August 3, 2006

SPORTS

Rookie Raphael Matos wins Champ Car Atlantic race at San Jose

Three rookies take podium spots; season-high five yellow flags throughout race

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

Rookie driver Raphael Matos picked up his first Champ Car Atlantic Series win on July 30 at the San Jose Grand Prix after leading the race for all 45 laps from pole position.

Rookie Atlantic Series driver Raphael Matos walked away with his first win on July 30 after leading the pack for all 45 laps of the race. Photo by Ron Stenn at www.actionphotodesign.com

Matos, driving for the Sierra Sierra Enterprises team, edged out two other rookies for the top podium spot in San Jose. Rookies Ryan Lewis (Mi-Jack Conquest Racing) and Danilo Dirani (Condor Motorsports) finished second and third respectively.

“I believe we had the best car out there this weekend,” said Matos. “I can’t thank my team enough, it was great, like a dream come true for me. I knew that the first start, I had to be really focused because they could get close and try to pass me. I tried to get a jump earlier than everyone else. Fortunately, I was able to open a little gap and I was able to get my speed a little higher on the straightaway.”

Matos managed to avoid any costly mistakes on the way to victory, despite a season-high five yellow caution flags overall in the race. A perennial favorite to gain a podium spot in the race, Graham Rahal, the son of racing legend Bobby Rahal, finished the race one lap behind Matos, despite starting out in second place on the starting grid. Trailing Matos closely behind in second place, Rahal’s brakes locked up at turn 6, forcing his car to slam into the tire wall, causing the race’s fourth yellow flag, before Rahal headed to the pits on lap 27 for repairs. The contact with the tire wall occurred just after Rahal set the race’s fastest lap of the day with a time of 55.666 seconds on lap 24.

“Initially, I wondered what happened,” said Lewis, a teammate of Rahal. “Graham rarely makes a mistake, but I guess he made a little one there. Obviously, on a street circuit, the price is quite high when you make a mistake.”

The Rahal crash moved Lewis into second place, which allowed Matos to begin building up a time gap. On lap 33, Matos opened up a 1.467-second gap on Lewis before the race’s fifth yellow flag slowed the pace once again on lap 34, when Ricardo Vassmer slammed into the tire wall on turn 6. Still, that didn’t stop Matos from rebuilding his time gap between himself and Lewis, posting a 1.648-second gap over Lewis on lap 42, allowing Matos to cruise to victory.

“With five laps to go, I was just trying to keep calm, pace myself, and keep the same gap back to Ryan (Lewis),” Matos said. “I was probably driving 95 percent of the car. Fortunately, everything worked out perfectly this weekend.”

Sports Briefs

Cheer coaches needed for South Valley Pop Warner
Cheer coaches are needed for South Valley Pop Warner. If you're interested in joining a team of outstanding coaches, call Tiana Zarate at (408) 464-3285 or Teresa Smith at (408) 603-8280, or go to http://www.stpopwarner.org/

Sports officials needed for high school sports
FERMAR Corporation, which contracts with high schools in Santa Clara County, is recruiting officials for high school athletics. Officials are needed for fall season sports such as football, volleyball and field hockey.

Men and women are encouraged to apply. No experience is necessary, as FERMAR will provide training through classes, clinics and tests. All training materials are provided.

Officials are paid $32-$61 per game, depending on the sport and level of competition. Additional opportunities to officiate youth and adult sports are also available.

Interested parties are encouraged to call FERMAR at (408) 567-1700.

Bret Harte Middle School needs a dance coach
Bret Harte Middle School is looking for a coach to lead its after-school dance team.  Responsibilities will include overseeing try-outs, uniform selection, practices, performances, and competitions. 

This position will be under the direction of the school administration and Bret Harte Booster. For more information, call Don McCloskey or Julie Herbert at (408) 535-6270.

San Jose Strikkers 18U girls fast-pitch softball traveling team tryouts
The San Jose Strikkers, an 18U girls’ fast-pitch softball team based in San Jose, is holding fall ball tryouts Aug. 13 and 27 at Oak Grove High School. Pitchers and catchers begin at 9 a.m. and all other position players begin at 10:30 a.m.

