2003 Long Beach Thoughts
RACE: A race of emotions. No matter who you were rooting for, everybody had to have cringed when
Jourdain found nothing but neutral trying to exit the pits.
TRACK: Long Beach is always fun.
START: The worse strung out start in a long, long time. But, it did prevent a first lap crack up...
TRACY: If you're fast, which Paul is, and you're talented, which Paul is, and your aggressive, which
Paul is, and you have all the luck fall your way, which Paul has had, you will dominate, which Paul has done.
JOURDAIN: Before anyone sends us their favorite recipe for crow, we have acknowledged in the past that
Michel has improved greatly since joining Team Rahal. And now, he has his speed during qualifying, with the Long
Beach pole proving beyond a doubt. We just doubted his race craft, though he definitely got racey keeping Tracy
behind him after the first round of pit stops. However, it is that speed coupled with his consistent driving
style that will eventually give him his first win this year. And when it happens, all the power to him.
FERNANDEZ: Almost pulled it off with pit strategy.
JUNQUEIRA: His best performance so far this year, but he has to find a way of getting in front of Tracy
before the huge points gap becomes insurmountable.
VASSER: A typical Jimmy drive for a fine finish with a car that just isn't all there.
REYNARD: Speaking of Vasser's mount, not wanting CART to be like NASCAR, but they have to do something
to make the Reynard more competitive, especially since the only two American drivers are using them.
HUNTER-REAY: And speaking of the other American driver, seventh is fine, but we really can't determine
Ryan's talent until he can mix it up with the others in a solid car.
DOMINGUEZ: For fear this may come back to bite us like our Jourdain comments, we're just not sold on
Mario yet. Again, a top ten finish doesn't mean much in this year's field.
CARPENTIER: He's really starting to get outdone by his teammate.
BOURDAIS: A very quiet weekend.
SERVIA: One thing about racing, you always find out the truth when the race is over. They really didn't
put enough fuel in at the last pit stop.
TAGLIANI: A good weekend except for the finishing position.
YOONG: We just don't understand why a certain web site continues to defend this guy. Alex was
horribly slow in F1, and he is now horribly slow in CART. This guy just flat out does not have
the talent. He just has the money.
OVER/UNDER: 23 -- number of times Scott Pruett says "from hero to zero" or some permutation thereof
in the next broadcast.
WORD OF THE WEEKEND: Emotional.
STAT OF THE WEEKEND: Bobby Rahal has never won the Long Beach Grand Prix, and a Bobby Rahal driver has
never won the Long Beach Grand Prix.
HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: Not a stat, but an occurrence. Having all the historical Formula One
cars on parade was simply wonderful.
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Oriol Servia making light of his poor luck this year, "We are right where we want
to be. It was our plan all along to go to England in last place in the championship."
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: Michel Jourdain on winning his first pole, "I can be in a press conference,
and I'm in the middle!"
SCHEDULE: The European swing. As for the TV schedule, yes, it sucks for the CART diehard, but we
actually believe it may be a good idea to attract the casual fan. Time will tell.
Copyright © 2003 by Deep Throttle. All Rights Reserved.
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