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CART has begun setting out all its pilotes for autographs and believe me, it works beautifully. The line to get in was quite long, but once they started up, things moved quickly. You had one hour to score as many autographs as you could, but the pilotes were not in neat orderly rows - they were in front of their team hospitality marquees, and you had to line up for those you wanted. If you wanted Montoya or KOOL Green you probably didn't get anybody else. (However those of us who have been to lots of Molson Indys knew that the KOOL Green pilotes are the most accessible of all and odds are we could get them later in the weekend). I got Moreno, Fernandez, Mo, Blundell, Gil, Helio, Paul Tracy and Patrick Carpentier. Then I ran out of time. Almost didn't get Gil as he'd had a crash at the end of First Qualifying and was in Medical, and when he did come back he looked as if he wished he was in a dark room with an ice pack on his head, not sitting in a marquee being nice to fans - although both he and Helio were wonderfully patient with those of us who went through to get Helio and then came back later to get Gil ... Moreno had his little daughter with him and advised people where to stand to take their picture so the sun would not spoil the shot. Blundell and Mo were not attracting much attention, but were both very nice - I told Mo he was better looking in person than the picture they had given out, and he laughed - and I wished Blundell luck on Sunday and he looked surprised but said thank you - he walked around all day Friday looking like someone who had dropped his lollipop in the dirt, but was friendly to evreyone who stopped him. Some idiot shoved to the front of the line to get Tarso Marquez' autograph and then asked him if he was Luis Garcia - whereupon he took offence and stalked away.
It was very successful and lots of fun and I hope they do it again next year.
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