San Jose race weekend thread (Includes RACE SPOILERS)

[drewdawg727]

I agree 100% with Andrew Ranger. He quoted during his interview that this was "not a champ car track".

There are some streets that aren't meant for 750 HP cars to come flying through, this is one of them. I did not see a singular pass where there could have been some (Bourdais' slip up with Tracy in tow), and that turn 4 was not suitable for a high speed turn, and it was expected after Allmendinger and Ranger's hit there that more cars would make contact with the wall (Tracy, Lavin, DaMatta)

I agree with everyone that the race was a hit when it came to attendance. But within the first 20 laps, half the cars were either in the pits or crashed out already. If there was no crashing in this race, i would've considered it to be one of the more boring races that i have viewed. They should not race on this course again.

[drewdawg727]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

That circuit was absolutely shocking.

Credit to the guys who managed to finish - an excellent performance from Bourdais.

But seeing the cars jumping in the air over the railway lines - particularly at the start - was very uncomfortable.

And the track is far too narrow.

I actually almost got worried seeing those cars fly over the tracks. It looked as if the cars were gonna spin out into the wall (from the camera angle)

Can you imagine how heavy that impact would have been if a car was to lose control over the tracks?

[jjspierx]

That is the worst race track I've ever seen pieced together. Some of the straights didn't look wide enough to fit 2 cars side by side. That hairpin at the end of the long straight was so tight, if you made a little mistake you wouldn't have enough steering lock to make the corner. The railroad tracks were just plain dangerous. As other peope said, I didn't see one pass, or even one real attempt at a pass. Champcar should not go back to San Jose unless the track is completely different.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by jjspierx

Champcar should not go back to San Jose unless the track is completely different.

It seems from most reports that everyone (organisers, drivers, champ car) realises the track wasn't raceable, made sure they put the show on Sunday and are now looking at 2006 with the appropriate changes

[Kicking-back]

Dare I suggest that if it wasn't "raceable" - the points should be removed

[Tenoch]

When did Wilson fixing his own car happen? i wanna make sure to look for that when i watch the race.

[luke]

Originally Posted by Tenoch

When did Wilson fixing his own car happen? i wanna make sure to look for that when i watch the race.

I think it happened in the final caution period.

[drewdawg727]

It happened during the last caution, when the jet dryer blew off a piece of the nose of his car

[Snrub]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Dare I suggest that if it wasn't "raceable" - the points should be removed

The difference is that Champ Car isn't a joke and has little in the way of internal politics. IMO it was positive to see that they were willing to change the track multiple times during the weekend. No one seemed to get their panties in a knot over it. No one made any lame excuses that if the track was altered that it couldn't be certifably safe, etc. The caption for this forum once was "Quickly becoming a favorite of ex-fans of Bernie's Grand Farce." I wonder if after San Jose any F1 fans will notice that CC is diametrically opposed to the way F1 works?

I definately agree with what Ranger said, but he should have been very carefull about saying it. Other drivers were very carefull not to say anything too negative about the track. I think they realize how important the event was and that huge successes in the US don't just happen.

[StuiE]

Anyone notice the ant on the camera lens when Lavin spun at the hairpin? that's how exciting the race was, poor track as has already been said, was amazing to see the cars go over the railway tracks on the first lap though!

[indycool]

I have seen the criticisms of the track and the race and have participated in criticizing it. But only two days removed, this "wait till next year" stuff from Singleton and KK and the like is already wearing thin. These are supposed to be professionals putting on a professional racing series and event. You only get one chance to do an "inaugural" right. IMO, there is way too much to do to get this course layout, grandstands, etc., right. A treeline between a grandstand and the track? Virtually no area for GA viewers? Railroad tracks which need to be fixed and torn down each night and day? ROOM for only 22,000 seats? Costs and extraordinary expenses, like eight Jumbotrons? A track only 10 feet wide at one point?

If this is going to be successful, it's going to need to be a start-over, IMO.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by Bezzen

Too bad about the black flag when he was running 7th though.

Especially when it was a faulty call by the officials.

