Good stuff. PIR is an underrated and competitive track. The top drivers roll into Portland thinking they got it the bag, until they lose it on a curve, bend something important, and wind up getting lapped by some no name kid from Idaho.
I pretty much lived there every weekend for a couple of years (before my kids were born). Love that track. Unfortunately, having mostly raced good handling cars without amazing top-end speed my best results usually came at other events, that long front straight was always a place I lost time I gained on the back side of the track. As for the Indy / Champcar races, I moved to Portland in 1996 so have never seen these races before. Thanks.
Are you old enough to remember the top fuel drag races and the Rocket dragsters. Now those were loud. Shook all of NEP.
The sensation at the start of the race can not be explained, you had to be there. That moment was worth the price of the ticket. We had pit passes. Just before the race started, I brushed shoulders with Paul Newman as he was heading for his car. Never saw anyone more focused. And he was not acting. Jerome Kersey was also there Good times.
A side note to this race. Before the race started. We saw an original copy of our Declaration of Independence on display at Jantzen Beach. It was strongly guarded by the secret service, behind bullet proof glass. Seeing it up close set a magical tone to a wonderful day. Hope I got that right, been so long ago, but that is how I remember it.
