Speeds Faster Than Some Planes Reach

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Speeds Faster Than Some Planes Reach
©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.
Team Kool Cleveland race preview
Parker Johnstone, #27 Team KOOL Green Reynard-Honda (Firestone), onCleveland: [Johnstone's best finish in Cleveland is 11th in 1995]
"Cleveland leads your imagination to the limit in terms of passing zones - so much of itis so wide open that you could pass virtually anywhere. That and the fact that you cansee 90% of the track from the stands makes it one of the best events from a spectatorperspective.
"The track is technically challenging, because you have a lot of low speed corners and abig high-speed sweeper that ends in a concrete wall. It's bumpy, which puts a premiumon having the right spring and damper combination to handle the track surface."
On his musical tie to the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:[Johnstone was principal trumpet in the Oakland Youth Symphony when he was a teenand traveled the U.S. and Europe with the International Youth Symphony. He turneddown opportunities to attend Julliard and the Berklee School of Music to pursue a lifein auto racing through an engineering/computer science degree from the University ofCalifornia at Berkeley.]
"A good friend of mine, Steve Witser, is the principal trombonist for the ClevelandOrchestra. He and I went to rival high schools in the Oakland [Calif.] area, but wetoured together as members of the Oakland Youth Symphony - he with his trombone, andme with my trumpet. We were both principal chairs, and we toured Europe together. Ilove talking with him about his life, because I look at him now - with his recordingcontracts, teaching at the conservatory and tours of Europe - and I think, that's what mylife would be like if I'd chosen music.
"Steve will definitely be at the race again this year. Last year he brought about half theOrchestra's brass section with him, because for some reason brass players are car nuts.You wouldn't catch a cellist dead at an automobile race."
On racing a car at an airport where he could be flying his RV-4 sport aerobaticplane: [Johnstone's plane is a tandem two-seat experimental aircraft that he modified,maintains and pilots himself. He is a member of the Experimental Aircraft Associationand visits air shows across the country.]
"Racing at Cleveland combines two of my greatest loves - auto racing and flying. It'skind of an odd feeling, though, to drive a car along the runway at speeds faster than myplane goes."
Barry Green, owner, Team KOOL Green, on returning to Cleveland:[Team Green earned a victory at Cleveland in 1995 with driver Jacques Villeneuve.]
"I always think of Cleveland as more of a street circuit, because it's so flat and wideopen, and it certainly lends itself to a real street fight. Everyone's out there fighting forposition and fighting to hang in, which makes for a super exciting race."


		NOW AVAILABLE! — The Official Directory for CART Racing

		Speeds Faster Than Some Planes Reach ©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc. Team Kool Cleveland race preview Parker Johnstone, #27 Team KOOL Green Reynard-Honda (Firestone), onCleveland: [Johnstone's best finish in Cleveland is 11th in 1995] "Cleveland leads your imagination to the limit in terms of passing zones - so much of itis so wide open that you could pass virtually anywhere. That and the fact that you cansee 90% of the track from the stands makes it one of the best events from a spectatorperspective. "The track is technically challenging, because you have a lot of low speed corners and abig high-speed sweeper that ends in a concrete wall. It's bumpy, which puts a premiumon having the right spring and damper combination to handle the track surface." On his musical tie to the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:[Johnstone was principal trumpet in the Oakland Youth Symphony when he was a teenand traveled the U.S. and Europe with the International Youth Symphony. He turneddown opportunities to attend Julliard and the Berklee School of Music to pursue a lifein auto racing through an engineering/computer science degree from the University ofCalifornia at Berkeley.] "A good friend of mine, Steve Witser, is the principal trombonist for the ClevelandOrchestra. He and I went to rival high schools in the Oakland [Calif.] area, but wetoured together as members of the Oakland Youth Symphony - he with his trombone, andme with my trumpet. We were both principal chairs, and we toured Europe together. Ilove talking with him about his life, because I look at him now - with his recordingcontracts, teaching at the conservatory and tours of Europe - and I think, that's what mylife would be like if I'd chosen music. "Steve will definitely be at the race again this year. Last year he brought about half theOrchestra's brass section with him, because for some reason brass players are car nuts.You wouldn't catch a cellist dead at an automobile race." On racing a car at an airport where he could be flying his RV-4 sport aerobaticplane: [Johnstone's plane is a tandem two-seat experimental aircraft that he modified,maintains and pilots himself. He is a member of the Experimental Aircraft Associationand visits air shows across the country.] "Racing at Cleveland combines two of my greatest loves - auto racing and flying. It'skind of an odd feeling, though, to drive a car along the runway at speeds faster than myplane goes." Barry Green, owner, Team KOOL Green, on returning to Cleveland:[Team Green earned a victory at Cleveland in 1995 with driver Jacques Villeneuve.] "I always think of Cleveland as more of a street circuit, because it's so flat and wideopen, and it certainly lends itself to a real street fight. Everyone's out there fighting forposition and fighting to hang in, which makes for a super exciting race."