Backstretch Motorsports

TORONTO, Ontario – Sunday – In January of 2004 on the historic road course at Daytona International Speedway, a skinny 12-year old kid from Little Rock, Arkansas became the youngest winner in the history of the Skip Barber formula car racing series.  Later that year after turning 13, the same young driver shocked the world as he won the 2004 Red Bull Worldwide Driver Search against a stout field of more experienced racers. 

In 2005, the 14-year old teenager became the youngest driver in history to be granted an FIA Grade B racing license as he moved to Europe to participate in Formula Renault, winning his first race in the hyper-competitive series in 2006.  Today on the treacherously wet streets of Exhibition Place near downtown Toronto, John Edwards (#7 Red Bull/INDECK Mazda-Cosworth/Cooper/Swift) reset the bar once again as the high-school student and star member of the Red Bull Junior Team took second place in the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto Atlantic race and, at 16 years of age, became the youngest driver in the star-studded 34-year history of Champ Car Atlantic to finish on the podium.

After starting sixth in the 23-car field as raindrops began to fall, Edwards quickly moved to third spot in two laps before a Red Flag came out as the rain intensified.  After changing to treaded wet-weather Cooper Zeon tires along with the rest of the field, Edwards vaulted into second position while avoiding rain-induced carnage around him and surviving two aggressive pass attempts by his teammate, Robert Wickens (#3 Red Bull/INDECK Mazda-Cosworth/Cooper/Swift).

Wickens, who qualified in eighth spot but also showed his wet-weather expertise as the 18-year old Toronto native zipped through the field to third spot by the mid-point of the race, tried an optimistic pass on his younger teammate midway through the race and almost put both cars in the tire wall.  Two laps from the end of the event Wickens once again tried a pass and came to grief, spinning and losing valuable positions en route to a seventh-place finish.  Wickens retains third place in the season points while Edwards vaults to 13th, just four markers shy of the top ten of the 31-driver standings.

John Edwards#7 Red Bull / INDECKMazda-Cosworth/Cooper/SwiftFinished Second from Sixth on the Grid13th in Point Standings with 75“When the raindrops started to fall I was happy because my time in Europe gave me quite a bit of wet weather experience and I enjoy driving in those conditions, but we didn’t have time to make any adjustments to the car.  Luckily no body else did either!  I got a good start and moved up a couple of spots and then the rain got heavier and they stopped it so we could switch to wet weather Coopers.  When we got restarted there was a big crash in front of me and that bumped me up to second – I couldn’t believe it!  I tried to catch Franck (Perera) but he was pretty hooked up.  Robert (Wickens) was close behind me – I think he was probably a little bit faster – but I had out-qualified him so I had the track position.  He totally missed the braking zone for Turn 3 at one point but I saw him zooming up the inside so I gave him room and we managed to avoid contact.  Then as we got down to the last couple of laps he closed in again and tried to get inside me at Turn 5 but I never saw him in my mirror.  I turned in and my left rear touched his right front and he spun.  It was kind of a crazy move but if I’d seen him coming I would have left more room because I would have had the inside line for the next corner anyway.  I felt a bump and looked in my mirror and there he was, spinning out.  But overall it was a good day for the Red Bull #7 and I’m stoked for Edmonton!”

Robert Wickens #3 Red Bull / INDECKMazda-Cosworth/Cooper/SwiftFinished Seventh from Eighth on the GridThird in Point Standings with 178“First I have to apologize to John and the team.  My car was a little faster but both times I tried to pass I really shouldn’t have.  The first time I was way, way back and kind of misjudged my speed in the spray, and the second time I thought he saw me and was going to let me get alongside.  But both times were pretty much screwups on my part and the only good news is that I didn’t take him out.  The worst thing you can do in this sport is take out your teammate and I almost did it twice in one race!  Here I am contending for the Championship and I not only throw away a podium finish but let the points leader (Rafael Matos) get ahead of me in the process. But I’m happy for John and the team for getting another podium.”

The series now heads west for the July 22 Rexall Grand Prix Edmonton, Round 9 as Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.  For more information about Atlantic including live timing, the TV broadcast schedule and info on live streaming video of all races on espn360.com, please visit the official series website at www.ChampCarAtlantic.com.

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A rain -soaked Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto saw a day furious activity that has changed the complextion of the Champ Car World Series title landscape. Points leader Sebastien Bourdais ( #1 McDonald's Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) would retire after making contact with CCWS Championship top spot points rival Robert Doornbos (#14Minardi Team USA Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone).

Australian Will Power (#5 Aussie Vineyards Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) was able to navigate the both the wet and dry conditions to claim his second career win and move into the second spot in the Series Championship standings just two points behind. He was able to slip and slide to the checkers after Mother Nature open the skies on lap 37 of the event.

