Denver at 180 MPH
The third annual Denver Grand Prix burns rubber once again
By Christopher R. Mena
The Metropolitan
The Grand Prix came roaring into Denver once again for the third year in a row. With it was the constant sound of engines thundering in the background that could be heard from several blocks away. The smell of fuel hung thick in the hot air. The crowds, which I haven't seen since my days in New York moved about from one attraction to the next with $ 4.75 beers in hand.
At one point the ground began to shake and the air exploded with the sound of jets cutting through the air overhead.
It was a moment to remember.
If you were at the Grand Prix, you couldn't help but feel the excitement in the air whether you are a racing fan or not. And if you aren't a racing fan, then there were events for everyone, including a "Kids Zone" which had variety of things like an inflatable slide and bounce house, and face painting.
There was also the 2004 Mini Grand Prix that was located in the parking lots of the Auraria Campus between 7th and 9th along Auraria Parkway. The track was a smaller version of the Grand Prix track. It was free to watch and open
If that wasn't to your liking, SoBe beverages set up a sports complex which had a freestyle motocross exhibition. There, they were giving away T-shirts and video games. Also, they had karaoke competitions that were open to the public.
And, if you're a "Sugar Ray" fan, the band was headlining the Rock-n-Roar concert on the second day of the event.
Compared to the two previous events, this one was the best so far, hands down. Unlike last year, the people in charge of the Grand Prix decided to schedule the event so as not to compete with "The Taste of Colorado"
This was a major factor that helped draw in the crowds, along with the fact that there was more to see and do. Also, unlike last year's Grand Prix, the weather held up. For the three days, the sun was out.
Spectator Brian Wolfe said, "This is a big improvement from the first year. There are good additions like the Vintage Racing. This year was better promoted and there's more of a variety."
Top Ten Drivers
1) Sebastien Bourdais
2) Paul Tracy
3) Bruno Junqueira
4) A.J. Alimendinger
6) Oriol Servia
5) Oriol Servia
7) Justin Wilson
8) Mario Hasberfeld
9) Patrick Carpentier
10) Alex Tagliani |
