Healthy crowd at Road America
You refused to let two days of rain and a day of sun, but cool temperatures — not to mention a Packers game and other interesting NFL matchups — dissuade you from venturing to the historic racetrack in Elkhart Lake.
You also came back a year after the series didn't.
I've sometimes questioned whether Champ Car (drivers excluded) truly wants to be at Road America, the rustic venue that will never be confused with the likes of Long Beach, Calif., or Surfers Paradise, Australia.
There's little question, however, what the series' fans want.
A total of 61,031 made that pretty clear. The Sheboygan Press
09/25/06 The 61K represented an increase of about 25% over 2004, when Champ Car last raced at Road America.
09/25/06 A reader adds, Just wondering if the Champ Car attendance figures includes children under 12. I took my son to Road America this weekend and he is under 12 so no ticket was required for his entrance. While the obvious increase in attendance was noticeable, so was the amount of children attending the race! It was fantastic to see so many young fans who were decked out in Champ Car apparel as well as their favorite Champ Car driver/team apparel.
We had a fantastic weekend and the hospitality of the Champ Car employees was overwhelming. My son (already an avid CC fan) asked if he could bring his friends next year. Looks like I'm going to have to rent an RV in 2007… Pat Toner
PS. We witnessed Katherine Legge lift up a young fan in the Paddock in order to pose with her for a picture – less than 45 minutes after we witnessed Katherine in one of the most horrific auto racing accidents ever. Simply amazing!
09/24/06 Attendance was announced as 61,301 for the weekend, but with the rain Friday and Saturday, the majority of the 61K attended Sunday.
09/24/06 Sunday has dawned bright, clear and cool here in Elkhart Lake and the fans have responded. This is the largest Champ Car attendance at Road America in quite some time, which bodes well for the future of this popular venue.