So this is how it ends [Archive]

extramundane

04-18-08, 10:24 AM

This will be a bummer of a weekend with the end of my favorate series,

It ended a long time ago for me. At this point, I'll almost be happy to see it put out of its misery, rather than limping along with 12 cars, vaporware races and 1-hour highlight shows on Fox Sports South Dakota.

Who is everyone rooting for this weekend? What are some of your best Champcar memories?

Toronto '94. Walking around the paddock, most of the drivers were nowhere to be seen, but I got to talk with an up-and-coming young driver named Jimmy Vasser. He was driving for Hayhoe at the time, but mentioned that he had something "in the works" for 1995 that could be major. I was a Jeeemy fan from then on. I seriously doubt he'll contend this weekend, but you can damn sure bet he'll party like a spicoli afterwards. :thumbup:

It just dawned on me that Mike Andretti won every CART race I attended. That's...unfortunate.

dando

04-18-08, 10:35 AM

I'm not really pulling for anyone, but it would be nice to see Jeemy do well.

Favorite memories are my first race (US 500 '96), watching Herta break the track record @ MO, being inside the fence @ MO shooting pics with Herta on the pole, watching Z and Jeemy touch wheels during the post-race parade lap @ Laguna moments after I just said to a friend, "wouldn't it be great if they touched wheels". :laugh:

Bittersweet memories are The Pass, Rahole running out of fuel @ Brazil when he had the perfect car the year before he retired, and Mad Max running out of fuel @ MIS in that awesome Harley/Miller Lite car. :(

Oh, and having dinner with Mad Max, which I won during Miller's charity drive one year, for $100 was pretty :cool: as well.

Thanks, FTG. :finger:

Drop the Flag. :(

-Kevin

Spicoli

04-18-08, 10:46 AM

no matter how hard ftg tries, he'll never replace what we had.

Napoleon

04-18-08, 10:48 AM

Oh and to start off this thread I really did intend to give a tip of the hat to Railbird with a:

Drop the Flag.

extramundane

04-18-08, 10:58 AM

Oh and to start off this thread I really did intend to give a tip of the hat to Railbird with a:

Drop the Flag.

:thumbup:

04-18-08, 11:31 AM

Too many memories to type. Late nights, the paranoia and secrecy back in the day of multi-engines, just the smell of MONEY in the paddock. The deals being made, Biff Henderson in Detroit, identifying engines by their sound, figuring out that you really don't want to sit on the pitwall when the track is hot.

Last few years it's been different. In some (selfish) ways it's been a jillion times better.

At the track, with my main racing buddy, g.:thumbup:

See ya at RA. Might have some more g.'s with.

Drop the flag.

KLang

04-18-08, 11:59 AM

Too many memories to type.

:thumbup:

Most special memory for me:

My first live race, Road America 1994. I remember vividly standing along the fence on the front straight when the cars went by the for the first practice on Friday morning. Turbos screaming by before slamming on the brakes to go through turn one. I was hooked. :cool:

Not sure if I'll watch this weekend.... :(

dando

04-18-08, 12:07 PM

And the CCWS site remains frozen in time..... :( :saywhat:

Plus, it's crawling now and has been since the merger. (Must be NRC collecting his bits of nostalgia ;))

-Kevin

patski

04-18-08, 12:14 PM

And the CCWS site remains frozen in time..... :( :saywhat:

Plus, it's crawling now and has been since the merger. (Must be NRC collecting his bits of nostalgia ;))

-Kevin

Not quite. T&S was working for CCA and I was able to get into Race Director.
Not sure what it means, but I will know in lass than an hour and CC T&S is working.

sadams

04-18-08, 12:18 PM

Mansell and Tracy NHIS 1993, I was there and it was awesome.:thumbup:

Thanks Tony and the Greedy CART owners:flame:

Drop The Flag!

dando

04-18-08, 12:20 PM

Not quite. T&S was working for CCA and I was able to get into Race Director.
Not sure what it means, but I will know in lass than an hour and CC T&S is working.

That's good to know. Won't do us any good during the race, tho. :saywhat: :(

-Kevin

Sean O'Gorman

04-18-08, 12:51 PM

Oh, and having dinner with Mad Max, which I won during Miller's charity drive one year, for $100 was pretty :cool: as well. :rolleyes:

This restaurant needs Mad Max more than Mad Max needs this restaurant!!

dando

04-18-08, 01:07 PM

This restaurant needs Mad Max more than Mad Max needs this restaurant!!

True to form right up to the end, SOG. :shakehead

-Kevin

TKGAngel

04-18-08, 01:15 PM

- Attending my first race in 1999 (Cleveland). Did not enjoy the massive sunburn, though.

