Portland has tradition on its side

Portland made it, just barely, onto Champ Car’s 2008 schedule. 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.

 – Excerpt from The Oregonian, November 6, 2007