A Kinder, Gentler Sebastien Bourdais - Interview With Three 2015 IndyCar Races Left

KVSH Racing, Hydroxycut Hardcore® Elite, Mistic® electronic cigarettes, Chevrolet-powered and aerodynamically outfitted Dallara Verizon IndyCar Series driver Sebastien Bourdais as he gets instruction from the pit box during the MAVTv 500. Always improving, SeaBass finished the race as the last car on the lead lap - started at P15 and finished P11. Image Credit: Ken Manfred (2015)

A Kinder, Gentler Sebastien Bourdais - Interview With Three 2015 IndyCar Races Left

BEGIN INTERVIEW SCRIPT
Sebastien Bourdais, who currently races for a person he competed against in ChampCar, Jimmy Vasser at KVSH (formally KV Racing Technology), is one of the most successful championship drivers currently competing in the Verizon IndyCar Series with four season championships.

Between 2004 through 2007, he beat out the likes of Bruno Junqueuira, Oriol Servia, and Justin Wilson as runners-up for the ChampCar season title ... while Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon, Sam Hornish, Jr., and Dario Franchitti were becoming champions in the separate Indy Racing League.

Bourdais re-joined the fight in open-wheel racing after the merger between the IRL and ChampCar by joining Dragon Racing and driving, the new Dallara DW12, outfitted with the short-lived Lotus Engine effort, but proved that the Lotus Power was up to competition on street and road races courses that featured a lot of corners.

In his second year with KVSH, driving the Chevrolet-powered and aerodynamically outfitted Dallara, Bourdais has two wins, one on the road/street - Race 2 at the Dual of Detroit, and one at the world's oldest racing course, the Milwaukee Mile oval. With 34 wins, Sebastien ties Al Unser, Jr. for seventh on the all-time list of American open-wheel career wins.

Also, in 2015, Sebastien Bourdais has a win at the Mobil 12 Hours of Sebring in the Tudor United Sports Car Championship with team drivers João Barbosa, and Christian Fittipaldi driving the #5 Action Express Racing Corvette Daytona Prototype.

KVSH Racing, Hydroxycut Hardcore® Elite, Mistic® electronic cigarettes, Chevrolet-powered and aerodynamically outfitted Dallara Verizon IndyCar Series driver Sebastien Bourdais at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. A good outing where SeaBass was able to qualify 9th and finish 6th. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2015)

Welcome Sebastien Bourdais ...

1)   Last weekend, during the race broadcast of the INDY Corn 300 in Iowa on NBCSN, we were treated to a video package that reviewed the tumultuous competitive relationship between you and Paul Tracy, that at times looked to almost come to physical blows on and around the track.

The two of you were shown being reflective and chummy, cruising around the Iowa countryside in a beautiful Corvette – one question, were you able to drive the Corvette that the two of you were taking a ride in?

2)  3-time champion Scott Dixon, after the Indy500, said the trailing turbulence, when one is behind 3 or more cars, makes it nearly impossible to charge toward the front - whereas, former team-mate Graham Rahal mentioned after the MAVTv500 at Auto Club Speedway, that the Chevy Turbulence was unpredictable but the Honda trailing turbulence was smoother and allowed for a better draft.

What has been your experience on the issue of trailing turbulence?

Is there a difference between Chevy to Honda?

What happened at the Milwaukee Mile and trailing turbulence? ... it appeared that since you had lapped the field at one point, this was never an issue as it may have been for others.

3)  It is good to see you at #6 in the 2015 championship points race after 13 races, with just three races left - the road course at Mid-Ohio, the superspeedway tri-oval at Pocono, and the double-points finale on the road course at Sonoma Raceway. Please tell us your planning and anticipation for these three races beginning with;

Mid-Ohio -

Pocono -

Sonoma Raceway near San Francisco -

4)  We believe we know how difficult it is to form a winning combination of sponsors, team mechanics/engineers, ownership, and driver testing. Will you be able to keep what has worked for you this year, in 2016?
What element do you think you could use more of, or would like to modify in any way?

5)  On a personal level, the folks at IndyCar put the word out that unlike a lot of competitors in the series; you enjoy driving your own coach to the racing venues. It stated in the public relations document that sometimes you are known to travel with wife Claire and two children, Alex and Emma, in tow. What do you enjoy most about traveling from race to race in a motorcoach?
What are you and Claire able to teach your kids?

