CART championship series awards banquet - Fox Sports
Friends, family, foes remember Moore
Hundreds of Moore's fans pay respects
Moore's hometown mourns loss of local hero
CART championship series awards banquet
LOS ANGELES - Among the awards, congratulatory handshakes and thank-you speeches, there was sadness. Greg Moore seemed foremost on everyone's mind Monday night at the CART championship series awards banquet.
"Greg seemed such a young boy; I first met him when he was 17, driving Indy Lights," Scott Pruett said of Moore, who was killed in an horrific crash 10 laps into Sunday's Marlboro 500 at California Speedway.
"He captured our hearts as a friend, captured our imaginations as a driver," said Pruett, head of the Championship Drivers Association. "We grieve not only for what he was, but for what he would have been, a true champion."
Pruett, choking back tears, spoke during a 15-minute tribute to Moore at the awards banquet, a black-tie affair at the Century Plaza Hotel.
"He was only 24, but he lived life to the fullest. He loved what he was doing," said Pruett, who earlier decided to switch to NASCAR Winston Cup racing next year and made Sunday's race his CART finale.
The drivers and CART officials wore small white ribbons on the lapels of their tuxedos.
"It's a tough night," Michael Andretti said. "I think Greg was a true talent with a bright, bright future. I really liked him. He was a fun guy to be around."
The drivers and officials also paid tribute to Gonzalo Rodriguez, a rookie from Uruguay who died Sept. 12 in a crash during a CART race at Laguna Seca in Northern California. Portraits of the two drivers were flashed onto a huge screen and a prayer was said.
While it was difficult to go ahead with the banquet, Pruett said Moore's family insisted it be held.
"They didn't want to make this evening a memorial to Greg. They said, `On Wednesday, let's grieve for Greg at his funeral,"' said Pruett, who finished 22nd Sunday and, like the other drivers, didn't find out until after the finish that Moore had died.
Andrew Craig, CEO of CART, said Moore and his family had planned to attend the awards banquet.
"We decided to continue; we feel it's appropriate we should honor Greg," Craig said. "That's certainly the feeling of the family, and the feeling that's what Greg would have wanted.
"He was a great champion and athlete and he would have wanted the other great athletes to be given the recognition they deserve."
Paul Tracy, like Moore a Canadian, had difficulty believing that his friend wasn't alongside him.
"I spent a pretty sleepless night," said Tracy, who finished 18th in the race won by Adrian Fernandez. "My wife and I had a hard day. Just a few days ago, my wife cooked dinner for us, and we ate in our mobile home. You are always aware of things like this, but I've never had anything hit so close to home."
Juan Montoya received several awards at the banquet, including recognition for winning the points championship.
Montoya spoke of Moore, saying, "He was a great guy. He was my age and he was going to be one of the greatest."
Pruett, talking about the constant danger in the sport, said, "We understand in our head, but not in our heart. When something like this happens, it rips a piece out of you. We are all kindred souls.
"It's difficult to understand (Moore's dying). I don't think we will ever understand."
Source : Fox Sports