Catching Up: Edmonton Grand Prix, Part 2

Champ cars look like F1 cars, and the teams would like you to think that they're right up there with F1, but they're not. Every F1 car chassis is different; every Champ Car chassis comes from one manufacturer (Panoz). Every F1 engine is different, and they peak at 19,000 RPM; Every Champ Car engine comes from Ford Cosworth, and maxes out at 12,000 RPM. F1 tires are groved to slow the cars down; Champ races on slicks. So yes, the cars look the same, but it's a world of difference between the two. That's how Paul Stoddart & Minardi can spend 5 years in F1 and only score 1 point, and be DFL in every season (and most races), but when they switch to Champ with a former F1 driver (Robert Doornbos), they can be top of the points.

The dominant Champ driver is Sebastien Bordais, who is from Le Mans, France and (apparantly) has an ego bigger than Nigel Mansel ever did. Mr. Bordais has won 3 straight Champ Car titles racing for Newman/Haas/Lannigan racing, and is on his way to winning a 4th. Being French, he believe he has a God-given right to drive for the Renault F1 team, but as long as Flavio Briatore is with the team, that will never happen. Accordingly, Mr. Bordais is under contract to and has been testing with Scudaria Torro Rosso of F1, trying to take the place of either Scott Speed (the only American driver in F1) or Vitantonio Liuzzi.





Mark my words, Mr. Bordais is very good both from a driving and strategy perspective, and he won the race. But as I noted in my Montreal posts, you go to the practice sessions to see good guys screw up, and Mr. Bordais was no exception.



Champ Car features Canadian drivers, Alex Tagliani, who managed to crunch with Robert Doornbos right in front of us during the race...



...and the always entertaining Paul Tracy (seen here after spinning out on Turn 1 in practice).



We actually had bets that Mr. Tracy (who normally drives quite well but is seriously struggling this season, and managed to only qualify 15th on the starting grid) to wipe out in Turn 3 during the first lap of the race, taking several cars with him. He had "off track excursions" at that turn in every practice and during each qualifying session. But to his credit, he held it together for the race, and finshed a very, very respectable 5th.

In Montreal, the stands are jam packed, and the race sells out. Champ Car in Edmonton not so much...



That's Mr Tracy successfully defending Bruno Junquiera,

Given that the cars are the same, it's the small things in racing that make the difference. Like wing settings and which tire you're actually going to race on. It's always entertaining how teams try to hide this info. For instance, when the cars are pulled from the paddock to the track, they cover stuff up and roll out on tires they won't use.



But there are similarities to F1, the biggest being that when they race, they really race. Mr. Bordais started second; here he is going into Turn 1 already ahead of the entertainingly named Will Power, the pole sitter.



And Montreal could learn from Edmonton in a few areas.

1) Montreal has CRAPPY food on the island. In Edmonton last year, there must have been 50 different food vendors, and you could get everything from Greek to Pizza to Pasta to salads; this year, not so much, and thank goodness Extreme Pita and Mr. Sub showed up on Saturday. But Fat Frank's jalapeno chedder smokies make great second breakfast, so Edmonton wins, hands down.

2) The ratio of porta potties to people in Montreal is about 10,000 people per potty. Accordingly, the lineups are always long, and by Sunday, they're disgusting. I swear Edmonton has 1 porta potty per person.

3) Champ Car lets you get close to the cars and the action. You can buy a pit walk through pass, allowing you a one time wander down pit lane (you can't stay, but you can saunter slowly and get great photos). You can buy a paddock pass, and be in the back with all the trailers & mechanics. The cars are moved through the crowds, so you get up close & personal for great photo ops.



The only time you get to do that with F1 in Montreal is either by showing up on Thursday when the teams are setting up (I've never managed to do that) or at the end of the race along with 50,000 other people, and shoot your photos through the fence after pushing through the other 500 people who have the same idea.

4) Champ Car hosts a drivers autograph session. If you want, you can meet every one of them (though it's usually crowded, and only lasts an hour, so practically, I think you could meet 2 or 3 at most). In Montreal, F1 drivers are as rare as Liberals in Calgary; there but hiding in the shadows. You always hear stories of how Raikonnen was at this bar, or Alonso was at that restaurant, but you never actually see them.

So Edmonton is fun, but it's a radically different experience than Montreal. I think I'll keep going to both.

Thanks to Mike, Hilda, John, Elizabeth, Robbie, Indie, Yoko, Celeste, the gecko and all the fish for allowing up to invade their house, and the incredible dinner at Koutouki's (the belly dancer, conga line, and food were all great).