Driving Tips

To promote a PGA Tour event and a Champ Car race in Denver, David Duval and Paul Tracy each gave the other his own version of driving lessons on Wednesday. Both wound up with a newfound admiration for each other and his profession.

From PGA.com

08.02.2006 10:49 pm (ET)

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (AP) -- Paul Tracy and David Duval each tried out a different kind of driving Wednesday.

In the morning, Duval took a spin with Tracy in a Mustang GT pace car for the Grand Prix of Denver. In the afternoon, Tracy got "driving" tips from Duval at Castle Pines Golf Club, site of The International.

Both events will take place next weekend and the dual driving competition highlighted a novel co-promotion between the PGA Tour and Champ Car.

So, is Duval a better racer than Tracy is a golfer? Or is it the other way around?

"I think we both stink, respectively, probably," Duval said with Tracy nodding in agreement. "I don't ever get to race a car and he doesn't ever get to play golf. You're talking about two different things that you can't just jump in and start doing."

Duval said he loved zipping around the portion of the downtown Denver track that snaked through the Pepsi Center parking lot.

"It's a lot of fun to get out with somebody that knows what they're doing and can handle a car," said Duval, who survived several doughnuts.

Tracy said he hadn't played golf more than three times in his life, but he grabbed a driver and ripped a straight 220-yard shot on his first swing on the driving range.

"And I have a stiff back from that wrestling match I was in a couple of days ago, too," cracked Tracy, who caused a crash that led to a fight with fellow driver Alex Tagliani at the San Jose Grand Prix last week.

Champ Car didn't find the fight a laughing matter and on Wednesday placed Tracy on probation for three races, fined him an undisclosed amount of money and stripped of seven championship points. Champ Car fined Tagliani an undisclosed amount for his part in the confrontation.

After Duval gave Tracy some pointers on his stance and swing, however, the balls starting slicing and hooking and searching for the squirrels.

"The first three times I hit the ball was basically beginner's luck. I just walked up and hit it, but after I started adjusting my swing and changing my footing and started thinking about how to hit it, I couldn't hit it anymore," Tracy said.

Tracy and Duval played the 10th and 18th holes at Castle Pines and Tracy's long game was surprisingly good, although his putting left a little to be desired.

When it was suggested he should take up golf in his spare time, however, Tracy grimaced.

"You know what my problem with this is? This takes too long. I've got to be going like this," Tracy said, snapping his fingers three times. "I don't think I have the patience for golf. I'd kind of be like Happy Gilmore out there."

Duval said race car drivers were better athletes than golfers.

"I think you're talking about an endurance and a heart level, the beats are up there for the entire race," Duval said. "Are some of the golfers good athletes? Yes. Are they highly skilled professionals? Yes. But it is a game, I don't know if you'd call it a sport."

The mental aspect of golf and racing are actually pretty similar, Tracy said.

"People [debate] whether race car drivers are athletes. But what we do takes a high level of concentration for two to four hours," he said. "It's the same in golf. For us, there's no time-outs, there's no breaks in between."

Both walked off the course with a newfound admiration for each other and his profession.

"Anytime you're around excellence," Duval said, "it's a real treat."