REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Friday October 26, 2001

WITH the September 11 attacks fresh in the minds of everyone, Premier Peter Beattie had a simple message to Indy teams “Thanks for coming”.

Speaking at a private lunch with Championship Auto Racing Teams officials, the Premier said the race teams and organisers had shown “guts and great courage” to bring the race to the Gold Coast.

He applauded CART for “flying the flag in defiance of terrorism” by going ahead with Indy races in Germany, England and Australia in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US.

“I want to personally congratulate the entire CART organisation for the courage you have shown in the face of terror,” said Mr Beattie.

“There were media reports that the Honda Indy 300 on the Gold Coast would become another casualty of terrorism and would be cancelled.

“But the courage it takes to drive a car around a street circuit at 320km/h has obviously rubbed on everyone associated with CART. You honoured your commitments and for that we thank you.”

Mr Beattie said sporting events such as Indy were important in bringing people together. The race was a great advertisement for multiculturalism, he said.

However, guests who did not turn up for Indy were the navy’s Sea Hawk helicopters.

Instead, the aircraft had been deployed to the north of Australia either to assist in the boat people crisis off Christmas Island or the war on terrorism in Afghanistan.

Despite the terrorism fears, the 2001 Indy is now remembered as one of its best.