Well, Sebastien Bourdais ... good luck for the rest of the season and we hope to see you on the podium again soon.
ENDS

... notes from The EDJE


TAGS: Sebastien Bourdais, Verizon IndyCar Series, KVSH, Jimmy Vasser, Bruno Junqueuira, Oriol Servia, Justin Wilson, Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon, Sam Hornish, Jr., Dario Franchitti, The EDJE, Race Talk Radio, Hydroxy Cut, Mistic

Champion Driver John Paul Jr. Now Drives Home A Cure

Van Nuys played host to Kevin Cogan (L) and John Paul Jr. (R) and a crowd of well wishers as they discussed increasing the awareness of Huntington's disease. Image Credit: Tom Stahler (2013)

Champion Driver John Paul Jr. Now Drives Home A Cure 

The following post, written by Tom Stahler, details a "where are they now" encounter with a motor culture icon this last weekend, a weekend that had many a Porsche owner and fan visit Southern California for literature, restoration/race-team open houses, and specialized Porsche commemorations using the LAX based 30th annual LA Lit and Toy Show as the excuse.

-- BEGIN --

The hardware earned throughout a career that spanned 19 years. Image Credit: Tom Stahler (2013) 

Many race fans around the globe remember John Paul Jr.  He was the youngest ever Champion in the IMSA GT series, Won at the 24 Hours at Daytona, scored a podium finish at the 24 Hours of LeMans, Led the Indianapolis 500, and won races in both CART and the IRL -- but then in 2001 he vanished, almost without a trace ...

John Paul Jr. would discover that his skills were rapidly deteriorating.  “My crew kept radioing to me that I was braking too early and decelerating into the corners.” said John Jr.  “I was always a late braker..”  John Paul Jr. didn’t notice how erratic his driving had become.  Sadly, as it would turn out, he would be diagnosed with the debilitating genetic disease, Huntington’s.

This would lead to his stepping out of the driver’s seat -- forever.  Like so many before him in the passionate world of big-time racing, the vortex of his career closed and the sport marched on with a new set of heroes.  But this hero has re-emerged to come forward with a message that he hopes will help many others.

John Paul Jr. (L) shares a moment with Vintage Motorsports magazine's Tom Stahler and John Morton at HD awareness event. Image Credit: Tom Stahler (2013)

On Saturday March 2, John Woerheide, a long-time friend and racer, gathered a number of notable race drivers, including IMSA legend John Morton, Indy star Kevin Cogan, collectors and friends of the embattled former racer to unveil the JLP-HD1 Porsche 935 -- encompassing all the great 935s that John Paul Jr. notably drove with so much success in IMSA.  The car will be campaigned throughout the year to raise awareness of the rare disease -- related to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

The awareness platform of JLP-HD1 Porsche 935 twin turbo to be driven throughout the year at selected racing events [Ctrl-click to launch VIDEO]. Image Credit: Tom Stahler (2013)

Similar to Parkinson’s, Huntington’s effects the brain and motor skills.  John Paul Jr. would step out of the racing seat and begin a new race -- one to fight for quality of life and find a cure for the degenerative condition.

Dr William Yang, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at David Geffen School of Medicine, and head of the Yang Research Group at UCLA explained, “Huntington’s Disease is genetic and is present in 1/10,000 people.  if you have the gene, you have a fifty-fifty chance you will be effected.  The disease causes the degeneration of cells in certain areas of the brain leading to uncontrolled movements, loss of intellectual faculties and emotional disturbances.”

UCLA research Scientist Dyna Shirasaki has dedicated many hours and written many papers to finding the cause of the disease and reports, “We have isolated the gene and the protien that causes the disease.  We hope that though treatment of the cause that we will be able to develop treatments that will not only help with Huntington’s, but positively contribute to the treatment of Alheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”

Heads ... no longer in the game. Collectors and friends of the John Paul Jr. gathered in Van Nuys to raise awareness to Huntington’s disease. Image Credit: Tom Stahler (2013) 

Since HD is not as well-known as Alzheimer’s (AD) or Parkinson’s (PD), funding and research have lagged behind. However, while they are all different diseases, they share some pathological similarities. As a result, it is hoped that breakthroughs in the treatment of one disease may shed light on the others.

The JLP-HD1 that will promote John Paul Jr.’s cause is built on a chassis that attempted the 12 hours of Sebring six times, the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona three times and the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen twice, but never finished on the podium.

While it may never achieve the collectability status of the cars John Paul Jr. previously drove, it hopefully will help underscore the reality that it is the people who made previous victories possible, and it will again be the people who make the difference in the battle against HD that lies ahead.  As for John Paul Jr., he continues to make history as he competes against the toughest opponent he has ever faced: Huntington’s disease.

The car will make its competitive debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring, March 13-17, and during the year will be driven by a host of celebrity drivers including Brian Redman, John Andretti, Elliot Forbes-Robinson and racer/instructor Jim Pace.

-- ENDS --

This life is finite with infinite paths that can be taken. John Paul Jr. stands as an example of always braking late, at keeping the peddle down, and making the most out of the road ahead, no matter where the path leads.

Please follow champion driver John Paul Jr. on this path creating awareness and a finding cure for Huntington's Disease at www.johnpauljrhd.com.

