Bruno!?!?!

[L1P1]

Where'd he come from? :D

[KLang]

Congrats to Bruno. :thumbup:

I was starting to wonder if he would ever come back from the accident in that POS crapwagon.

[L1P1]

Only one row separates Mario from PT on the start. :gomer:

Nice try, AJ. :thumbup:

[jonovision_man]

What happenned to Tracy...? :eek:

AJ right at the top of the sheets, good job kid! :thumbup:

jono

[nrc]

Good to see Bruno back in the mix.

So the question now becomes: did Rusport really become the number two team, or did they just have the number two driver lineup?

[spinner26]

Where'd he come from? :D

Brazil? :gomer:

Congrats Blinky!!!!!!!!!!!

[KLang]

What happenned to Tracy...? :eek:


No schlitz. I really don't get it. They have been running essentially the same cars for years now. Seems to me the set-ups at a particular track shouldn't vary much from year to year.

[coolhand]

4 and 5 not bad for RuSport.

PKV is looking like the joke team this year in a round about way with this driver switching.

[coolhand]

Good to see Bruno back in the mix.

So the question now becomes: did Rusport really become the number two team, or did they just have the number two driver lineup?

going by the numbers, after NHR they had the best qualifying day with both drivers in the top 5.

[NismoZ]

So, if AJ just came in and "got with the program" that Mario was resisting I see a couple of possibilities. 1.) Mario was after the correct setup the whole time but just wasn't a very fast driver, or b.) AJ was able to get the full PT setup straight off and PT just isn't a very fast driver. :D Whatever, it makes for a neat story, just as Bruno's pole does. All we can hope for is they all make it through the Festivals and can actually race one another for awhile!

[GOFAST1]

Good to see Bruno up front . :thumbup:

[coolhand]

It should be a good race if this group does not knock each other out.

[L1P1]

Whatever, it makes for a neat story, just as Bruno's pole does.


You're right. It's a great story. I've been looking for one to be posted. None yet. So I took a crack at it myself....(facts not checked)

Junqeira Takes Portland Pole After Chaotic Week in ChampCar

Portland, OR

June 17, 2006

After a tumultuous week of driver changes within the ChampCar World Series, the stage was set for a compelling showdown between teammates - both new and old - and a spirited run on the frenchman sporting the golden arches, the golden horseshoe, as well as a rather large target on his back. The week began with U.S. champcar fans up in arms, but by the time the dust settled, ChampCar's Mexican fans felt the most aggrieved.

RuSport team owner Carl Russo kicked off the week's festivities by announcing that, in an effort to advance their team towards a serious challenge at runaway points leader Sebastian Bourdais, they were dropping the young American AJ Allmendinger in favor of a former champion, Brazilian Christiano da Matta - then driving for Dale Coyne. A move that would leave the ChampCar series with no U.S. drivers.

The Forsythe Championship team then tipped the next domino by dropping the embattled Mexican driver Mario Dominguez in favor of the Paul Tracy protege, Allmendinger. Dominguez had been involved in more than one first-lap incidents involving many of the championship favorites - including his then teammate Tracy - and it's clear that these incidents were drawing frowns from both ChampCar drivers and officials. This left Dominguez staring at the only vacancy left on the grid - the space vacated by da Matta, where he will apparently drive on a race-to-race basis.

Thus, the stage was set for a newly configured assault on Bourdais' dominance by a field with mixed loyalties and plenty to prove. Allmendinger struck first with a provisional pole in his first run in the Forsythe car on Friday. But, barring rain on Saturday, the first spoils were destined to be won in Saturday's final qualifying.

The session began with most front runners biding their time in pit lane. RuSport's Justin Wilson turned the first truly quick lap to sit atop the charts. His new teammate da Matta handed also handed in a respectible time in spite of lackluster runs on Friday. But as seemed inevitible, Bourdais and Allmendinger both hit quick runs that landed them at the top, with Allmendinger doing so last with a few minutes left.

But Bruno Junqeira, thus far this season a quiet teammate to Sebastian Bourdais, apparently hadn't received a copy of the script. In the closing minutes he pipped Allmendinger by a mere six one-thousandths of a second, taking the pole for the 2006 Grand Prix of Portland. Forsythe's team had fueled Allmendinger's car with two laps of fuel to potentially answer a challenge by Bourdais. But in the end, Junqeira, perhaps feeling forgotten in the drama, found his stride and reminded the fans not to forget about him.

