IndyCar driver Ryan Briscoe wowed by Dream Cruise

It took just one block in solid, slow Woodward traffic before IndyCar driver Ryan Briscoe began to get impatient.

“I’m a race car driver. Not much of a traffic jam guy,” Briscoe said.

I figured the guy who sat on the pole at this year’s Indy 500 would be more comfortable behind the wheel so I jumped into the passenger seat of my convertible Camaro to give the Australian a proper view of his first Woodward Dream Cruise.

“What I’ve heard is that this is something that evolved without any real official definition or rules to become what it is. I can’t believe the number of people and the wide variety of cars here. It’s truly about people’s passion for cars.”

Briscoe’s not a classic collector. Back home in Charlotte, N.C., he drives a Chevrolet pickup truck to haul his go kart. He drives a Smart car to get around town. And he has a Porsche GT3 for fun.

Although a Calloway Corvette was the first thing to catch his attention as he drove through Birmingham, he started pointing when he spotted a perfectly restored 1950s-era Chevy pickup truck.

“My dad had one like that, but it was a Holden, of course,” he said.

Briscoe politely declined when asked if he would like to Cruise some more after he completed his afternoon with a radio interview and an autograph session.

“I’m not much for this traffic, but I could see myself in one of those lawn chairs by the side of the road with a couple of beers watching this parade go by.”