Kiwifan
11-05-06, 03:32 AM
Actually I'm not going to write one. You would all be bored but here is a short version.
You know I love Champcar as much as you lot but these last few years with NO telly has been gut wrenching but every year I get to cross the ditch and enjoy.
This year was the first without my son so even though I was excited it was still rather "flat" even though my wife was trying her best to gee me up. The flight across the ditch was uneventful until "two-beers" behind me threw up. Over me. At 35000 feet. On arrival in Brisbane after weeks of heat, it rained.
Met my daughter and headed down to the Coast in a tropical storm. Still missed Jace but at least I was there with my wife and daughter and I could smell the excitement.
The next day after much drama we headed off to the train station to meet my daughters friend except it was a 50th birthday surprise, the two above had secretly got my son over from NZ as a BIG surprise. Ah family, don't you love them! Things (well my mood) improved. At least with your 20 year old son you can say "look at the boobs over there mate" which although my wife is broadminded it's just not the same. ;)
The racing was great! People were interested (in our stand) in all series. For those that say folk are there just for the V8s I say ********. IMHO. Maybe it was Will Power, maybe no repeat winner, maybe Seb or AJ going for the win, who knows but the crowd did not leave when the Champ Cars were on. I love the V8s and Utes and Aus cars but like most I was transfixed by the Champ Cars, and race. There was real excitement esp when Will was still racing.
Seb tried to outbrake Will at our corner and was going WAY too fast. It was dumb, it was stupid and yes the crowd did boo (as with any crash) and I don't think anyone could call it a "racing incident."
The new car looks awesome even though Roberto didn't get it out of 2nd gear. ;) The crowd and announcers were willing him to floor it or stay out for a few more laps but, damn it he played by the rules.
The drivers seem to love Surfers and seem relaxed and there were plenty of off the cuff interviews all weekend. The tone was "it's all good but look out for next year!" One reporter had Katherine collared for the track TV and half way through Kevin wandered past and she grabbed him to the mike too. As always, he was polite, professional, teasing and used that Aussie humor to tease Katherine and Jimmy. Good stuff.
There were discussions over the weekend to secure the race until 2013. There were many references to Stoddart and how he and Kevin were friends. There were boobies about even if it was cool, hardly saw a policeman and seriously, apart from a few guys sleeping in the sun the next morning I couldn't say there were drunks all over the place. Maybe I was just in another part of town. ;)
All in all I had a blast. Hit the BIG 50 with my family at a Champ Car race. It doesn't get much better than that. Well maybe a bit warmer and more boobies about. ;)
Take care all and really, you ALL have to make it down here at least once. You won't regret it!
Bugger, it was a bloody novel.
Rusty.
You know I love Champcar as much as you lot but these last few years with NO telly has been gut wrenching but every year I get to cross the ditch and enjoy.
This year was the first without my son so even though I was excited it was still rather "flat" even though my wife was trying her best to gee me up. The flight across the ditch was uneventful until "two-beers" behind me threw up. Over me. At 35000 feet. On arrival in Brisbane after weeks of heat, it rained.
Met my daughter and headed down to the Coast in a tropical storm. Still missed Jace but at least I was there with my wife and daughter and I could smell the excitement.
The next day after much drama we headed off to the train station to meet my daughters friend except it was a 50th birthday surprise, the two above had secretly got my son over from NZ as a BIG surprise. Ah family, don't you love them! Things (well my mood) improved. At least with your 20 year old son you can say "look at the boobs over there mate" which although my wife is broadminded it's just not the same. ;)
The racing was great! People were interested (in our stand) in all series. For those that say folk are there just for the V8s I say ********. IMHO. Maybe it was Will Power, maybe no repeat winner, maybe Seb or AJ going for the win, who knows but the crowd did not leave when the Champ Cars were on. I love the V8s and Utes and Aus cars but like most I was transfixed by the Champ Cars, and race. There was real excitement esp when Will was still racing.
Seb tried to outbrake Will at our corner and was going WAY too fast. It was dumb, it was stupid and yes the crowd did boo (as with any crash) and I don't think anyone could call it a "racing incident."
The new car looks awesome even though Roberto didn't get it out of 2nd gear. ;) The crowd and announcers were willing him to floor it or stay out for a few more laps but, damn it he played by the rules.
The drivers seem to love Surfers and seem relaxed and there were plenty of off the cuff interviews all weekend. The tone was "it's all good but look out for next year!" One reporter had Katherine collared for the track TV and half way through Kevin wandered past and she grabbed him to the mike too. As always, he was polite, professional, teasing and used that Aussie humor to tease Katherine and Jimmy. Good stuff.
There were discussions over the weekend to secure the race until 2013. There were many references to Stoddart and how he and Kevin were friends. There were boobies about even if it was cool, hardly saw a policeman and seriously, apart from a few guys sleeping in the sun the next morning I couldn't say there were drunks all over the place. Maybe I was just in another part of town. ;)
All in all I had a blast. Hit the BIG 50 with my family at a Champ Car race. It doesn't get much better than that. Well maybe a bit warmer and more boobies about. ;)
Take care all and really, you ALL have to make it down here at least once. You won't regret it!
Bugger, it was a bloody novel.
Rusty.