Thomas Godoj Thread » er abeen up with there with Nichols Canyon

TORONTO -- Sebastien Bourdais drove his motor home from St. Petersburg, Fla., to the Indianapolis 500 last month, before getting in his No. 7 Dallara Chevrolet and competing in the race. When the Honda Indy kicks off in Toronto two weeks from now, hell be doing the same. Stopping for races in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Pocono, Pa., along the way, the man who drives for a living doesnt mind the long trek. His family, wholl meet him in Rochester, N.Y., before heading on the open road with Bourdais for the next few weeks, doesnt seem to mind either. "Road trip!" Bourdais exclaimed with a laugh. "Its fun. Weve got bunk beds in there and the kids love it." Regardless of how he gets to Toronto, Bourdais is looking forward to his arrival. For the native of Le Mans, France, this years Honda Indy will mark his eighth time competing in the event. "Its one of these historic races that the fans are very knowledgeable about and its a track that we as drivers are always looking forward to," Bourdais said in a phone interview from St. Petersburg. "Its a cool place to come and race -- the track is awesome, the fans are great, and they come year after year. "That really makes it special for us." Bourdais has placed in the Top 10 at the Toronto race six times, but missed that mark for the first time last year when he finished 14th. He won the Toronto Indy in 2004, a year that kicked off the best IndyCar seasons of his career. Between 2004 and 2007, the Frenchman won four consecutive Champ Car World Series, all while racing with the Newman/Haas team. Since then, however, his IndyCar trophy case has been bare as he toils with Dragon Racing, a less established team. "It was very different times," Bourdais said of his dominant years. "I was with a championship-winning team and it was normal to win with Newman/Haas. "Now, being the underdog is a completely different situation. Were trying to do the best we can but its been a little more challenging than wed like. Were working at it, but it definitely hasnt been going the way we want it to so far." Bourdais left IndyCar after the 2007 season to focus on his dream of racing Formula One cars. He returned to the Indy circuit in 2011, but hasnt participated in a full season until now. No longer racing for Newman/Haas, Bourdais is finding his return to the sport challenging. "Youre only as good as your car is and you cant do it on your own," he said. "I knew it was going to be a challenge but I basically just wanted to have fun again and Im doing that. "Obviously the fun level would be a little higher if we could be more competitive but its the cars I want to drive and the ones I really enjoy. As long as your passion is your job, youre doing all right." Bourdais is currently ranked 21st in the Indy standings with 133 points. Brazils Helio Castroneves, racing for Team Penske, ranks first with 332 points. With the season past its half-way point, Bourdais has a lot of catching up to do. His 14th-place finish in last Sundays Iowa Corn Indy 250 led Dragon Racing to release engineer Neil Fife, who had worked with Bourdais since 2011. Newcomer Tom Brown has not worked with Bourdais before. "The team thought it was best to try something different so here we are. Well get on with a new engineer and try to get something going for us," Bourdais said. "Changing engineers halfway through the year is always tough, but well do the best we can because thats all we can do." In Toronto, Bourdais will be competing against the top drivers in the world, including 26-year-old James Hinchcliffe. The Oakville, Ont., native has made a name for himself over the past two seasons, winning the rookie of the year award in 2011 with Bourdais former team Newman/Haas, and the most popular driver award in 2012 with Andretti Autosport. Hinchcliffe jumped from ninth to fourth in the standings with his victory in the Iowa 250. Working with Craig Hampson, Bourdais former engineer from his Newman/Haas victory days, Hinchcliffe has 266 points and three IndyCar victories this season. Bourdais, 34, was around Hinchcliffes age when he won the Toronto Indy. The veteran says hes been impressed with the young driver so far. "James has really shown everyone he has what it takes," Bourdais said. "Last year, stepping into the Andretti Autosport organization, its one of these things where you cant do it without a good team and he certainly found a great organization... "Hes got everything -- hes very aggressive, he doesnt make many mistakes and hes a really nice guy. I think he could have a very bright future." Wholesale Air Jordan 3 Cheap . This week, topics cover the Blue Jays rotation, the futures John Gibbons and Alex Anthopoulos, protecting pitchers and a bonus question on his predictions for the MLB playoffs. Cheap Air Jordan 3 Free Shipping . -- Darrelle Revis says at least 26 teams called after he was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. http://www.airjordan3wholesale.com/. -- Two nights after losing to the Eastern Conferences worst team, the Phoenix Coyotes handled the best. Air Jordan 3 Clearance . With a victory seemingly slipping away late in the third quarter, his quick scoring flurry helped Golden State regain control early in the fourth. Cheap Air Jordan 3 China . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell while figuring out which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value.Don Cossack and Road To Riches head a strong Gigginstown Stud team heading to Punchestown. It has been an unforgettable few weeks for Michael OLearys Gigginstown House Stud with Don Cossack winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Rogue Angel landing the BoyleSports Irish Grand National and Rule The World capturing Saturdays Grand National at Aintree.The Gigginstown team are aiming to finish the season on a high closer to home with a powerful squad assembled for the Punchestown Festival. Its been awesome. Weve had a fantastic time and we would love to crown the season with a few Punchestown winners, said Eddie OLeary, Gigginstowns racing manager.Heading the squad is Don Cossack, set to take on Cue Card and Vautour in a brilliant Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup on Wednesday, April 27.We dont hide away and this is the big decider. It will be a hell of race, said OLeary. All three are probably best on good ground so I hope the going is perfect for them so that they can all shine.You had to be really impressed with Cue Card at Aintree, hes a fantastic horse. Perhaps a flat track and three miles is his cup of tea whereas this race is over three miles and a furlong. We wouldnt swap our fellow and they wouldnt swap theirs. With Vautour in there as well its just a fabulous race. Its great for racing and its great for Puchestown.Road To Riches, who finished second in the 2m 4f Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, will also line up while Cheltenham Gold Cup third Don Poli, who finished runner-up to Cue Card at Aintree, is a possible starter.Road To Riches definitely runs, added OLeary. Thats more his trip and its all about the ground with him. Hell be there all being well. I dont know with Don Poli. Theres nowhere else for him to go and he could run.There was no easier winner at Aintree last week than the Willie Mullins-trained Apples Jade, who won the Grade 1 juvenile hurdle by an amazing 41 lengths. She is set to start in the Grade 1 AES Champion 4YO Hurdle on Saturday, April 30.If you believe what you saw at Aintree then Apples Jade is very good but it was hard to believe, said OLeary. Shell go for the four-year-old race. She never ran on the Flat and that was only her fourth ever run at Aintree. Shes a little baby coming through and if shes OK shell run at Punchestown.IDENTITY THIEF HEADS TO CHAMPIONThe Henry de Bromhead-trained Identity Thief is set to start in the Grade 1 BETDAQ Punchestown Champion Hurdle on Friday, April 29, having finished sixth to Annie Power in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on his previous start.Identitiy Thief will run, said OLeary. He missed the second hurdle at Cheltenham and landed on all fours. The race was gone for him after that. He didnt jump or travel afterwards. We think hes exciting and we think hes better than that. Im not saying wed have beaten Annie Power but on form we should have been ahead of Top Notch, who finished fifth and we should have been up with there with Nichols Canyon, who came third. It was disappointing but hes very inexperienced, it was only 12 months since he won a bumper.Gigginstown could be double-handed in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle on Thursday, April 28, with dual Grade1 winner Lieutenant Colonel bidding to bounce back from a disappointing run when pulled up in the Ryanair World Hurdle at Cheltenham. Dedigout might also line up.Lieutenant Colonel will run in the Stayers. It didnt happen for him at Cheltenham so well see. Dedigout will only run if the ground is soft, added OLeary.Click here to buy your tickets for the Punchestown FestivalLARGE NOVICE HURDLING TEAMAlong with their established stars, Gigginstown have a wealth of talented novice hurdlers coming through the ranks.Many have multiple entries in the two-mile Grade 1 Herald Champion Novice Hurdle on Tuesday, April 26, the 2m 4f Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle on Friday, April 29 and the three-mile Grade 1 Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle on Wednesdday, April 27.ddddddddddddWe havent decided which races they will all go for at the moment, added OLeary.But Tombstone is likely to head to the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle and we deliberately missed Aintree after Cheltenham with him to keep him fresh for Punchestown.Nambour will also probably go over two and a half miles but could step up to three miles on better ground. He is a nice horse, he ran really well the last day when second at Fairyhouse. It was his first run back after a wind operation and it was a super run.Those penciled in for the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle include the Willie Mullins-trained Arkwrisht, a Grade 3 winner at Clonmel in February, his stablemate Stone Hard and the Noel Meade-trained A Genie In Abottle, who easily won his only hurdling start at Naas last month.Arkwrisht is big and slow and if hes OK hell run. He ran a nice race at Aintree and bounced off that ground there. He probably wasnt quite good enough but hes going to make a smashing chaser, continued OLeary.Stone Hard is ready to rock. Hes another nice horse and he has just had a wind operation. Hopefully that will set him fair because hes a good horse and it just hasnt happened for him. Hell run over three miles.A Genie In Abottle won his maiden hurdle in Naas well. Hell definitely run and he wants at least three miles, hes a proper chasing type. Hes nice.The Noel Meade-trained Disko has been entered over two and two and a half miles and he is set to have his first run since scoring by 29 lengths at Naas in November.Dont tell Disko hes been entered, I think he can read! said OLeary. I hope he gets there as hes very good. Its been frustrating, hes just had a knock here and a knock there but hes good.Running through some other novice hurdlers, OLeary added: Petit Mouchoir ran a super race at Aintree, Ill have to talk to Willie (Mullins) but hell run at Punchestown if hes OK. A Toi Phil was slightly sore after Cheltenham so Im not sure hell run. Bella Conti is a nice, weak horse, and hes there to run if hes alright.I dont know whats gone wrong with Gangster (who was pulled up Aintree) but he could run.The Willie Mullins-trained Roi Des Francs and the Sandra Hughes-trained Sub Lieutenant are entered in the 3m1f Grade Growise Champion Novice Chase on Tuesday, April 26, while Roi Des Francs stablemate Outlander is in that race and the two-mile Ryanair Novice Chase on Thursday, April 28.Outlander fell when travelling well in the JLT Novices Chase at Cheltenham before coming second when favourite at Fairyhouse over Easter.Outlander is holding his form pretty well. Hes been busy enough but hell go if Willies happy with him, said OLeary. He was going well at Cheltenham before falling and then we probably ran him back a bit too soon at Fairyhouse. Roi Des Francs could also go if Willies happy and Sub Lieutenant will run, hes a nice horse.GROTESQUE HEADS TO BUMPERGigginstown dont specifically target bumpers but OLeary feels the Mouse Morris-trained Grotesque, a possible for the Grade 1 attheraces.com Champion INH Flat Race on Wednesday, April 27, could be a good prospect for the future.Bumpers arent really our thing but we might run Grotesque, who is a good horse, added OLeary. He was second first time at Leopardstown over Christmas to Bacardys, who went on to win the Aintree bumper. He came back and won a race at Gowran that was run very slowly, which wouldnt have suited him. I think the last bumper winner Mouse trained was 47 years ago so he must be a good horse!Click here to buy your tickets for the Punchestown Festival Sky Tickets Racing Fast, secure racing tickets: Exclusive racing offers near you Also See: Live results service Full racecards Get Sky Sports Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '