| San Jose Grand Prix |
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The inaugural event was held July 29 through July 31 , 2005 in San Jose, California . As the newest addition to the world series, San Jose is expected to raise interest in racing in Northern California . It is being organized by the Canary Fund . 2005 EVENTS In 2005, although the Champ Car World Series was the main event, a number of other races were also held. Additionally, a week of fairs, music, charity events and promotional activities also supported the Grand Prix. Races The title event of the inaugural Grand Prix was held at 14:00 on July 31, 2005. It was race #8 of the 2005 Champ Car World Series . Other races included the Trans-Am Road Racing Series , the Toyota Atlantic Championship The United States Touring Car Championship , and The Historic Stock Car Racing Series . 2005 winners included Sebastian Bourdais in Champ Car, Katherine Legge in Toyota Atlantic and Boris Said in Trans-Am. Drifting The weekend also featured the Formula D Drift Racing competition, in which participants engage in controlled slides, moving their cars sideways across the track. 2005 TRACK LAYOUT Initially the track was designed to run near Downtown San Jose, California , circling around the HP Pavilion . However, due to higher than expected costs for street repairs and improvements, among other concerns, race organizers moved to a course running directly through downtown. Some argued that hosting the race downtown, among the Skyscraper s and Palm Tree s, would generate a more beautiful and exciting atmosphere. However, on race weekend, many critics, including several drivers, criticized the track for being too narrow, too bumpy and dangerous. Some drivers even jokingly compared the track to a Motocross track, and somewhat-seriously complained of headaches after several laps. Several modifications were made to the track following initial practice and qualifying sessions, including adding a chicane to the front stretch and moving a grandstand to make room for a bigger run-off area. Still, the crossing of the VTA 's light rail tracks on the course actually caused the Champ Cars to bounce and become slightly airborne in a 120-150 mph zone of the track. On raceday, the Champ Car race was largely a battle of survival, as half the starting field failed to finish the race, most due to crashing on narrow portions of the track, or mechanical problems caused by the bumps. There was also little on-track passing in the Champ Car race, although many of the support races did see quite a bit of on track passing. In the end, the event was still considered a success, as official attendance reports showed over 60,000 fans on race day, and over 150,000 fans for the weekend. Organizers also reported that the track would be improved in the future. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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