Grand Rapids Preview

ALLEN RETURNS TO WORLD CHALLENGE COMPETITION AT GRAND RAPIDS: Tim Allen, star of television's Home Improvement, returns to World Challenge competition at the West Michigan Grand Prix, racing the T1 Class No. 5 Saleen/Allen RRR Speedlab Saleen Mustang. Allen made his professional racing debut in the World Challenge in 1995, and last competed in 1996, scoring a season-high sixth-place finish at the Sears Point finale.

HALSMER RETURNS TO WORLD CHALLENGE RACING, TOO: Six-time Trans-Am winner Pete Halsmer, of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., will also be competing in the T1 Class World Challenge race at Grand Rapids, in the No. 62 Honda of America Acura NSX. Halsmer's last World Challenge appearance was in 1990 at Laguna Seca.

WEST MICHIGAN GRAND PRIX TRANSPORTER PARADE: To ensure smooth paddock loading and to avoid traffic problems in downtown Grand Rapids during teams arrival, the West Michigan Grand Prix Association has arranged for transporters to stage at the Gainey Transportation lot south of Grand Rapids. Transporters may park in this lot overnight on Wednesday, July 22, prior to the transporters parade which will start from Gainey's at 8:30 am on Thursday. WMGPA volunteers will provide a regular shuttle service for transporter drivers arriving between mid-day and midnight on Wednesday, to take them to downtown hotels, and will provide a similar service early on Thursday back to Gainey's. Transporters will be arranged in the order in which they will be parked in the paddock by SCCA Pro Racing officials, at the Gainey's lot. From 9:00 a.m. transporters will be released to travel north on US 131, via Franklin and Ionia to arrive at the beginning of the parade section which is on the race track at Turn 13 (Fulton St./Ionia Ave). Transporters will pass by a reception stand at the Van Andel Arena, then turn south on Market and proceed to the paddock staging area via Grandville.

WEST MICHIGAN GRAND PRIX PRE-RACE PARTIES: There are two Thursday, July 23 pre-event parties kicking off the inaugural West Michigan Grand Prix, both offering plenty of media, sponsor and fan interaction. The "official" WMPG Art In Motion party is being held at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, 155 N. Division. The second party is at the Public Museum of Grand Rapids, Van Andel Museum Center, 272 Pearl Street NW. Both parties are scheduled for 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m., and drivers are encouraged to attend both events (casual race team attire), The Public Museum party has set aside 6:30 p.m - 8:00 p.m. for driver autographs.