Today's qualifying session at the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto was a battle of series giants as Sebastien Bourdais (#1 McDonald's Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) and Justin Wilson (#9 CDW Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) traded the top spot three times in the final minutes with the three-time Series champion coming out on top. Yesterday Bourdais claimed the provisional pole by just two-one-hundredths of a second and today the margin was even tighter as just one-one hundredth of a second separated Bourdais and Wilson when the checkered flag flew.

Bourdais lapped the 1.755-mile temporary street course in 58.288 seconds (108.393 mph) to earn his third pole of the season. On his final lap, Wilson knew he had a time to beat but the Brit pushed too hard in Turn 6 and brushed the wall. The contact didn't damage his CDW car, but it did ruin his last chance to claim the pole position. Wilson was forced to settle with a best lap at 58.299 seconds (108.372 mph) which was good enough to give him his second front row start of the season.

Wilson will be starting on the front row for the second consecutiveyear, after claiming the pole position here in Toronto last year.This is the fourth time that the England-native will start in the topfour after making six starts in 2007, and it also marks the secondtime this season that Wilson will start on the front row.

Starting third is Forsythe Championship Racing's Oriol Servia (#7 Indeck Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) who posted his best qualifying effort of the season with a lap at 58.661 seconds (107.704 mph). Joining Servia in the second row is Team Australia rookie Simon Pagenaud (#15 Aussie Vineyards Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone) who recorded a best lap at 58.664 seconds (107.698 mph).

Quotes from Qualifying: Sebastien Bourdais, No. 1 McDonald’s Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone:  “Well I guess the cars are getting faster and faster.  It takes quite a few laps actually to get the full grip.  I don't know if everybody agrees, but it took me quite a few attempts to really get the grip and the car going.  In the meantime I seem to be struggling a little bit more in the corners as the run was going.  It didn't look obvious that we were going to be able to grab this one but the McDonald’s team did a fantastic job.  I'm really, really pleased.  I think we have a good car.  But obviously these two guys (Justin Wilson and Oriol Servia) are pushing really hard.  It could have gone either way.  We're going to have to stay on our toes and keep working hard because it's not automatic, that's for sure.  We're very, very happy, though, and we'll try to do the best job we can for tomorrow. 

            It's a big challenge (this year).  You start from scratch.  Everybody's got the same stuff around, so it makes it even tougher.  It's very, very good that it's that tight.  I think it shows how good the level of driving and the competitiveness of the series at the front.  In the meantime, it also shows that everybody could say anything about us, Newman/Haas and everything, but the truth is damper or no damper, we're still fighting at the front and doing a good job.  That's what's really satisfying.  We just kind of really are working probably even harder to try and stay at the front, but it's even more rewarding. 

(On the importance of experience at this track:)  I think it plays a big factor, for sure.  Like I said, it's a tough track.  It's a tough track to know what a good car feels like.  I think the perfect car at Toronto doesn't exist.  You're going to have to accept and live with some problems and just know what you should just live with and what you need to fix.  That's the tough thing.  You know, I think it's very easy to get lost in the setup when you're in your first year.  I've been there before.  It was really hard.  I'd have to say it was the toughest for me.   But for sure, as a rookie, it's always a tough place.” 

Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing NotesPROVISIONAL QUALIFYING NOTES/QUOTESFriday, July 6, 2007Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto – Toronto, Ontario, Canada Round 7 of 16 in the Champ Car World Series

McDONALD’S ® DRIVER BOURDAIS ON PROVISIONAL POLE FOR THE STEELBACK GRAND PRIX OF TORONTO AND REGAINED SOLE POSESSION OF THE POINTS LEAD; MEDI | ZONE DRIVER RAHAL EIGHTH 1st: Sebastien Bourdais 58.783 / 107.480 mph 8th: Graham Rahal  59.456 / 106.263 mph 

Sebastien Bourdais, No. 1 McDonald’s Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone:  “I don't know if it's just me, but it was slippery out there.  It was a big sliding party.  It was a lot of fun, but obviously when you start sliding in between walls it can get pretty hairy out there.  Between touching and hitting a wall, it's a fine line but we managed to do that today.  We're going to have to make some progress for tomorrow.  It was just a good effort from the McDonald's team.  I think the conditions changed quite a bit between the afternoon and the morning.  It's very good to be back on top here.  It's a fun event.  It's a fun course.  To be able to assure yourself a front row start spot, it's a big advantage.  We'll try and capitalize on that tomorrow.  I think what makes our strength is the consistency in our efforts.  It's very rare to find ourselves in the hole.  That's what makes that team most of the time better than the others.  It's all to the credit of the team.  Every time we unload the car it's pretty much right on the money, then I've just got to do my job from there, which isn't always easy.  But it's a lot easier when you start from a close car than a car that's way, way off.”   