 ... notes from The EDJE

Wreck-It Ralph Animated Feature Channels Ed Wynn

Wreck-It Ralph and cast pose in their fantasy life travel congregation area that mimics New York's Grand Central Train Station - Game Central Station. Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios

Wreck-It Ralph Animated Feature Channels Ed Wynn

The recently released animated feature length movie from Disney Studios, Wreck-It Ralph,  is a really fun and high concept movie that can be seen with, or without kids (not good fare for kiddos under the age of 9).

The antagonist character King Candy, who is voiced by Alan Tudyk, does a pretty good job at channeling/capturing some of the voice expressions and sounds of a very famous character and comedic actor ... Ed Wynn.

Ed Wynn (L) and King Candy (R) side-by-side. Notice the bow tie, the stripes in the cloth adornments, the zest of hair, the fun of finger positioning, smile, and smallish "hat" each character image holds. One can not separate the influence of the voice-over actor from the animated character, and we are all the richer for it. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks - combination between IMDb (Ed Wynn in "The Perfect Fool," 1959 - Sid Avery) and Walt Disney Studios (2012)

Modern Hollywood does not have many memorable iconic actors that embody the likes held by Ed Wynn ... check out Jerry Lewis' Cinderfella someday.

 It is reported in a Disney wiki that they had the animators use Mad Hatter from the 1951 animated film, Alice in Wonderland but had very little mention that it was the voice of Ed Wynn that actually brought the character of Mad Hatter to life.

On the voice-over and the visage of the animated character, the producers have done a good job at capturing some of what Ed Wynn brought to the big screen (even though Ed Wynn really never had a dark side).

King Candy, formerly known as Turbo, is the main antagonist of the film Wreck-It Ralph. He was the ruler of the kingdom in which the game Sugar Rush takes place. He is voiced by Alan Tudyk. King Candy is incredibly eccentric and flamboyant. Throughout most of the film, he portrays himself as a bubbly, yet somewhat strict, ruler. As Turbo, he was said to have loved the spotlight, but the moment that was all taken away, the racer became demented, and he was determined to remain beloved, even if it meant ruining another game. Caption & Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios

This excerpted and edited from Wreck-It Ralph IMDb Storyline -

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Rated PG - 101 min - Animation | Comedy | Family - 2 November 2012 (USA)

Wreck-It Ralph (voice of Reilly) longs to be as beloved as his game's perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix (voice of McBrayer).

Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes... so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Lynch), Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness.

He sneaks into the game with a simple plan -- win a medal -- but soon wrecks everything, and accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade.

Ralph's only hope? Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Silverman), a young troublemaking "glitch" from a candy-coated cart racing game - Sugar Rush - who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy.

But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it's "Game Over" for the entire arcade?
[Reference Here]

As far as the central character, Ralph, some of us have all had times that we were cast in a place as Ralph and wish we could be something different.

Key line delivered by Wreck-It Ralph while visiting a 12 step style meeting: I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be then me.

Vanellope von Schweetz seated in her favorite place to be ... in a vehicle racing in Sugar Rush. Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios

Also, the movie, while pretty ingenious and original, has moments where one thinks it borrows some of the programming used in another successful Walt Disney animated feature, Cars. A secondary character, Vanellope von Schweetz - voiced by Sara Silverman, found in another video game, Sugar Rush, loves to race cars in one of the central activities of the game world she occupies - Candy Land. One sequence in the picture features Vanellope racing around a track built by Ralph with Rihanna's "Shut Up And Drive" playing in the background, music video style.

It would be easy to envision Disney Orlando creating a section of fantasy world called Candy Land and install the same kind of vehicle racing ride Disneyland's California Adventure Park has with Radiator Springs and Cars.

RATING: 8.5 out of 10


** Article first published as Wreck-It Ralph Animated Feature Channels Ed Wynn on Technorati **

Unser Jr., Rahal, Long Beach Motorsports Walk Of Fame – ‘Nuff Said

2008 LONG BEACH MOTORSPORTS WALK OF FAME induction ceremony - Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones and Gary Gabelich were the honorees. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Unser Jr., Rahal, Long Beach Motorsports Walk Of Fame – ‘Nuff Said

The previous honorees to have a custom medallion honoring their motorsports achievements ... laid in a concrete strip running North to South along Pine Avenue, in front of the West facing Long Beach Convention Center ... all had a connection to the event of the Long Beach Grand Prix, lived and worked out of Southern California, and/or had broad motorsports careers of great achievement and success.

Phil Hill (left) and Jackie Stewart at the 1991 United States Grand Prix. Image Credit: Stuart Seeger

The first inductees of Phil Hill, the first American Formula 1 champion in 1961 and was raised in Santa Monica, California, where he lived until his death August 28, 2008, and Dan Gurney who also made most of his fame in Formula 1 (86 Grand Prix starts ranks third, and his total of four GP wins is second only to Mario Andretti) and team owner from Riverside, came in 2006.