- The Cleveland night race, where you could see the brakes glowing red and the sparks coming off the cars. Also cool was the fact that you could see the fireworks displays of some of the lakeside towns while waiting for the city of Cleveland to get theirs underway after the race.

- Realizing that my enjoyment (and cynicism) about racing grew as I spent more time reading the boards.

patski

04-18-08, 01:16 PM

Live T&S is working on the CC website.

Easy

04-18-08, 01:20 PM

I'd like to see Jimmy or FaFu win this weekend. It would be nice for one of those long term guys who saw it all take the victory in this sort of retrospective edition of the LBGP.

CART/IndyCar/CC memories: 1994, Elkhart Lake. My first attended IndyCar race, saw Cheques take his first win, Kendall dominate the T/A race (or was that 95?) and changed the path of my life for the next 10+ years.

CdM, PPI and Toyota's first W in Cicero. Managed to weasel some hospitality that day too.

The Mile, 2001. Watching qualy from pit lane. Meeting Carlton Banks and Brian Herta. Herta is a douche, I was glad he had to do the I'm a cocktaster dance at the Safehouse.

2003, the beginning of the end for CC. Meeting Travis M-B under less than ideal circumstances and seeing the ASTJ guys staring at their Reynards in disbelief at Mid-Ohio. But mainly: repairs, scales, 7:55 am warm-up, victory.

The Mile, 2004. Friday afternoon beers with the YFDS crew.

Getting soaked at Road Am 2006 with Corkski while watching non-spec Champ Cars for the last time.

extramundane

04-18-08, 01:28 PM

I just told this one @ Smack this morning, but it bears repeating (and happened about 15 minutes after meeting Vasser):

Molson Indy Toronto, 1994. Some little twerp kid ran into me (6'2", 220ish at the time) in the paddock and nearly fell over. As he was regaining his balance, I realized the little twerp kid was Jacques Villeneuve. I've been a fan of his misfortune ever since. :D

Chaos

04-18-08, 01:43 PM

Greg Moore - coming up through the minors, winning, and then ultimately perishing.

Jacques Villeneuve - winning the championship - first for a Canadian.

Players Tobacco - Granted, they did not do it out of the goodness of their heart, but they created a system that brought drivers through and had success. It was a program Kool tried, but did not quite match. I don't think we will ever see that type of program again.

The Penske Mercedes of 94 - sure, not a CART moment per se, but it was a special moment

Alex Zanardi - great driver, won with class.

The beauty of the Reynards of the late 90s - CART had some of the most beautiful cars.

The variety of engines (up to 4), chassis (up to 4) of the 90s.

The Speeds. During the engine wars, they were breaking some serious records on the superspeedways.

F1 champions - Mansell, Fittipaldi, Andretti.

Andrew Longman

04-18-08, 01:50 PM

I will fondly remember and miss the races I attended with Trevor. I actually started to go to many more races once he came along.

I will not miss going to races year after year because this might the last year for Nazareth, RA, Cleveland, MIS, TO etc.

If I go now I will be going purely for the entertainment of it.

Best memories live? Hard to put them in any order but the Cleveland night race stands out after the fireworks on Friday night , Paul Tracy came up to Trevor in an empty paddock at about 11pm and offered to sign his new PT shirt. That same trip KK insisted Trevor sit in his car and get his picture taken. It was a friendlier paddock than Flemington was on a typical Saturday night. And the setting was so cool that whole weekend with the sunsets, red brakes, and lights.

The MA/JPM duel as MIS was breathtaking. My first live races in person at Trenton and Pocono blew me away.

On TV, Tracy and Mansell at NH. Fitti and lil Al at Indy. I was thrilled an Unser bit the wall and only disappointed that Al wasn't pissed. In the end, real classy. The pass. The first donuts.

I'll miss it by Trev and I have been missing it for years.

Drop the Flag

Dirk Diggler

04-18-08, 02:39 PM

I can't top the memory of holding my breath in terror/amazement when Mears went around the outside of Michael in turn one at Indy. There used to be a time, boys and girls, when racing side by side through the turns on a track like Indy would usually result in a free helicopter ride. I pity you if you missed knowing what a real pass looked like.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVfD1FU28cM

Compare that with "Outside. Still there. Still there. Still there. Still there. Still there. Still there. Still there. Still there. Still there. Still there. Still there."

That's your future.:thumdown:

I don't think I'll be watching this weekend.

Chief

04-18-08, 03:02 PM

Bourdais winning first oval race in Germany...nailbiter Hanford race but it was that good.

ANYTHING Alex Zanardi did, and especially his heroic return to Lauszitz. He embodied the spirit of CART, was a great champion and continues to be an inspiration to everyone.

'93 battle at Loudon, NH. Mansell and Tracy. The best of the best.

Helio in Carl Hogan's car at Gateway putting the heat on Mikey's arse for many many laps. Mikey won but it was phenominal.

Greg Moore's pass at Rio...awesome.

Carl Haas putting his cigar out on Chip Ganassi's face in MoNtegi in 2000. Haas was pissed about the young rookie MONTOYA chopping Mikey in all 4 corners. Great stuff there.

Meeting Railbird and having him put me in my place. Drop the flag indeed.:thumbup:

Getting absolutely PLASTERED with FOURRUNNER in Toronto and setting off the latin temper of the hot Brazillian bartender babe as I drunkenly hit on her. She was ghey.

Having TWISTYBITS literally stagger into my campsite at M-O and we proceeded to go over and drink what seemed like everything the OC crowd had in their coolers till dawn. T'was a long Saturday morning to say the least.

PCHALL, NRC, RaceGrrrl, Devilmaster, Warlock!....EVERYBODY there...it was a pleasure to meet and hang with you all. You all are what being CART fans is all about.

That the FIRST wacky Austrailian race where it rained, dried, rained, ended under darkness. Wild.

CAMPING at NAZARETH....playing "Ol' Solo Mio" in the little Italian restaurant in Naz after we demolished every bottle of Gin they had in an all day CART rainout drink-a-thon. it was 29 degrees that next morning. Another one...the great SNOWOUT. Brutal. Also, young Scott Dixon winning his first here at 20 yrs old.

Pupo's first emotional win in Cleveland.

Driving home from Toronto for three hours, never uttering a sound but feeling the intense sadness after the radio announced Krosnoff was gone.

Overhearing Danny Sullivan and Bobby Rahal rallying together after a good qualifying effort in '94 "we'll teach them young kids something". Kids J. Villeneuve and Robbie Gordon were young lions challenging for the pride....

And it never ends....the best era in AOW will be missed. :(

Andrew Longman

04-18-08, 03:11 PM

I will fondly remember and miss the races I attended with Trevor. I actually started to go to many more races once he came along.

I will not miss going to races year after year because this might the last year for Nazareth, RA, Cleveland, MIS, TO etc.

If I go now I will be going purely for the entertainment of it.

Best memories live? Hard to put them in any order but the Cleveland night race stands out after the fireworks on Friday night , Paul Tracy came up to Trevor in an empty paddock at about 11pm and offered to sign his new PT shirt. That same trip KK insisted Trevor sit in his car and get his picture taken. It was a friendlier paddock than Flemington was on a typical Saturday night. And the setting was so cool that whole weekend with the sunsets, red brakes, and lights.

The MA/JPM duel as MIS was breathtaking. My first live races in person at Trenton and Pocono blew me away.

On TV, Tracy and Mansell at NH. Fitti and lil Al at Indy. I was thrilled an Unser bit the wall and only disappointed that Al wasn't pissed. In the end, real classy. The pass. The first donuts.

I'll miss it but Trev and I have been missing it for years.

Drop the Flag

oddlycalm

04-18-08, 03:41 PM

It just dawned on me that Mike Andretti won every CART race I attended. That's...unfortunate. That's why my favorite moment is Mikey getting pipped at the line by Mario at Portland. :thumbup: :D You just know it wasn't any easier for him because it was Mario that got him...:laugh:

Too many moments and too little time to post them at the moment, but at it's best CART had some of the most memorable cars, drivers and race fans of any series run. :thumbup:

oc

04-18-08, 03:42 PM

I will fondly remember and miss the races I attended with Trevor. I actually started to go to many more races once he came along.

I will not miss going to races year after year because this might the last year for Nazareth, RA, Cleveland, MIS, TO etc.

If I go now I will be going purely for the entertainment of it.

Best memories live? Hard to put them in any order but the Cleveland night race stands out after the fireworks on Friday night , Paul Tracy came up to Trevor in an empty paddock at about 11pm and offered to sign his new PT shirt. That same trip KK insisted Trevor sit in his car and get his picture taken. It was a friendlier paddock than Flemington was on a typical Saturday night. And the setting was so cool that whole weekend with the sunsets, red brakes, and lights.

The MA/JPM duel as MIS was breathtaking. My first live races in person at Trenton and Pocono blew me away.

On TV, Tracy and Mansell at NH. Fitti and lil Al at Indy. I was thrilled an Unser bit the wall and only disappointed that Al wasn't pissed. In the end, real classy. The pass. The first donuts.

I'll miss it but Trev and I have been missing it for years.

Drop the Flag

Quoted, because twice is not enough.;)

RHR_Fan

04-18-08, 04:03 PM

A drunk, certain OC'er having the Nelsonmania poster signed by Tag. :rofl:

FYI I believe the picture of said OC'er with the picture is Nelson's facebook avatar/profile picture.

Michaelhatesfans

04-18-08, 04:30 PM

That's why my favorite moment is Mikey getting pipped at the line by Mario at Portland. You just know it wasn't any easier for him because it was Mario that got him...:laugh:

:laugh: :thumbup:

Elmo T

04-18-08, 05:36 PM

I was a fan for a long time before it dawned on me that Nazareth was less than an hour away. :rolleyes:

I remember pulling onto the property there on Friday AM and hearing the sound of the turbos. My reaction was visceral. I was lucky to remember to put the car in Park before I ran off. FWIW, I had my Exhaust Notes CD in the player today.

I also remember getting sunburned on a warm Saturday in the Lehigh Valley. Then on Sunday, there is snow everywhere. I crawl along Route 22 in the snow to get there, finally ready to turn into the track when they cancel because of the snow. :rofl:

And almost getting run over by Andretti the Lesser on his scooter - at least once - each year.

Chiphead_Dave

04-18-08, 06:16 PM

- My first in person race at Laguna...I loved watching the entrance to the corkscrew.

- The first Denver race I went to I took my kids...my 4 year old son cried when I said it was over and we had to go home.

- The last Denver race (although we didn't know it at the time) when my daughter spent all day trying to talk to Kat Legge...and finally succeeded.

I won't be watching this weekend and I still can't tell my daughter that Kat isn't driving Champcars anymore.

rabbit

04-18-08, 07:04 PM

- Scott Goodyear passing the pace car with 10 laps left in the last real 500.

- Hearing 28 turbocharged V8s light up when the green flag dropped at my first race, the '95 Michigan 500.

- Watching Scott Pruett and Al Unser Jr. go side-by-side right in front of me with the checkered flag in sight at said race.

- The electricity in the Brooklyn, Mich. air on Memorial Day 1996.

- Hearing 100,000 people collectively say, "Oh, ****" at said race.

- Walking out to the car after and exciting 1998 Michigan 500, only to find out about the terrible tragedy in Turn 4 on the radio. I had sat near that same section three years in a row, but decided for some reason to try Turns 1 and 2 that year.

- Hearing Helio and Gil's cars "sputter" coming out of the Keyhole at Mid-Ohio in 2001(ish).

- That crash in Turn 1 at Cleveland.

- That other crash in Turn 1 at Cleveland.

- That other crash in Turn 1 at Cleveland.

- That other crash in Turn 1 at Cleveland.

- The night race at Cleveland and seeing the HUGE blisters on Sebastien's hands when he got out of the car.

- Every Alex Zanardi press conference I ever had the pleasure of attending.

- Greg Moore's Rio pass.

- Tag chasing Tracy down the San Jose pit lane saying "What the ****?!" over and over.

- Way too many more to remember right now.

Drop the flag.

:(

pchall

04-18-08, 07:56 PM

I think it ended at 4am way back when pissing on the mikey andretti and booby rahal stand ups at M-O after eating and drinking all evening with my friends.

Gnam

04-18-08, 08:00 PM

Who needs 'em. I didn't like Champ Cars anyway. :sniff:

I'll just watch the IRL and everything will be fine. Yup, just fine. :cry:

Racing Truth

04-18-08, 08:07 PM

Final thoughts, from my blog! (http://racingandpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/04/so-it-ends.html):gomer:

Tim

04-18-08, 08:33 PM

Seeing little Al smoking.

Being in attendance at Greg Moore's first win.

Alex Zanardi coming up and pissing in the urinal next to me at TO in 1998.

Railbird telling me to lay off the people at TF because I was making his job harder.

My drunk paddock walk at RA in the dark in 2004.

Waking up to a Sheboygan County trooper shining a light in my face that same night.

One last go around with the family at TO last year.

gerhard911

04-18-08, 08:43 PM

Since peeing was brought up...

Walking into the pisser at Buck's (obviously before the Jewish lightning strike), seeing Scot "Hello to my family back home" Pruitt takin' a leak, decked out in a tres chic leather jacket. Then, realizing when I stepped in for my turn, that he left without washing up :yuck:

meadors

04-18-08, 08:47 PM

Long Beach is the race I always wanted to go to but my schedule never allows. I don't think I can handle the trip this time either, so there will be no more new memories of Champ Cars for me.

Some of the high lights I had:

The 1997 3 day soak and freeze at PIR
Any race at Portland I took my sons and nephew with.
Taking my Dad and brother in law to Portland in 2000.
Chasing Alex Zanardi around at Portland in 1996 because my son just knew he was going to be somebody special and he wanted to meet him.
Knowing that Alex Zanardi survived and lived to be an inspiration for many including myself.
Getting to meet my boyhood heros Dan Gurney, Mario, and Emmo.
October '01 and June 02 at Laguna Seca with my boys.
Meeting Chris Mears in Portland. What a sweetheart of a lady.

JohnHKart

04-18-08, 09:11 PM

TRDfan

04-18-08, 09:22 PM

I was late to the game....(post split)

I guess some of my favorite memories were meeting so many wonderful people with such a passion for the sport. I always had dreams of getting to races in a state other than Wisconsin, but it never happened.

From the first time I stumbled onto 7G, and the hours I spend there reading / lurking and discovering the passion that so many here have - I've been in awe of so many of you, and amazed at the devotion that you have.

Hanging out in turn 3 in Milwaukee....meeting old friends and making new ones around every corner at RA.....having my son make a drawing for Scott Dixon and having it presented to him on "CART Friday Night"......great times, great people, it's been an honor to meet so many of you in person - and "know" some of you online.

Would love to see Jimmy be in the mix Sunday. Will be sweet watching the DP-01 one last time.

Audi_A4

04-18-08, 09:31 PM

Since peeing was brought up...

Walking into the pisser at Buck's (obviously before the Jewish lightning strike), :yuck:

?? whats that

Chiphead_Dave

04-18-08, 10:13 PM

Final thoughts, from my blog! (http://racingandpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/04/so-it-ends.html):gomer:

From your blog.

"Indeed, it is vital to recall that the seeds for this mess were not sewn merely in the '90's. In reality, it was Le Mans 1955, the deadly accident that came the closest to killing worldwide motorsports, that started a chain of events that led to 1996."

I hate to disagree with you but - the reason that the split happened was FTG and his powermad desire to have a bigger "penis" than anyone else.

The events of Le Mans and the formation of USAC and the insanity of that organization may have helped the process along and/or allowed it but the end result is a coke fiend with an IQ of and Irish Setter ruined my favorite form of motor sports forever.

Yes CART should have had a better leadership....better grip on their fan base....better .....well lots of things but the end blame resides in one ~man a ~man who should have stepped up to the plate and provided leadership but instead provided stupidity and his "vision".

RIP Champcar...RIP CART.....RIP Indy 500....RIP open wheel in the USA.

emjaya

04-18-08, 10:37 PM

Surfers '91: Hearing the cars for the first time as we walked up to the gate.

anait

04-18-08, 11:17 PM

Driving from Manitoba to BC in '99, pregnant and sick as a dog...but it was worth it...wandering the paddock, hanging around Greg Moore trying to get a pic, only ever got him from behind...feeling like my ears would bleed from that beautiful sound...

Not a favourite moment, but etched into my soul - watching Fontana less than two months later.

Going to Toronto in '04, meeting folks I'd only known online: Chief - kiss on the cheek from a stranger :) ; fourrunner - we talked about baseboards :( ; JT - ironing out online misunderstanding in person, all was well :cool: ; sharing birthday cake with Boogie, and annoying off PT's mom by giving her a piece of cake but no fork :D ...

Chatting with Memo in Toronto...meeting Jimmy and RHR and not having a pen for an autograph...meeting Tommy Kendall...sitting in the stands roasting, enjoying what I did not know would be my last ChampCar race.

Dang it. I'd rather not be at home this weekend.

Sean O'Gorman

04-18-08, 11:36 PM

?? whats that

Burning a building for insurance money.

TravelGal

04-19-08, 12:20 AM

I got so emotional I almost started crying the first practice today because the reality hit me. Had a great day none the less and I went in the paddock for the first time in years. Sorry to see it all go. I haven't been on race day either in five years, I've got my ticket today also. See you there.

John

I got choked up myself several times right near the end of the autograph session. Yet, there were so many friends there and the drivers seemed, mostly, as accepting it all (what choice to they have you might say but at least some have drives for the season) so to be honest, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting it to be. But strangely, horribly, I will still be glad when the weekend is over. It all has a sort of surreal atmosphere. Yet it is racing as I love it. Talk about conflicted!

Memories? Too many to post.

Andrew Longman

04-19-08, 06:18 AM

Quoted, because twice is not enough.;)

Yeah. wassup with that? Look at the post times. Mods feel free to fix. :confused:

Spicoli

04-19-08, 06:21 AM

A drunk, certain OC'er having the Nelsonmania poster signed by Tag. :rofl:

FYI I believe the picture of said OC'er with the picture is Nelson's facebook avatar/profile picture.

oh, what the ****. here you go princess.

http://pixpipeline.com/s/6d715f21a881.jpg (http://pixpipeline.com/d/6d715f21a881.jpg)

Andrew Longman

04-19-08, 06:26 AM

I hate to disagree with you but - the reason that the split happened was FTG and his powermad desire to have a bigger "penis" than anyone else.

Gotta agree. AAA did a better job than USAC in promoting the sport, but it still wasn't their core business or mission. They were also lobbying for better highways and such.

The real issue is if TG hadn't acted, CART would have been just fine, greedy, stupid owners or no. Look at baseball. It has always been run by a collection of greedy stupid owners with a weak commissioner and they've done just fine. They could be better, but the public digs their product and cities want teams. CART had that too.

BTW if you're ever in Orlando you can stop by AAA headquarters and in their lobby they have a cool display of their years promoting racing in America. If you are a fan of racing history it is worth stopping by

Andrew Longman

04-19-08, 06:32 AM

I remember pulling onto the property there on Friday AM and hearing the sound of the turbos. My reaction was visceral.

I had the exact same response pulling into the MIS parking lot in 98 during Saturday morning practice

I also remember getting sunburned on a warm Saturday in the Lehigh Valley.

Wasn't that the most gorgeous Spring day? A lot like yesterday actually. I remember sitting in the stands thinking there is now way it could actually snow tomorrow.

Unlike you, on Sunday morning I looked out the window an knew not to even leave the house. :gomer:

JT265

04-19-08, 07:02 AM

Driving from Manitoba to BC in '99, pregnant and sick as a dog...but it was worth it...wandering the paddock, hanging around Greg Moore trying to get a pic, only ever got him from behind...feeling like my ears would bleed from that beautiful sound...

Not a favourite moment, but etched into my soul - watching Fontana less than two months later.

Going to Toronto in '04, meeting folks I'd only known online: Chief - kiss on the cheek from a stranger :) ; fourrunner - we talked about baseboards :( ; JT - ironing out online misunderstanding in person, all was well :cool: ; sharing birthday cake with Boogie, and annoying off PT's mom by giving her a piece of cake but no fork ...

Chatting with Memo in Toronto...meeting Jimmy and RHR and not having a pen for an autograph...meeting Tommy Kendall...sitting in the stands roasting, enjoying what I did not know would be my last ChampCar race.

Dang it. I'd rather not be at home this weekend.

I resemble that! :thumbup: I have waay too many memories to try and peg one as being the coolest. I remember that strange dood with the Nelsonlove hanging out and disrupting my sleep too!

And Anait, knowing Greg, I'm sure he didn't mind that you got him from behind in the least. BTW- You have too many smilies in your post for me to use any, but they are there, trust me!

Chief

04-19-08, 08:35 AM

Going to Toronto in '04, meeting folks I'd only known online: Chief - kiss on the cheek from a stranger :)
I remember it like yesterday...;):)

Elmo T

04-19-08, 03:46 PM

Unlike you, on Sunday morning I looked out the window an knew not to even leave the house. :gomer:

I didn't think they'd actually attempt a run, but IF they did... I was NOT going to miss a snowy race. :rofl:

Racing Truth

04-19-08, 05:08 PM

Gotta agree. AAA did a better job than USAC in promoting the sport, but it still wasn't their core business or mission. They were also lobbying for better highways and such.

The real issue is if TG hadn't acted, CART would have been just fine, greedy, stupid owners or no. Look at baseball. It has always been run by a collection of greedy stupid owners with a weak commissioner and they've done just fine. They could be better, but the public digs their product and cities want teams. CART had that too.

To answer both you and Dave: The point I was trying to make was more of an academic, technical one. Even if AAA hadn't skipped town, something would likely have set events into motion anyhow. Full agreement. It just happens that '55 was the event that, unknown to anyone at the time, started the clock.

I'd also make another point. Yes, Anton screwed the whole thing up, and is responsible for the start of the mess. But, IMHO, as ChrisB's timeline indicates, '96, seen as part of a bigger picture, was the culmination in a power struggle between IMS and the owners going back to the 70's (which, technically, was set up by the events of '55). IMS never liked the arrangement, but previous owners of the track were smart enough to deal with it. TG was not.

One slight problem with the MLB analogy: '94 strike (not to mention the 'roid era). Plus, Selig's a tool. Not the best defense of the CART structure.

I hesitate to bring this up, lest it seem like I'm OK with what TG did. Clearly, whatever shortcomings the CART org. had, it was nowhere near bad enough to justify a power-grab split. Period.

Still, are we to assume, given the rise of NASCAR simultaneous to the split, that the sport would not have faced tougher times anyhow? As bad as the split made it? No, but maybe tough enough to force important decisions to be made? Likely, I think. And we can only speculate on how they would have been handled.

