| Bourdais Leaves His Mark Again; Another Ganassi Winner; Farewell to Belle June 6, 2022By Jeff OlsonIMSA Wire Service  DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – “What a day!” That was Sebastien Bourdais’ exclamation Saturday after he and Renger van der Zande prevailed in a tricky and tense Chevrolet Sports Car Classic at Detroit. Framed in light of Bourdais’ longevity, relevance and significance to racing in general and sports cars in particular, he could add another exclamation: “What a career!” The victory was the ninth of his career in top-level North American sports car racing, a portion of his career that covers 60 IMSA races over 23 years. Shortly after he splashed about in Belle Isle’s James Scott Memorial Fountain on Saturday, Bourdais was headed home for his 15th 24 Hours of Le Mans. In his wake was an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship weekend that carried Bourdais’ distinct signature. Another Motul Pole Award, another win, and another deftly executed one-stop plan in which Bourdais simultaneously saved fuel while maintaining the lead before handing off to van der Zande for the triumphant finish. Afterward, van der Zande pointed to that skill – being fast while saving fuel – as the primary reason for the success of the No. 01 Cadillac Racing DPi-V.R. “We have a guy who can save a lot of fuel,” he said with a grin. Bourdais rarely looks back on his accomplishments, nor, at 43 years old, is he aiming for retirement. But those accomplishments are significant, and his destination for multiple halls of fame is plainly evident. In 2019, while acknowledging his 200th start in IndyCar racing, Bourdais talked of taking advantage of the opportunities presented. “I’m mostly feeling privileged that I got the opportunities I got,” Bourdais said. “I was fortunate enough to make good use of it. I had some really good runs and did some cool things. I’m happy that I’ve had all those opportunities and that it worked out the way it did.” Those opportunities have led to 46 victories and four championships over 24 seasons and 327 races. So far. “It’s been a great time,” Bourdais said in 2019, pausing for emphasis. “And I’ve managed to win some races.” And Speaking of Winning Some Races … Bourdais’ boss is on a bit of a roll lately. Chip Ganassi waited just six days after his success at the Indianapolis 500 to add another trophy to the case. Bourdais and van der Zande pushed Ganassi’s career victory total as a team owner closer to 250 with Saturday’s win, which was the team’s third of the season in IMSA competition. It proved once again that Ganassi doesn’t just like winners, he assembles, cultivates and facilitates them. “You look to the positive in what people would perceive to be the most negative situation,” said Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi Racing’s managing director, in an interview last year. “Your mindset is totally different. I think that probably represents people in business or people in other sports situations. I mean, there was only one team that won the Super Bowl. What’s every team in the NFL doing today? They’re working on next year’s Super Bowl right now.” Farewell to Belle It was, as street courses go, a cement mixer. It was fast and narrow, an almost impossible venue on which to overtake. Mostly, though, it was rough. Racing at Belle Isle made your teeth want to depart your body via your ears. It was, to put it mildly, a challenge. As Belle Isle departs the annual calendar in place of a Detroit street circuit a few blocks away, the park deserves a respectful bow. From Bobby Rahal’s IndyCar win in the first race there in 1992, through a dozen IMSA races starting in 2007, through brothers Ricky and Jordan Taylor taking the overall win three times in a four-year span, to van der Zande wrapping it up with his second straight Daytona Prototype international (DPi) victory Saturday, it has served a purpose and a market well. “All good things come to an end, I guess,” said van der Zande, who also won back-to-back when the Prototype Challenge class was part of the Belle Isle race in 2015 and ‘16. “It was nice to be there.” |
