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Canadian Triple Crown Begins In Champ Car |
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Tuesday, 03 July 2007 |
The Champ Car World Series, which along with the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series will form the feature racing program of Queensland’s Lexmark Indy 300 on October 18-21, has announced a first-ever team showdown during the upcoming three-event July swing through Canada.
Officially dubbed the “Champ Car Canadian Triple Crown,” the team competition will pit teams against each other over the three successive Canadian races, beginning this week in Mont-Tremblant (July 1), continuing next week in Toronto (July 8) and concluding on July 22 in Edmonton.
The standings for the Triple Crown will be based on the combined
average finish for each team and with solid results secured already
this year, Team Australia is bound to be in the mix to take the
inaugural crown.
“A Champ Car Triple Crown competition in Canada will be a fun way to
draw extra attention to this country’s three great events,” said Team
Australia’s Will Power.
“Of course as drivers we’re all for anything that involves more competition against each other.
“I don’t know about the other drivers, but I know that I’ll be quite
happy if Simon finishes exactly one spot behind me in all three races,
and we share the podium each and every time.”
Added Power’s French team mate Simon Pagenaud: “I like our chances.
Team Australia has a great team manager in Rob Edwards, a great crew
and Will’s not a bad driver to pair up with.
“Those two Newman/Haas/Lanigan boys will be a tough duo to beat, and so
will Tag and Justin, and Oriol and Paul Tracy, who of course will be a
big favorite here in Canada.”
Power and Pagenaud are currently third and eighth respectively, in the
Champ Car World Series points standings, while Newman/Haas/Lanigan
teammates Sebastian Bourdais and Graham Rahal are first and seventh.
Other teams to watch are Alex Tagliani and Justin Wilson, driving for
RSports who and currently fourth and fifth, respectively, in the
standings, and Oriol Servia (sixth) and recent Cleveland winner Paul
Tracy (tenth).
“Our three events in Canada are very important to us and we wanted to
make them even more special this year,” said Champ Car President and
CEO Steve Johnson.
“We have a strong base of very loyal Champ Car fans throughout the
entire country and over the next three races the Canadian Triple Crown
will add another interesting element to the media coverage and fan
interest.”
The team averaging the best finishing position during the Champ Car
Canadian Triple Crown events will receive an Inuit Stone Carving
representing their status as winners of the inaugural team competition.
This type of stone carving is rooted in the ancient past of the native
Canadian Inuit tribe. In addition to the traditional stone carving, the
winning team will be treated to an array of Canadian-themed rewards.
The Canadian Triple Crown also features a diverse selection of race
courses, thereby showcasing the drivers with a range of driving skills.
Beginning on Canada Day with the Champ Car Mont-Tremblant, the first
leg will feature a new circuit for the competitors in the Champ Car
World Series.
The 2.65-mile (4.26km) permanent road course in picturesque Quebec last played host to a Champ Car event in 1968.
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