For more information, contact Frank King at (408) 406-8191 or Richard Fangonilo at (408) 274-9301, or e-mail fgking25@aol.com or rfangonilo@sjm.com.

For additional information, got to the team Web site http://www.eteamz.com/sanjosestrikkers18u.

Almaden National Junior Basketball signups
Almaden National Junior Basketball (NJB) signups will be starting Aug. 15. Boys and girls grades one through eight are eligible. The 11-game season starts Dec. 3. For details and signups, e-mail almadenjb@homestead.net or call Ken Keiser (408) 592-4190 with questions.

Grand Prix weekend sees two Los Gatos racers in Formula BMW

Teenagers Tom Sutherland and Jules Duc of Los Gatos compete in front of the hometown crowd

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

They’re barely old enough to drive to the grocery store for mom, but they have no problem driving at breakneck speeds around the racetrack.

For Jules Duc and Tom Sutherland, both Los Gatos natives, life as Formula BMW racecar driver includes finishing off a few items on their to-do lists, such as graduating from high school. Still, the San Jose Grand Prix weekend afforded both of them the rare chance of competing on the street course in downtown San Jose in front of family members and friends. That scenario brought about mixed feelings for both drivers.

Formula BMW driver Jules Duc talks to his crew in pit lane during qualifying. Duc, 16, is in his second year on the Formula BMW circuit. Photo by Jeff Frazee

“There’s always going to be pressure,” Sutherland said of competing in San Jose. “You want to do well in your own hometown. You want to put your name out, you want to represent your hometown. I kind of put the pressure on myself to do well.”

For Duc, driving in front of a handful of friends and family was a nervous experience.

“For me, it’s more nerve-racking because all of my friends are here and they’re watching me,” said Duc, a driver for Hearn Motorsports. “It puts more pressure (on me) here than in Indy, where there were 150,000 people watching who I didn’t know. There are 20 friends that I have here, but I’m more nervous now than I was at Indy.”

Racing is in the Sutherland blood
Sutherland, a 17-year-old incoming senior at Los Gatos High School, impressed the hometown crowd on July 29 when he took his first podium in Formula BMW, finishing in second place behind another local, Palo Alto native Reed Stevens. Sutherland then finished off the weekend by finishing seventh in the second Formula BMW race at the Grand Prix, held July 30.

“It’s really exciting because there’s a lot of friends and family, and a lot of sponsorship opportunities,” said Sutherland, who is a teammate of former Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz with Jensen Motorsports. “It’s wide open here a the track. I’ve got a lot of friends and family here who are coming to see me, so yeah, it’s very cool. I live a half hour away from here, so just to come down here and just race and be on the podium is very exciting.”

Sutherland, driving the No. 20 car for Jensen Motorsports, also has the distinction of being the youngest driver to compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a mark he set at age 15 during his rookie season, 2004, in Formula BMW. This year, Sutherland competed in only four Formula BMW races, while also competing in the Star Mazda Series and the Grand Am Series.

Sutherland, who also plays safety for the Los Gatos High School varsity football team, said he was influenced to race at a young age by his father, Rick Sutherland, who has his own racing resume, driving in the GT1 Class during the 2003 24 Hours at Daytona, as well as racing in the American LeMans Series, among other endeavors. All told, the elder Sutherland has had his hand in racing for more than 20 years.

“He got me into go-karts when I was 8 years old and just worked me into cars,” Sutherland said of his father.
For the elder Sutherland, who also serves as the President and CEO of Clickaway Computers and Networking in Campbell, seeing his son compete at the Grand Prix in front of his family and friends, is a proud moment.

“It’s very exciting,” said Rick Sutherland. “Tom’s a good racer, he’s got a lot of experience now, and he’s just starting to put it all together for a 17-year-old. Most kids have just gotten their regular driver’s licenses at this point. He’s really figuring out how to be competitive in racing a car. It’s very exciting and something I’ve done for a long time, and it’s fun to sort of pass the torch on to him and watch him do it.”

