2004 Stars and Cars To Be Unveiled at Long Beach Preview

[JoeBob]

http://www.cart.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7511


2004 STARS AND CARS TO BE UNVEILED AT LONG BEACH PREVIEW
Media and Fan Events Planned For March 8-9

INDIANAPOLIS (February 12, 2004) – Followers of the Champ Car World Series will get their long-awaited first look at the lineup of cars, teams and drivers for the 2004 season as the series unveils its new look on March 8-9 in Long Beach, California.

The lineup of 750hp turbocharged Champ Cars will be on hand for two days in Long Beach, site of the April 16-18 season opener, where the new look of Champ Car will be unveiled for the first time. The cars will be revealed to the media at press conferences throughout the two days, along with a series of 2004 driver and team lineups along with sponsor announcements.

“We are delighted that Champ Car has selected Long Beach as the site for this year's preview event,” said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. “This is a great opportunity to showcase the teams and drivers as well as the excitement that we all anticipate will be a part of the 2004 Champ Car World Series which will begin with the 30th anniversary Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach this April.”

The festivities will open Monday morning and will feature press conferences throughout the two days with Champ Car officials along with other series partners. The preview will end Tuesday evening with a fan event at the Long Beach Convention Center. Fans will have the opportunity to see the new cars and meet all the drivers of the Champ Car World Series as they prepare for the 30th running of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

“We know that our fans have been anxiously awaiting the chance to see what we have planned for 2004,” said 2003 Australia race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay. “We are equally anxious to give the fans a chance to see what we have in store as we gear up for what will be a very exciting racing season.”

A more detailed schedule concerning timing of specific announcements will be released at a later date.

[rabbit]

Sounds like a great event. I like the fan "preview" aspect. Long Beach is a great location for it.

Although the selfish me wishes this was going to be at Mid-Ohio. ;)

[Sean O'Gorman]

Sounds like a great event. I like the fan "preview" aspect. Long Beach is a great location for it.

Although the selfish me wishes this was going to be at Mid-Ohio. ;)

The selfish me wishes there would be SOMETHING Champ Car related at Mid-Ohio. It especially sucks since I just finished watching Super Speeday. :(

[pinniped]

And its in my neck of the woods...I like these new guys... :)

[Brian_R]

Hopefully the new OWRS website will have LOTS of coverage of the preview days, and big pics for wallpaper too!

[Dirty Sanchez]

possible mid-season test at mid-o maybe?

[jcollins28]

Hey this is great. So how many So-Cali OC members plan on going?

[ANAYA YATES]

I just marked it on my calendar. I'll be there :cool:

Giving the fans a chance, not just the media, to see the NEW line up and cars is a wonderful idea.

Whoo hoo!

[dreamracer]

I wish I could be there.... :mad:

Gotta ask for more vacation time from the bosses.

[Winston Wolfe]

I just marked it on my calendar. I'll be there :cool:

Giving the fans a chance, not just the media, to see the NEW line up and cars is a wonderful idea.

Whoo hoo!

Are we gonna carpool or what?
I aint gonna miss this one....

[Anteater]

Thank you, JoeBob--this is the best news I've seen in days! Calendar has been duly marked. Can't wait!!!!!

[jons]

This is great news! I really like the fact that they are making it a big deal rather than have announcements trickle out before the season.

[CART License]

I will see you all at the beach....

Jamie

[pchall]

The selfish me wishes there would be SOMETHING Champ Car related at Mid-Ohio. It especially sucks since I just finished watching Super Speeday. :(


Those in charge at M-O seem to lack the business sense and the balls to run with what made them big through the difficult times.

When you graduate and leave the car rental business, maybe you will be able to afford a condo in the Esses... ;)

[Brickman]

Hey this is great. So how many So-Cali OC members plan on going?

Hmmmm... Depends on if the kitchen cabinets start getting installed that Monday.

[Ferdman]

I'll pobably go on Tuesday.

