122 replies to this topic

[Nustang70]

I stumbled upon this a few minutes ago and thought it was a joke. Anyone know anything about this? Is it just some crazy person's fan obsession?

Edited by Nustang70, 26 April 2011 - 06:53.

[Nustang70]

Ah, just took a look at this unfamiliar driver's profile. Wow. Hats off to him for taking his daydreaming to the next level.

[arttidesco]

Talk about flying under the radar Nice find Nustang70

[H0R]

Wtf???

[Ross Stonefeld]

It's clearly not a real site...

[SkorbiF1]

He leaves these pages on there, (there's more check google), and in ten years some new racing fans might actually think he was a champion.
Could work on chicks too.

[SkorbiF1]

http://www.markplour...ing.com/drivers

He is 27 years old, 1997 - 2002 CART Series champion. which makes him a 6 times CART champion by the age of 18. How come I haven't heard of this guy!

[Stormsky68]

disturbing

[freya]

wow...

[PayasYouRace]

I've seen that before. I assume the guy is a massive CC fan who set it up sometime after the series demise.

I guess you can't fault the guy for having an imagination, and I'm sure Robert Doornbos enjoyed his win in Mexico. I wonder if Cheri is Mark's wife.

The big shame is that his schedule isn't half bad. I'd like to see Indycar at some of those tracks.

[BRK]

I think our multiple champ internet hero posts here as well...

Could work on chicks too.

His chicks.

[jonnoj]

I think our multiple champ internet hero posts here as well...

That wouldn't come as a surprise. This place is a bit of a lala land magnet.

[Disgrace]

Haha, I've come across that before. Kudos to him for still going. Also, he should get a new hobby.

[stevewf1]

Maybe it's some kind of Fantasy League or something? I hope. I notice that the points system is the same as the current F1.

[fauxhemian]

The A10 guys should really get him to run their website

[2F-001]

I think even folks stumbling across that many years hence will have their incredulity awoken: according to the 'stats' he must have 'won' that IndyLights title whilst aged 9, then moved to FAtlantic, then finished eighth in the CART series aged 13. A body weight in excess of 16 stone seems implausible for a modern single-seater driver too.
I'm embarrassed now for having looked into it in such detail!

[TURU]

What a massive idiot.

[goldenboy]

looks like a serial killer

[wewantourdarbyback]

There's another thread on this somewhere, it appears to be some crank making stuff up.

[Gyan]

You can't question his passion though.

[TURU]

looks like a serial killer

No, because most serial killers are also very intelligent. That guy doesn't look like one.

And neither does his chick: http://champcar-ws.com/sheri_plourde

"Sheri enjoys racing and being involved in motorsports. She also is currently working on a career in Fashion Design with her Bachelors in Fashion Design Technology. She is a success on and off the race track. Her incredible performance and knowledge of the business world along with her vast range of skills in fashion help make Sheri a well rounded and successful business women. Sheri is also involved in the day to day operations of MP Racing and monitors the team's progress."

[Ross Stonefeld]

I feel bad for the guy. Because he's done nothing more objectionable than let his imagination run away with him. If he had come in to the forum and started plugging the site I can understand a negative backlash, but man you guys need to calm down *a little*.

The wisdom of crowds this is definitely not.

[Andy35]

Pretty impressive for someone who weighs 16+ stone. I wonder when he will make the jump to F1 and how well he will do compared to others who have failed before him.

No doubt he will get stuck at Spanish customs ( inset fat joke here )

Andy

[teejay]

If only it still ran instead of that abortion they call OWR in the U.S

[Andy35]

I feel bad for the guy. Because he's done nothing more objectionable than let his imagination run away with him. If he had come in to the forum and started plugging the site I can understand a negative backlash, but man you guys need to calm down *a little*.

The wisdom of crowds this is definitely not.

Very true Ross, however if it had been a private site and it got hacked and distributed I would be more sympathetic. If you are going to put it out on the Internet you must realise that it might become slightly public over time.

Andy

[Ross Stonefeld]

And that's fine, but people are piling into the guy like we were in high school or something. He doesn't look intelligent enough to be a serial killer? Wtf...

[Risil]

Mark Plourde looks a bit like the young Paul Tracy

[PretentiousBread]

Wow, saddest person alive much?

[goldenboy]

And that's fine, but people are piling into the guy like we were in high school or something. He doesn't look intelligent enough to be a serial killer? Wtf...

his name sounds like a serial killers name too...

[Absulute]

Nothing wrong with a little escapism. Good luck to him.

[goldenboy]

Nothing wrong with a little escapism. Good luck to him.

with the championship?

hehe thats all folks I'm done

[Scotracer]

I came across this a while back and had a dissociative moment...I was dumbfounded as I loved the CCWS (well, in its Champcar form).

Poor guy.

[Ellios]

I agree with Ross, bunch of meanies!

however, this forum is a form of escapism as well. Mostly we all hide behind pseudonym's and berate each other, so this guy has no chance!

Edited by Ellios, 26 April 2011 - 10:35.

[Absulute]

with the championship?

hehe thats all folks I'm done

Absolutely.

He's obviously a very successful racing driver and everyone making fun of him is just jealous.

[SPBHM]

wow, this guy is amazing, such a great champion! and his wife is winning races to!!!11!!

weird stuff.

[Jimisgod]

Yay, I did this with F1 2000 when I was 9. Did the career mode over and over and pretend I had a 10 season career with the results of all the winners.

Edited by Jimisgod, 26 April 2011 - 12:16.

[Ise]

Saw this a while back, probably should have known better since this is the internet were talking about. Also noticed that San Jose's racetrack seems to have moved inexplicably to China.

http://champcar-ws.com/2011_schedule

[OfficeLinebacker]

Yay, I did this with F1 2000 when I was 9. Did the career mode over and over and pretend I had a 10 season career with the results of all the winners.