The Duc of Formula BMW
While Sutherland already has a few years of racing experience under his belt, Duc is a relative newcomer to the sport. Duc, a 16-year-old incoming junior at Bellarmine College Prep, first entered the Formula BMW Series as a rookie in 2005, finishing 25th in driver standings and 17th in rookie standings. Unlike many Formula BMW drivers, who typically gain driving experience in karting, Duc made the jump directly to Formula BMW after testing at Skip Barber Racing School and Derek Daley Racing School.

Duc said the lack of experience with karting made the jump to Formula BMW overwhelming at times. “It was really overwhelming for me because unlike a lot of these people, I never did karting,” he said. “I did nine days of testing and then Laguna Seca was my first race. …I had a really steep learning curve.”

Duc, who came five laps short of finishing the first BMW race on July 29, and one lap short of finishing the second race the next day before crashing both times, said famed Champ Car driver and family friend Jimmy Vasser played an integral role in influencing him in racing. Vasser took Duc around the San Jose Grand Prix track prior to the start of practice runs to give him a few tips on how to negotiate the course.

“I’ve been going to his races since I was really little, when I was 5 years old,” Duc said of Vasser. “I was just kind of brought up with racing. He (Vasser) said that if I wanted to do it, this would be a good series (Formula BMW) for me to get into eventually.”

And while driving in Formula BMW has been an eye-opening experience for Duc, the bigger challenge has been trying to keep a good balance between school and the racetrack.

“It’s really hard,” Duc said. “In the second semester, for me, when racing really starts going, it’s hard for me to keep up with my schoolwork because I’m missing so much school. Every Thursday and Friday for two months, I’m out of school, so I have to get lots of extra credit and I have a full-time tutor who comes to a couple of my races during the year for me to keep up with school.”

Although both drivers compete for different teams in Formula BMW, each readily admit it’s nice to have another Formula BMW driver nearby. During down time, the two might meet to discuss the next racecourse on the Formula BMW series, while at other times, they simply hang out racing go-karts.

“We see each other every now and then,” said Sutherland. “…We do keep in touch. Me and Jules are very good friends, having known each other since last year.”

Duc, admittedly shy when entering racing as a rookie, said Sutherland was instrumental in making him feel comfortable on the Formula BMW racing circuit.

“It’s really cool, especially at the start of last year,” said Duc. “I was kind of shy and he kind of helped me out. It’s nice having someone in here to talk to.”

Canary Foundation raises $1 million for early
cancer detection at San Jose Grand Prix

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

The roar of the Champ Cars may have subsided, but the exhilaration of the San Jose Grand Prix lives on—including the $1 million raised by the Canary Foundation for research into the early detection of cancer.

The Doobie Brothers had everyone dancing the night away. Photos by Lorraine Gabbert

Canary Foundation CEO Don Listwin believes that the best chance for conquering cancer, which affects one in three people in the United States, is through early detection and intervention. “We’re so grateful for the generosity of this community,” he said, “and the tremendous acceleration this gives our early cancer detection efforts.”

Listwin is also the owner of the San Jose Grand Prix, part of the Champ Car World Series. The Canary Foundation, named after the early detection role canaries once played in alerting coal miners of hazardous fumes, has been named the “Official Social Cause of Champ Car and Champ Car World Series.”

In addition to raising funds for the Canary Foundation, the San Jose Grand Prix was a huge hit with participants. With additional pedestrian bridges and opportunities to cross the track eliminating last year’s endless lines, and a larger event area, race-goers enjoyed increased mobility, as well as the sights.

Race officials also lived up to their promise to vastly improve the seven-turn, 1.433-mile course, creating a smoother ride and exciting passing opportunities. Drivers praised the new street course, saying it was 200 percent improved, and although driver Sebastien Bourdais once again reigned victorious, the Grand Prix was a thrill ride from start to finish.

