Thursday, August 3, 2006
From Champcar.ws
With driving styles that differ greatly, Bridgestone Presents
the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford driver Paul Tracy
and PGA Tour professional David Duval traded driving tips today
in Denver in preparation for each other’s events in the
Mile High City. Tracy taught Duval how to go left and right,
something a professional golfer tries to avoid, while Duval worked
with “PT” to help him keep his golf drives straight.
Paul Tracy took Duval around a portion of the track circling the Pepsi Center that will host the Grand Prix of Denver sponsored by Bridgestone on August 11-13 while Duval helped Tracy navigate the Castle Pines Golf Club, home of PGA Tour event The International. After his hot laps around the modified circuit, Duval was enthused by his first hand experience in the Champ Car Fast Lap pace car.
“It was a lot a fun but I don’t know how to explain it. There is no other sport where you can hop in and participate other than driving race cars,” said the 2001 British Open champion, Duval. “You can walk with a golfer or play with them or try to return a tennis serve but you only get to experience it and don’t actually get to hit the ball, and you sure don’t want to get on a football field with those guys and get killed. To ride along in a car with somebody who knows what they’re doing, especially because everyone drives. You are in the car thinking you’re going to drive right into a wall, and then you make the corner, it’s really cool.”
Tracy was very complimentary of Duval’s driving skills and even let the professional golfer experience his first donut while behind the wheel of the Champ Car Fast Lap programs Shelby Cobra 500 Mustang.
“He’s never been on a track before and by his second lap he was figuring it out,” said the 2003 Champ Car champion Tracy, “He was holding the line close to the cones like I told him and just getting it figured out. I guarantee you I’m a worse golfer than he is a driver.”
Tracy’s prophecy turned out not to be as true as he would have you believe as he hit the driving range at Castle Pines before playing the 10th and 18th holes with the Denver resident Duval. Tracy’s first ball on the range traveled well over 200 yards and led many to believe he was sandbagging his golfing skills.
“I haven’t played golf in more than three years and that was only at the driving range,” said Tracy. “I’m glad I didn’t embarrass myself on the course and I guess I didn’t. I even had a six-foot putt for par on the 18th hole but my golf game is a lot like my driving, I’m not good with the stuff that requires a soft touch, I like hitting off the tee because I can go full-throttle.”
While Duval easily played the two holes at even par, he did see some promise in Tracy’s game.
“Both racing and golf require concentration for long periods of time and you can tell Paul has that ability. After we finished he joked that maybe he should take up the game but I warned him against it because once someone as competitive as he is takes up golf it will consume him.”
Presenting Sponsors of The INTERNATIONAL are Great West Healthcare, Sun Microsystems, ADT Security Services, CIBER and First Data. Coors is a Contributing Sponsor.
The Grand Prix of Denver merges into the fast lane in 2006 by hosting a weekend-long, city-transforming experience, teeming with racecars, motorcycles, action sports, rock-n-roll and street parties. This fifth annual three-day event continues to be the largest gathering of car enthusiasts, sports fans and music lovers in Denver. The Grand Prix of Denver race, round 10 of the Champ Car World Series, is the marquee event of the weekend. For more information, isit www.gpdenver.com