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Ir a lateral
The last weekend of April has become the regular Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series date at Virginia International Raceway and this year, I got to go back for all the action after missing it last year. A friend of mine - Matt and I headed up to the track for the Saturday action including the Rolex cars Bosch Engineering 250 race. This was their second race of the season and their first since the 24 Hours of Daytona back in January.
Also on the schedule were races from the Formula BMW and VW Jetta TDI Cup series; neither of which I had seen race live before. The weather forecast predicted a hot, 90+ degree and sunny day and for once, the weather report was accurate and we had a full day of sunny skies and low humidity. Due to the great weather and growth of the Grand Am Series, the track infield filled up quick with fans, vendors and club members with their car corrals. We grabbed a spot on the hill in my customary location between turns 4 and 5 and headed off to check out the action before the Bosch 250. As part of the promotion for the TDI Cup, we got into a tour group to tour the garage and learn about the Jetta TDI and the racers that compete in them. After the tour, I can tell you this attractive German car with a quiet yet powerful and efficient clean diesel engine is very appealing and is now on my short list for our next new car purchase. After all, it's engine is based on the technology developed in the Audi R15 TDI that dominated the American Le Mans Series and 24 Hours of Le Mans the past several years. 
A friend Bill and I went out to Virginia International Raceway yesterday to check out the action at the SCCA Double Oak Tree Nationals and Trans-Am Series race. This was the first time the Trans-Am Series had raced at VIR since fall 2002 which was also my first ever event at the track. The series has not only returned to VIR in 2009, but to calendars everywhere after a 2 year absence.
We did the normal walkabout the paddock and grid area before some of the races to check out the cars for each event. Bill made a friend when he started chatting to a driver who was prepping his Camaro and the driver cool system for the race. It turned out this fellow was 72 year old Kenny Bupp from Fort Lauderdale, FL. He didn't look a day over 55 and was as friendly as they come. I noted his age and that the late Paul Newman was the only other driver I recall who drove competitively into their 70's. Kenny quickly responded how Paul was a friend which I didn't doubt given their history racing in the SCCA and sports cars.
Bill and I hung out on the hill in turn 4 and 5 for the afternoon of racing and the 28 lap main event featuring the Trans-Am Series got started around 4 PM. From the green flag, there was plenty of passing and action within our view at turns 1-5 but the carnage and reasons for full course cautions were happening elsewhere on the course. It turned out that one Trans-Am driver actually flipped his car muitiple times elsewhere on the course and had to be taken to the hospital. In the end, the Trans-Am driver who won had also won the pole postion but than started last due to a penalty in post qualifying. He was able to drive his Jaguar XKR from last to first and than hold off the second place driver in his Ford Mustang for the win. As always, it was a good day of racing at VIR and an exciting return of the Trans-Am cars. View the rest of my gallery from the day HERE.
Next weekend, I'll be back at VIR for the Grand Am Rolex cars as they roll in for their second race of the season.
This coming weekend is the 35th running of the Grand Prix of Long Beach and for the first time as a fully sanctioned Indy Racing League IndyCar Series event.
Shortly over a year ago, the Champ Car Series announced that it was closing its doors and merging operations with the IndyCar Series after a bitter, 14 year civil war that started when the than newly created Indy Racing League showed up as a rival to the CART PPG IndyCar Series. As the years went by; fans, sponsors, teams and drivers came and went, there were lawsuits and series name changes until finally, Champ Car was brought to its knees and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and liquidation.
However, as part of an existing contract with Champ Car, the GP of Long Beach which was easily the most high profile race on the schedule was guaranteed a weekend on the schedule that was non-negotiable. IndyCar wanted the famed race for their future schedule and points championship however it conflicted with the 2008 running of the Honda Japan 300 race in Japan; also a guaranteed weekend that was non-negotiable with the powers at Honda and in Japan - a key partner to IndyCar.
So last year's race was run under the banner of Champ Car using the cars, drivers and teams from the bankrupt series. IndyCar championship points were paid to Long Beach GP drivers as well as Honda Japan 300 drivers as a rare compromise to ensure that the merger/consolidation of the series completed. History was also made that weekend in another way as Danica Patrick won her maiden IndyCar victory in Japan and became the first woman to win a major auto racing event.
Now that the two series have successfully combined teams and drivers into one championship, the Grand Prix of Long Beach will be run as an official IndyCar Series race.
The race became a CART/Champ Car event in 1984 after running as part of the Formula 1 World Championship from 1976-1983. A quick glance at the previous winners of the event illustrates the rich history that surrounds this California street race. One day, I hope to attend the race weekend on our US left coast.
Sunday, my DVR will be recording the event live on Versus HD as I will be out at Virginia International Raceway to watch the SCCA Trans-Am Series race live.
