Notes & Quotes: Only Bulls Grand Prix of Portland

U.S. Army Captain Tim Bomke was just 29 years old serving in Iraq when his vehicle was hit by an IED, resulting in multiple injuries including amputation of his right leg. Struggling to come to terms with his injuries, he cites his competing in adaptive sports as the turning point wherein he "accepted who I was and what happened to me." Born in Redlands, Calif., he grew up near March Air Reserve Base and was inspired by the nearby active duty military presence; he enlisted in the Army in 2002. He married Ashley before going overseas; the couple have two children Timmy (17) and Kate (14) and three cats (Rebecca, Price and Roger). Living on Bainbridge Island, Wash., Captain Bomke and his family received their HFOT home on May 9th. We asked him a few questions...

Where did you serve in the military?

TB: "2004/05 Iraq, Kirkuk/Tikrit area."

How did you become injured?

TB: "Wounded in an IED ambush on June 3rd, 2005. From his HFOT.org video: 'It was in the early morning hours, we were doing a route clearance mission, and on the way back, I was the lead vehicle, leading my three vehicles, and my vehicle was hit by a pretty significant IED. I was able to get my knife and cut my seatbelt out. Then I tried to move a little bit and realized I was in big trouble. Our medic was coming up in another vehicle and that got hit by a secondary device. It was just organized chaos, my soldiers really did admirably (well)."

What were the extent of your injuries?

TB: "Right leg amputation, tib/fib fractures, soft tissue/shrapnel injuries, TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), PTS (Post-Traumatic Stress)."

How many surgeries did you undergo and what was the length of your recovery?

TB: "Stopped counting when we hit 40, I was in-patient for over 2 months and did rehab at the CFI (Center for the Intrepid, a state-of-the-art physical rehab center at Brooke Army Medical Center) in San Antonio when it first opened in 2007."

What was the most difficult part of your journey?

TB: "Losing my career and identity as a soldier in the Army and having to forge a new path."

Captain Bomke poses with children from an oasis village in Iraq.

Do you have any advice for other Veterans who may be struggling to adapt after suffering serious injury while serving?

TB: "Ask for help, we are not good at doing that, we’ve been trained to be self-sufficient and reliable but we need others to support us on this journey of recovery. Stay connected to other Veterans and wounded warriors, we are also good at self-isolating. We’re much better off staying connected to each other, even if it means FaceTime calls."

Who are the heroes in your life?

TB: "My parents for giving me a stable and loving upbringing, my family for sticking by my side, my fellow wounded warriors who haven’t given up, and those who didn’t make it back home."

Please describe the impact on your life and that of your family of getting a specially adapted home from Homes For Our Troops.

TB: "Our stress level overall has greatly decreased, mainly due to me not being as frustrated using my wheelchair, falling, dealing with steps/stairs. I am able to use my wheelchair more and I am more effective around the house with the accommodations. It truly feels like home for the first time since I was wounded."

The Bomke family received this home from Homes For Our Troops on May 9th.

Have you been to a race before?

TB: "Went to the Nightfire Nationals at Firebird Raceway in Boise, and to Meridian Speedway, almost 30 years ago. They were local races, funny cars, dragsters."

What are you most looking forward to seeing/doing at the race this weekend?

TB: "Seeing the speed of the Indy cars firsthand, pit operations, race strategy and meeting the team."

What hobbies or interests do you have?

TB: "Scuba diving, swimming, camping, rafting, watching sports, reading and travel."

What are the top three things on your Bucket List?

TB: "Courtside tickets to LA Lakers game, F1 race at Monaco, Scuba dive in Tahiti."

For more information on Tim, please check out this video: https://www.hfotusa.org/building-homes/veterans/bomke/

CAIO COLLET

Collet returns to Portland Int'l Raceway but this time in an Indy car. In the INDY NXT by Firestone Series, Collet won the pole last year and finished second in the race; in 2024, he qualified eighth and finished fourth, showing early on his affinity for the 1.964-mile road course. The No. 4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet will carry a FOX-TV on-board camera for the first time this season and Collet will carry the Driver's Eye camera.  The micro-camera will be embedded in his helmet at eyeline to give viewers the driver's perspective from the cockpit.

You've had some strong results at Portland in INDY NXT. How much confidence does that give you heading into your first INDYCAR race here?

CC: "Portland has always been a track that I’ve really enjoyed, and we’ve had some strong weekends there in INDY NXT. Having good memories at a circuit definitely gives you confidence because you already understand the rhythm of the track and know what it takes to be quick. That said, INDYCAR is a completely different challenge. The cars behave differently, the level of competition is incredibly high, and race management becomes much more important. Even so, starting the weekend at a place where I’ve had success before is a positive, and hopefully we can build on that with the No. 4 team."

What do you think will be the biggest challenge in managing traffic and race strategy here in an INDYCAR?

CC: "Turn 1 is definitely one of the biggest talking points at Portland because everyone knows there are opportunities there, but it’s also very easy for things to go wrong. The key is being aggressive when the opportunity is there while also being smart enough to avoid unnecessary risks, especially on the opening lap. Throughout the race, traffic can make a huge difference because the braking zones are so long and it’s easy to lose time if you get caught behind another car. Strategy will also be critical with fuel saving, tire management, and making the right calls at the right time."