•         FAST FACTS: Leads the point standings with 146 points while second place Doornbos has 145…Will be his fifth race here.  Started and finished third here in 2006.  Regained the points lead here in 2005 after finishing fifth.  Started from pole and led the first 34 laps before contact with Tracy while the two were racing out of the pits limited his result.  Won from pole here in 2004 after leading 75 laps and setting the fastest race lap.  Started sixth and finished fourth in rookie season in 2003.…Became the first open wheel driver to win three consecutive championships since Ted Horn accomplished the feat from 1946-1948 and only the second in the 98 year history of the sport…He has the rare opportunity to win four consecutive championships this year if he can again capture the Vanderbilt Cup, which would extend his run that began in 2004. Bourdais would be making history as no Champ Car driver has ever won four straight championships. Four in a row is very rare in professional sports in fact it has never been done in either NASCAR or NFL and it hasn’t been accomplished in the last twenty years in the NBA, NHL or MLB.

Graham Rahal, No. 2 Medi | Zone Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone:  "The Medi | Zone team doesn’t quite have the speed yet.  You have to be brave to go quick here and I am confident we can but the car isn’t close enough yet.  The brake zones are rough and bumpy which makes it difficult and challenging at the same time but the car is very poor in the braking areas, especially in turns five and eight so it’s tough to maximize braking.  In Turn 3, which is the highest speed corner on the track, I am faster than Sebastien but at other, slower corners I lock my brakes.  We have been able to improve on Saturday at the past races so hopefully it will be the case tomorrow.”

•         FAST FACTS: Will be his second race here and first in a Champ Car.  Started from pole in the 2006 Atlantic race here but was hit by Raphael Matos on the first lap.  Repaired the damaged suspension and returned to the track a few laps down but later retired in 15th place.  Set the fastest race lap…Finished second in the Champ Car Atlantic championship after a title hunt that concluded in the season finale.  Led 129 laps to champion Pagenaud’s 31.  He earned a series-high five wins (42 percent), four poles (33 percent) and six podium finishes (50 percent) in the 12 events and at 17 years old was the youngest race winner in series history (Monterrey, Mexico on 5-21-06).

•         NHR /NHLR FAST FACTS: NHR has won SEVEN races at this track (Bourdais 2004; da Matta 2002; Michael Andretti 2000, 1995, 1992, 1991, 1989) and FOUR poles (Bourdais 2004 & 2005, da Matta 2002, Mi. Andretti 1991).  They have earned a total of 16 podium finishes (2nd – Servia 2005, Mi. Andretti 1998, Ma. Andretti 1991, Mi. Andretti 1990; 3rd – Bourdais 2006, Junqueira 2003, Fittipaldi 2002 & 1999, Ma. Andretti 1986).  Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing hope to add to these numbers… This weekend’s Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto is the second of three events in the Champ Car “Canadian Triple Crown” and Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing (NHLR) drivers Sebastien Bourdais and Graham Rahal are ranked second to Team Australia in the mini championship. 

ON THE SCHEDULE TOMORROW: The morning warm-up will take place from 10:15-11:30 AM ET while final qualifying will begin at 2:00 PM ET.

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Team Australia heads back into rough and tough street circuit racing at the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto for Round 7 of the Champ Car World Series in Toronto, Canada this weekend.

The Exhibition Place circuit is one of the mainstays of the Champ Car World Series, first hosting a round of the championship in 1986 and this weekend Team Australia drivers Will Power and Simon Pagenaud will be aiming to add their names to the illustrious winner’s list.

Power continues to knock on the door of his second Champ Car victory and a return to street circuit racing should favour the Australian.

The Toowoomba-born driver’s first pole position at the 2006 Lexmark Indy 300 in October last year and his first victory in this year’s season opener in Las Vegas both came on street circuits.

Power’s Team Australia team-mate Simon Pagenaud achieved his best Champ Car result last weekend in Mont Tremblant by claiming fourth place, one position behind Power, after earlier leading laps to further cement his reputation as one of the rising stars of Champ Car.

The recovery from a poor start at Mont Tremblant, when both Aussie Vineyards cars stalled due to engine problems out of the team’s control, salvaged a strong points haul for Power and Pagenaud.

Team Australia will also be out to maintain the Aussie Vineyards-backed squad’s lead in the Canadian Triple Crown standings. The three-race challenge takes the average finishing position for teams over three Canadian events in four weeks and Team Australia currently leads the table ahead of Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing and RSports.

