Portland Test Day and Pictures (new)

[Shamus]

Greetings! I have been lurking for a long time and I really enjoy the discussions that go on here, it's a great source of info and a great place to discuss Champcar!

Since my buddy renewed our usual tickets for the Portland race, I had the chance to go to the testing day at PIR last Thursday and it was awesome.

I took a friend from work who hadn't experienced Champ cars at all, and the day couldn't have been better. The weather was hovering around 70 and sunny and with 15 drivers there, we were able to see nearly the entire field. The great thing was, that they openned the pits to the fans nearly all day!

We probably spent 4 hours in the pits, able to get right next to the pit walls as the teams worked and the drivers laid down rubber on their way back onto the track. I really can't discribe what it's like to be 10 feet away from a Champ car that's really lit-up and roaring back onto the track, it's just amazing. The fans were very respectful since it was a privilege to be able to amble around the pits and see/meet the drivers and teams up close. (see the pictures listed below to see how close we really were)

We also got to see the track from some interesting angles like the inside of the kink right before turn 12 at the end of the back straight, there is something about seeing a Champcar coming right at you at 185mph and then watching it gently swerve into that section of track, unbelievable.

The best part was my buddy's reaction to it all, he really enjoyed it and I think it blew his mind the speed and talent that the series requires, and the access that the teams and track allowed the fans. He'll be there for the race methinks!

Here are links to a few of the photos he took (he done good) Enjoy!

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/AJ_Allmendinger_1.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/AJ_Allmendinger_2.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Mario_Domingez_1.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Mario_Domingez_2.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Michel_Jourdain_1.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Michel_Jourdain_2.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Michel_Jourdain_3.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Portland.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Rodolfo_Lavin_1.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Rudolfo_Lavin_2.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Tracy_1.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Tracy_2.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Tracy_3.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Tracy_4.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Tracy_and_Vasser.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Vasser_1.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Vasser_2.JPG

[G.]

OUTSTANDING pics! Consider your admission to the site paid in FULL! Welcome. :thumbup:

[KLang]

:thumbup:
Welcome! Great first post and pics.

[Night Train]

So I'm guessing Gulfstream is only an associate sponsor for Vasser?

[KLang]

So I'm guessing Gulfstream is only an associate sponsor for Vasser?

They were on the sidepod at Long Beach.
From the team page at champcarworldseries:

#12 Gulfstream Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone

[JoeBob]

Awesome pics! Welcome to OffCamber!

As for Vasser, Gulfstream has a lot of folks in the Long Beach area, so they may have stepped up for just that race. That said, the car is also missing its decals on the rear wing end plate, so he may have been testing a backup car and/or a car with recently painted (and thus decal free) parts.

We'll find out in a few weeks! (Not that it matters - he's in for the full season no matter what.)

[oddlycalm]

Great post, thanks. Looks like it was a great day at the track. Practice days can be among the most memorable times at the track. Wish I had been able to get away for this one.

oc

[Nosuchsoul]

Look at li'l dinger, top of the "second tier?" teams and top rookie.

Bruno Junqueira – Newman/Haas Racing 58.74 58.65

Patrick Carpentier – Forsythe Championship Racing 59.04 58.69

Sebastien Bourdais – Newman/Haas Racing 58.76 58.77

Paul Tracy – Forsythe Championship Racing 59.25 58.79

A.J. Allmendinger – RuSPORT 60.62 59.01

Jimmy Vasser – PKV Racing 59.19 59.04

Ryan Hunter-Reay – Herdez Competition 60.02 59.17

Justin Wilson – Mi-Jack/Conquest Racing 59.61 59.32

Alex Tagliani – Rocketsports Racing 59.40 59.87

Mario Dominguez – Herdez Competition 59.95 59.52

Michel Jourdain Jr. – RuSPORT 59.63 59.91

Rodolfo Lavin – Forsythe Championship Racing 60.08 59.77

Roberto Gonzalez – PKV Racing 60.61 59.99

Nelson Philippe – Rocketsports Racing 60.50 60.45

Alex Sperafico – Mi-Jack/Conquest Racing 60.93 60

[RaceGrrl]

Welcome to OC. Thanks for the great photos! It's always good to hear of yet another ChampCar conversion. I've unsuccessfully tried to convert my brothers from NASCAR to Champcar. No luck yet, but they have gone to CART races at MidOhio. Maybe the key is getting them up there on a test day.

[devilmaster]

Maybe the key is getting them up there on a test day.

I NEED 10 CC's OF JELLO STAT!

:D
Steve

[ChampcarShark]

Cool pics, Thanks.

Nothing beats getting close to a turbocharged Champcar, and the sweet smell of Methanol in the mornings.

[Ankf00]

Awesome pics! Welcome to OffCamber!

As for Vasser, Gulfstream has a lot of folks in the Long Beach area, so they may have stepped up for just that race. That said, the car is also missing its decals on the rear wing end plate, so he may have been testing a backup car and/or a car with recently painted (and thus decal free) parts.

We'll find out in a few weeks! (Not that it matters - he's in for the full season no matter what.)

someone told me in LB that Gulfstream's a klakhoven company, true?

[Shamus]

Thanks to all for the kind words - I agree Shark, I love the smell of Methanol in the morning... smells like Victory!

[nz_climber]

Cool photos :) and welcome to OC :thumbup:

[Robstar]

What he said... :)

[datachicane]

Get back to work, you slacker!

:D

[JoeBob]

someone told me in LB that Gulfstream's a klakhoven company, true?

Gulfstream is part of General Dynamics. The company on the front wings is Kalkhoven's Venture Capital company. (Which happens to finance Optimum - another sponsor on the car.)

[lone_groover]

T'riffic photos.....and wilkommen bienvenue welcome!

:)

[Shamus]

Ok, one more from the archives..... here's a movie from last year's track day... with commentary from 'er, a certain poster above :D

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Tracy_back_straight_3.mov

[nissan gtp]

Ok, one more from the archives..... here's a movie from last year's track day... with commentary from 'er, a certain poster above :D

http://home.comcast.net/~thehannans21/Tracy_back_straight_3.mov

wow ! very nice :thumbup:

[dreamracer]

Great Photos! I took a few myself but they are on Mark C's site, so until I upload them to my host, you unfortunately have to have a subscription. I'lll get them up soon.

I finally uploaded a vid (windows media) I took from last year though... standing outside the chicane...it gives you an idea what was happening last week...

crank it up!

http://home.comcast.net/~bronsongraff/chicanelow.WMV

[cart7]

:thumbup: Welcome Shamus. :cool: Great pix! :cool:

[Ankf00]

Gulfstream is part of General Dynamics. The company on the front wings is Kalkhoven's Venture Capital company. (Which happens to finance Optimum - another sponsor on the car.)
coo, tnx