Bourdais’ Request To Quebec Fans Shows Bad Blood Still Boiling Over Paul Tracy
Posted August 24, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
But just don’t expect them all to be on the track.
Bourdais is calling on fans in La Belle Province to give the Ontario racer “the welcome he deserves.”
You don’t have to be a fan of racing to know that Paul Tracy has gotten into several scuffles over the last few weeks with other drivers. And Bourdais claims he insulted French people in their last confrontation at the Denver Grand Prix in mid-August.
Tracy bumped the veteran driver off the track, leading to a war of words and an exchange of blows.
Before that, he got into a crash and then a brawl with Quebec’s Alex Tagliani in San Jose in late July. That incident cost him a three-race penalty and a $25,000 fine.
Bourdais insists Tracy uttered some disparaging remarks about French people, including a supposed comment that neither man was willing to confront him face-to-face.
“French guys always keep their helmets on,” the 37-year-old is reported to have sneered.
Now Tracy will be on Bourdais’ home turf and while the racing veteran isn’t advocating violence, he hopes the crowd will let the recalcitrant racer know what they think of him.
“I think we could probably write a book with all the problems that Paul has been involved in, whether it’s with me, Alex (Tagliani) or someone else,” Bourdais gripes.
“First, if he wants to fight, he’s probably picked the wrong sport and second, I just hope the Quebec people reserve (for) him the welcome he deserves because he’s been insulting the French people and the Quebec people and I hope they won’t forget that.”
Tracy has kept a mostly low profile leading up to this week’s big dash for cash in Montreal. Practice begins Friday, and it’s clear that when he does show up, there will be little love lost between the Toronto-area native and his competitors.
“I totally agree with Sebastien,” assesses Tagliani.
“Same thing for me,” adds Quebec’s Andrew Ranger.
Tracy may need to be the fastest man on the track not merely to win, but to avoid those who now appear to be ready to return the favour.