Chiphead_Dave

04-19-08, 09:21 PM

To answer both you and Dave: The point I was trying to make was more of an academic, technical one. Even if AAA hadn't skipped town, something would likely have set events into motion anyhow. Full agreement. It just happens that '55 was the event that, unknown to anyone at the time, started the clock.

I'd also make another point. Yes, Anton screwed the whole thing up, and is responsible for the start of the mess. But, IMHO, as ChrisB's timeline indicates, '96, seen as part of a bigger picture, was the culmination in a power struggle between IMS and the owners going back to the 70's (which, technically, was set up by the events of '55). IMS never liked the arrangement, but previous owners of the track were smart enough to deal with it. TG was not.

One slight problem with the MLB analogy: '94 strike (not to mention the 'roid era). Plus, Selig's a tool. Not the best defense of the CART structure.

I hesitate to bring this up, lest it seem like I'm OK with what TG did. Clearly, whatever shortcomings the CART org. had, it was nowhere near bad enough to justify a power-grab split. Period.

Still, are we to assume, given the rise of NASCAR simultaneous to the split, that the sport would not have faced tougher times anyhow? As bad as the split made it? No, but maybe tough enough to force important decisions to be made? Likely, I think. And we can only speculate on how they would have been handled.

Ok I think I understand (and agree) with where you are coming from.

Dave

Fio1

04-19-08, 09:31 PM

TKGAngel

04-19-08, 09:46 PM

Sucks that it has to end. Sucks that I'm in Road Atlanta instead of Long Beach. Sucks that open wheel racing in America is officially dead and point-less.

Hope Tagliani wins the race! Hope my DVDR works. Hope it's a great race and hope they postpone Motegi again....

As much as I'd love to see Tag win, I'd really like to see Wilson win. From what I've read, it sounds like he had a rough week, as Baby Wilson arrived a month-and-a-half ahead of schedule last Saturday.

dando

04-19-08, 10:04 PM

As much as I'd love to see Tag win, I'd really like to see Wilson win. From what I've read, it sounds like he had a rough week, as Baby Wilson arrived a month-and-a-half ahead of schedule last Saturday.

I can empathize. Our first arrived 7 weeks early after a month + hospital stay. :(

-Kevin

anait

04-19-08, 10:08 PM

(Mods, sorry about the size of the first pic - I don't know how to resize.)

These were posted at another site. Look at Nelson's suit - CART and FedEx logos:

http://66.223.111.192/Images/2008/IRL/LongBeach/Saturday/LBSatAM1.jpg

Back of Nelson's suit:

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5034/lb08satrf22403nh2.jpg

Sigh. :(

morgahorse

04-19-08, 10:11 PM

I remember...

- the first race my father took me to was '82 500.

- going to Milwaukee races

- going to the Cicero races

- going to the U.S. 500 races

- taking my 7 month pregnant wife to her first race at RA in '94

Ray Scar

04-19-08, 11:36 PM

I have so many memories of CART at Road America, I've never missed a race there.

Nelsonmania is one of the funniest things I've ever seen (screwing up the video will forever haunt me) but that party you guys had in '04 when our Norwegian friend was here really stands out as one of my fondest memories.

I started getting interested in open wheelers after a trip to Indy in '75. At first it was just to party because road courses and sports cars was what I was really into. But the place hooked me and I went every May for the next two decades.

So for me '79 was when the split really began. It was easy to see the future was with CART and USAC was a dinosaur. A handful of ovals and "AJ Foyt popoff valves" couldn't compete with a mix of road/ovals/street with world class drivers.

Thanks for the memories.

"Drop the flag" indeed.

RTKar

04-20-08, 12:35 AM

favorite memories...wow, so many. Quite a few that are pretty esoteric;

driving to Milwaukee on Greenfield Ave and hearing cars on the track.

sitting in the woods before T-5 at RA and hearing the cars approach and whoosh by.

Being in J stand just before the start of the 500 (pre-96)

meeting some good folks

Being in the shade at Michigan...walking down to the track and seeing a car go by...incredible!

having so many races nearby.

Fridays of race weekend were always the best.

I enjoyed taking pics and finally getting something that was worthy.

ChrisB

04-20-08, 07:55 AM

Some memories of mine....

I had attended a lot of the USAC-sanctioned Indy/Champ races at Pocono and Trenton in the 70's, so the early CART era of the 80's seemed to me like a continuation of that. Some highlights of tha era:

Pocono 1986: Mario finally wins Pocono!

Nazareth 1987: new track at Nazareth.. Mikey wins.

Pocono 1989: last CART race there.