The three events included in the triple crown offer a unique dissection of the Champ Car World Series, with the spectacular road course at Mont Tremblant, the tight and rough street circuit at Toronto and the fast airport circuit at Edmonton the three rounds deciding the winning team.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY …

Will Power – #5 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01

“We are continuing our championship charge and I’m looking forward to going back to a street circuit, and what better place than to go racing in Toronto,” said Power.

“The Aussie Vineyards cars have been very strong on these types of circuits and I’ve been very competitive on them as well.

“Unfortunately we’ve run into some bad luck the past couple of races but it’s starting to pick back up in Canada and Toronto was where our luck started to turn around last year.

“Now we are aiming to finish ahead of Sebastian and Robert and hopefully collect another win and to continue getting points and of course to continue leading the Canadian Triple Crown.”

Simon Pagenaud – #15 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01

“This will be another big race for us this weekend in Toronto and another race to collect points for the Canadian Triple Crown,” said Pagenaud.

“I’m really looking forward to going back, it’s a great city and great area. The track is very interesting. We struggled a little bit in Atlantics there last year, but came away with a great result and we took the lead in the championship there so I have very good memories.

“With the result we had last weekend with Champ Car, I really think we will have a good weekend and everything is starting to go really smoothly and the team is working great together.

“We’ve a good shot and I can’t wait to get back and give the fans a good race and drive close to the wall.”

Derrick Walker – Team Australia Co-Owner

“Always a favourite on the Champ Car calendar is a Canadian event and Toronto has long been part of schedule and we always enjoy racing there in the city,” said Walker.

“It’s back to street course racing where we had reasonable success at the beginning of the season and hopefully we can regain our great street course set-ups and starts and pick up from where we left off.”

Craig Gore – Team Australia Co-Owner

“The street circuits have been an area where Team Australia has been strong so we head into Toronto looking to get a good result on the board,” said Gore.

“The guys made a strong comeback in Mont Tremblant and if it had not been for the engine problems on the grid it could have been even better.

“Will has had the pace to achieve his second win over the last few races but just hasn’t had things go his way to get the job done. A return to street circuit racing, where we were so strong at the end of last season and the start of this season, could be just the thing he needs to get that next win.

“Simon is doing a very good job and continues to push Will at ever circuit and in every session. It’s great for the team to continually have both cars at the front of the field challenging for the podium.

“I’m sure Simon is thinking about his first Champ Car podium and his pace will also hold us in a good position for the Canadian Triple Crown.”

2007 Champ Car World Series Points StandingsAfter Round 6 of 161. #1 Sebastien Bourdais 1452. #14 Robert Doornbos 1453. #5 Will Power 1314. #9 Justin Wilson 1135. #8 Alex Tagliani 1126. #15 Simon Pagenaud 977. #3 Oriol Servia 918. #2 Graham Rahal 919. #21 Neel Jani 8810. #3 Paul Tracy 74

2007 Roshfrans Champ Car Rookie of the YearAfter Round 6 of 161. #14 Robert Doornbos 1452. #15 Simon Pagenaud 973. #2 Graham Rahal 914. #21 Neel Jani 885. #22 Tristan Gommendy 746. #28 Ryan Dalziel 697. #29 Alex Figge 388. #42 Matt Halliday 18

Champ Car Canadian Triple Crown – After Round 1 of 31. Team Australia 3.52. Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing 4.53. Rsports 64. Minardi Team U ticQualified: 15thFinished: Fourth

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TORONTO, Canada (July 4, 2007) — This weekend’s Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto is the second of three events in the Champ Car “Canadian Triple Crown” and Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing (NHLR) drivers Sebastien Bourdais and Graham Rahal are ranked second to Team Australia in the mini championship.  In the previous 21 events held at the 1.755-mile street course around Toronto’s Exhibition Place, Newman/Haas Racing (NHR) earned seven wins, four poles and 16 podium finishes.  Bourdais and Rahal will rely on that experience for a strong finish for newly-renamed NHLR here.

“The McDonald’s team has managed to win the Toronto race once,” said Bourdais of his lone win here in 2004 and the team’s most recent on this track.  “It’s not an easy place to find success.  It’s one of the tracks where it’s really easy to make mistakes and lose the handling of the car.  Last year in Toronto we just didn’t seem to be able to put it together.  Forsythe seemed to have a little bit better pace than we did.  It was just the ‘Forsythe Show’ and we were happy to settle for third.  The year before we had a pretty good car but Paul was our match and on the pit stop we made contact and he broke his front wing and I damaged my right rear.  It was a long way around on three wheels for sure.” 

In his four previous races on the temporary street course, McDonald’s driver Bourdais has posted four, top-five finishes including one win (2004) one third place (2006) a fourth and fifth.  His three straight wins in Rounds 2 through 4 this season in Long Beach, Houston and Portland led some to believe it would be an easy task for him to win his fourth straight title but Bourdais is quick to disprove that theory.

