This ended up taking me back about 5 years (circa AD 2003) to near the beginning of my digital photo taking epoch. I had my first digital camera, a trusty Canon PowerShot S110
which is built like a tank with its all stainless steel body and still works like a charm but only takes photos of 2.1 mega-pixies or whatever they're called and has a shutter lag specially calibrated to be nearly always equal to or greater than the time it takes for an amazing shot to become yet another "dang it, just missed it" waste of memory card space. Not exactly ideal for the type of event I am about to introduce you to. Now, how about we finally get to the lucky photo, here it is.
This is a photo of Paul Tracy's race car being worked on by his team mechanics at the 2003 Vancouver Champ Car race. Now I suppose I could just leave it here and be done but since I've already opened the folder and my memories of the day maybe I'll just take this opportunity to share a bit more of one of my most awesome weekends. Who is Paul Tracy you ask? This is Paul Tracy.
One of Canada's best ever big league race car drivers and the one who won this race in Vancouver and also the Championship in 2003. (Not only is he a brilliant driver but as you can see he can also sign autographs and eat cookies at the very same time.)Here is his car all in one piece and on display.
Here is a very short and lame video clip of his car in motion.
(It's about all my little camera could muster.)
Next is another driver of note (Sebastien Bourdais) who was racing in Vancouver for the first time in his rookie season. He would go on to win the next four championships in 2004, 05, 06 and 2007. This year he moved on and up and raced in Formula One for the Torro-Rosso team. Funny enough he was the only driver who actually spoke to me that weekend. When I wished him "good luck in the race tomorrow" he actually looked at me then sincerely and appreciatively said only "thank you" but I felt very privileged and important none the less. This was just after he finished signing his autograph for the kid and just before he finished his banana.
So, yeah, I've actually conversed with a current F1 driver. Am I cool or what?
I also managed to get in a photo with the winners of the Indy Girl contest.
However this Indy Girl was nicest and therefore my favorite.
Overall it was a great weekend full of brand new sights, sounds and thrills, for me at least.
Sorry Tanis that your simple photo tag became this monster but I guess I was kind of glad to have a chance and an excuse to share just a bit of this awesome experience.
If any of you who reads this would like to continue this tag I will be looking forward to seeing and reading about your "fourth photo of the fourth folder" in the near future.
5 comments:
Very cool photos. Unfortunately our only experience with the race car world has come with watching cars. That might explain why I couldn't help but marvel that Paul Tracy's car was a real DINOCO BLUE!
Soo funny...I too reverted to my very limited knowledge of the race car world and thought that your accont of Sebastien Bourdais was somewhat similar to another successful rookie racer I know of...Lightning McQueen...Ka-chow!
Great post...
and might I also add that I believe that part of Sebastien Bourdais' success can be credited to his healthy eating habits...A banana is a much healthier choice than a cookie...perhaps that is why Mr. P. Tracy has not won a championship since 2003--Just a thought, but I think your pictorial account has some very convincing evidence.
Wow Tanis and Crystal. The Dinoco Blue and the Sebastien Bourdais-Lightning McQueen thing had never occurred to me but you're both absolutely right. Nice catches both!
Paul always was one of the bigger drivers, maybe it is due to his cookie habit.
Coincidentally, my fourth photo, fourth folder also had a car theme. It was my parking lot at work, taken as a result of a complaint that there was too much loose gravel. What an exciting life I lead. No race car drivers eating snacks, just lots of seniors worrying about falling!
OK thanks for mentioning your parking lot Marlan. Now I have a craving for an Uncle burger and root beer in a frosted mug.
Post a Comment