[Snrub]

Originally Posted by indycool

I have seen the criticisms of the track and the race and have participated in criticizing it. But only two days removed, this "wait till next year" stuff from Singleton and KK and the like is already wearing thin. These are supposed to be professionals putting on a professional racing series and event. You only get one chance to do an "inaugural" right. IMO, there is way too much to do to get this course layout, grandstands, etc., right. A treeline between a grandstand and the track? Virtually no area for GA viewers? Railroad tracks which need to be fixed and torn down each night and day? ROOM for only 22,000 seats? Costs and extraordinary expenses, like eight Jumbotrons? A track only 10 feet wide at one point?

If this is going to be successful, it's going to need to be a start-over, IMO.

I think what I posted earlier explains the situation quiet well: RM said that initially the mayor of San Jose was not exactly on board with the idea of having a race. In other words Champ Car didn't get the best site, but they basically did it to prove that the event would work. Apparently GF had dinner with the major and govener and they've basically worked out a new ~2.5mile layout in a different location for next year.

In other words CC had no choice on the location and have a different one planned for next year.

[indycool]

If what RM says is true, then guess the mayor, governor and GF agree with what I posted.

[Snrub]

If they agreed with you then they would have told CC to take a hike rather than give them expanded privilages for next year. But I suppose they do on the start over part.

[Tim Northcutt]

They didn't have any input on the site????

Then why hold a race there???

I assumed that any steet race would have officials from a given series actually drive on the streets being proposed, or have a designer come in to scout out a circuit that would be suitable....

If that did not occur, then Champ Car needs to rent a car and drive some miles on roads throughout San Jose...

Cars getting air and hang time while driving over a RR tracks is dangerous and idiotic....there is no way that they should have raced on a street at the speeds they run that has a railroad track crossing the racing surface....

Having said that....I am pleased that everyone involved did what was necessary to make the changes needed to hold the race itself....

I hope that NO race fans...of any series...have to go through what the F-1 fans did at the USGP this year....

Champ Car officials and the teams handled the situation professionally to make changes that were needed to conduct the race....

I hope that whatever "new" circuit they run next year will be scrutinized by the Champ Car officials months in advance, so that if changes are needed, they can be made...

[drewdawg727]

If they keep changing the layout of the track to make it easier for the drivers to race there, then the layout would be totally different than what it was previously.

..How many times did they have to change Long Beach? Wasn't it changed a good 3 or 4 times?

[Andrew W]

If anyone is interested I was shooting CHAMP with LAT Photographic this past weekend and have added a few images to my sportsshooter gallery here:

http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=3122

Andrew

[icemachine]

Great Pictures Andrew

[Amar7605]

This is the first race, and there definitely is room for improvement. But at least Champ Car showed San Jose that a successful event can be put toghether and hopefully a more suitable site can be found.

Having said that, the mark of a good event is not if people come to the inagural, but whether they come the following year. Hopefully the people will come back next year, and hopefully to a better venue.

[indycool]

From this story in the San Jose Mercury-News, Singleton apparently has a long shopping list, but from all the interview quotes in it, they may be boxed in on some issues.....

Requires free registration:

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/12282284.htm

[luke]

Audio Roundtable: San Jose

Link

Enjoy!

[luke]

Gordon Kirby's Inside Track

ChampCarWorldSeries.com

There were some serious obstacles to overcome in downtown San Jose last weekend but in stark contrast to the atmosphere at this year's United States GP everyone in Champ Car pulled together to make the best of a bad situation. In the end the race was better than expected and the place was packed all weekend with interested fans, new and old. It was the second successful inaugural race in a row for Champ Car, as the series has very clearly turned a major corner on the road to reclaiming it's highly estimated position of old in the world of automobile racing.

[indycool]

Final San Jose TV ratings:

.2 rating, 203,000 homes

[Snrub]

Man those are lousy ratings. San Jose wasn't the most exciting race, but that's in line with Edmonton. I don't understand why the numbers are so pathetic. I've asked before, but does anyone know what the ratings are for something like World Challange, Grand Am or ALMS?