As the season enters its final stretch, what are you hoping to accomplish this weekend, and what would you consider a successful result for you and the No. 4 team?

CC: "A successful weekend would be putting everything together from practice and qualifying to race execution, and giving ourselves a chance to compete for a strong finish. If we maximize the package we have, avoid mistakes, and come away with a solid result, that would be a great step forward for both me and the Combitrans team heading into the final part of the season." 

SANTINO FERRUCCI

Portland International Raceway is one of Santino Ferrucci's favorite stops in the NTT INDYCAR Series. He has often described the permanent road course as "old school," appreciating its classic layout, heavy braking zones, and multiple passing opportunities. Portland holds a special place in Ferrucci's career, as it was just the second circuit he competed on after making his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut in 2018 and where he earned his first NTT P1 Award in 2024. This weekend, he will make his fifth career start at the Pacific Northwest venue.

You captured your first IndyCar pole at Portland in '24. What is it about this track that seems to suit your driving style, and how confident are you heading back this weekend?

SF: "I think the track is a little bit more old school. Kind of feels more like a track I grew up racing in go karts. Obviously, last year we didn't have any of the results that we wanted, which was a shame. But yeah, hopefully we can turn that around this season."

What will have changed from last year to this year?

SF: "I think that we have a slightly better car this year compared to last year.  I think we were struggling with understanding some of the damper changes year after year, and I think we finally have a good grip on the direction that we've wanted to go."

Portland's long front straight and heavy breaking into Turn 1 often creates some of the best passing opportunities of the season. How do you balance being aggressive there while avoiding trouble on the opening lap?

SF: "I think the easiest thing to do is qualify farther forward. You kind of rely on everybody around you to not mess up. And if they do, you just hope you're not caught in somebody's mess."

Do guys ever talk to the other drivers around them and say, 'Hey, it's a long race. Let's not end it in Turn 1.'?

SF: "Oh, it depends on where we're starting. If we're starting in the back, yeah."

Starting at the front, it's go for broke?

SF: "Pretty much. "

As the series enters the final stretch, how important is it for the 14 team to capitalize on a track where you've shown strong pace before?

SF: "It's very important! I think the team as a whole really, we need to capitalize on a couple of races here in the next few weeks, and I think that this track gives us a fantastic opportunity to do that."

What would you consider a successful weekend then?

SF: "Top-10 in qualifying and a top-five finish in the Homes For Our Troops Chevy."

The Only Bulls Grand Prix of Portland will be broadcast by FOX on Sunday, August 9 starting at 4 p.m. ET. Saturday's qualifying rounds will be shown on FS1 starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Nicholas Monteiro

Monteiro returns to the circuit where he made his INDY NXT by Firestone debut in 2025. Behind the wheel of the No. 4 AJ Foyt Racing entry, the Brazilian-American driver is confident he has what it takes to deliver a career-best performance.

Portland is where you made your INDY NXT by Firestone debut last year. Is this a track you enjoy driving, and do you feel it suits your driving style?

NM: “Portland is definitely a special track for me because it’s where I made my INDY NXT debut last year. I really enjoy driving there. It’s a fast and technical track, and I feel like it suits my driving style well. Having that experience from last year also gives me more confidence going into the weekend, and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish this time around."

What’s the key to surviving Turn 1 on the opening lap?

NM: “Turn 1 at Portland is always tricky, especially on the opening lap when everyone is fighting for position. The biggest thing is being smart and aware of what’s happening around you. You want to be aggressive and gain positions, but at the same time, the race can easily be lost there. The priority is to get through cleanly and put yourself in a good position for the rest of the race."

With the season coming to an end, what are you most looking forward to this offseason?

NM: “I’m looking forward to taking a little time to reset, but my main focus will be preparing for next season. There’s always something you can improve as a driver, so I want to keep working physically, spend time in the simulator, and analyze everything I’ve learned this year. This season has given me a lot of valuable experience, and I want to use all of that to come back stronger next year."

Alessandro de Tullio

De Tullio also returns to Portland International Raceway, this time behind the wheel of higher machinery after competing at the circuit in USF Pro 2000. The young Argentine will look to strengthen his championship position while maximizing every opportunity in the Pacific Northwest.

You earned a podium at Portland in USF Pro 2000 last year. Is this a track you enjoy driving, and do you feel it suits your driving style?

ADT: “This is a track that is definitely a bit trickier than it looks, it’s not a long lap but a lot can be gained or lost through T1-2 and big commitment is needed for the last few corners. I enjoy this track and I’m looking forward to getting back there."

What’s the key to surviving Turn 1 on the opening lap?

ADT: “Not the best guy to answer this, all things considered, but you have to be aware of how inviting it is to make a lunge into Turn 1. It’s about being smart and making sure you’re in a good position coming out the other side.”

With the season coming to an end, what are you most looking forward to this offseason?

ADT: “Spending time with family and friends and having the chance to disconnect a bit."

The Grand Prix of Portland will be shown on FS1 Sunday, August 9th starting at 2 p.m. ET.