General News

As any motorsport fans knows, the logistical effort behind any street race is truly gargantuan and the Champ Car event on the streets of Denver is no different as Londoner Martyn Thake, director of operations for this years race, knows only too well.

Thake, who is the principal behind Motorsport Consulting Services, a company that designs and builds racetracks, is the man who will ensure that every not, bolt, barrier, bridge and hoarding is in exactly the right place come Sunday August 15th and the third annual Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver.

The new director of operations for the Grand Prix of Denver is no stranger to Champ Car World Series races in the Mile High City.

Martyn Thake, who is primarily responsible for changing several key track elements for Denver’s third street race around the Pepsi Center, helped construct three of the city’s four previous Champ Car events.

The London native and Crested Butte resident was the director of circuit development for CART during the 1990 and 1991 Denver Grand Prix. And he helped design and manage the inaugural 2002 Grand Prix of Denver as a consultant.

The Grand Prix of Denver will implement major changes to its course for the Aug. 15 race, including moving the start/finish line, general manager John Frew confirmed Tuesday night.

The start/finish line, which was on Auraria Parkway, will move to the middle of what is normally the main Pepsi Center parking lot.

Turn one will be just west of the Pepsi Center, instead of on the southeast side near the Aurora Parkway and Speer Boulevard interchange. As a result, all turn numbers have changed for the 1.65-mile course.

Cleveland’s track is to some an illusion, to others it’s unbelievable or simply extraordinary. “Cleveland to me is a super, super place; just fantastic!” Says Alex Zanardi. “It’s not a permanent track its what we call a street circuit but its layout is an airport and you can easily imagine how cool it is to race on runways. The track promotes a lot of overtake possibilities during the race because the course is very wide.”

We believe you Alex, and we know you are the ‘maestro’; after all you are the only driver in the race history that was able to win back to back (97 & 98).

Many of you might have not heard of Martyn Thake, but we are pretty sure you have enjoyed racetracks either designed or developed by his company. Martyn Thake is the principal behind Motorsports Consulting Services. We talk to him about converting the airport into a race track for this weekend’s Champ Car race.