CHAMP CAR WELCOMES ONE MILLIONTH FAN IN SAN JOSE

Champ Car World Series shows growth in several areas through first half of 2007

By Karina Redmond, CCWS

SAN JOSE (July 28, 2007) – The Champ Car World Series honored its one millionth fan of the 2007 season at the San Jose Grand Prix at Redback Raceway today, an early milestone for the Series due to attendance being up 16% this year. 

Storm Vanderzee, John Walsh and family, who are attending the race weekend together, were showered with confetti and greeted by Champ Car personalities as they entered the turnstile. After television crews and photographers captured the special moment, they were whisked away to the Champ Car suite, where they watched the highly competitive 2007 Champ Car field prepare for today’s qualifying session, and headed to the paddock for lunch at the hospitality area of the Canadian Triple Crown winning team of Team Australia. The group ate with the crew, team owner Derrick Walker and drivers Simon Pagenaud and Will Power, who is involved in a tight battle for the Championship lead, where the top-four drivers are within 29 points of each other.

The milestone reached this weekend reflects the Champ Car World Series’ improved performance to date in 2007. Not only is attendance up but more fans have been tuning into the race broadcasts this year in order to follow the budding rivalry between Sebastien Bourdais and Robert Doornbos, the emergence as Team Australia as one of the top teams, or to see which rookie will make it on the podium. Television viewership is up 11 percent over 7 races this year compared to 2006.

Champ Car is easy to find on television after signing a five deal with the ABC/ESPN family of networks and fans can catch all the action from this weekend’s San Jose Grand Prix at Redback Raceway on ESPN2 starting at 6:00 PM on Sunday, July 29, 2007.

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