Portland ALMS Report & 2002 Race in Washington DC

[Chris S]

Should be interesting (and very hot at this time of year):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2001Aug9.html

The proposed course map is at http://www.geocities.com/racing_line/NGP_Aerial2.jpg

From what I hear, the event will be held in one of the not-so-great parts of town -- the DC police will definitely have their hands full.

BTW, took an extra few days to tour the sights, so got back from the Portland ALMS race middle of last week. Even with a pretty weak field, the ALMS race was exciting to work. Frank and I spent Saturday and Sunday working at Station 4 (elevated flagging stand just past the Festival Curves); I worked Station 5 at the top of the keyhole on Friday. With the rain on Friday morning, it was interesting to watch the cars (even the LMPs) frantically grab for traction coming out of the keyhole.

I must say, the effort made by the GT drivers to watch for the blue flag was really great. It seems the problems the ALMS had with this last year are a thing of the past.

Best race of the weekend: Trans Am.

Scariest race of the weekend: Star Mazda.

Worst "hopes dashed" story of the weekend: David Leslie and his Mazda in the World Challenge Touring Car race.

Best hopeful story of the weekend: The missing little girl pictured on Don Sak's Trans Am car at the race in Detroit was found several days before the Portland race.

Best wave at the workers after the race: #11 LMP675 (silver & orange); he waved at the workers with both hands all the way around the track. Gotta love the guy!

Funniest drivers: The Trans Am drivers who came to the corner worker pizza & beer party on Friday night and walked through the crowd of workers asking for their autographs -- we signed a lot of driver t-shirts that night!

Chris Safranek
Nebraska Nomads Corner Workers
Nebraska Region, Sports Car Club of America