[ANAYA YATES]

Of course I'll carpool with you Winston Wolfe ;)

As the time draws closer, we'll work out the details.

This is going to be cool :cool:

Anaya

[Winston Wolfe]

Looks like we may have a pretty good SoCal contingent, and we may even have to have a few frosty ones before, or after, the gig.
Anyone got any details on what time it starts?
I am guessing it will be a display situation only, with drivers and teams showing off the latest for 2004, for the "Season that wasn't supposed to be", and the "Season that TG Bootlickers and Kool-Aid drinkers never WANTED to see".
Now its time to drive down and see if they are putting up the grandstands down on Shoreline. Take the old "red car" out on the back straight and run through a few stops signs and try to avoid the security guards.
Its kind of a Springtime "ritual" here in these parts, letting you know that the second weekend in April is just around the hairpin....
The sweet sound of turbos echoing off the concrete canyon walls of beautiful Shoreline Drive.... yup, Springtime in SoCal, ya gotta love it! :thumbup:

[Sean O'Gorman]

When you graduate and leave the car rental business, maybe you will be able to afford a condo in the Esses... ;)

I left the car rental business back in December, but I'm still involved in the glamourous world of airport valet parking. ;) I would've left months ago, but I somehow accumulated three weeks of vacation time for 2004, so I'll use those up going to races and then find a real job for my remaining semesters of school. ;)

[Anteater]

Anyone got any details on what time it starts?


AWESOME info here: :cool:
http://www.longbeachgp.com/

Join Us for the Long Beach Champ Car Fan Festival on Tuesday, March 9!

Get your first look at the cars and drivers of the 2004 Champ Car World Series on Tuesday, March 9 with the first-ever Champ Car Fan Festival in Long Beach. The event - free to the public - will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Long Beach Arena, adjacent to the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center downtown.
The centerpiece of the Champ Car Fan Festival will be an all-driver autograph session, but there will also be music, games and a mini-Expo with vendor displays and booths. In addition, many of this year’s Champ Cars will be on display with their new paint schemes.

"We are delighted to be able to provide this opportunity for our fans," said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. "This is a great way to showcase the Champ Car teams and drivers as well as the excitement that we all anticipate will be a part of the 2004 Champ Car World Series which will begin with the 30th anniversary Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach this April 16-18."

The Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center is located at 300 East Ocean Blvd. in Long Beach. From the I-405 (San Diego Freeway) North and South, take the Long Beach Freeway (I-710) South to the Downtown Exits (the I-710 then becomes Shoreline Drive). Follow Shoreline Drive to Linden Avenue and follow directional signage into the parking lot.

I'm so excited about this! Go CCWS and the GPALB!!!! :thumbup:

[pinniped]

I look forward to seeing the 'Eaters and everyone else on the 9th!

[Anteater]

There was an ad for the Fan Festival in my newspaper today! :cool: Right under the ad for the LBGP.

[manic mechanic]

Any chance of a carpool from the Inland Empire contingent??

CARTLicense...JCollins...CARTNUT...Brick?

Bueller...Bueller...Bueller... :D

I'm going no matter what the circumstance. I'll hit my boss up for a few hours off next Tuesday afternoon, but the Pirate Truck only seats 2. A higher capacity vehicle might make things better for more than just myself.

manic

[CARTNUT]

Somebody call my name?

(Manic I got your PM. See reply.)

I would be happy to drive us all in the bus, but I need to find out for sure if I have the afternoon off. At this point I'm about 98% sure, so where and when do we want to meet? Hey! We could meet at the new Rec Center at TownGate Memorial Park off of Day St. and Eucalyptus Ave. (Right about where pit road was at RIR.) They have a bunch of old Riverside International Raceway Memorabilia inside. It's kinda cool, but sad.

