CART super kart team @ 500 Milhas da Granja Viana!

[Muzza]

This is just too good!

For the last six years the Brazilian kart season has been closed with a great event at the Granja Viana kart track - a wonderful place, should I say, located about 40 km west of São Paulo. It is a 500-mile endurance event, that has attracted the cream of Brazilian motosports since its inception. Last year's race was won by a team made by Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Massa and Tony Kanaan!

However, the 2003 500 Milhas da Granja Viana, to be held on November 8th and 9th, will be an epic beyond all previous editions. A CART kart superteam will participate in the race - the drivers being Jimmy Vasser, Michel Jourdain, Oriol Servia and Alessandro Zanardi!

Zanardi will race with a kart equipped with special controls, so throttle and breaks can be operated by the steering wheel. This "CART superteam" received a waiver by the organizers, so they will use two karts during the race - one for Zanardi, and another for Vasser, Jourdain and Servia - as it would be too complicated for the other drivers to get adapted to this system. I understand that Zanardi has already practiced in Italy with a kart set like that.

Wow!

And that's not all: Juan Pablo Montoya, Antonio Pizzonia and Danilo Dirani (newly crowned Brazilian Formula 3 champion) will make another team.

More: Marco Andretti, son of Michael, and the youngest member of the Andretti dynasty, has accepted an invitation by Tony Kanaan to join his team.

And you know what? The race is open to any driver with a valid racing license! What a pity I cannot make the trip...

If someone is interested in participating, send me a private message and I will gladly provide the details. Ten Tenths should have a team there.

Cheers,


(Happy) Muzza

[avsfan733]

Muzza...maybe a little general information as to where and when?

[shiny side up!]

Originally posted by Muzza
...at the Granja Viana kart track - a wonderful place, should I say, located about 40 km west of São Paulo...

...to be held on November 8th and 9th...

[Muzza]

Originally posted by avsfan733
Muzza...maybe a little general information as to where and when?

Sure! (I refrained of doing this above as I thought someone might believe that I was using this forum to promote the race... Fool me)

- registrations for the race cost BRL 2.590,00 (about USD 880.00) per team until October 11th. After this date the price will be increased to BRL 2.990,00 (some USD 1.020,00) - again, per team. Each team may have from three to ten drivers.

- I don't know what is the cut-off date for registration, but there is a cap of 67 karts allowed to race.

- you can register by phone: the number is (+55 11) 4702-5055, or via the Kartódromo da Granja Viana website, at http://www.kartodromogranjaviana.com.br.

It would be fantastic to have a Ten Tenths team there (I am just saying thatt because I like this forum!)

Cheers and happy racing,


Muzza

[boom boom]

Wow, I have never heard of this before, but I do remeber a little bit last year about Rubbens , Massa and Kannan, but didn't know all the details. This race sounds awsome!! The Zanardi team alone, what a line up!!! Hey Muzza, does this race get televised anywhere?

[Muzza]

Hello, Boom Boom,

Usually several of the Brazilian tv networks send crews to cover the event, but to the best of my knowledge it is not broadcasted live - as it lasts almost 12 hours.

In the last three editions the winners have been:

- Rubens Barrichello/Tony Kanaan/Felipe Massa in 2002;
- Rubens Barrichello/Tony Kanaan/Mario Haberfeld in 2001;
- Rubens Barrichello/Tony Kanaan/Christian Fittipaldi in 2000!

It can't get any better, can it?

Cheers,


Muzza

[Snrub]

There have to be some killer young drivers out there that have not been given thier shot. This would be an amazing chance for these guys. Imagine even if on was able to beat one of those guys for even the first stint!

There should be an Atlantics team too. I'm sure they'd do quiet well.

[boom boom]

Originally posted by Muzza
It can't get any better, can it?

It sounds unbelieveable!
Hi Muzza, so there is a cap of 67 teams, is the feild usually full? Have you been to one of these races? I see it is 40 miles out of Sao Palo, what kind of are is it in? Are there alot of spectators there? This race sounds awsome and well worht a trip to Brazil to see it. If money was no object I would plan a trip down there right now, just on only hearing of the Zanardi team alone. Though it does sound like a future trip to this race would be worth it

[Muzza]

Hello, Boom Boom,

Yes, usually the field is complete - and all entries are taken well before the race.

Some friends of mine (or their children - hell, I am getting old) have raced there, but... I haven't. I have though the track and watched races there. It is a nice, wall maintained track - one of the best kart circuits I have been to anywhere.

Granja Viana is an upscale neighbourhood on the outskirts of the Greater São Paulo. Going there is an interesting, educational trip across the shocking social contrasts that make Brazil be what it is.

On the journey from São Paulo to Granja Viana one crosses shantytowns of Africa-like poverty - and then, a few minutes later, passes houses with a market value of several million dollars.

(one of the ways of getting there includes taking a drive through a street called Henrique Schaumann, in the so-called Pinheiros quarter. Once I at this very street, seated in my car, waiting for a traffic light to open. Just beside be, in the next lane, there was a brand new BMW Series 7. In front of it, a some-eight-year-old black street kid, shirtless and barefoot, was holding a sign that read "Feed Me Please". Talk about social chasm).

My apologies, I got carried away.

I understand that quite a crowd shows there for the 500 Milhas ("500 Miles") but I was never able to attend this race! (I have not been able to be in Brazil at the tiem of the year that it takes place).

It would be wonderful if some Ten Tenthers could plan in advance - say, have a two year-plan - and than make the trip as a team... Count on me.

Cheers,


Muzza