The Andy Granatelli STP Special Gas-Turbine car driven by Parnelli Jones in 1967, on display at the Indianapolis 500 Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. Image Credit: The359 (2007)

2007 Walk of Fame Inductees saw Brian Redman the first winner of the LBGP in 1975 with the one-time Formula 500 series event (a feeder series to Formula 1), Chris Pook the innovator of the modern day temporary circuit and creator of the 34, going on 35 year LBGP event, and Newman/Haas Racing Team owners - Paul Newman and Carl Haas who as team owners delivered a car and driver combination that won the LBGP a record six times (three wins with Mario Andretti / three wins with Sebastian Bourdais).

Walk of Fame Inductees for 2008 included Mario Andretti, a four time winner of the LBGP and the only driver to have repeat wins while driving in different open wheel sanctioning series (1977 with Formula 1 and beginning in 1984 in the inaugural CART/ChampCar World Series race).

The Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame medallions include renditions of the racers' cars and their major achievements in motorsports. 2008 inductee Mario Andretti's medallion above. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (The EDJE) 2008

Life long resident of Torrance, California, racing legend Parnelli Jones won races in many types of vehicles: sports cars, IndyCars, sprint cars, midget cars, off-road vehicles, and stock cars. With the sanctioning take over of the race by IndyCar in the merger, Parnelli was a key inductee in that he is most remembered for being the first driver to qualify over 150 mph at the Indianapolis 500, winning the pole position at a speed of 150.370 mph in 1962, his 1963 Indianapolis 500 win, and almost winning the 1967 Indy 500 in an Andy Granatelli STP sponsored turbine car. The third inductee for 2008 was Gary Gabelich who was honored posthumously (August 29, 1940 – January 26, 1984) by the City of Long Beach. Gary, a resident of Bixby Knolls, set the land speed record with his rocket-powered vehicle "Blue Flame" on October 23, 1970, achieving an average speed of 622.287 mph (1,001.474 km/h).

Al Unser, Jr. and Bobby Rahal represent drivers (and car owners) from a more current era. These guys could almost hop in a Dallara IndyCar right now and be competitive on the track through the 11 turns and two speed sections that make Long Beach the challenge that has set the standard for temporary street circuits. After all, this would be the first time the Dallara will be racing in the streets of Long Beach, but these inductees have owned the track a time or two during the heyday of their driving careers.

1991 Long Beach Grand Prix podium left to right with Eddie Cheever 3rd, Al Unser, Jr. 1st, and Bobby Rahal 2nd. Image Credit: indycar.com

This excerpted and edited from Motorsport.com –

RACING LEGENDS BOBBY RAHAL AND AL UNSER JR. TO BE HONORED AT LONG BEACH MOTORSPORTS WALK OF FAME
Motorsport.com - 2009-03-16

"I'm delighted that we will add two more racing legends to the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame," said Mayor Bob Foster, who will be presenting the medallions to the honorees.
----
"This year's inductees represent not only great drivers, but individuals that have contributed much to the success of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach over the years," said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. "That's why 'Little Al' is known as the 'King of the Beach' and Bobby has achieved great success at Long Beach not only on the track but also as an owner."

Al Unser Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father and an uncle (Bobby) to become repeat champion at Indianapolis, winning the '500' in 1992 and 1994. Champion of the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series in 1990 and 1994, Unser won the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach an incredible six times: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994 and 1995 and, overall, took the checkered flag in 31 events between 1984 and 1995. Unser won the 24 Hours of Daytona at age 24, is a two-time IROC champion and the youngest IROC champion ever. In 1994 he dominated the CART open-wheel racing season winning eight of 16 races and was named ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. Unser will be competing in this year's Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, Saturday, April 18, having won the world-famous event in 1985.

Bobby Rahal is one of a select group of individuals who have won the Indianapolis 500 as a driver (1986) and an owner (2004). Between 1982 and 1992, Rahal won 24 races and captured the CART season title in 1986, 1987 and 1992. He won on ovals, road courses and competed in Formula One and NASCAR events. Rahal won championships driving sports cars, winning several SCCA titles and shared the winning car in the 24 Hours of Daytona (1981) and the 12 Hours of Sebring (1987). He made 15 starts at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, finishing second four times. In 1996 he formed Rahal Letterman Racing, with David Letterman as a minority owner.
Reference Here>>

The 4th annual induction ceremony for the Long Beach Motorsports Walk Of Fame, and the first one held with the full field of IndyCar Series teams and drivers ready to take it to the streets of Long Beach, is April 16 during Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Week.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. at the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame, located on the Eastside of South Pine Avenue right in front of the Long Beach Convention Center.

… notes From The EDJE