Round 3 of 16




The Grand Prix of Houston – April 22nd

1.7 mile street course




The Grand Prix of Houston will be contested on a temporary 1.7 street course in Houston’s 345-acre Reliant Park. The course will wrap around landmarks such as Reliant Stadium
and the historic Reliant Astrodome before finishing in front of Reliant Arena. The circuit will include fast straightaways and hairpin turns that will optimize the experience for the fans and drivers alike.

Thursday, April 19, 2007
7:00 AM Facility Open to CHAMP CAR/Atlantic Teams
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM CHAMP CAR Registration Opens
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM CHAMP CAR Technical Inspection
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Atlantic Technical Inspection
1:00 PM Fueling of Pit Fuel Storage Tanks
3:00 PM Atlantic Team Manager Meeting (Atlantic Series Transporter)
Friday, April 20, 2007
6:00 AM Facility Open to Participants
6:45 AM - 4:00 PM Atlantic Technical Inspection
7:00 AM - 3:00 PM CHAMP CAR Registration Open
7:45 AM - 5:00 PM CHAMP CAR Technical Inspection
7:45 AM - 8:30 AM Star Mazda Practice
8:45 AM - 9:30 AM Atlantic Practice
9:40 AM - 10:00 AM "Champ Car VIP" On Track Activity
10:05 AM - 11:20 AM CHAMP CAR Practice
11:35 AM - 12:35 PM ALMS Practice
12:55 PM - 1:30 PM Atlantic Qualifying
1:40 PM - 2:00 PM "Champ Car VIP" On Track Activity
2:10 PM - 3:10 PM CHAMP CAR Qualifying
3:25 PM - 4:10 PM Star Mazda Practice
4:10 PM Champ Car Team Logistics Meeting (Drivers Meeting Room)
4:25 PM - 4:45 PM MSR Practice
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM CHAMP CAR Fan Appreciation Activity - All Driver
Autograph Session (Location TBA)
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM ALMS Practice
6:10 PM - 6:30 PM ALMS Qualifying (GT1 and GT2)
6:40 PM - 7:00 PM ALMS Qualifying ("LM" P1 and "LM" P2)
7:15 PM - 8:15 PM Car Corral Parade Laps
8:15 PM - 9:15 PM Mazda Mx-5 Practice
MSR Charity Race - MSR
GRAND PRIX OF HOUSTON
PROGRAM OF EVENTS
HOUSTON, TEXAS
The Champ Car World Series - CHAMP CAR
Champ Car Atlantic Championship - Atlantic
American LeMans Series - ALMS
Star Mazda Series - Star Mazda
Mazda Mx-5 Cup - Mazda Mx-5
March 15, 2007

Saturday, April 21, 2007
6:00 AM Facility Open to Participants
7:00 AM - 3:00 PM CHAMP CAR Registration Open
7:00 AM - 3:00 PM Atlantic Technical Inspection
7:45 AM - 4:30 PM CHAMP CAR Technical Inspection
7:45 AM - 8:30 AM Star Mazda Qualifying
8:45 AM - 9:30 AM Atlantic Practice
9:40 AM - 9:55 AM "Champ Car VIP" On Track Activity
10:00 AM - 11:15 AM CHAMP CAR Practice
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM Champ Car Fan Forum (Location TBA)
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM ALMS Warm Up
12:15 PM - 12:50 PM Atlantic Qualifying
12:55 PM - 1:20 PM "Champ Car VIP" On Track Activity
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM CHAMP CAR Qualifying
2:45 PM - 3:05 PM MSR Qualifying
3:00 PM Atlantic Driver/Team Managers Meeting (Drivers Meeting Room)
3:20 PM - 4:05 PM Star Mazda Race
3:45 PM CHAMP CAR Driver/Team Managers Meeting (Drivers Meeting Room)
4:20 PM - 4:50 PM Mazda Mx-5 Qualifying
4:50 PM - 5:30 PM ALMS Pre-Race Activities/Recon Laps
5:30 PM - 8:15 PM ALMS Race
8:45 PM - 9:30 PM Mazda Mx-5 Race
Sunday, April 22, 2007
5:30 AM Facility Open to Participants
6:45 AM - 10:30 AM Atlantic Technical Inspection
8:00 AM - 11:00 AM CHAMP CAR Registration Open
7:30 AM - 1:00 PM CHAMP CAR Technical Inspection
8:00 AM - 8:15 AM Atlantic Warm Up
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM "Champ Car VIP" On Track Activity
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM MSR Race
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM CHAMP CAR WARM UP
10:30 AM Fueling of Pit Fuel Storage Tanks
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM "Champ Car VIP" On Track Activity
11:15 AM - Grid Atlantic
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Atlantic Race
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM "Champ Car VIP" On Track Activity
1:15 PM GRID CHAMP CARS
2:00 PM START OF GRAND PRIX OF HOUSTON (Race Number 3 of the
2007 Champ Car World Series)



