Toronto Report So Far

[Liz]

Anyone else who is at Toronto can add to this thread!

==============

Friday was a very successful day. We arrived early and dropped off our stuff for the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame exhibit (go to see it if you are there) and then went up to our grandstand seats to see First Practice. Naturally the Penske Boys dominated, but there were some surprising runs by the likes of Tags and some dismal performances by the likes of Bruno (pull up your sox, boy, today's for real!) As we were walking through the Automotive building to get to Thunder Alley and the Paddock, we were passed by Mario Andretti on a paddock scooter. He was obviously on a mission. We followed him and the mission appeared to have a great deal to do with a room marked "Men." We waited outside (we're not proud) until he came out and snapped his photo, then spoke with him very briefly but he was in a hurry and he soon skurried away.

Then we went into the paddock and watched them work on the cars, trolled for pilots (Alex Zanardi, TOny Kanaan, the two Japanese pilots and Roberto Moreno were the only ones we saw, although there was an unconfirmed sighting of Paul Tracy on a paddock bike). Mainly we talked with engineers and mechanics, who are very flattered to be noticed and very talkative!

I have also got my "Gil is the Champion" shirt too! Penske has finally concluded a deal with Speedgear, and there are many fine items for sale with the Penske logo thereon now - including a wonderful shirt that says "I climbed the fence with Helio" that memorializes his win of the Indy 500. I am wearing that shirt today.

And finally, I got my autographs - of course the Penske Boys, and they autographed the photo I had taken with them last year, amid much hilarity. Helio immediately pounced on Gil with the remark, "Look at him in that picture! He never smiles! Look at him, he looks as if he has to go to the bathroom!" Gil looked at him as if he was quite used to it and seemed to be amused. Or maybe he's just used to it. I just said, "Oh, Helio, that's mean!" I also got Max Wilson's autograph (he is absolutely gorgeous) and Michel Jourdain Jr., as they had short lines, I didn't have their autographs yet, and I can get the the Target Boys today at a separate session.

We are on our way back to the track in a few minutes. I will report again tonight.

Oh, and I saw Jay yesterday in the autograph line. He wouldn't let us cut in line with him.

P.S. I have a great idea for next year's Indy. I will expound it later.

[R]

Thanks for the "on-site" report, Liz. That was very nice to read. Hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend!

[ma]

You'll never get that close at an F1 race! Thank god for CART!

[macdaddy]

Do you have to be in Toronto to add to this thread?
I'd just like to say that the "Word of the Day" is...
PENSKE
And I'd like to add that tomorrow's "Word of the Day" should be...
PENSKE

Have a great time in Toronto. Wish I was there.
Thinking that Helio's leaving with the championship lead..?

[R]

Originally posted by macdaddy
Do you have to be in Toronto to add to this thread?

I hope not! I've added to it, and I'm not in Toronto (whoops, I did it again )!

If this is a problem, will one of the admins please delete my posts...

[Liz]

I wish you were both here, you silly boys.

Today's word was also PENSKE. In fact, the paper showed Mikey on the back of a breakdown truck, looking sad as his car is being towed back to the pits, and it says he drives for Team Penske! How soon we forget.

The Penske Boys are on pole and .006 behind - a Penske front row and good for our side. Kenny Brack languished around 16th until the last few minutes and then suddenly he turned over the page and shot up to 3rd. He is one to watch out for tomorrow. Mikey starts 13th. The news showed Mario watching him qualify and looking as if he wondered who this guy could possibly be.

I got Bruno's autograph today - he is sweet and shy and very cute... and you can read his autograph. I got Memo's also and he will talk your arm off if they will let him (they wouldn't today). I told him it was nice to see him back on the grid again and he just beamed.

The newspaper printed a quarter page photo of Gil in his full race suit, including helmet and some rather fetching knee pads, exiting a port-o-loo. I am sure he is overjoyed to have everyone pinning that one to their bulletin boards.

Tony Kanaan's plenum blew sky high in practice. I went over to check it out at the paddock and found a girl hovering hopefully, who said she was waiting for the pilots to come out as she wanted their autographs. The pilots she was waiting for were Gil and Helio. I told her that they were not going to come out of the Mo Nunn trailer as they worked for Penske, which was across the road.

Finally, we are making arrangements toward what may be a Ten-Tenths and RaceFamily Motorsports lounge for next year's Molson Indy. Details will be forthcoming. Everyone is invited. Bring your friends.

