Catch me if you can: It’s easy to fall in love with motor racing
By Laurel E. Anderson
Kourier Standard – Sept 15, 2006
Do you really know who your neighbour is or what he does? Think much about the person in front of you at the drive thru line for your morning java fix? Doctor, lawyer, hi tech engineer, barista, race car driver. Hold on! What was that? Race car driver? Yeah, race car driver! And were you aware that we have one living here in our midst, in the backyard of Kanata?
Pierre Bourque is the oldest rookie on the NASCAR circuit and he lives right here. And no, you won’t see him racing thru the streets of Ottawa on a regular basis. He saves that for the track! But if you are like me and of a curious nature, you didn’t have to go far to see what all the fuss is about as I headed to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal this past weekend to take in a CASCAR road race with Pierre behind one wheel.
With the equivalent to a backstage pass, giving me access to the paddock, there was lots to see. The paddock is where all the pre-race magic happens. It’s where the super fast cars get suped up with last minute adjustments and tire changes and where the racers and crew gather for strategy meetings, lunch and pep talks pre-race. You know how they say it takes a village to raise a child? Well, it takes a crew to raise a racecar driver. The crew is everywhere and doing everything to ensure a safe and successful run before every race.
On this sunny Saturday, not only did I get up close and personal with Pierre’s #29 White Dodge Charger, somehow I ended up inside it. Getting in the car is no small feat as there is no door to open. Unlike your vehicle at home, one must swing on in through the window and I’m happy to report that I succeeded in this! As I take the hot seat, surveying the area, I realize that my line of sight to the open road is not that open. “Where do you look?” I ask Pierre. “As far ahead as possible,” is his calm reply.
To say this guy is calm would be an understatement. I would think it’s a great asset for a racecar driver to have. And although Pierre is a rookie on the racing circuit this year, as the only full-time Canadian driver, he has been making good use of his time. He’s racing a full schedule in the Busch East Series as well as making some starts in the CASCAR and ARCA series. It keeps him busy and gives him more road time to practice and prepare and obviously all of this mileages is aiding in his success. Up for rookie of the year and finishing a very strong 12th in his last two CASCAR races, Pierre’s goal is to crack the top 10 very soon.
It’s race time and I take my spot at the hairpin turn. This is a road race of about 23 laps and while we don’t see the cars the entire time, the hairpin is the most exciting spot to catch the action. It’s a fast race; I think the average speed was 140 plus miles! There’s some jostling as the cars come into the stadium and some negotiating around the hairpin that gets hairier as the race progresses and as the track heats up, tires start to show their wear. Pierre qualified to start 14th and has numerous solid laps and moves up a spot and down two as the race progresses.
At one point he comes around the corner in full control and another car tries to jostle or bully him out of his spot but Pierre accelerates big time and wins the draw. It’s an exciting race and as one of the shorter ones on the circuit, it’s over in a little over an hour (which seemed like 15 minutes to me) and Pierre finishes a strong 12th.
With the race over I head ‘backstage’ to cheer on Pierre and the crew and to take a before and after comparison of the car. Both car and Pierre are in great shape and good spirits and so I took this opportunity to ask Pierre a few questions about all things racing.
LA: How big a role does the crew play in your day?
PB: Even the best drivers are
only as good as their cars. So the importance of a good crew chief is paramount.
He translates what a driver provides in terms of feedback regarding how the car
feels on the track and guides his crew to make the appropriate mechanical and
engineering changes to the car's body, engine, suspension, transmission, and
chassis.
LA: What is your strategy or goal going in?
PB: Always to win. Always. But in my context, my strategy is to qualify well
and race the distance, gaining valuable racing experience, and hopefully placing
in the top 10. I qualified well and finished 12th, so I was a bit disappointed,
although it is one of my two best finishes of the season.
LA: What was your biggest challenge on the course today?
PB: Twofold: First, to get the
car fast and balanced for both ultra-fast straights and challenging left and
right corners during practice. Second, to maintain a fast race pace through each
and every lap of the race.
LA: Take me thru your final preparation before you start your engine.
PB: First, suit up. Next, a final chat with my crew chief about any last
minute adjustments to the car. Then, I climb into the car, strap in, adjust seat
belts, take a last swig or two of Amino Vital sport drink, then I put on my
helmet, adjust its restraints, and test my on-board two-way radio to ensure
clear communication with my crew chief. Finally, I close my eyes and begin to
drive the course in my head, literally running through each and every corner,
each and every gearshift, each and every act of acceleration and braking. I do
that several times until I get a verbal signal to start the engine.
LA: You are having so much success in your rookie year, you don’t look or
act like a rookie out there. Share a secret.
PB: I am the oldest rookie on the circuit and the only full-time Canadian in
NASCAR this year. I train hard, both in the car and outside it, each and every
day. My only secret is to believe in yourself and pursue your passion. Don't
give up when others may seek to discourage you. You are the center of your own
universe. What the mind can conceive, and believe, the mind can achieve.
It's a great mantra for anyone pursuing a passion. Pierre also shared that
it takes a lot of extremely hard work to put together a successful racing season
and that he owes a lot to his sponsors for believing in him. But most
importantly, he shares that his success on the racetrack would not happen
without the committed support of his wife Kristine and children, Andre and
Emilie.
For more info on Pierre and racing, go to www.pierrebourque.com
Laurel is a writer living in Ottawa who loves to feel the wind blow in her hair while driving!