Champ Car's advance pace-car program, called ‘Fast Lap', is a key part of the series' success in drawing crowds that are unmatched in open-wheel racing. The Fast Lap program, which goes into race markets weeks before the 750hp Champ Cars bring the racing to town, carries some of the tricked-out pace cars to race tracks where the professional female racers that pace every Champ Car session give the local media, sponsors, political heavies and some lucky fans a chance to ride along at breath-taking speeds.
This week saw CART's traveling road show head South of the Border to Monterrey, Mexico where the ladies of the Fast Lap squad teamed up with some of the native Champ Car drivers to drum up excitement for the March 21-23 Tecate/Telmex Grand Prix at Fundidora Park.
With the strong support of the local race promoters, Friday and Saturday's pace-car sessions drew perhaps the biggest crowds of any advance program that the series has ever done. Pace Car Team drivers Stacy Kuhn, Shauna Marinus and Linda Pobst led a crew that gave nearly 400 rides to appreciative racegoers.
The ladies – all of which have competed in professional racing series throughout the country – were joined by Champ Car drivers Michel Jourdain Jr. and Roberto Gonzalez along with Toyota Atlantic competitor Eduardo Figueroa and Barber Dodge driver Memo Rojas. Jourdain drove only on Friday, when his passengers included the Governor of the State of Nueva Leon Fernando Elizando.
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