Portland made it, just barely
It keeps alive an event that first came to Portland in 1984.
"It makes a lot of good strategy sense for us to be in Portland," said Steve Johnson, Champ Car's president. But Johnson also said Monday during a nationwide conference call that there is much work to be done before the city stages its 25th open-wheel race at Portland International Raceway on July 27.
Johnson will visit Portland within two weeks after the Champ Car season finale in Mexico City this weekend to hammer out some details, including the length of Portland's new contract with the series. There also might be a new business plan that includes a different promoter.
Champ Car lost millions of dollars staging races at PIR in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and Johnson has been critical of the event's attendance and corporate support, especially at the local level.
But the overriding theme Monday, as Champ Car announced a 14-race schedule for 2008 — with an all-time low of six events in the United States — was that the series was not prepared to pull the plug in Portland and throw away 24 years of tradition.
"We want to be there," said Johnson, who hinted that a 2009 Portland race is a near-certainty, given the obvious marketing hook. More at OregonLive.com