About 530 guests attended the Cabana gala dinner-dance fund-raiser Saturday night at the Fairmont Hotel, including Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez, professional racing community members Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser, actor Frankie Muniz and a member of the Canary Foundation’s science team, Nobel Laureate Dr. Lee Hartwell with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Bringing the Grand Prix to San Jose was not without controversy. In January, it became a political issue after the city, largely behind closed doors, agreed to provide a two-year $4 million subsidy, which Chavez termed, “a very good investment for the city.” During the gala, Chavez thanked the guests for being there and supporting the Canary Fund, which she called, “an incredibly worthwhile opportunity to literally save lives.” She also touched upon the political aspect of the San Jose Grand Prix.

“I want to take a moment to honor those people in the community who took a risk in supporting this race,” she said. “There were so many people who said this wasn’t a good thing…that it wasn’t possible…that it was a crazy idea to race cars in downtown San Jose. Everybody around me said it was nuts and they were only a little right, but sometimes you have to look for people who choose vision over fear, and that person in our community has been Don Listwin.”

As a result of the Grand Prix, Chavez said that more than 150,000 people would visit downtown San Jose, generating millions of dollars into the local economy, as well as contributing to curing cancer. “We will make San Jose the city I know it can be,” she said.
Through ticket sales, auction items and contributions, the gala raised $727,000, as well as the spirits of the guests in the hope of saving lives. In addition to the thrill of dancing while the Doobie Brothers performed crowd favorites like “Black Water,” “Takin’ It To the Streets” and “Long Train Runnin,” guests competed for items during the evening’s live auction.

Auctioneer Jay Fiske kept the bidding lively and the auction raised a total of $115,000.

Excitement mounted from the start with bids on a bike and helmet autographed by Lance Armstrong for $9,000. The Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa and Jim Russell Racing School package also garnered $9,000. Two dinners for 12 at John Bentley’s followed by dessert aloft in a DC-3 raised $12,000 each. A 3.07-karat diamond-encrusted bracelet (referred to as a gentleman’s “get-out-of-jail-free card”) raised $11,000.

Listwin’s family was torn apart by cancer. Both his father and uncle had cancer, and it took his mother’s life. After the loss of his mother, Listwin made a commitment that no other family should have to suffer what his did. He walked away from his high-profile technology career—he was CEO at Openwave and had been the #2 executive at Cisco Systems—to launch the Canary Foundation. Listwin has already contributed $22 million to cancer research, pledging more than $15 million to early detection research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and $3 million between Stanford Medical School and the Comprehensive Cancer Center and Cancer Research Institute at UCSF. In addition to creating a science team, brought industry and technology leaders together to create a platform approach to ramp up the rate of discoveries.

A unique prize—a ride in the Canary “Supercar” at the start of the Champ Car race—collected $9,000, as did an Aruba golf and scuba diving getaway. Dinner for 12 at John Bentley’s and a vacation in a 16th Century stone farmhouse in France garnered $14,000, while an original painting of the new Champ Car Panoz DP01 chassis that was unveiled Friday evening collected $10,000. Tying in with the evening’s entertainment, two guitars autographed by the Doobie Brothers band fetched $10,000 each.

Listwin’s family was torn apart by cancer. Both his father and uncle had cancer, and it took his mother’s life. After the loss of his mother, Listwin made a commitment that no other family should have to suffer what his did.

“If you find cancer early, you live nine times out of 10,” he says, “and if you find it late, you die nine times out of 10. The terrible tragedy is that despite billions of dollars a year spent on research, this hasn’t changed dramatically.”

After his mother passed away, Listwin met with researchers to initiate an innovative approach in the fight against cancer: to improve existing detection methods, create new protocols, provide a forum for physicians and scientists to share research and discover biomarkers for early detection. “We have the tools and technology in the next ten to twenty years to have simple blood tests followed by imaging tests to isolate cancer in its earliest, most curable stage,” he says. “A lot of money is spent on drugs to try to cure cancer, but if it could be used to detect cancer in the earliest phases, it would save resources and save lives.”

“My life has been touched by cancer,” said Listwin. “My mom died five years ago of ovarian cancer after being misdiagnosed for a bladder condition. She was my best friend.” In her honor, Listwin shared a video tribute of his family through the years, and invited guests to light votive candles at their tables representing loved ones. The room was soon aglow as the flames were held high in memory of those who had fought cancer.

