for most laps completed. Mears came within 6 laps of perfection back in 1979, while SeaBass was eight laps shy in 2005.

4}Now, it's over. Back in April, Champ Car began its' 27th season under clear, sunny skies in Long Beach and concluded its' season in Mexico City under many of the same sunny, clear skies.

Congratulations to all the teams and drivers for the great racing this year! And, congratulations to the 2005 Vanderbilt Cup winner, Sebastien Bourdais and to the 2005 Roshfrans Rookie-of-the-Year winner, Timo Glock!