“Domination is a very easy word to say but difficult, if not impossible, to make happen,” said Bourdais, who has a series high three wins but is tied for the series points lead with Robert Doornbos, who finished on the podium in five of the six events, at 145 points each.  “To make it happen always looks much easier on the outside than it is from the inside.  We had tough start in Las Vegas, then got three wins, had a DNF in Cleveland and a second place in Mont Tremblant.  There have definitely been challenges along the way, even when we won.  We just have to keep working at it and try to get it right every weekend.  We will take them one at a time like we always have.” 

Also taking it one race at a time is Medi | Zone driver Graham Rahal, 18.  Rahal continues to gain momentum this season and led another seven laps at the previous race in Mont-Tremblant although a shifting problem during his final pit stop after leading limited his finishing position.  After becoming the youngest podium finisher in series history at the previous street course event in Houston with a second place, Rahal is looking forward to competing in Toronto. 

“I think the Houston street race went well for us,” said Rahal who spent the past few days at his favorite vacation spot – his mother, Debi’s, home in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada.  “We finished second so that bodes well for us in Toronto.  I think we struggled in some of the other events but we are building steam here and the Medi | Zone side has come together as a team and I think it’s only a matter of time before the results will equal the effort and potential.”   

Rahal is no stranger to the tight Toronto street course after having competed here in the Atlantic series last year.  He led both qualifying sessions and started from pole but was denied a chance to win.  He is looking forward to picking up where he left off.

“Last year in Toronto I got a good start and made it through the first corner which often doesn’t happen,” said Rahal who is tied for eighth place in the standings at 91 points.  “But then at the end of the back straight, which in Toronto is usually the place where things happen, I was looking in my mirrors and I could tell that I was clear and that no one was within a couple of car lengths.  Then I turned into the corner and got hit in the center of the car, which broke all the suspension.  The guy that hit me was Raphael Matos so I went up to him after the race and asked what happened and he said he figured it was his only shot at getting me because it’s tough to pass there.  We had a great car, we had the field covered but that is an example of the wild moments the track produces.  It was disappointing but I love the track and can’t wait to race my Medi | Zone Champ Car there.”

Practice and qualifying will take place on Friday and Saturday with the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto starting at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.  Live coverage of the race will be provided by ESPN in the United States and Global in Canada.  Fans can also follow all of the action on the internet at Champ Car’s official site, www.champcar.ws.

RSPORTS PRE-EVENT NOTES – TORONTOWilson and Tagliani in Search of Top Results in Toronto 2007 Steelback Grand Prix of TorontoToronto, Ontario, CanadaRound 7 of 16July 6-8, 2007 Provisional Qualifying:          Friday, July 6, 1:15-2:15 p.m. ETFinal Qualifying:                    Saturday, July 7, 1:15-2:15 p.m. ETRace:                                       Sunday, July 8, 1:00 p.m. ETTV Broadcast:                        ESPN, Sunday, July 8, 1:00 p.m. ET NotesEAST LANSING, Michigan (July 3, 2007) – After beginning their three-race Canadian tour last weekend in Mont-Tremblant, QC, Canada, RSPORTS continues their grueling five races in six weeks schedule this weekend in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in search for their first victory this season with two experienced drivers that have made their way to the podium in the past. After a disappointing result at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant, the team gears up for another opportunity to have better results on Canadian soil. The team’s fourth and eighth place finishes were not necessarily bad results, as they marked the fourth time in six races this season that the team had both cars in the top eight. That also ensured that both drivers, Justin Wilson and Alex Tagliani, remain in the top five in the 2007 championship standings. Also, with the Canadian team competition opening in Mont-Tremblant, the teammates Wilson and Tagliani round out the top three on the Canadian Triple Crown leaderboard with an average of 6.5. The Grand Prix of Toronto has attracted more than 3.2 million race attendees over 21 years. This year’s on-track line-up will see the Champ Car World Series as one of five different series running this weekend. The 1.755-mile temporary street course around Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto consists of 11 turns. The Champ Car could reach 190 mph on the Lake Shore Boulevard straight.  RSPORTS driver Wilson is the defending pole sitter, after capturing the title during his 2006 qualifying run. He recorded a qualifying time of 58.182 (108.590 mph) to secure the number one position on the front row. The Brit earned his first victory in Champ Car and at Toronto in 2005, and looks to return to victory lane this weekend to obtain his first win in 2007. Teammate Tagliani has stepped foot on the podium in two of eight appearances, finishing third in 2005 and second in 2001. He has come very close to finishing in the top three this season, but has fallen short, and looks for his first podium and/or win this weekend in his birth-country of Canada.  The weekend will kick-off on Friday, July 6 with a morning practice session, followed by the first round of qualifying at 1:15 p.m. ET. On Saturday the Champ Cars will head out for another practice session, before participating in the final round of qualifying at 1:15 p.m. The green flag for Sunday’s Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto will drop at 1:00 p.m. The race can be seen live on ESPN with coverage beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET. Fans can also follow the RSPORTS team on the internet by logging onto www.champcar.ws and signing up for Race Director. 

Fast Facts• At the drop of the green flag for the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto will mark the 124th start for Tagliani, driver of the #8 Tide@Wal-Mart Victory Lap Charity Program Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone who is in his eighth year of Champ Car competition.  • Tagliani currently sits fifth in the Champ Car 2007 championship standings with a total of 112 points. Tagliani sits only one point behind fourth place, and 33 points behind the leaders, which is a tie between Sebastien Bourdais and Robert Doornbos.  • Tagliani’s best start of the season is fourth, which he has accomplished in three of six starts. He has started five of six events in the top ten. Also this season, Tagliani has three top-five finishes. His fourth-place result in Las Vegas marked his best finish. Tagliani is the only driver to finish in the top ten in every event this season.  • Tagliani has completed 603 out of a 687 possible laps during seven visits to Toronto. In 2003, Tagliani shot into second position behind the leader, Paul Tracy, early on in the race. He stayed in pursuit of the lead for 28 laps until contact with Bruno Junqueira resulted in a bent upright.  • Tagliani has gridded in the top ten in five of his seven starts in Toronto. His best start was fourth in 2003.  • Despite one DNF due to contact in 2003, Tagliani has finished in the top ten in six of seven Toronto runs. His best finish was second in 2001. He has earned two podium finished (2nd in 2001, 3rd in 2005) on the streets of Toronto.  • During his most previous visit, Tagliani started tenth and finished sixth. He recorded the fastest race lap in 2006.  • The Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto will mark the 47th start for Justin Wilson, who will be driving the #9 CDW Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone for RSPORTS Racing. This year marks the fourth year of competition for the British driver, who will be attempting to make his fourth start in Toronto this weekend.  • In six starts this season, Wilson has led a total of 66 laps, in which he has been in the lead five different times in three races (Houston, Portland, Mont-Tremblant).  • Wilson has started each race this season in the top eight or better. Wilson has finished in the top ten in five out of six races this season. Wilson’s best start this season was first in Portland, following his best finish in 2007 of second.  • Wilson moved up one spot in the championship standings after his fifth place finish in Mont-Tremblant. He currently has a total of 113 points and is fourth in the 2007 standings. He is 18 points out of third.  • In three Toronto starts, Wilson has not started outside of the top five. His best start was in 2006 after earning the pole position, in 2005 he started third, 2004 he started fifth.  • Wilson earned the 2005 win in Toronto, after starting third on the grid. That victory marked his first win in the Champ Car World Series during his sophomore year.  • In three visits, Wilson has completed 253 out of a possible 256 laps. Wilson (driving the No. 34 car) finished 12th at the Grand Prix in 2004. The British driver was running in second place when, then third-place driver Canadian Paul Tracy, attempted a difficult passing move, hit and spun Wilson, sending him to the back of the field. The accident caused a flat tire on Wilson's Lola, resulting on him losing two laps before he could get the problem fixed. The British driver managed to stay in the race and finish in 12th place, but three laps down.  • Wilson has led the Champ Car field in two of the three races he has participated at in Toronto. In 2006, he led Laps 1 – 10 after starting on the pole. In 2005, he led Laps 77 – 86 to take the checkered flag for the win. He also recorded the fastest race lap during his victory run in 2005.  • The 2005 Grand Prix of Toronto was the first race for CDW as the primary sponsor of the #9 Champ Car driven by Wilson. That race also marked the first win for CDW, as Wilson took the victory in that event. Since then, the relationship between CDW and Wilson has grown, and CDW is now the full-time primary sponsor for the second year of the #9 RSPORTS Champ Car.  • RSPORTS has two crew members that our natives of the Toronto area. Alex Michie’s hometown until he was 14 years-old was Woodslee. Then he moved to Petralia when he was 14-18 years-old. He attended college at Fanshawe majoring in Automotive tech. He is in charge of handling the shocks and body work of the #9 CDW car. Also, Tom Howatt, the car chief for the #8 Tide@Wal-Mart Victory Lap Charity Program car, is from Toronto. He attended Queens University.  QuotesAlex Tagliani #8 Tide@Wal-Mart Victory Lap Charity Program Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone“We did not have the results that were we hoping for in Mont-Tremblant, so I hope we can pick up our momentum from the beginning of the season and have a good result here in Toronto. It will be very important, not only for the team, but for our Canadian sponsors that are supporting me this year within the Tide@Wal-Mart Victory Lap Charity Program. Toronto is a very challenging course, which is what I love about it. It will be nice to return to a street-course venue, after running on a few road courses during our last couple of races. It is always exciting for me to race in Canada. As a driver, it is great to compete in front of an energetic crowd like the only the Toronto event draws. I look forward to the weekend and hopefully we can bring home a podium finish and move up in the championship standings. It is my goal to be in the top three when we leave the Canadian races, so it will be important for us to ! have a good result this weekend.” Justin Wilson #9 CDW Cosworth/DP01/Bridgestone“It is exciting to be back here in Toronto. I have always done well here and hope to continue that. The Toronto track has a mix of high and low speed corners with some elevation changes, which makes it an interesting street-course to run on. It is going to be good to be back racing on a street course, as all of our recent races and testing have been on permanent road courses. We were having a good run during our last street course race in Houston and then we had some bad luck. So, hopefully we will come away successful with the #9 CDW car in Toronto this weekend.”