“Every point around the room represents someone special,” he said. “In the next moment, we’ll ask for the best possible prize, knowing your generosity will save lives in the future.” John Davis, a cancer survivor, and the winner of the CXO and Celebrity Go-Kart Challenge, started the contributions rolling with a $37,000 gift from the Historic Stock Car Racing Series. From donations ranging from $1,000 to $100,000, the Foundation raised $420,000 during the “Finance the Foundation” portion of the evening.

Through Grand Prix-related events, the Canary Foundation reached its goal of raising $1 million, including “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” at Westfield Valley Fair Mall ($5,000), a golf tournament at the exclusive Corde Valle Resort in St. Martin ($35,000), a silent auction at the Driver’s VIP Party where they unveiled the new Champ Car ($21,000), a CXO and Celebrity Go-Kart Challenge ($270,000), the gala “Cabana” dinner, dance and auction held at The Fairmont Hotel ($602,000), and additional donations made throughout the weekend ($125,000), as well as Canary Foundation merchandise sold around the track ($12,000).

Besides having faith in Listwin’s vision, people donated so generously because their lives were touched by cancer.

“My son’s best friend died of brain cancer at 9 years old,” said Solinda Egermeier, “and maybe it could have been prevented. It’s a worthy cause.” Egermeier made a donation at the gala in memory of little John.

Katie Morganrath echoed her words. “My mother-in-law passed away from cancer,” she said. “If we caught it earlier, she might still be alive.”

Listwin summed it up best. “We’re so grateful for the incredible generosity people showed,” he said. “Virtually everyone has been touched by cancer, and the best way we can conquer this disease is through early detection. The funds raised will be a tremendous help to the Canary Foundation’s initiatives.”

The Canary Foundation is the nation’s only nonprofit devoted exclusively to early detection. All administrative and overhead costs are underwritten by the Listwin Family Foundation, allowing 100 percent of contributions to go entirely to early cancer detection research. To donate to the Canary Foundation, or for more information, visit: www.canaryfoundation.org.

Canary Foundation’s CXO and Celebrity Go-Kart
Challenge Puts the fun in fund-raising

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

As Champ Cars screamed through city streets during the San Jose Grand Prix, a slower, but equally invigorating race was taking place nearby: go-karting. Putting the fun in fund-raising, the Canary Foundation’s CXO and Celebrity Go-Kart Challenge raised more than $250,000, putting early cancer detection on the fast track.

The Canary Founda-tion is working to create a biomarker test for the early detection of cancer, which founder Don Listwin hopes to see taken through the FDA. “There was a lot of cancer in my family and in my life,” he says, “so I wanted to do something to make a difference and raise awareness, particularly regarding early detection.”

Paul Newman, pictured with Canary Foundation founder Don Listwin, lends his support, racing in the CXO and Celebrity Go-Kart Challenge. Photo by Lorraine Gabbert

Silicon Valley CEOs, Hollywood celebrities, and professional racers thoroughly enjoyed themselves as they jockeyed their go-karts around the course. Special guest Paul Newman, co-owner of Newman/Haas Racing, showed he still has what it takes at the age of 81, deftly maneuvering his cart around hairpin turns and pitting his skills against the pack.

In appreciation of their contributions, all of the 32 drivers received a racing suit and helmet autographed by Newman, catered lunch, four gold grandstand tickets to the San Jose Grand Prix including paddock and pit areas, access to the Canary Foundation Chalet and a table for 10 at Cabana, the Canary Foundation gala held at the Fairmont Hotel.

The drivers contributed $10,000 each for a good cause and the chance to rub wheels with Newman, Champ Car driver Jimmy Vasser and Indy-car driver Bobby Rahal. Also competing were go-kart legend and Formula Mazda driver Adrian “Ace” Carrio, Indy-car driver Lynn St. James, actor Frankie Muniz of the “Malcolm in the Middle” TV series and drift-car racer Calvin Wan, who was featured in the movie “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.”

