New sponsor for Portland race

[datachicane]

Just got GEG's newsletter- among other things, it mentioned Mexicana Airlines and the Port of Portland as sponsors for this year's Champcar race...

[Turn7]

:thumbup:

[TravelGal]

I just had a call from them yesterday. Doesn't look like I can make it this year but they said the light rail is now OPEN! www.trimet.org Easier than ever to get to the track from downtown Portland and surrounding points on the "yellow line."

This is a great place to see a race. The city is great and the track is great. Paddock passes get you right by the pits. I hope everyone will do their best to support it. Now if *I* could only figure out a way to get there!

[Anteater]

:thumbup: I think it's time for a "Who's going to Portland?" thread.

[Spicoli]

Same day as USGP. :(

[cyclepath]

Same day as USGP. :(


What's a USGP?? ;)

Looks like Portland for me!!!

[datachicane]

They couldn't have planned the new max line better- the terminus is 10th and Yamhill, IIRC, right across the street from the Jake's in the Governor Hotel and a couple of blocks from Mio Gelato (and Powell's, for that matter).

Grab a quick Gianduia Affogato from Mio Gelato, hop on the max and catch some racing, ride back at lunchtime for Jake's Crawfish Etouffe' . Man, I love this town. :D

[BZSetshot]

Just got GEG's newsletter- among other things, it mentioned Mexicana Airlines and the Port of Portland as sponsors for this year's Champcar race...

Mexicana Airlines ... another Mexican company stepping up to get involved with Champcar. Awesome. BTW, for all our Mexican friends, Mexicana is running a special promotion to Portland from Mexico until June 30th.

Mexicana Promotion to Portland (http://www.mexicana.com/g4mx/public/templates/Main/0,3292,,00.html?templateLink=|g4mx|public|news|New sDetailF.jsp&newsId=1409761&sectionLabel=null&sectionKey=g4mx.corporate.news)

[dreamracer]

They had a Rocketsports Champ Car at the Cinco De Mayo Festival on the waterfront this past weekend, at the Mexicana Airlines booth. :thumbup:

I'll be there in C2 for the race with the missus. Hope to see you all there.

Also, the 2 seater will be at PIR this coming Wednesday to give rides to selected media members here in Portland. They should have local TV and Newspaper folks there to cover the event I would expect.

They are also giving away bumper stickers that say Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland, via local Entercom Network radio stations (there are several). If you dispoaly the bumper sticker and they see it with their roving radion station vans, you win free tickets and other assorted prizes.

Nice.

[oddlycalm]

BTW, they have also got the Port of Portland onboard as a sponsor as well this year. Not sure what kind of political arm twisting that took, but it's a great promotional opportunity for a port that is one of the best kept secrets around. While #2 in shipping tonnage on the West Coast, nobody has heard of the Port and most people can't imagine this level of marine shipping 100 miles inland on a river. When business people come here and see a half dozen supertankers tied up at Swan Island it starts to dawn on them that these are pretty big rivers. This port needs to promote itself in the same way Long Beach has, and use the race as a tool to secure new business.


I just had a call from them yesterday. Doesn't look like I can make it this year but they said the light rail is now OPEN! www.trimet.org Easier than ever to get to the track from downtown Portland and surrounding points on the "yellow line."

Hope you can figure out a way to be here!

There was a Champ Car and information stand at the Kenton destination stop during the Free Ride day that inaugerated the Yellow Line couple Saturdays back. They were making certain people knew that the Yellow Line stops at the front gate of PIR. :thumbup:

CWRS and Global Events have worked much harder at grass roots local promotion than in the past. The weekly newsletter, the call to past ticketholders, the attempts by the promoter to get out of town visitors seats by near their Portland friends, the two seater rides for the media, and the presence of a Champ Car and information stand at virtually every community event for the last three months.

The article by the stick and ball writer that resulted from the two seater rides on medial day was another small victory. While the Oregonian has had a regular stream of articles on the race since it was announced it was happening, getting the stick and ball writers onboard is pivotal.

IMO, if this kind of grass roots marketing had been happening during the previous 10yrs, this race would be one of the biggest events in the country, and sponsors would be lined up ten deep.

oc