RSPORTS team staying busy during break

These guys just do not get a break, after testing in Portland RSPORTS drivers Alex Tagliani and Justin Wilson stay busy off-track promoting the Champ Car World Series and its upcoming events throughout the world.

As a part of the in-market promotions taking place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where Round 7 of the 2007 Champ Car World Series will take place on June 6-8, Alex Tagliani headed to his native country of Canada to participate in a full day of media activity on May 8. Champ Car driver, and Tagliani’s former teammate, Will Power also spent the day in Toronto gearing up for the future event with Tagliani and Atlantic driver James Hinchcliffe.

It was a busy day, which began at 6:30 a.m. in Toronto and did not end for Tagliani until 10:30 p.m. Las Vegas time, the time he returned back home. Several stops where made throughout the day, including visits to top media outlets in Toronto, an autograph session held at First Canadian Place in the Financial District during the lunch-time hour, lunch with the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto sponsors, and wrapping up the day on MTV LIVE in Canada.

“I am very excited about the upcoming Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto," said Tagliani. “The race is very lucky to have such a wonderful sponsor with Steelback. They have a great love and passion for racing, so that is going to bring a new energy around the track this year. The promoters are doing a fantastic job getting ready for the race that is coming up in June. They have a lot of new things planned for the fans, so it will be a great event for families to come out and enjoy some entertainment on and off the track in downtown Toronto.

This race and town has always been one that teams and drivers enjoy coming to each year. For the fans, it is a great city, there are fast cars on track, good looking women and plenty of beer – you can’t ask for anything more. While I was there, I could feel the excitement generating in the media and the public for this race. We can’t control the weather, but if it is good then I think that there should be a good crowd and that the event will be a big success."

In addition to his Canadian-born background, Tagliani is also tied with the Canadian-based Tide@Wal-Mart Victory Lap Charity Program for the 2007 Champ Car World Series season. Tagliani is one of the co-ambassadors of the Victory Lap Charity program. He will return to Toronto on May 14 and 15 to support The Victory Lap Charity Program, which will launch an exclusive ticket program for the Toronto Grand Prix. The tickets sold at Wal-Mart will cost only $75 and $20 will go to Children’s Miracle Network. They are valued at more then $100 and are “Grand Stand" tickets with paddock access – where the teams and cars are housed while at the race.

The Victory Lap Charity Program is supported by Procter & Gamble with six brands, Wal-Mart and other corporate partners such as Kodak, Kellogg’s, Coke ZERO, FIDO, and JIG-A-LOO to get communities involved in charitable giving at the local level and excited about auto racing in Canada. The Victory Lap Charity Program is a cross-Canada tour that visits more than 100 Wal-Mart stores focused on a fund-raising effort on behalf of the Children’s Miracle Network, an instrumental force in providing medical care and preventative education to help millions of youngsters overcome disease and injuries of all types. Now, in its fifth year, The Victory Lap Charity Program has raised more than $400,000 for Children’s Miracle Network.

“I am honored to be a part of the TIDE @ Wal-Mart Victory Lap Charity Program," stated Tagliani. “I’ve followed the Victory Lap Charity Program closely over the past four years. I’m thrilled to be a part of the Victory Lap team as the 2007 Champ Car World Series spokesperson. Being involved in such a high profile charitable Program at Wal-Mart with great partner support is a tremendous sense of achievement in my career.

It is such a wonderful program and it has been successful because the companies involved get a great deal of visibility and at the same time it is raising money for a good cause. It is the best of both worlds. The Victory Lap Charity Program is very lucky to have a partner like Wal-Mart. Their involvement has brought this program into the racing world, and with that, I get the honor to race in the Champ Car World Series for a good cause. When you go out on track as a race car driver you are trying to do the best possible job in hopes of achieving a good result. So, while I am out there trying to accomplish my goals as a race car driver, it is a great feeling to know that I am also raising money for a good cause. I look forward to racing my hardest for the benefit of the Children’s Miracle Network all season, especially during the Canadian race stops this season at Mont Tremblant, Toronto, and Edmonton. These two days that I will spend in Toronto should be a great opportunity to raise awareness of the Victory Lap Charity program and the upcoming Toronto race."

Just as Tagliani will be north of the border promoting the Victory Lap Program and the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto, his teammate Justin Wilson will also be leaving the country heading to his native land of England to promote the Champ Car World Series and its upcoming events over in Europe.

Champ Car boasts some of the most talented drivers from around the world including many who began their careers in the various European racing series. As the series looks forward to new races this season in Zolder, Belgium and Assen, Holland, it continues to identify new venues demonstrating that it is a true global series. The intention of this European Tour is to enhance and/or establish the Champ Car World Series brand, its drivers, and its teams with the European media, sponsors, and race fans.

Hailing from Sheffield, England, RSPORTS driver Justin Wilson will participating in this Champ Car European tour which will hit the major European cities of London, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris throughout the week of May 14. He will be joined with fellow Champ Car drivers Dan Clarke, Robert Doornbos, Simon Pagenaud and Sebastien Bourdais.

“I am definitely looking forward to going back to the UK, it will be good to stop in London, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris and let everyone know we will be coming back to race," said Wilson before departing for the European tour. “For the European drivers it is going to be great to be back. So I look forward to the upcoming races this year in Europe and I hope that the Champ Car trend continues and we have more races in the future over in Europe. I think that this tour will be a great way to bring awareness of the Champ Car World Series back into Europe and excite them for our upcoming visits in August and September.

I have visited each of the cities that we will be stopping at on this tour already. They are all very interesting places. Unfortunately we will be very busy with our media tour that we will not have a chance to really enjoy each city, but it will be nice to go back for the little time that we will have."

The RSPORTS team still has a few weeks off before competition starts back up in June. Round four of the 2007 Champ Car World Series, the Mazda Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland Presented by Joe’s Sports and Outdoor, will take place June 8-10 at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Oregon.