The Champ Car 2006 Season Preview

A little over two years after CART filed for bankruptcy, the Champ Car World Series that emerged from its carcass is alive and, if not exactly thriving, at least showing some green shoots of recovery.

Granted, it remains a pale shadow of what it was in its mid-1990s heyday, but the seemingly inexorable implosion of the series has been decisively reversed.

An expanded calendar of 15 races, the runaway success of new venues in Edmonton and San Jose, and an improved domestic television package with almost half the races broadcast on major U.S. networks all signal that the ship has been steadied.

And while a field of 17 and counting a few days ahead of the Long Beach season-opener can hardly be considered healthy, at least costs have been brought down to more sustainable levels and the haemorrhaging of drivers and teams to other arenas has been staunched.

Furthermore, over the past year the competition has intensified at the front of the field, with new teams like RuSPORT and PKV starting to loosen the stranglehold of Newman/Haas and Forsythe Racing.

The medium-term horizon is promising, too, with a revitalised Formula Atlantic feeder category and the adoption of a new chassis formula in 2007.

The lighter, more nimble Panoz DP01 will be a better fit for Champ Car's current mix of tracks than the trusty but long-in-the-tooth Lola B2K/00 derivatives that have become the series' de facto spec chassis.

On the debit side of the balance sheet, the future of the Montreal race beyond this season looks highly doubtful and attendance at the two Mexican events, which until recently were the jewels in Champ Car's crown, has been on the slide.

And despite the improved television package, ratings in the U.S. remain stubbornly low (make that derisory) for all forms of open-wheel racing, with the result that far too many teams still have negligible commercial sponsorship and can only employ paying drivers.

Until that fundamental malaise is addressed, all other marketing and sponsorship pitches - even savvy initiatives like the recent 'Turbo Tour' in which Champ Car took its pre-season show on the road - amount to fiddling while Rome burns.

In the context of what went before, however, the Champ Car World Series goes into 2006 in pretty rude health.

And for that, the series' fans owe the new regime of Messrs Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe a large debt of gratitude.

Driver-by-Driver

Sebastien Bourdais
(Newman/Haas Racing)

Bourdais has been master of all he surveys in Champ Car for the last two seasons, and this year he aims to win his third title on the trot, a feat last achieved by Ted Horn way back in 1946-48.

With the benchmark Newman/Haas team behind him and a stable and close-knit technical group led by race engineer Craig Hampson, it would be a brave soul who bet against the Frenchman.

A perfectionist by nature, Bourdais claims not to have really enjoyed his 2005 campaign despite winning more than half the races! He may just have been rubbing salt in his rivals' wounds, but surprising lapses of judgement (particularly when in combat with Paul Tracy) suggest a chink in his armour. The clear favourite, but by no means unbeatable.

Bruno Junqueira
(Newman/Haas Racing)

Junqueira makes a welcome return to the Champ Car paddock after a long lay-off to recover from the injuries he sustained in his Indy 500 crash last May. Still has rods implanted in his back for support but reckons he is now almost back to full fitness.

Certainly there has been little wrong with his winter testing pace, and he should challenge Bourdais on occasion this year. Whether he can do so on a regular basis is more doubtful, as the Frenchman gained the psychological upper hand early on in their relationship. But Junqueira is determined to shake off the 'nearly man' label that has stuck to him after finishing runner-up in the championship three years running (2002-04).

Paul Tracy
(Forsythe Championship Racing)

Champ Car's most dynamic performer and charismatic personality, as well as one of the series' staunchest advocates through the recent lean years, Tracy will leave a major vacuum if and when he jumps ship to NASCAR. Before he does so, he has some unfinished business to attend to: reclaiming the title deeds to the Vanderbilt Cup from his nemesis Bourdais.

The pair's simmering rivalry flared up on several occasions last season, and Tracy is eager to settle some scores. On his day he is invincible, but his mercurial temperament still gets him into too much hot water. Mind you, if he didn't get a few bookings from Race Control or put a few people's noses out of joint, he wouldn't be Paul Tracy, would he?

At 37 he remains as hungry as ever but may have to fight an uphill battle, as Forsythe have slipped behind Newman/Haas on the technical front in the last couple of years.

Mario Dominguez
(Forsythe Championship Racing)

This is a make-or-break year for the likeable Mexican, as he seeks to establish himself as a bona fide front-runner rather than merely a competent journeyman.

He was thrown in at the deep end at Forsythe last year, landing the plum seat just days before the Long Beach season-opener. Not surprisingly, he was overshadowed by teammate Tracy and failed to win a race.

This year, he has set his sights much higher - and with Jerry Forsythe grooming up-and-coming talent through a new four-car Formula Atlantic operation, he needs to deliver. Not the most stylish of drivers but capable of some impressively combative overtaking, witness Toronto '05 and Denver '03.