Among the executives participating in the race was Almaden Valley philanthropist, Rob Lynch, CEO of Orchard Supply Hardware. Mike Forsum, Regional President of Taylor Woodrow Homes; Kevin Kalkhoven, co-owner of Champ Car World Series and co-owner of PKV Racing; and Keith Lovetro of Federal Express, which donated an additional $10,000, also competed. “It’s good comraderie,” says Listwin, “and people learn what we’re doing with the Canary Foundation, advancing us to the next level.”

For driver Dave House, chairman of Brocade Communications, participating in the Canary Foundation’s CXO and Celebrity Go-Kart Challenge was a perfect fit. Besides being touched by cancer through his family, he enjoys racing open wheel cars and owns a Pro Mazda racecar. “I love to race,” he says. “I’d race lawn mowers!” House’s father died of cancer and both of his sisters are cancer survivors. “The best way to treat cancer,” he says, “is to treat it early. That’s why I support the Canary Fund.”

Carrio, who hopes to race Atlantics next year and Champ cars in the future, enjoyed the experience and appreciated having the opportunity to meet withother drivers. “It’s so much fun racing against these guys,” he says. “It was a real tight track.”

“I knew these folks were competitive,” says Listwin, “but the participants really turned it on for a very exciting race.”

Driver John Davis agrees. “How can you beat racing against Bobby Rahal, Paul Newman and Jimmy Vasser?” he asks. “It doesn’t get any better.”

With the fun and funds it raises, the go-kart challenge is an exciting event for the Canary Foundation, as well as its participants. “It’s a unique experience and fund-raiser,” says event coordinator Jennifer Kent. “You can’t normally race a go-kart through the streets of San Jose. It’s something you can’t do anywhere else.”

Kent, who has been with the organization from the start, has tremendous faith in Listwin and appreciation for his efforts. “Here’s a man,” she says, “who is using the money he’s made for a cause he’s passionate about: the early detection of cancer.”

“I like the go-kart race because getting CEOs personally involved raises quite a bit of money and builds momentum,” says Kevin DeNuccio, CEO of sponsor Redback Networks. “There is a lot of money dedicated to trying to cure cancer, but trying to detect it early is a novel approach and it seems to be working.”

Silicon Valley CEOs, Hollywood celebrities, and professional racers thoroughly enjoy themselves as they jockey their spirited go-karts around the course. Photos by Lorraine Gabbert

DeNuccio, who finds it thrilling to have 200 mph cars racing through the city, believes that the San Jose Grand Prix and the Canary Foundation are perfect partners. “San Jose and racing are both about technology, and the Canary Foundation is about innovation,” he said. “The Grand Prix makes money for the city and elevates it to another stature.” DeNuccio hopes that like the race winners, the Canary Foundation will cross the finish line with the early detection of cancer.

Having lost relatives to cancer, the Kennedy family has been involved in the Canary Foundation since its inception. “I want to help him,” says Barbara, “because I do believe he’s going to cure cancer.”

Brad Wurtz, CEO of Caspian, agrees. “There is funding going into cancer research in other areas, but you have to cover all sides of it,” he says. “Putting money into early detection makes a lot of sense.” In addition to the cause, Wurtz believes in the people involved in the Canary Foundation, including its founder. “I’ve worked with Don for years,” he says, “and I know that he is really capable. When he puts his mind to something, he can get it done.”

For Newman, who took pole in the final heat, participating in the race was worthwhile. “It’s not asking too much to come out for this,” he said. “Early detection of cancer is of interest to all of us, and racing’s sure better than sitting in an armchair!”

After many well-fought elimination challenges, Carrio, Davis, House, Vito Racano, Newman and Rahal made it to the final round of competition.

As the flag came down in the final race, local boy Davis, president of the Historic Stock Car Racing Series, took the win, with Newman a close second and Vito Racano in third. But in truth, everyone there was a winner.

“Everyone had a great time and felt good about raising money for early cancer detection,” says Listwin. “We truly appreciate the tremendous support for the Canary Foundation.”

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