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July 4, 2007

Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada – Sierra Sierra continued its podium streak – this time with both drivers on the podium at the Champ Car Mont-Tremblant.  At each of the first six rounds of the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda Series, Sierra Sierra Enterprises has had a driver on the podium.  This time the podium celebration was twice as sweet with Raphael Matos (#6 ProWorks) taking second and James Hinchcliffe (#9 NOCO/ProWorks) making a late race pass to claim third.

Matos started the race in the front row after claiming provisional pole in the Friday qualifying session.  He was able to execute a clean start, but, despite his speed, was unable to close the gap on Franck Perrera (#11 CJ Motorsports) who pulled ahead early in the race.  Matos held onto second for all 34 laps of the race which yielded only one caution flag despite the quickly changing weather conditions.  On the second-to-last lap, Matos ran low on fuel and had to pull back on the throttle to conserve fuel.   He maintained second in the race and continues to lead the championship point’s standings by 33 points over teammate James Hinchcliffe with 201 points.

Hinchcliffe brought some excitement to the last laps of the race as he passed Giacomo Ricci (#18 Banca Italease/Lotto/Global) for third and narrowed the gap on Matos as he slowed his pace due to low fuel.  His late race efforts pulled him from a 5th place start to a 3rd place finish. Hinchcliffe maintains second place in the championship point’s race with 168.

“The race in Tremblant obviously ended in a good result for us.  It honestly wasn't the most exciting race and I was a little disappointed we couldn't keep pace with Franck and Rafa.  I spent the race trying to hold on to Ricci and trying to control the gap back to Bomarito and then I was thrown a bit of good luck when Ricci started slowing with 2 laps to go. I wasn't sure if he made a mistake or had a problem, but I saw I was catching him.  I went for a move on the outside of turn 8 and managed to pull it off.   Three corners later I saw Rafa [Matos] was having trouble too!  If the start finish line was 100 feet further down the track I would have had second.  So a good result - we have some work to do to get the pace back up for the remaining races,” said Hinchcliffe.

Hinchcliffe and the Sierra Sierra Enterprises team are looking forward to a hometown victory for the Toronto native.  The upcoming Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto takes place July 6 – 8.

“I'm really looking forward to going back to Toronto.  Obviously being my home race it would be that much more special to win.  There really isn't any added pressure, because I pressure myself to win at every track - but if I have a good result, it just means more.  I hope we can put on a good show for the fans, and I would love to hear Oh Canada playing on Sunday,” said Hinchcliffe.

The Champ Car Mont-Tremblant race will air (tape-delayed) on ESPN2, July 6th at 6:00 p.m. ET.  

For more information about Sierra Sierra Enterprises and their drivers, please visit www.sierrasierra.comwww.hinchtown.comwww.rafamatos.com

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Australian Champ Car World Series team owner Paul Stoddart has recorded an historic first victory in the International open wheel series, following Dutchman Robert Doornbos’ scintillating chequered flag finish in the sixth round of the series at Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Canada.

Stoddart, who oversees the operation of Team Minardi USA, becomes just the second Australian team owner to claim outright honours in the Champ Car World Series.

Team Australia co-owner Craig Gore of the Gold Coast achieved the feat earlier this year when Queensland driver Will Power charged to victory during the opening round of the series in Las Vegas.

With team owners and drivers from Down Under already making their mark, Australia versus the rest of the World will provide an intense motor racing environment come October 18-21, when the Gold Coast welcomes all Champ Car drivers for the 17th running of the Lexmark Indy 300 on the streets of Surfers Paradise.