I'm off to finish the newsletter. Hurrah for the Molson Indy Toronto, today's home of the Fastest Racing on Earth!

[tanalised]

Good on you Liz
Have a great race day!

[racefamilyman]

Hi Liz, I'm not in Toronto either but I did hear Memo would talk the leg off a chair if they'd let him. Gee can't seem to remember were I heard that Stay away from that "Oasis" and the house with one wall and no roof. Never know what kind of shady characters you might find there

All the best

RFM

[domaza]

Quess Liz is a little disappointed... Penske guys both didn't make it to the finish... But the race was awesome again... Wow... So many passes and drama. Micheal from last to winner... New guys in TOP 6. Adrian stalling... Dario out... Too much drama for me Looking forward to Michigan!

[Jay]

aaahhh Liz, I said you could cut in, then the people around me gave me some nasty looks, but I still said you could.. maybe you didn't hear me with the sweet music in the background..hehehe (OK, so Atlantics don't have the best sound..still)

Unfortunately the autograph session was a little shorter than in the past...lol..yet I still managed to get Fittipaldi(who seemed a little ticked about something), DaMatta, Geugelmin, Dixon, Brack, Papis (who made fun of me for accidentally showing him Kenny Brack's card), and I had a short laugh with Nakano about his F1 days, his English was perfect and we had a good laugh.

The weirdest thing I saw during the weekend was about an hour before the race. While walking toward my grandstand, Alex Zanardi came riding his little bicycle in circles with none other than Max Papis sitting his lap...they were both laughing like circus freaks! I wish my camera was a little quicker, it would have been a great photo to caption..

The next weirdest thing would have to be Mario Andretti riding his little motorscooter in circles around a blond woman (not sure who?). He kept circling her like a maniac with a the smile of a 5 year old. Then he signed my program! I can't believe that Michael Andretti is somehow related to this guy!

I spent most of the weekend wandering from corner to corner with my camera. There are some good grandstands, but if you really want to experience these cars you have to get up close an personal, and that is only possible through general admissions. The best corner for GA was turn 3, at the end of lakeshore, where you got a good view of cars work through the narrowest portion of the track...the next best place was turn 8, where drivers were constantly going off into the escape road, and often the tires! Michael Andretti had a nice crash there, and unfortunately Nakano and Wilson had a big coming together at the start of quali. Max was furious, yelling some things I won't repost here about Shinji. I'll just say they weren't very "PC"...anyway, I met Shinji the day before and thought he was quite nice...

And then there was the race....

Maybe I;ll stop going, I'm sick of baby Mikey crashing the car at every other track, yet managing to win here... although I am very happy for Alex Tagliani, he had a fantastic weekend, and really deserved a long overdue podium. Also, Paul Tracy did well, coming from a lap down to finish 6th!

Liz, that sounds like a fantastic idea, I am interested to hear more details.

Been a long weekend, G'night people.

[Hans.ca]

I'm sure Liz was thrilled that her favourite won another Toronto Molson Indy race. I was watching at home on my TV together with my dog Heidi and consuming the sponsors products. She likes it too.
I'm a huge fan of Mario and his brother Aldo, but his son does not turn my crank. However I must admit that he drove superbely yesterday and deserved the win. He mentioned that he perhaps should become a Canadian citizen, since he is now the King of Toronto. I know we let almost anybody into this country but we got to draw the line somewhere. Please Michael don't try!!!!!

[enzo]

Originally posted by Hans.ca
I was watching at home on my TV together with my dog Heidi and consuming the sponsors products. She likes it too.

The racing or the beer?

I ca hear it now - " Rooowwf, urp"!!!

Gotta watch out when Mario is around - he'll chase any good looking skirt. Just ask Tom Anderson's wife!

[Liz]

Mikey would not be a success as a Canadian. He is arrogant and he shows off too much.

Unless he'd like to be in the government.

[Hans.ca]

enzo, Heidi likes the product, she is not to keen on racing, to much noise.
I don't know anything about Mario chasing skirts, but I can tell you that in the days of sports car racing 60 and 70 he would deliver the Italian community in force to Mosport Park.
Oscar Kobalesci, president of the PRDA, introduced Mario to a charitable club dinner as follows:
Mario is a well known racing driver and a very enterprising person. He now is importing tires from italy. They go in the rain, they go in the snow and when they go flat they go wap wap wap.