EVENT: Any event that features two Atlantic races and one CCWS race has our vote.

THE BIG PICTURE: The contract with PIR is over as of this year, but the drivers and we all hope it is renewed. Street races are fine, but there is nothing like a good road course.

RACE: A really terrific road race, no yellows – the first caution free race since Road America in 2000 – and Champ Car’s first standing start.

TRACK: So nice to be back on a road course.

START: Perfect. It made our heart pound and took our breath away. We didn't want it to end.

BOURDAIS: The difference between great and phenomenal – even without good qualifying, luck, and with a poor start, then starting out 16 seconds behind – still wins the race by over 13 seconds.

NEWMAN HAAS LANIGAN: It must be said – congratulations to Carl Haas and Paul Newman on their 100th Champ Car win – and for putting together a quality organization. And to Mike Lanigan for being smart enough to buy into their company and to hopefully not screw anything up once Carl and Paul have moved on.

WILSON: How could someone so fast not win the race?

RSPORTS We wish Jeremy Dale was still on with the team. Come to think of it, we wish Carl Russo had not sold the team. We feel Dan Petit's motivation is different than Carl Russo's, who was looking to kick Newman Haas' ass.

DOORNBOS: We like this Dutchman, who we all thought would be a mid-packer driving for Minardi Team USA. What keeps us from loving him? We're not sure he is committed to a career in Champ Car.

POWER: What a start! Will has flashes of brilliance, but we sense that Team Australia is still not a strong enough organization to take on NHL. Today was a great illustration of this concept.

TAGLIANI: He is determined to run up at the front but once there, seems not to be sure what to do about it.

CLARKE: Bush league move! Just flatout bush league!

GOMMENDY: Tristan continues to drive far better than we expected and to outperform his better regarded teammate. Too bad he’s French...

PAGENAUD: Seems to have lost a step after his great debut in the first three races.

RAHAL: Graham finished the race, made some rookie mistakes, but didn't do anything really stupid.

TRACY: Paul continues to go off course more times than a veteran of his experience should.

SERVIA: Surprisingly, off pace.

FORSYTHE: Shockingly, off their game all weekend.

JANI: We don't know why Neel doesn't do better ... oh, wait, he's on PKV ... that's why.

JUNQUEIRA: Not your weekend.

DALZIEL: Ryan, make KK get you a decent drive. Soon.

HEYLEN: Welcome back, Jan. You did better than Halliday.

CONQUEST: Glad they are still on the tour.

FIGGE: We love you and your family. Now, go faster.

PCM: Trouble launching.

LEGGE: Well, you did pass Junqueira before you ran out of fuel. That's about all we can say.

DALE COYNE: Lost a lot of ground during the break.

F1: These guys are supposed to be the best drivers, best organizers, and best run races? Could have fooled us after Montreal.

SATO-MANIA: Have you caught it, yet?!

WORDS OF THE WEEKEND: Standing Start.

STAT OF THE WEEKEND: 0 -- You thought we would pick 100, but everyone is taking that number, so we decided to go to the opposite end of the spectrum as in the number of yellow flags the past two years at Portland (not counting the aborted start last year).

HISTORICAL STAT OF THE WEEKEND: Everybody may be all excited about the standing start, but that's the way it used to be in the original road races. For example, in the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup, cars were started from a stop one at a time a minute apart. It was more like a rally, racing against the clock, then a race for track position.

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Justin Wilson on the start, "At first when I saw the lights go off, I thought, I'm meant to do something now."

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND RUNNERUP: A tie as drivers were piling on Dan Clarke. Graham Rahal on his new nickname for Clarke, "Once we caught up to 'Stupid Dan,' which is what I'm going to call him from now on, he just drove me off the road and that was that." Simon Pagenaud on the start, "Our launch was pretty good and then bloody Dan Clarke made a banzai move – as usual."

SCHEDULE: Cleveland is next which means another standing start. Woohoo!

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