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JoeBob
02-24-05, 12:17 PM
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- San Jose Grand Prix officials announced today that they have added four support series races and an exhibition to the program of events for northern California’s historic first downtown street race July 29-31.

In addition to the previously announced Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford race, drivers from the Toyota Atlantic Championship, Trans-Am Road Racing Series, United States Touring Car Championship and the Historic Stock Car Racing Series will contest races around the HP Pavilion and surrounding streets on the 1.3-mile, 10-turn San Jose Grand Prix circuit. There will also be a Formula Drift (Drifting) exhibition.

“The addition of these four support series events and the Drifting exhibition to the San Jose Grand Prix schedule provides northern California race fans with one of the most exciting race weekends ever,” said San Jose Grand Prix Vice President and General Manager Bob Singleton. “Each of the five races that will be contested is a main attraction in its own right, but when combined gives race fans everywhere something to cheer about. We are proud that we have been able to assemble this line-up and look forward to an outstanding weekend of competition.”

The Champ Car World Series features some of the greatest race car drivers in the world, competing in the most diverse and exciting series in the world. Champions Sebastien Bourdais, Cristiano da Matta, Jimmy Vasser, who hails from the Bay Area, and Canadian Paul Tracy along with 2004 Roshfrans Rookie of the Year A. J. Allmendinger (born in Los Gatos and resides in Hollister), are among the drivers who battle for the Vanderbilt Cup, which is awarded to the winner of the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford. In addition, Mexican driver Mario Dominguez will compete among an expected 18-car field. The title is contested on oval circuits, temporary street circuits and permanent road courses.

The Toyota Atlantic Championship Presented by Yokohama continues to be the premier open-wheel development series in North America. The championship is noted for its long history of graduating its stars into Champ Car competition and has helped produce past Champ Car champions Tracy, Vasser, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti and Jacques Villeneuve.

The Trans-Am Road Racing Series features closed-fendered, production-based, V-8-powered sports cars, competing on permanent road courses and temporary street and airport circuits throughout North America. The Trans-Am Series is America’s oldest continuously running road racing series and celebrates it 40th consecutive year of competition in 2005.

The United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC) is one of the best-known touring car racing series in the U. S. It features some of the fastest drivers in the country battling wheel-to-wheel in high performance versions of everyday road cars. The cars retain the shape of their mass production counterparts, but are bona fide racing machines.

The Historic Stock Car Racing Series (HSCRS) is committed to the restoration and preservation of authentic and historic NASCAR stock cars while providing for their continued competition in a safe and entertaining environment.

The Formula Drift exhibition will feature the hottest new addition to the world motorsports scene. “Drifting”, which originated in the mountains of Japan, is the art of controlling a car sliding sideways and as close to out-of-control as possible, with drivers judged on style and showmanship, rather than speed. It’s a total snub to the logic that says cars are designed, engineered and intended not to go sideways. Experienced Drifters prefer rear-wheel-drive cars that are lightweight, balanced and handle well, such as the AE86 Toyota Corolla, Honda S2000, Nissan 350Z and the new 2005 Mustang.

In addition to the auto races and drifting exhibition, plans for the inaugural San Jose Grand Prix call for a week of activities including music, fairs, charity events and promotional activities. The week long festival is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of fans to northern California’s largest city and become a mainstay on the Champ Car World Series calendar.

Tickets for the San Jose Grand Prix are on sale now and can be purchased through ticketmaster (call: 408-998-tixs or 510-625-tixs or 415-421-tixs). Ticket plans range from a single day general admission price of $25 on Friday to $150 for a three-day Gold Grandstand seat which includes a paddock pass. Corporate and group discount rates are also available. For corporate sponsorships, hospitality and group tickets call: 408-277-9470.

For additional information go to (www.sanjosegrandprix.com).