During the weekend it was anything but a Canada Day parade on Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant as Doornbos (#14 Minardi Team USA) battled the weather as well as open wheel’s best drivers to claim his first career Champ Car victory.

The 25-year-old Dutchman was involved in wheel-to-wheel fights throughout the day and emerged victorious on the 2.65-mile (4.26km) mountainous circuit in the heart of the Laurentians.

The start of the race was far from spectacular for the front row as Tristan Gommendy (#22 Pay By Touch-Megaspiera) failed to roll off the grid with an electrical problem and Team Australia’s Will Power (#5 Aussie Vineyards) stalled when the lights extinguished.

The Australian slowly started to work his way through the field making an impressive pass of Paul Tracy (#3 Indeck) on lap 14 for the tenth position.

As drizzling rain fell over the track many of the heavyweights succumbed to the conditions with three-time champion Sebastien Bourdais and Power spinning off before the entire field opted for Bridgestone Potenza rain tyres trying to gain as much traction as they could.

Doornbos inherited the lead on lap 53 and was beginning to pull away before the final full course yellow brought Bourdais right back to his tail.

The caution set-up a five lap duel between Doornbos and Bourdais with the experienced rookie able to hold off the champion with Will Power claiming his third podium finish.

Power and Simon Pagenaud not only overcame difficulities at the start to earn third and fourth place finishes respectively but put Team Australia in the drivers seat after the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.

With the win Doornbos moves into a tie with Bourdais for the series championship lead at 145 points. Will Power is third just 14 points in arrears with RSPORTS teammates Justin Wilson and Alex Tagliani fourth and fifth.

There is no rest for teams and drivers as they move to their third race in as many weeks with the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto. Round 7 on the Champ Car World Series calendar will take place on the temporary circuit built at Exhibition Place.

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MONT-TREMBLANT, Quebec - Sunday, July 01, 2007 - The rolling 2.621-mile Mont-Tremblant road course in the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal is historic, beautiful and challenging but passing proved difficult today for the large grid of up-and-coming contenders in Round Seven of the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic Championship.

18-year old Toronto native Robert Wickens (#3 Red Bull/INDECK Cooper/Mazda-Cosworth/Swift) saw his hard-earned second row starting spot evaporate when the standing-start lights went out as a momentary engine bog saw two competitors move ahead of the Red Bull Junior Team standout. Circulating in sixth place following a train of cars for most of the race, on the final lap Wickens aggressively carved out an opportunity to move up as two cars immediately ahead of him battled for position with just a few corners remaining. As the cars ahead lost momentum, the affable Canadian high school student found an opening to squeeze past Giacomo Ricci and come across the finish line in fifth place, his sixth top-five finish in seven events.

16-year old John Edwards of Little Rock, Arkansas started in 15th spot after gambling on a wet setup in rapidly drying conditions during Saturday's qualifying and then lost a position at the start of the race and fell to 16th. But the youngest driver in the Atlantic field kept his composure and began chipping away at cars ahead, moving to 14th by the fourth lap. On Lap 31 he claimed 13th spot and passed two more cars on the final lap, ending up with a hard-earned 11th as the checkered flag waved.

Robert Wickens

#3 Red Bull / INDECK

Mazda-Cosworth/Cooper/Swift

Finished Fifth

Fourth in Point Standings with 161

"I kind of blew it at the start. I got a good initial jump but released the clutch a little too quickly and the engine bogged down for a second. It was just enough for Hinch (James Hinchcliffe) and Giacomo (Ricci) to get around me and that was it. I had a lot of understeer every time I got close behind somebody so there was no way I could pass unless somebody made a big mistake. Luckily there at the end Giacomo had some kind of problem and I was able to follow Hinchcliffe past him and get some decent points. Now we're headed to my home town of Toronto so I'm looking forward to a big weekend there!"

John Edwards

#7 Red Bull / INDECK

Mazda-Cosworth/Cooper/Swift

Finished 11th

15th in Point Standings with 48

"I lost a spot at the start, but I was quite a bit quicker than the car in front of me. Every time I'd get close the front end would just push out so it was hard to pass, and then twice I was alongside on the back straight but hit the rev limiter just as I was about to pass so we could have used a higher top gear. We were a little unlucky with the rain in qualifying yesterday but we've found some things with the car that made the rear a lot more compliant so I'm looking forward to Toronto!"

The Champ Car Mont-Tremblant Atlantic race can be seen on espn2 on Thursday, July 6th at 6pm ET (check local listings). Up next is the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto, July 6-8. For more information about Atlantic including live timing, the TV broadcast schedule and info on live streaming video of all races on espn360.com, please visit the official series website at www.ChampCarAtlantic.com

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