remember my whole life"
©2000 SpeedCenter Publishing
Less than 24 hours after a thrilling ride as a passenger inside a CF-18, Patrick Carpentier found his familiar seat behind the wheel of the Player's Champ Car, much to the delight of the crowd of more than 20,000 people who came to witness the test of speed between two of the most sophisticated machines in the world on the Bagotville airport runway.
The showdown took place over a distance of 3,000 feet and despite cold and windy conditions, Carpentier managed to stay ahead of Captain Patrice Hervieux, who was piloting the CF-18, before the jet fighter finally took off. Carpentier admits there were some tense moments after the start.
"I thought I would have a bigger lead at the start but it was hard to put the power down since I had very little grip due to the weather", said Carpentier, who was cheered by the crowd after doing a few spins following the race. "It was pretty close there at the end, but the outcome isn't really important to me. I'm just glad we were able to put on a good show and that we got a chance to meet a lot of fans that don't have the opportunity to see us race very often."
"But without a doubt, the highlight of my weekend remains that mission we flew aboard the CF-18 and seeing the skills required to ride these machines," added Carpentier. "I have a great deal of respect for Captain Hervieux and his crew and I leave here with memories that will last me a lifetime."
Captain Hervieux, who garnered all the attention a few hours later with a spectacular display of speed and control during a demonstration flight, echoed those sentiments.
"It was an honour to race side-by-side with those guys and although 15 seconds is a very short time, I won't soon forget it, not only because of the interest it generated among the public but also from seeing the great interaction between our two teams, explained Captain Hervieux.
The Team Player's crew left Bagotville for Indianapolis later in the afternoon as they prepare for next weekend's race at Detroit.
