The 2006 Race of Champions took place on 16 December at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
The Nations' Cup was competed first and the event was won by Finland, with Heikki Kovalainen winning over United States' Travis Pastrana on the final round. Kovalainen's team mate was the two-time World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm, whereas Pastrana drove all the rounds for the US team, after both Jimmie Johnson and his replacement, Scott Speed, had to withdraw from competing due to injuries.
The individual event and the Henri Toivonen Memorial Trophy was won by Mattias Ekström of Sweden. He won over Kovalainen by 0.0002 seconds in the semi-finals, and then over defending champion, Sébastien Loeb of France, in the finals.
The cars used were the Citroen Xsara WRC Car, the Renault Mégane, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car, the Aston Martin Vantage Rally GT and the ubiquitous ROC Car.
Read more about 2006 Race Of Champions: Participants, The Nations Cup
Famous quotes containing the words race and/or champions:
“Consider the value to the race of one-half of its members being enabled to throw aside the intolerable bondage of ignorance that has always weighed them down!”
—Bertha Honore Potter Palmer (1849–1918)
“Did all the lets and bars appear
To every just or larger end,
Whence should come the trust and cheer?
Youth must its ignorant impulse lend—
Age finds place in the rear.
All wars are boyish, and are fought by boys,
The champions and enthusiasts of the state:”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)