(I also wanna stick in here that the Meadowlands 1984 race was awful... I've never really liked temp street races)

Nazareth 1993: the pinnacle of the CART era: Mansell wins the Championship at Nazareth. (you know that photo of Nigel holding the PPC cup over his head? That's Nazareth 1993)

1996: the internet goes mainstream right at the time of "the split" From this point on, we all have a means to discuss all this.

Nazareth 1997: probably the best race at Nazareth, and certainly the biggest crowd.

Nazareth 2000: got to see both the Silver Crown race and CART qualifying on the same Sat. afternoon. 7G get-together afterwards, I got to meet MarkC, Bruce(fourrunner), Anita, and others. Snow out the next day... and the make up race was the following Memorial weekend.

(after that, it all went downhill at Nazareth... but some good memories... thank goodness we still have Williams Grove for 410 sprint cars)

Napoleon

04-20-08, 09:11 AM

So many memories for me.

It seems like nearly every of the early races I went to be won by Emo. For as much as I have always disliked Penske, I still rooted for him when he left Patrick.

I forget the year (but it must have been 90 according to Wickapedia) one searing memory is sitting in my seats at Cleveland which were right on the isle leading up to the announcing booth (in later years they changed it so that the booth was not at the top of the stands, but early on it was). Well up comes Scott Pruett, who had been hospitalized for some time to recover from a horrible crash. He was very slowly walking, just barely walking (more like shuffling up the stairs) to go to the booth to be interviewed. It was painful just to watch him. After seeing that I am still amazed he ever got back in a car.

The year Emo and Lil Al battled at Indy (I know, technically not CART).

Or the year my brother, who was taking Italian lessons, and I are walking to the pits at Cleveland and here comes Zanardi by us on a bike so my brother yells out in Italian “Good luck, Allisandro” and Zanardi all but fell of his bike jerking his head around to see who was yelling in Italian. Of course he answered, in Italian, “thank you!”

So many of the Cleveland races were fun.

Being able to see the Champ Cars at Road America.

Mike A. destroying his car at the end of the backstretch at Mid-Ohio.

And maybe most of all this board, and its predecessors. It has made watching open wheel racing so much more enjoyable, just to be able to share opinions and having a ready made group to meet at the track, like nrc, Missy, Devilmaster, pchall, Warlock, Chop456, Railbird and son Nick, and all the rest of you I have hung out with over the years. I really can’t imagine enduring the split without the kindred spirits to be found hear.

Sean O'Gorman

04-20-08, 09:58 AM

Is Figge wearing a Pontiac hat?

trish

04-20-08, 10:05 AM

Were the IndyCar drivers required to wear the series logo?

Sean O'Gorman

04-20-08, 10:28 AM

I doubt they were going to get a second suit just for this race.

trish

04-20-08, 10:43 AM

Wilson looks silly. And who's the dude in the shades?

dando

04-20-08, 11:45 AM

And who's the dude in the shades?

Cookie Boy, I believe.

For all that talk on Letterman about Rahal being too tall to drive in OW, he doesn't appear that much taller than most of the drivers. Wilson, OTOH, :eek:.

-Kevin

trish

04-20-08, 11:50 AM

Cookie Boy, I believe.

For all that talk on Letterman about Rahal being too tall to drive in OW, he doesn't appear that much taller than most of the drivers. Wilson, OTOH, :eek:.

-Kevin

That's not Oriol. The one who needs a haircut and he's actually wearing the shades.

Graham and Justin are the tallest. Graham is visibly taller than the other drivers as is Justin.

dando

04-20-08, 11:59 AM

That's not Oriol. The one who needs a haircut and he's actually wearing the shades.

Graham and Justin are the tallest. Graham is visibly taller than the other drivers as is Justin.

And I said the Rahal does not appear that much taller than the other drivers...meaning he has an inch or two over most of them. There is no way we can assess his height compared to the guys in the 2nd and 3rd rows. My guess is that he's 6'.

-Kevin

trish

04-20-08, 12:18 PM

And I said the Rahal does not appear that much taller than the other drivers...meaning he has an inch or two over most of them. There is no way we can assess his height compared to the guys in the 2nd and 3rd rows. My guess is that he's 6'.

-Kevin

It looks to me like the shorter drivers are standing on something while they put the taller drivers in front. I'd say Justin has a couple of inches on Graham and they both have at least 3 on the ones in the fron of the picture.

dando

04-20-08, 01:56 PM

It looks to me like the shorter drivers are standing on something while they put the taller drivers in front. I'd say Justin has a couple of inches on Graham and they both have at least 3 on the ones in the fron of the picture.

Justin is 6' 3", BTW. The other guy in the shades (I overlooked him before) has to be either Moares, Viso or Bernoldi since he has a HoMoCo logo on his suit (had to race @ St. Pete to get that).

-Kevin