The one and only National Grand PrixWashington DC happens to be the capitol of the most car-obsessed country in the world. Four genuinely discernable motoring seasons, a host of hilly, windy two lane roads just a short drive outside the city, and several nice race tracks within a half-days drive. So you'd think it'd be a car lover's paradise.
You could think that, but you'd be as wrong as an automatic Miata. Despite our national love affair with the automobile, DC itself is about as car-unfriendly as it gets. Decrepit city streets and distracted drivers are the order of the day. A major north-south interstate pulls double duty and serves as part of the beltway. Bridge and interchange improvements are scheduled decades after they're needed, and take decades to finish. The most popular radio station is the one that gives traffic updates every 10 minutes, weekends included. There's also an utter lack of downtown car culture. The current political climate sees the car as a necessary evil at best. The DC car show, which *SHOULD* be on par with Tokyo, Detroit, and Paris, is instead a b-grade sidelight focused on selling sedans and SUVs to commuters from the suburbs. For years it's been scheduled around the holidays, when all the elected decision makers are back home, and there's no major concept introductions to speak of. Disappointing to say the least.
In July of 2002, onto this hostile ground rolled the American Le Mans Series. Porsches, Panoz, and prototypes raced along a hastily constructed street circuit (or, more aptly, a parking lot circuit) less than two miles from the capitol building; the first major race in DC in 80 years. Attendance reached 70,000, and TV/print coverage was far more extensive than the ALMS usually enjoyed. I volunteered to work a booth for the regional chapter of the SCCA, and was given a weekend pass with pit access for my trouble. Race recaps and photo collections from the event are a click away at the bottom of this article...what I want to devote the remaining space to is the atmosphere.
I had ample opportunity to walk the grounds and kibitz on a dozen or more conversations. There was an incredible optimism in the air, owing to more the well-run event itself. It was a rare opportunity for car guys to gather and meet people of a like mind, in a town where they didn't always feel welcome. People of all presumed political stripes were actually talking, civilly, about the race, about cars they've owned, projects they've undertaken, and all other manner of auto-related chatter. It was a very warm environ, and not just due to the July heat. People had a certain openness to each other, thanks to the common bonds of car fandom, and for the first time they realized that there were others in their hometown who shared their passion. In its own small way, it could have been the start of something big. Or at least a step in the right direction.
As you noticed though, this article was titled "The one and only national Grand Prix." Proving once again that all politics are local, NIMBY concerns whose validity I can't judge killed the event after the inaugural running. The track was disassembled and the stands and facilities packed out, leaving only a parking lot somewhat better paved than those around it. I can't help but think that in these times of partisanship and general divisiveness, just maybe we should find ways to make room for the types of events where we all realize the things we have in common, and perhaps spend less effort focusing on the things that make us all different. Just a thought.
-Stephen M
Race Photo Galleries:
http://racephan.smugmug.com/gallery/723334http://www.pbase.com/jchung/20020719_grandprix&page=1Race Results / Background:
http://dcpages.com/Autos/National_Grand_Prix/History/index.shtml
