RACE: An attrition fest with lots of passing and even more crashing.

TRACK: Dry, clean, and not at fault with anyone's woes.

THE BIG PICTURE: Atlantics came back in a really big way in 2006, but Road America was not its best race, which clearly showed why this is a development series. We hoped the championship would be decided on the final lap, but it was not to be. Looking forward to seeing Simon Pagenaud and Graham Rahal graduating to Champ Car. Time to turn your tassels, gentlemen.

START: Really nice up until the point where Richard Philippe got stuffed into the tires.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: That Pagenaud and Rahal were not factors in this race at all.

MOST PREDICTABLE: Andreas Wirth's podium finish.

BOMARITO: His win gives him a sixth in the championship and caps a year with many ups and downs.

MATOS: Might have won if not for the yellow flag laps. A favorite to win the 2007 championship if he doesn't get a Champ Car ride.

WIRTH: A solid and professional performance. A decent finish for the year.

PAGENAUD: He doesn't get to pass go after lap six, but he does collect millions of dollars by winning the championship.

RAHAL: Not the day to have a mechanical failure, but at least he did not get hit.

HINCHCLIFFE: We like Hinch (who doesn't), but his finish was deserved for taking out the series leader.

PHILIPPE: Victim of Bomarito in first lap crash. Hoping for better things next year.

MARTINEZ: The only driver to complete all 402 laps run this year. And to think, he had to change teams to keep a ride.

HILDEBRAND: Can't wait to see J.R. run a full season next year, hopefully on a team other than Newman Wachs Racing.

NEWMAN WACHS: Most disappointing team of the year.

WORD OF THE WEEKEND: Anticlimactic.

STAT OF THE WEEKEND: More like the year -- $2 million.

HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: Simon Pagenaud is the first Frenchman to win the Atlantic title.

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Jonathan Bomarito on winning his first race, "I had goosebumps for the whole last lap. It's great to be leading the last lap, but did it have to be a four mile track? Every corner, I was checking my mirrors and just trying to breathe."

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: Simon Pagenaud summing up the 2006 season, the rebirth of Atlantics, "Such a competitive field."

SCHEDULE: Eagerly awaiting the 2007 season and another great year in Atlantics.

Copyright © 2006 by Deep Throttle. All Rights Reserved.