Did you see anything like this about Gateway?

[Liz]

INDIANAPOLIS (August 27, 2002) - The cockpit of a CART FedEx Championship Series race car is a noisy place and one where not many ambient sounds can cut through the turbocharged roar of more than 800 horses pushing a car through a race course.

So it was only fitting that on his victory lap after winning Sunday's Molson Indy Montreal, Dario Franchitti pulled his Team KOOL Green Honda/Lola/Bridgestone to a halt in one of the mostly-heavily populated sections of the course and shut down his car to soak in the roar of some of the 64,000 fans that showed up on race day to see the Champ Cars.

"What a wonderful crowd we had all three days," said Franchitti after edging Cristiano da Matta for the victory. "They truly understand what we're all about. It doesn't matter if it's Toronto, Vancouver or now Montreal. They've all got such passion and enthusiasm for open-wheel racing. It makes it so enjoyable to drive in that atmosphere."

CART made its way to Montreal's Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve for the first time in its history during the past weekend and attracted enough fans over the three-day weekend to make the event the second-largest sporting event in the entire country during 2002. The drivers and teams were surprised by a crowd of over 47,000 for the first day of practice and qualifying on Friday, and were further delighted as the throng of aficionados swelled to 61,000 on Saturday and 64,000 for race day. The attendance pushed CART's season total to over 1.6 million for the 2002 season.

But the festivities were not contained to the race course alone as the French-Canadian city came alive with parties, displays and gatherings once the day's engines had silenced. Molson, Ford Motor Company and Player's all claimed parts of the Montreal streets for parties, Ford's on Thursday coming complete with Jacques Villeneuve's CART car from 1995 and his father Gilles' Formula Ford machine.

"This weekend showed all of us connected to CART how much passion there is for racing in Montreal and in Canada as a whole," said CART CEO and President Christopher R. Pook. "Everyone from the fans to the race organizers and everyone in between made us feel welcome at every turn and we look forward with great anticipation toward coming back next season."

The 2003 CART FedEx Championship Series will make three stops in Canada as it did this year when it drew more than 501,000 fans for the three dates in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Toronto will open Exhibition Place to CART on July 13 with Vancouver's Concord Pacific Place serving as the next race on the calendar on July 27. Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve will see the return of the Champ Cars next season on September 7.

[Liz]

But of course the next thing you'll hear is the Cassandras wailing that this doesn't mean a thing, that Champ Cars are really dead and all these poor deluded partygoers and race attendees just don't realise they should have been in St. Louis ....

[StuiE]

http://www.motorsport.com/photos/pop...42.91.57:04894

"Spectators making their way to their seat"

....sure... im thinking that that was all the spectators at Gateway.

[paul-collins]

Therefore, the answer is clear: Change the name from Championship Auto Racing Team to Canadian Auto Racing Teams. Move the headquarters to Toronto, possibly the best city in North America, and organize at least three more races at Mosport, the newly renovated St. Jovite and perhaps at the rebuilt Edmonton, Alberta road course (where several Can-Ams were run in the ’70s) and you’ve got the core of a great Canadian series. Involve a few more races south of the border at Long Beach, Mid-Ohio and Road America (with a fervent wish of running Watkins Glen, which was wildly supported by Canadians during the Formula 1 years,) plus two in Mexico, one in Australia and Rockingham, England and viola, there’s a series that’s not beholden to the Wall Street stock jockeys and the erratic whims of Madison Avenue hucksters.

...Canada is a terrific country. I have roots there based on my namesake and distant uncle Sir Isaac Brock being a major national hero. Canadians are first-degree motorheads and have contributed scores of brilliant drivers, including the late, great Gilles Villeneuve.

-Brock Yates

[muggle not]

Yes, and possibly "MORE SPONSORSHIP" from Canadian Companies! There are 2 in particular that I have in mind that are a perfect fit for motorsport sponsorship but are basically on the sidelines.

[Liz]

I can't figure why Tim Horton's does not get involved. They would be a natural! And I'd support a Canadian series 100%. I think Brock Yates has just proved the old adage "Even a blind squirrel finds the occasional nut."

P.S. "Spectators making their way to their SEAT (singular) -- is that significant?

[Jay]

Must be nice to sit wherever you want though...certainly couldn't do that in Toronto.

[paul-collins]

Originally posted by Liz
I think Brock Yates has just proved the old adage "Even a blind squirrel finds the occasional nut."

So, who's the squirrel in your analogy?

[StuiE]

Originally posted by Jay
Must be nice to sit wherever you want though...certainly couldn't do that in Toronto.

[Liz]

Did they have any street parties in St. Louis? Were there any famous historic cars on display?

Was the track accessible to anyone without an automobile? Does it have a beach?

[Flatspot]

Yes Liz they do. At least a big son of a beach named TG. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

[Liz]

Thanks, Flatspot, just the laugh I needed!

[Dave S]

Don't forget now, they did have bobbleheads!

[The Beer Baron]

Gateway had Jabba-Da-Foyt

[macdaddy]

To be honest, I'd love to get my hands on a Rick Mears B-Head.

[Liz]

Oh, right, I always go to races on bobblehead day.