Joudain Gone - Official

[Wheel-Nut]

http://sports.iwon.com/news/01062005/v2567.html

:thumdown:

[KLang]

A loss for ChampCar IMO.

The Ford connection is interesting.

[Andrew Longman]

PPC a top team? :rolleyes:

This will hurt the Mexican races and I assume that also means Gigante is gone too, which hurts. But I can't say I'll miss him. He never showed me much.

I doubt he will have more luck than John Andretti and Kenny Wallace. ;)

[Turn7]

Sounds like the last half of a "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" deal.

Jourdain stayed with Champ Car last year in return for Ford stepping up its activity to find him a Nascar deal.

Oh well, that ain't no step for a stepper.

[NismoZ]

And, hopefully soon, we'll hear "DaMatta IN", and Michel will soon be forgotten. You can be assured The Amigos are looking for another Mexican driver or two (and an Australian, and a Korean? :) )...remember, there are WAY more good, fast, qualified drivers out there than teams or cars! Let Ludicrous Season continue!

[KobySon]

I don't know why people keep hatin' on Michel... like, "he wasn't all that" kinda statements. 03 was a lean year for the series but Michel really showed his potential in good equipment. If Rawhore hadn't have got on his knees and puckered up for the yen, Michel could have gone so much further. Plus he was one of the nicest guys on the circuit.

I'll miss him.

from champcar:
2003
The eight-year veteran had his breakout campaign in 2003…Scored back-to-back runner-up finishes to start the year and chased those performances with a pole-winning run in Long Beach…Led 48 laps in Long Beach but missed his chance at a first win when his gearbox died on his last pit stop…Took podium finish at Lausitz and followed that with the best day of his career in Milwaukee… Starting second, Michel led a single-race series-record 234 laps around the Milwaukee Mile to score his first series victory and take the lead in the Champ Car World Series for the first time in his career…Doubled that career win total in Montreal, coming from fourth on the grid to take the victory…Led the series in laps completed for the second consecutive year and earned six podiums finishes along with five more fourth-place runs…Scored a career-high 195 championship points and ended up with the third spot in the championship.

[racer2c]

I don't know why people keep hatin' on Michel... like, "he wasn't all that" kinda statements. 03 was a lean year for the series but Michel really showed his potential in good equipment. If Rawhore hadn't have got on his knees and puckered up for the yen, Michel could have gone so much further. Plus he was one of the nicest guys on the circuit.

I'll miss him.

from champcar:
2003
The eight-year veteran had his breakout campaign in 2003…Scored back-to-back runner-up finishes to start the year and chased those performances with a pole-winning run in Long Beach…Led 48 laps in Long Beach but missed his chance at a first win when his gearbox died on his last pit stop…Took podium finish at Lausitz and followed that with the best day of his career in Milwaukee… Starting second, Michel led a single-race series-record 234 laps around the Milwaukee Mile to score his first series victory and take the lead in the Champ Car World Series for the first time in his career…Doubled that career win total in Montreal, coming from fourth on the grid to take the victory…Led the series in laps completed for the second consecutive year and earned six podiums finishes along with five more fourth-place runs…Scored a career-high 195 championship points and ended up with the third spot in the championship.

I agree, he was poised for a breakout year if Rahol hadn't pulled his Benedict Arnold act.

[dando]

This will hurt the Mexican races and I assume that also means Gigante is gone too, which hurts.
Word was that Gigante was already leaving, which is why he didn't have a ride any longer. No one was willing to give him a seat w/o a sponsor.

-Kevin

[trauma1]

and thus Ford helping find a good ride, as a thank you for what he did last year, Gigante leaving him really hurt

[Don Quixote]

What Koby said.

[Jervis Tetch 1]

At least he left with a couple of wins.

[RTKar]

I doubt he'll bad mouth Champcar unlike some other guys. I wish him well and hope he finds some drafting partners....

[Methanolandbrats]

I doubt he'll bad mouth Champcar unlike some other guys. I wish him well and hope he finds some drafting partners.... Ya, he's a cool guy. He was really sincere signing autographs and stuff. I think big piles of Redneck Bucks from ISC are beginning to replace the dwindling flow of Yen.

[Beevis]

PPC a top team? :rolleyes:

I assume that also means Gigante is gone too,
Did you enjoy your nap Mr. Van Winkle?

[JoeBob]

Many forget just how young Michel is. He was racing ChampCars when he was 18 - in fact, he pretty much learned to race cars in ChampCar. Had Rahal not bailed, he would have been my pick to be the series champ.

He was a class act, and he'll be missed. Heck, maybe if things don't work out in the tin tops, he'll be back in a ChampCar in the future.

[JohnHKart]

I said before....to have a Mexican win the LBGP in a Mexican market like Los Angeles, could have been as big a breakthrough as Mario winning the race in 77...I think I was almost in tears in 2003 at Long Beach.

John

[Amanda B.'s Mom]

Michel is a class act. Yes, he was weaned on Champ Cars, so what? He learned and became a top notch driver, both on and off the track. he will be sadly missed in the series.

[theunions]

So when do we complete the trade begun at Sebring '03 and get Kurt Busch back? :gomer:

More than fair, IMHO.