About Houson



Houston, the 4th largest city in the United States, home of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, once again will host one of the world's most exciting grand prix races. From pro-sports to the fun outdoors, from an amazing space experience to incredible dining - it's all in Houston.

From Wikipedia

Houston is the largest city in the state of Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States. As of the 2005 U.S. Census estimate, it had a population of more than 2 million. The city covers more than 600 square miles (1,600 km²). Houston is the county seat of Harris County and part of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of more than 5.5 million.
Houston was founded on August 30, 1836 by brothers Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen on land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou. The city was incorporated on June 5, 1837 and named after General Sam Houston, commander at the Battle of San Jacinto. The burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in Houston's population. In the 20th century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions, and NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Houston's economy has a broad industrial base in the energy, aeronautics, and technology industries and only New York City is home to more Fortune 500 headquarters. The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled. Houston is also home to Rice University, one of the United States's leading teaching and research universities, and the University of Houston, Texas's third-largest public research university with more than 36,000 students from 130 countries.
Houston is a multicultural city with a large and growing international community. The Museum District is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits, attracting more than 7 million visitors a year. Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene as one of five U.S. cities that offer year-round resident companies in all major performing arts.





Series Standing

1 Will Power 59 59 0
2 Alex Tagliani 44 44 0
3 Sebastien Bourdais 40 40 0
4 Bruno Junqueira 36 36 0
5 Robert Doornbos ® 35 35 0
6 Tristan Gommendy ® 31 31 0
7 Justin Wilson 30 30 0
8 Katherine Legge 30 30 0
9 Oriol Servia 28 28 0
10 Neel Jani ® 28 28 0
11 Paul Tracy 26 26 0
12 Ryan Dalziel ® 23 23 0
13 Alex Figge ® 21 21 0
14 Graham Rahal ® 19 19 0
15 Mario Dominguez 17 17 0
16 Simon Pagenaud ® 17 17 0
17 Dan Clarke 15 15 0
18 Matt Halliday ® 11 11 0




Track Information & Tarck Map:-

http://www.grandprixofhouston.com

Satellite pictures from:-

http://earth.google.com

The Official Champ Car Website:-

http://www.champcarworldseries.com

i hope this race is better then the first two

Kathrine Legge has driven two unspectacular but solid races so far

well done to her

Yeah, the first two were bad, things have to get better soon!

I hope Bordais's dominance - well the McDonalds Sponsored Newman/Haas - does not continue. It will have the viewers switching off in their droves!

Its a basic car park race on the grounds of the football and baseball stadiums!

Pretty impressive there are though!

Shame this isn't a night race this year :(

Bourdais takes provisional pole

from www.autopsport.com

Sebastien Bourdais guaranteed himself a front row slot for the Grand Prix of Houston, lapping the course in 58.376 seconds with an average speed of 103.789mph.

The Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing driver set his time on the harder compound black rubber, while Will Power wasted a set of red tyres trying to match him - and then had his fastest time taken away from him, as he backed Justin Wilson up while seeking a clear track ahead.

Nonetheless, the Team Australia pilot - who remains the championship leader - looks to be Bourdais' strongest challenger this weekend, as he admits his best time was a 'rubbish lap', involving too much over-driving and near-misses with the concrete walls.

Graham Rahal was third fastest, more than 0.2 seconds ahead of RSPORTS teammates Wilson and Alex Tagliani.

Robert Doornbos' spin in the Minardi USA car caused a red flag, which meant everyone was bunched for their final run, so a lot of drivers have yet to show their full potential.

That includes last year's pole-sitter Mario Dominguez, who languishes in 12th place - albeit only half a second off fourth in a very tightly packed field.

Pacific Coast Motorsports, who graduated to Champ Cars from Grand Am sportscars only this year, had good and bad news.

Ryan Dalziel did was 10th fastest this afternoon, but Alex Figge continued to suffer from the after-effects of his shunt in Long Beach and has been withdrawn from the event.