Justin Wilson
(RuSPORT)

Newman/Haas Racing may have set the standard for the last two years in Champ Car, but many pundits believe there will be a changing of the guard in 2006 with RuSPORT coming on strong in their third year in the series.

That may be a little premature, but there is no doubt the Colorado-based team are destined for great things, and they can boast arguably the strongest driver line-up in the paddock.

Wilson is brimming with confidence after signing off 2005 with a dominant win in Mexico City and then topping last weekend's big pre-season test at Fontana's road course.

The unassuming Englishman may be one of the nicest guys around, but his steely determination should not be underestimated. Nor should his speed; just ask his teammate...

AJ Allmendinger
(RuSPORT)

The 2004 Rookie of the Year endured a roller coaster '05 season that he described as "by far my toughest year in racing." Confronted with a teammate who was at least as quick as him, and vastly more experienced, Allmendinger lost his bearings, and a trio of crashes rocked his confidence in the summer.

But by the end of the season he had got his head together and established a solid platform for 2006 with a pair of runner-up finishes. He needs to score that elusive maiden win early in the year to avoid putting too much pressure on himself.

His speed and uncanny car control mark him out as one of the brightest American prospects in many years. But the indications from winter testing are that Wilson still has a slight edge.

Oriol Servia
(PKV Racing)

Newman/Haas wanted to keep Servia in the fold after he did an exemplary job as stand-in for the injured Junqueira last year, but were unable to raise sponsorship for a third car. Instead, the popular Spaniard was snapped up by PKV, who needed a seasoned veteran to partner rookie Katherine Legge.

Servia worked with team manager Jim McGee in his Patrick Racing days and is likely to settle quickly into his new team. He was a promising third quickest in the Fontana test but reckons podiums rather than wins are the realistic target in the early races.

Katherine Legge
(PKV Racing)

Legge's signing with PKV after a single season of Atlantics (and precious little other formula car experience) has been one of the key talking points of the winter.

The 25-year-old Briton demonstrated her talent by winning three Atlantic races last year, although the field lacked strength in depth so that may not be a reliable barometer.

Many have questioned the wisdom of promoting her to the top level so soon, believing her career would have been better served by another year honing her skills in the feeder series.

She will certainly face a steep learning curve, but mentor and team co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven has made it clear that he is not expecting instant success and that Legge is on a multi-year deal.

Jimmy Vasser, who will be Katherine's eyes and ears during her rookie campaign, recently said: "I can honestly say that I have not seen a driver so determined to succeed in quite some time."

Jimmy Vasser
(PKV Racing)

Vasser is planning to ease himself into retirement this year in order to concentrate on his team ownership role, but the 40-year-old Californian will compete in front of his home crowd at Long Beach this weekend in a third PKV entry.

That was originally billed as his swansong, but Vasser is now contemplating further one-off outings later in the year. Kalkhoven says: "He's still got the fire burning; Jimmy could end up making more comebacks than Cher."

Antonio Pizzonia
(Rocketsports Racing)

Former Formula One driver Antonio Pizzonia will pilot the #8 Rocketsports Lola at Long Beach, but thereafter his fate is likely to depend on Paul Gentilozzi's 'Team Brazil' concept coming to fruition.

Gentilozzi has held talks with a Brazilian consortium interested in rebranding his team along similar lines to Walker Racing's metamorphosis into Team Australia. If the project gets off the ground, Gentilozzi is likely to field two cars for Pizzonia and fellow F1 refugee Enrique Bernoldi.

If not, he has a back-up plan involving yet another F1 test driver seeking gainful employment, Franck Montagny.

Cristiano da Matta
(Dale Coyne Racing)

Da Matta's signing with Dale Coyne Racing wins the prize for shock announcement of the off-season, hands down.

The fact that the 2002 series champion should end up with Champ Car's perennial underdogs is sobering evidence of his fall from grace. And there's no denying the culture shock that will await a man used to the likes of Newman/Haas and the Toyota Formula One team.

But after parting ways with PKV, da Matta wasn't exactly inundated with better offers - as he candidly admitted. "All my other options were in cars with roofs and doors, and it's too early in my life for me to go down that route," said the 32-year-old.

DCR has yet to win a race in more than two decades of Champ Car competition, and da Matta is unlikely to snap that streak. But top-fives and even the odd podium are not beyond the realms of possibility.

Charles Zwolsman
(Mi-Jack Conquest Racing)

Mi-Jack Conquest Racing continue their tradition of promoting up-and-coming talent by running 2005 Toyota Atlantic champion Charles Zwolsman.

The Dutchman had an appetite-whetter last November when he made his Champ Car debut in the Mexico City season finale with Team Australia. But he clinched the Conquest deal after impressing team owner (and 1991 Indy Lights champion) Eric Bachelart in a test at Sebring in December.

Showed a blend of intelligence and verve en route to Atlantic title.