Let me know,

'NUT :gomer:

[Anteater]

I'm still on the e-mailing list for the Champ Car Inner Circle Fan Club, and received the following bit of info from them:

Dear Champ Car Fan,

Come see the 2004 Champ Cars and the talented men who drive them on
Tuesday, March 9 from 5pm - 8pm at the Long Beach Convention Center
Arena. The Champ Car Fan Fest is free and open to the public. This
will be one of the only opportunities all year to get this close to so
many teams and their cars.

There will be lots to do and see such as:

Autograph sessions
Q&A with the drivers
Pit stop demonstrations
Champ Car tour with a team engineer
Bridgestone Tire Mounting demonstrations
Ford Display
Live Music
Bridgestone racing simulator
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Display
Inside look at a racing transporter

Sign up for the raffle to win great prizes like:

Champ Car Safety Team Firesuit
Pace Car rides around the Long Beach circuit
Ford Racing memorabilia
Bridgestone Motorsport memorabilia
Access for 2 to Victory Circle Celebration
Breakfast at a team hospitality unit on Saturday of Long Beach race
weekend
Checkered flag autographed by all the drivers
One-of-a-kind Rocketsports hat made exclusively for Alex Tagliani
when he joined Rocketsports in 2003 and also bearing the logo of
then associate sponsor Player‘s, which makes it all that more unique

Can‘t make it to Long Beach for the Fan Fest? Stay tuned for more
information on how you can participate!
*****
So where are we meeting? :)

[ANAYA YATES]

This was AWESOME tonight :thumbup:

I'll upload my pics to my website tomorrow.

Way better then Town Hall meeting

We are off to a GOOD start people
:)

A few others have some pics. Manic. Winston. Normal So.Cal contingent....and we were ALL there :cool:

[ANAYA YATES]

Here is a link to some pics of tonight.

http://homepage.mac.com/racetoski1/PhotoAlbum1.html

Manic and Nick have some too!

[Dave99]

Manic and Nick have some too!
So does Dave. :p

Here are some pics of the cars that were there at the fan-fest inside the LB Arena as well as a few of the drivers before the digicam sucked the life out of the batteries. Digital cameras SUCK! Anyways, click on the "right" arrow (in the blue bar at the top) to go to the next picture...

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4091257&a=31140928&p=67239229

I also took a lap around the track and will have those pics up in the next day or so.

[Steve99]

So does Dave. :p

Here are some pics of the cars that were there at the fan-fest inside the LB Arena as well as a few of the drivers before the digicam sucked the life out of the batteries. Digital cameras SUCK! Anyways, click on the "right" arrow (in the blue bar at the top) to go to the next picture...

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4091257&a=31140928&p=67239229

I also took a lap around the track and will have those pics up in the next day or so.

"Frenchy's Fries car" :rofl: good one

Loved the captions, Dave.

[Fitti Fan]

Nice pics guys. Take extra batteries next time Dave and don't leave the reviewer on when snapping!

What, no Fuji truck? ;)

[theunions]

So how many Atlantic drivers were actually there per the advance press release, given that they tested at Firebird yesterday and are still doing so today?

[Dave99]

What, no Fuji truck? ;)
You mean similar to this? ;)

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4091257&a=31077815&p=67245955&f=0

[Fitti Fan]

You mean similar to this? ;)

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4091257&a=31077815&p=67245955&f=0


Ahhhh, the good old days. Thanks for making that one possible Dave. :)

[Dave99]

Here's the link to some pics of a lap around the LBGP from last Tuesday's Fan Fest. My Olympus OM-1 SLR worked out much better than that crappy digicam I used for the indoor shots. :)


http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4091257&a=31145108&p=67279562

[manic mechanic]

This was AWESOME tonight :thumbup:

I'll upload my pics to my website tomorrow.

Way better then Town Hall meeting

We are off to a GOOD start people
:)

A few others have some pics. Manic. Winston. Normal So.Cal contingent....and we were ALL there :cool:

Here's the link to my pics...Some are ok and some are so-so.

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mercenary36/album?.dir=/f9c4

BTW Dave, maybe you should invest in some NiMh batteries and a charger :D

manic