Pos Driver Team Time
1. S.Bourdais Newman/Haas/Lanigan 58.376
2. Will Power Team Australia 58.890 + 0.514
3. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan 58.998 + 0.622
4. Justin Wilson RSPORTS 59.216 + 0.840
5. Alex Tagliani RSPORTS 59.269 + 0.893
6. Oriol Servia Forsythe Championship 59.338 + 0.962
7. Neel Jani PKV 59.354 + 0.978
8. Simon Pagenaud Team Australia 59.446 + 1.070
9. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne 59.575 + 1.199
10. Ryan Dalziel Pacific Coast Motorsports 59.746 + 1.370
11. Matthew Halliday Conquest 59.747 + 1.371
12. Mario Dominguez Forsythe Championship 59.788 + 1.412
13. Robert Doornbos Minardi Team USA 59.940 + 1.564
14. Tristan Gommendy PKV 1:00.348 + 1.972
15. Dan Clarke Minardi Team USA 1:00.365 + 1.989
16. Katherine Legge Dale Coyne 1:00.603 + 2.227


Some interesting times there. Wilson seems to be getting a little better in his new Panoz, but still not challenging the might of the Newman/Haas.

Team Australia still seem to be doing well in the best of the rest runners, but Dan Clarke is dissapointing in his Minardi - with his rookie team-mate faster.

Miss Legge is at the back again, I really feel she needs to either get into IRL and hence ovals (women seem to be able to handle them better) or bugger off home.

Freudian slip...... <thumbs>

an interesting development

http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~3~id~146762.htm

i'll be watching tonight!

it would appear that Roberto Moreno is going to be racing tonight for PCM

how old is he now?

hes 48 - a little too old for open wheel.....but will probably beat Miss Legge!

Moreno has been off a couple of times already

its been chaotic so far

loads of silly crashes and of course, Dominguez was involved in one taking out Will Power, Mario continuted but sustained damage to his car

Bruno Junqueira, Neel Jani, Katherine Legge, Dan Clarke, Matt Halliday and Tristan Gommendy all involved in various incidents so far

some are still in the race, others are not

1. Sebastien Bourdais FRA Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing Panoz-Ford 93 laps 1hr 45m 32.136s
2. Graham Rahal* USA Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing Panoz-Ford +4.818s
3. Robert Doornbos* NED Minardi Team USA Panoz -Ford +7.060s
4. Oriol Servia ESP Forsythe Racing Panoz -Ford +8.749s
5. Simon Pagenaud* FRA Team Australia Panoz -Ford +9.453s
6. Mario Dominguez MEX Forsythe Racing Panoz -Ford +19.078s
7. Bruno Junqueira BRZ Dale Coyne Racing Panoz -Ford +19.780s
8. Ryan Dalziel* GBR Pacific Coast Motorsport Panoz -Ford +20.329s
9. Alex Tagliani CAN RSPORTS Panoz -Ford +25.062s
10. Justin Wilson GBR RSPORTS Panoz-Ford +28.539s
11. Will Power AUS Team Australia Panoz-Ford +1 lap
12. Robert Moreno BRZ Pacific Coast Motorsport Panoz -Ford +3 laps
Rtd Tristan Gommendy* FRA PKV Racing Panoz -Ford 85 laps completed
14. Matt Halliday* NZL Conquest Racing Panoz -Ford +16 laps
Rtd Neel Jani* SUI PKV Racing Panoz -Ford 67 laps completed
Rtd Katherine Legge GBR Dale Coyne Racing Panoz -Ford 67 laps completed
Rtd Dan Clarke GBR Minardi Team USA Panoz-Ford 67 laps completed

here's the final result

havent got time to run through everything so here a report from crash.net

http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~3~id~146822.htm

Hooray.... <clap>

Graham Rahal Youngest podium finisher, and team 1-2 and Seb back on course for his 4th title... <thumbs>

Minardi 3rd... looks like Minardi will be far more successful in Champ Car than they ever where in F1...

Had to feel sorry for Wilson. Poor pit stops and being hit by idiots (including Will Power) robbed him of a second place.

As for the other Brits, Clarke and Legge are crap and who is this Dalzeil bloke - c'mon you Scots people.....tell us all about him.

The Newman/Haas team have a budget of practically all the other teams put together, and it showed in Houston. Bordais wil take it bad when he loses his silver spoon if he swaps to F1.