Andrew Ranger
(Mi-Jack Conquest Racing)

The French-Canadian teenager will return to Conquest to partner Zwolsman for the opening round in Long Beach. The team have not confirmed any plans beyond that, although Ranger's manager Alain Labrosse claims his budget will stretch to the three Canadian events.

The 19-year-old Atlantic graduate clearly has potential, but an inconsistent rookie campaign in '05 suggested he would have benefited from an extra year in the junior category.

Bachelart was bemused to hear him muddle up understeer and oversteer early in the season, and he tended to lead his engineers up the garden path in terms of what he needed to get the most out of his car's set-up.

Nelson Philippe
(CTE Racing-HVM)

The young Frenchman moves from Conquest to the renamed CTE Racing-HVM team (formerly HVM) for his third year of Champ Car competition.

After an unconvincing rookie season, he made big strides last year and was voted Most Improved Driver by his peers. His declared goal of scoring a podium in the first half of the year and a win in the second half might be a touch ambitious, though!

Dan Clarke
(CTE Racing-HVM)

Dan Clarke, who finished fifth in the 2005 British F3 championship with one win, will fill the second CTE-HVM seat.

The 22-year-old Briton tested for Conquest before Christmas and then for CTE-HVM at Sebring in March. Team boss Keith Wiggins was particularly impressed with his commitment in the unfamiliar 750bhp car.

"He was together, professional, and certainly not scared of a Champ Car. Our telemetry showed him going sideways with his right foot buried on the exit of one corner," Wiggins told autosport.com following the test.

Alex Tagliani
(Team Australia)

Last year's revamp of Walker Racing as Team Australia (reflecting the investment by Australian businessmen Craig Gore and John Fish) brought about a 275 percent increase in the budget of Derrick Walker's perennially cash-strapped team. Helped by a switch from Reynard to Lola chassis, it transformed the team's competitiveness, taking Tagliani to seventh in the championship.

The French-Canadian has blossomed into one of Champ Car's most dependable and consistent performers, now that he has toned down the wild streak that characterised his early years in the sport.

Although Team Australia are unlikely to trouble Newman/Haas, Forsythe or RuSPORT on a regular basis, it would be a surprise if Tagliani doesn't score a handful of podium finishes.

Will Power
(Team Australia)

By the time Power made his Champ Car race debut at Surfers Paradise last October, Team Australia had already signed the Queensland native to a three-year contract, following a strong test at Portland several weeks earlier. Smart move.

Unlike his predecessor Marcus Marshall, Power's inclusion in the team is justified by more than merely his nationality. The British F3 and World Series by Renault graduate starred on both his 2005 outings and could spring some surprises this season.

The FAQ

What's new, then, for 2006?

Not a lot on the technical front; all teams will continue to use Lola chassis, spec Ford-Cosworth XFE engines and Bridgestone tyres, ensuring virtual parity of equipment. The main changes are to the teams' driver line-ups and the arrival of a new class of rookies.

Plus, all hail the return of Road America! The Champ Cars will be back in their natural habitat.

Didn't they abandon Road America because they couldn't get anyone to come?

At its peak in the mid-1990s, the Road America race drew around 75,000 spectators on race day and was billed as the best attended sporting event in Wisconsin.

There was a precipitous decline in attendance from around year 2000 onwards, the full reasons for which would probably fill a large volume. But suffice it to say that the CART/IRL split, a run of bad luck with the weather, constantly changing dates and virtually non-existent promotion probably didn't help.

So why is any of that likely to change?

Good question. Champ Car and Road America both seem to be taking a leap of faith - but note that the deal is only for one year at the moment.

The main difference is that Champ Car's new president Steve Johnson has a better relationship with the Road America management than the previous regime from his time as president of the Sports Car Club of America.

Champ Car wants to foster a more collaborative approach whereby it shares and disseminates ideas with its promoters - essentially to spread best practice. But will a promotional gimmick that works in downtown Denver have the same effect in rural Elkhart Lake?

Are there any other major changes to this year's calendar?

Yes, the series returns to Houston after a five-year absence, but on a different street course to the one used from 1998-2001. This one is a 1.7-mile layout near the Astrodome. Held on Saturday, 13 May, the event will be the first ever Champ Car street race to be run at night (under floodlights).

And the return of Road America means the series won't be going back to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which most Champ Car fans probably reckon is a fair trade - especially since the Vegas race piggybacked on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck event, and a large portion of the crowd headed for the exits as soon as the Truck race was over.

There have been more rumours of a merger between Champ Car and the IRL. Is there anything in them?

Yes and no. Yes, Kevin Kalkhoven has met with Tony George, they've gone skiing together and even claim to enjoy each other's company. But Kalkhoven is adamant that no merger deal has been done, nor is it likely to happen because both series are tied in to long-term contracts with partners, suppliers and TV companies.

But there has definitely been a thawing of relations between the two sides, and Kalkhoven has said he expects they will have more meetings over the coming months. Watch this space...

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