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Vroom with a View

A A A Comments By Bob Ruggiero Thursday, May 11 2006

After a five-year absence, that unique combination of The Fast and the Furious and NASCAR, the Grand Prix of Houston, returns to the city's concrete jungle. The three days of street races include the American Le Mans series, which features packs of Corvettes, Porsches, Ferraris, Maseratis and others blazing around the track, as well as a running of Champ Cars, which go up to 230 miles per hour.

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This year, instead of peeling around the closed-off streets of downtown Houston, the races are being held on a specially designed track (with 1,600 concrete barriers weighing 9,000 pounds each!) around the Reliant Park parking lot. Winding a total of 1.7 miles, the course also passes around the Astrodome. "Street racing is a more unique form of racing, because you have to work around city streets and other facilities," says Grand Prix PR director Austin Crossley. "Our crews have been working basically around the clock since the conclusion of the rodeo." And to make sure more than just die-hard motorheads show up for the pumping pistons and burning rubber, this year's event includes a beer garden, live music, exhibits, go-kart racing and a family fun zone. Just look out crossing the street...
May 11-13

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