LOL!

Hey he's keeping the dream alive.

The part that disturbed me is when he claimed a pic of Bourdais kissing the trophy was actually him.

I can just imagine his wife calling to him: "C'mon to bed honey, it's late"
and he responds shrilly "I'M WORKING ON THE WEBSITE!"

Edited by OfficeLinebacker, 26 April 2011 - 12:51.

[PayasYouRace]

Except his wife seems to be just as into it as he is. I bet they play the races in rFactor.

[Absulute]

Except his wife seems to be just as into it as he is. I bet they play the races in rFactor.

They don't 'play' they 'simulate'

yeah...

[Andy865]

Except his wife seems to be just as into it as he is. I bet they play the races in rFactor.

Oh god. One of 'those' people.

'its soooo realistic its exactly like the real thing!!! Im going to post all my badly driven laps on terrible mods on youtube so no-one can find real laps!

[kosmic33]

Pretty impressive for someone who weighs 16+ stone. I wonder when he will make the jump to F1 and how well he will do compared to others who have failed before him.

No doubt he will get stuck at Spanish customs ( inset fat joke here )

Andy

um.........
This is on his home page!

MP RACING & VIRGIN F1 TEAM UP FOR 2011 SEASON!!!

November 27th, 2010

Indianapolis, IN - MP Racing is proud to announce a partnership with the Virgin Racing F1 team for the 2011 season. MP Racing owner Mark Plourde announced today that he will compete in four Formula 1 races in the 2011 F1 season for the Virgin F1 team and that MP Racing and Team Virgin will sponsor eachother for the entire 2011 season.



"I am very very pleased to have Virgin Racing together with MP Racing for the 2011 season. I'm looking forward to working with them and I know that they are excited about working with us as well". Mark went on to say

Further details of this partnership will be announced soon.

[Andy865]

Its married.

What.The....F

[Augurk]

Erm, wtf. Real names, sponsor logos, etc. Isn't this very much like slander? Or at least a very very grey area.
If I was either one of the real drivers, sponsors, tracks or teams he mentions I'd demand taking the website offline immediately under threat of legal consequences.

He even has a shop on the website: "To place an online order, Contact the Champ Car World Series Online Store Department with your order, size and credit card information. " Seems pretty illegal to me if it's fake. There is no indication whatsoever on the website that this is a fake or fan run fantasy website.

Strangest thing is this domain is registered to Champ Car World Series LLC.

Has he even taken the step to set up that company to run this fantasy?

Edited by Augurk, 26 April 2011 - 14:20.

[Slyder]

And that's fine, but people are piling into the guy like we were in high school or something. He doesn't look intelligent enough to be a serial killer? Wtf...

Welcome to the World Wide Web.

[Red17]

credit card information

Smells like scam to me, but given that it's been posted here it surerly wont last for long.

[Jimisgod]

Erm, wtf. Real names, sponsor logos, etc. Isn't this very much like slander? Or at least a very very grey area.
If I was either one of the real drivers, sponsors, tracks or teams he mentions I'd demand taking the website offline immediately under threat of legal consequences.

He even has a shop on the website: "To place an online order, Contact the Champ Car World Series Online Store Department with your order, size and credit card information. " Seems pretty illegal to me if it's fake. There is no indication whatsoever on the website that this is a fake or fan run fantasy website.

Strangest thing is this domain is registered to Champ Car World Series LLC.

Has he even taken the step to set up that company to run this fantasy?

Maybe he bought CCWS for a dollar or something crazy.

[Bunchies]

Erm, wtf. Real names, sponsor logos, etc. Isn't this very much like slander? Or at least a very very grey area.
If I was either one of the real drivers, sponsors, tracks or teams he mentions I'd demand taking the website offline immediately under threat of legal consequences.

Even if it was, it's written so it's called "libel."

Anyway, this site is so close to the real thing, it might even be considered to be a parody or mockery. In which case, it is a joke, and can't be sued over.

[Ross Stonefeld]

It's not libel or slander, it would come under image rights and copyright infringement. If anything, and that's a big stretch.

[Augurk]

Smells like scam to me, but given that it's been posted here it surerly wont last for long.

Yep, those words made me see how bad this actually is.

Maybe he bought CCWS for a dollar or something crazy.

Thought crossed my mind too, but I think it's equally likely he has registered to a name that doesn't exist, given how easy it is to register a .com domain...

Even if it was, it's written so it's called "libel."

Anyway, this site is so close to the real thing, it might even be considered to be a parody or mockery. In which case, it is a joke, and can't be sued over.

Cheers, not a native English speaker as you may have noticed

It's not libel or slander, it would come under image rights and copyright infringement. If anything, and that's a big stretch.

The legal dictionary at Law.com says about Libel:

1) n. to publish in print (including pictures), writing or broadcast through radio, television or film, an untruth about another which will do harm to that person or his/her reputation, by tending to bring the target into ridicule, hatred, scorn or contempt of others.

If it isn't libel, I think it's on the other side of a very thin line. Posting a company's logo and calling them partner, your (as a driver or team) name & picture on a website run by a fan that's changing previous CCWS results and making up his own to promote his own fantasy of being a 6 time CCWS champion at the age of 18, with fictional quotes by real drivers... sounds a hell of a lot like "bringing people/brands into ridicule" or harming reputations.

And there is no indication whatsoever that it is a joke or other kind of parody or mockery. Everything has a serious tone, he's just creating a complete alternate reality in which CCWS still exists, he has been the best thing happening to it since he joined it at the age of 13 and real drivers, brands and teams are racing and partnering up with him in his efforts to get people to send him their credit card info.

Not that I think he'd do anything with that, it's just completely wrong.