Allmendinger's mentor, Paul Tracy, meanwhile found himself a disappointing 10th on the grid. Whether because of a mechanical problem, or by focusing intensely on Allmendinger's effort - to the detriment of his own, can't be known at this point. But if one thing is clear, it's that a breath of new life can be felt in the top end of the grid - at the end of perhaps the most chaotic week in recent ChampCar history. And that bodes well for Champcar's main event on Sunday.

But for Tracy's disappointing performance, the lead-up story might be perfect. But, then again, who doesn't like to watch Paul Tracy storming through the field from the back?

[cart7]

1 B. Junqueira Newman/Haas Racing 57.631
2 A. Allmendinger Forsythe Championship Racing 57.639

3 S. Bourdais Newman/Haas Racing 57.646

4 J. Wilson RuSPORT 57.818

5 C. da Matta RuSPORT 58.018

6 D. Clarke CTE Racing - HVM 58.214

7 W. Power Team Australia 58.244

8 N. Philippe CTE Racing - HVM 58.297

9 A. Tagliani Team Australia 58.328

10 P. Tracy Forsythe Championship Racing 58.376

11 N. Pastorelli Rocketsports Racing 58.826

12 O. Servia PKV Racing 58.830

13 A. Ranger Mi-Jack Conquest Racing 58.885
14 M. Dominguez Dale Coyne Racing 59.233

15 K. Legge PKV Racing 59.297

16 C. Zwolsman Mi-Jack Conquest Racing 59.315
17 J. Heylen Dale Coyne Racing 59.589
18 T. Kasemets Rocketsports Racing 1:00.607


Speedy Dan in P6 ahead of PT?!! :eek: I can't wait for the pass. :laugh:

[Lux Interior]

Good to see Bruno back on top. He must be finally recovered from that hit he took last year at Indy. I hope he puts up a good fight!

[Fitti Fan]

Let's not forget Bruno was P2 at Milwaukee.

[oddlycalm]

It was a hell of a final qualifying session except nobody at the track knew WTF was going on unless they had a scanner or were online. Unlike past years there were no leaderboards visible in the areas we were and the PA was turned so low you couldn't hear much even when there were no cars running. Everyone around us kept asking us what was going on and I found myself doing race commentary as this driver or that did a quicker lap.

Helluva job by Bruno. Also, while I didn't count laps it seemed like Wilson and da Matta ran the fewest. Qualifying was already well underway when they rolled da Matta's car into the his pit and Wilson was out early and was already back in and parked. All very relaxed.

oc

[coolhand]

Helluva job by Bruno. Also, while I didn't count laps it seemed like Wilson and da Matta ran the fewest. Qualifying was already well underway when they rolled da Matta's car into the his pit and Wilson was out early and was already back in and parked. All very relaxed.

oc

Thats a great sign for them. They will have better tire stradegy options during the race :thumbup:

[racer2c]

...

So the question now becomes: did Rusport really become the number two team, or did they just have the number two driver lineup?


Now that's astute. :thumbup:

[Spicoli]

lSpeedy Dan in P6 ahead of PT?!! I can't wait for the pass.

:thumbup:

[Dr. Corkski]

There is nothing wrong with Tracy. His qualifying spot is where he belongs. :thumbup:

:p

[oddlycalm]

PKV is looking like the joke team this year in a round about way with this driver switching. Absolutely. We saw what Servia could do in Bruno's car last season and we see what he does in the PKV sled so it's not real hard figure out where the problem is. About one notch up from Coyne is where PKV fits into the picture. Hard to understand why they don't make some serious changes given who the owners are.

oc

[TKGAngel]

From the post-qualifying teleconference:


ERIC MAUK: Getting into the first turn tomorrow, does it help you any knowing your teammate has your back going for that third spot?

BRUNO JUNQUEIRA: That's helps. What helps is that Mario (Dominguez) - I hope, I don't know - he must be way back, so that's a good thing.