NismoZ
02-24-05, 12:52 PM
Yeah, just IMAGINE those 750 hp race cars "stretching their legs" on a TEN turn track that is only one straightaway longer than Milwaukee! :shakehead

Sean O'Gorman
02-24-05, 01:28 PM
Historic stock cars at a Champ Car event? :rofl:

USTCC should be interesting, its a level of racing that is probably more grassroots than SCCA club racing. The guys in the back are ridiculously slow, like this:

http://www.ustcc.com/DRIVERS/DC_short.jpg

Gnam
02-24-05, 01:31 PM
(1) Toyota Atlantic Championship <--- How many cars are confirmed?
(2) Trans-Am Road Racing Series <--- Fun to watch, but PG always wins.
(3) United States Touring Car Championship <--- Is this like Speed World Challenge?
(4) Historic Stock Car Racing Series <--- WTF?
(5) Formula Drift exhibition <--- Tuners and Ricers Unite!

I don't know if the SJGP has a plan or is just signing up anyone who is free that weekend.

Seems like they are trying to throw everyone a bone: old Stock Cars for the old NASCAR crowd, Drifting for the young crowd, Atlantics and Champ Cars for formula race fans, and Trans-Am and USTCC for people who like to watch everyday road cars.

It looks good on paper, but may not pan out. For example, several Classic Car Shows around the Bay Area have been experimenting with mixing the Ricer crowd with the Rod and Custom crowd with the hope of drawing more fans both old and young. The problem is they can't stand each other. A pimped out Integra with LCD screens under the hood does not appeal to the Rod crowd, and most the Hot Rods are just old cars to the Ricers. When you add in the different tastes in music, clothes, and overall style, it is not surprising when the end result is really two smaller shows that are completely segregated.

Hope it works out.

racer2c
02-24-05, 01:34 PM
Does NASCAR having any official ties with the Historic Stock Car Association or is it just people who bought old Winston Cup/GN ARCA cars and made an association. I'm assuming the latter.

Methanolandbrats
02-24-05, 01:35 PM
I hope they have a backup towtruck for when the first one wears out. It would be smart to order extra dumpsters too.

RichK
02-24-05, 01:36 PM
Not a strong line-up. I was hoping for the F-Zetec cars or another strong formula car series.

I can't believe they didn't choose to run SCCA Spec Miatas over the historic stock cars, drifting or the USTCC! Maybe they tried to get them?

Sean O'Gorman
02-24-05, 01:40 PM
Not a strong line-up. I was hoping for the F-Zetec cars or another strong formula car series.

I can't believe they didn't choose to run SCCA Spec Miatas over the historic stock cars, drifting or the USTCC! Maybe they tried to get them?

Spec Pinatas on a street course??? :eek: What, you have a bunch of Miata parts you need to get rid of?

I think USTCC will be just fine:

http://www.ustcc.com/PHOTOS/07_28_03_fontana/pages/07_03_fontana_08.htm

:cool:

RichK
02-24-05, 01:45 PM
The Miatas would be great entertainment, and it's always good to be close with the SCCA. So many cars would enter, that they'd likely have to do qualifying heats and a main race.

FCYTravis
02-24-05, 02:56 PM
USTCC is a complete joke series run by NASA... not even close to being professional and not even close to SPEED World Challenge.

They had five cars start their last race. Yeah, five.

The most they had all last year was fifteen.

What a friggin' farce :thumdown: :thumdown: :thumdown:

If more Atlantics race at San Jose than USTCC cars I'm going to laugh my freaking head off.

Ankf00
02-24-05, 03:10 PM
USTCC is a complete joke series run by NASA... not even close to being professional and not even close to SPEED World Challenge.

They had five cars start their last race. Yeah, five.

The most they had all last year was fifteen.

What a friggin' farce :thumdown:

If more Atlantics race at San Jose than USTCC cars I'm going to laugh my freaking head off.

you threadsh#tter :gomer: ;)

Dr. Corkski
02-24-05, 05:32 PM
All they are missing is a celebrity race.

Gonna be a junkyard out there. Then again without hockey that area will probably be a junkyard by July anyway.

JohnnyQ
02-24-05, 10:16 PM
That track is f'd with all that different support series rubber laid into the racing line. Then again half the CC field will be offline anyway. :rolleyes:

Sean O'Gorman
02-24-05, 10:29 PM
Then again half the CC field will be offline anyway. :rolleyes:

In which case they'll have to deal with the rubber laid down by the drifters. :laugh: