2007 Vegas Grand Prix


The 2007 Las Vegas Grand Prix was the first round of the 2007 Champ Car World Series Season, held on April 8 on the streets of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Qualifying results

PosNatNameTeamQual 1Qual 2Best
1Will PowerTeam Australia1:21.0071:17.6291:17.629
2Paul TracyForsythe Racing1:19.7841:19.6251:19.625*
3Robert DoornbosMinardi Team USA1:20.9911:18.5151:18.515
4Alex TaglianiRSPORTS1:20.4371:18.8501:18.850
5Simon PagenaudTeam Australia1:19.9981:18.9611:18.961
6Bruno JunqueiraDale Coyne Racing-1:19.1021:19.102
7Mario DominguezForsythe Racing1:22.3841:19.1561:19.156
8Justin WilsonRSPORTS1:20.3101:19.2691:19.269
9Neel JaniPKV Racing1:21.6181:19.3601:19.360
10Graham RahalN/H/L Racing1:23.3071:19.7101:19.710
11Tristan GommendyPKV Racing1:21.5651:19.7841:19.784
12Dan ClarkeMinardi Team USA1:22.1231:19.8141:19.814
13Katherine LeggeDale Coyne Racing1:22.4201:20.1041:20.104
14Matt HallidayConquest Racing13:20.4441:20.1221:20.122
15Ryan DalzielPacific Coast Motorsports1:22.2021:20.1281:20.128
16Sébastien BourdaisN/H/L Racing1:20.197-1:20.197
17Alex FiggePacific Coast Motorsports1:22.7881:20.3131:20.313

Race

The race was a fresh start for the Champ Car World Series. With a new car, new rules, including timed races and staggered starts, new teams like Pacific Coast Motorsports, a different season opener on a new track, and an eventual return to ABC/ESPN later in the year, all were the big stories of the day. The race would be one of survival of the fittest as many drivers were taken out by either crashes or mechanical failures. Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing would not have a good day as 3-time champion Sébastien Bourdais was hampered by numerous tire problems and rookie Graham Rahal was taken out on the first lap. Will Power had the dominant car all day long, only being challenged consistently by Paul Tracy, who many saw as the man to unseat Bourdais as the face of Champ Car. In the end, the race would all come down to fuel mileage. Tracy's car struggled with taking a full load of fuel preventing him from snapping his winless streak. Will Power outlasted the field to take his first career victory, which was also the first Champ Car victory by an Australian, in a dominant fashion.
PosNoDriverTeamLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
15 Will PowerTeam Australia681:45:13.637134
214 Robert DoornbosMinardi Team USA68+16.789327
33 Paul TracyForsythe Racing68+27.356227
48 Alex TaglianiRSPORTS68+48.981424
522 Tristan GommendyPKV Racing68+1:10.3961121
611 Katherine LeggeDale Coyne Racing68+1:21.2611320
719 Bruno JunqueiraDale Coyne Racing66+ 1 Lap618
829 Alex FiggePacific Coast Motorsports63+ 5 Laps1715
97 Mario DominguezForsythe Racing57+ 11 Laps713
1021 Neel JaniPKV Racing56Mechanical911
1128 Ryan DalzielPacific Coast Motorsports52+ 16 Laps1510
1215 Simon PagenaudTeam Australia47Engine59
131 Sébastien BourdaisN/H/L Racing30Accident168
149 Justin WilsonRSPORTS20Input shaft87
154 Dan ClarkeMinardi Team USA13Accident126
1642 Matt HallidayConquest Racing3Accident145
172 Graham RahalN/H/L Racing1Accident104

Caution flags

Attendance

Attendance at the inaugural 2007 event was estimated to be 40,000 fans on race day. This surpassed the number of seats available on the course's temporary grandstands facilitating an expansion for the 2008 season.

Future of the Race

This was the third race for Champ Car in Las Vegas, but the only one held on a downtown street course. Two oval Grands Prix had taken place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: the 2004 Bridgestone 400 and the 2005 Hurricane Relief 400. The planned 2008 race was removed from the calendar due to Champ Car's merge with the Indy Racing League.
IRL returned to Las Vegas in 2011, however the return was at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, rather than to a downtown street course.