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"Just because you don't know them, doesn't mean they're not fast!"
Crossing the continent with Memo Gidley
By
Kate Shaw
Photos courtesy Kate Shaw and Champcar World Series
SONOMA, California (July 20, 2004) – Memo Gidley has had a busy ten
days. It was 8:00 a.m.
PDT on July 9th, the Friday of the Molson Indy Toronto, when he received
word that the Johnson Controls Rocketsports Racing team was short one driver
and they’d really like him to jump onto a plane and join them on the other
side of North America as fast as he could get there. This is nothing new to
Memo – short-notice racing is his specialty. “The team was great to work
with,” he said, “and I was comfortable with them right away. I got there in
time for Saturday practice and qualifying, so all I missed was Friday.” No
mention of the all-nighter fitting the car to his size and shape, and with
his help, his driving style. That's not Memo’s way – what is his way is
getting the car set up, and then jumping in and driving his heart out. And
that was what he did in the race on Sunday, to the delight of his many fans
both at the track and watching him over the air. “I got a chance to speak to
a lot of people,” he confirmed, “although I was really busy with the car;
the news that I was coming to drive seemed to have spread pretty fast!”
Indeed, I can confirm that by early Friday afternoon the word had spread
that Memo Gidley was going to be in the No. 17 LeasePlan car, and people
were already drifting hopefully up to the pit space and asking “Where’s
Memo?”
I
asked him if he found much change in Champ Cars since he was here last.
“Well, the depth of field is less,” he admitted, “but the times are pretty
similar at the top of the field, to what they were when I drove here with
Walker Racing. The real difference in the car is that they’ve dropped the
RPMs and now you get more power from the Turbo – the turbo lag is more
noticeable, you have to jump on it before you’re ready to go, so the fan
engages when you are ready to get on the gas.”
As for the calibre of driver in the field, Memo had no complaints. “I have
done enough racing to know this much,” he said. “Just because you haven’t
heard of a guy doesn’t mean he’s not fast! And there are plenty of fast guys
in the Champ Car field, make no mistake about that. It was a joy being back
among them again and I hope I will have many more chances to drive against
them all.”
Memo’s race ended early on Sunday, but he felt that he had accomplished his
mission – and
another mission awaited him back at his home track in Sonoma, California:
this weekend he competed in the SCCA SPEED World Challenge Touring Car race
with his regular team, in the No. 48 U.S. Air Force Reserve Techsport Ford
Focus. Memo was quick in the morning practice, putting his car mid-field;
the car could not be driven at Mid Ohio because of engine problems, and
unfortunately they needed an engine change in the morning yet again; in the
Friday afternoon qualifying session he had what he diplomatically called “an
incident with another car” (one P.D. Cunningham), which is common in Touring
Cars, and started the race from P30. As all of you know who watch the SPEED
touring cars, this is not a serious problem and gave Memo the chance to show
what he could do. He ended up in P11, earning the “Hard Charger” award for
making up the most positions in the race. Race 5 on Sunday was a little more
fraught, but Memo persevered and brought the car home well up the field and
remaining one of the few not punted by Bob Stretch.
In the weeks when he doesn’t have two weekends to race at opposite ends of
the continent, Memo keeps busy doing appearances and “sponsor stuff” as well
as his work in the Focus and his karting activities. And as for the future,
well, he’s playing that one by ear. “We’re solid with Techsport for the rest
of the year,” he said, “and then we’ll see what happens. I’m enjoying the
team and the car, and a chance to do some really good racing!”
Memo has spent some time in the commentary box and he does an excellent job
there, with his experience of driving in many different series and with many
different teams; and I asked him if that was something he would think about
doing in the future. “I have done that off and on,” he said, “but really my
first love is driving and that is where my focus as well as my heart is for
now.” As to what kind of racing he’d like to do, well, he has only one
specification for that.
“I want to be with a team that’s serious about racing and dedicated to
winning,” he said definitely. “I don’t care what kind of racing it is –
touring cars, Indy cars, Champ Cars – but I want to race up front or have
the chance to do that, every weekend I am on the track. I think we have that
kind of team at Techsport and I’m going to be out there pushing us ahead!”
And to his legion of fans and supporters he sends his greetings and
appreciation for the support and the chance to see everybody again. “I
hope,” he said, “that we will all have a chance to meet up again real soon.”
Watch Memo race on Sunday morning on the Speed Channel, when this weekend’s
race will be broadcast only ½ day delayed. And look for him and the No. 48
to give us all a great show.
CHAMP CAR INTERVIEWS:
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Michel Jourdain, Jr.
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Nelson Phillipe
Justin Wilson