This track, the start of this race is always hard because you go extremely fast on the main straightaway, then you have a hard braking to second gear. I think can have Sebastien back and I hope AJ knows that he has a good car and the start is important for three of us.

AJ ALLMENDINGER: I'm winning the race in the first corner. I'm taking over the 7 car, so...

BRUNO JUNQUEIRA: Okay. I hope you are not the new Mario (laughter).

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: If you take out my teammate, I'm going to go on you like you've never seen it (laughter).

BRUNO JUNQUEIRA: Whatever.

AJ ALLMENDINGER: He comes after me, I'll let my teammate come after you. How about that?

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS: He's not in striking distance. That's fine (laughter).

BRUNO JUNQUEIRA: I'm betting Sebastien, he took your teammate out three times last year.


:D

[NismoZ]

And the funniest thing about all that?...THEY'RE NOT KIDDING! :D

[FanofMario]

I guess we can say he is back to normal---that was one heck of a wheinfest in the post-race at Portland. :rolleyes: :thumdown:

[Wally]

I guess we can say he is back to normal---that was one heck of a wheinfest in the post-race at Portland. :rolleyes: :thumdown:

Both N/H drivers were crying a river,as if they had anything for AJ and Justin...... :cry: :shakehead

[Andrew Longman]

Both N/H drivers were crying a river,as if they had anything for AJ and Justin...... :cry: :shakehead

SB did have the two fastest laps of the race.

But AJ did everything he needed to do at every phase of the race to win.

[Napoleon]

The local paper ran a wire report on AJ today that says he also got engaged in the last 9 days.

[TKGAngel]

Yeah, he got engaged at Niagara Falls. They mentioned that a few times during the race.

[nrc]

SB did have the two fastest laps of the race.

Actually he didn't. It puzzled me when they said that during the coverage because the information on the crawl at the time contradicted it.


1 W. Power 5 Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone 70 59.259 119.314 192.012
2 S. Bourdais 1 Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone 97 59.436 118.958 191.439
3 B. Junqueira 2 Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone 91 59.794 118.246 190.293
4 A. Allmendinger 7 Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone 84 59.856 118.123 190.095
http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Results/BestLap.asp?ID=1567

[Insomniac]

I guess we can say he is back to normal---that was one heck of a wheinfest in the post-race at Portland. :rolleyes: :thumdown:

Wow, I disagree. That's not anything others haven't said. Bruno has come a long way IMO.

[Andrew Longman]

Actually he didn't. It puzzled me when they said that during the coverage because the information on the crawl at the time contradicted it.


http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Results/BestLap.asp?ID=1567

Whoa. That's really weird because Trevor and I were following on RD and noticed Bourdais put in a lap in the 58s right before Daly made the comment about fastest lap. Then he put in one even faster. That was about when there were 8-10 to go IIRC.

Daly was probably looking at the T&S I was, but somehow that changed later? :confused:

[RARules]

I guess we can say he is back to normal---that was one heck of a wheinfest in the post-race at Portland. :rolleyes: :thumdown:

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It was really kind of embarrassing for the sport. He's a decent racer, but one must take the bad with the good and not blame anyone but himself when things don't go right. Others are often to blame, but not always!

[nrc]

Whoa. That's really weird because Trevor and I were following on RD and noticed Bourdais put in a lap in the 58s right before Daly made the comment about fastest lap. Then he put in one even faster. That was about when there were 8-10 to go IIRC.

Daly was probably looking at the T&S I was, but somehow that changed later? :confused:

The crawl definitely showed Power with a faster time when they were talking about it. The pit notes seem to have overlooked it until the end of the race. That 59 was a race lap record so Seabass with a 58 would have been phenominal. Maybe Seabass shortcut the chicane the time was disallowed.

[Andrew Longman]

The crawl definitely showed Power with a faster time when they were talking about it. The pit notes seem to have overlooked it until the end of the race. That 59 was a race lap record so Seabass with a 58 would have been phenominal. Maybe Seabass shortcut the chicane the time was disallowed.

I stand corrected. Checked with the man and Trevor says that 59.415 was the Seebass best time we saw. My bad. Like us, I suspect that looking at the T&S we never even suspected that Power might have best time and so didn't even look that far down the leaderboard for a best time