CART announces plans to challenge Indy 500
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CHICAGO -- Start your engines. The battle is on. Championship Auto
Racing Teams announced Monday it will conduct its own race on Memorial
Day week ending direct competition with the Indianapolis 500. The
CART race will be conducted at Michigan International Speedway and
will be called the U.S 500. Drivers already making commitments to the
U.S. 500 include Al Unser Jr., Michael Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi
and Bobby Rahal. CART, which operates all IndyCar races except the
Indy 500, is fighting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS
president Tony George over guaranteed starting positions in the Indy
500. George's fledgling Indy Racing League which will run three events
this season, including the Indy 500, reserved the top 25 spots in the
Indy 500 for racers who compete in the IRL series. "The fans will now
be able to vote by supporting any race they feel is the best. We feel
we have the best product with the stars of the sport and a quality
lineup of race cars," IndyCar spokesman Adam Saal said. Qualifying for
the U.S. 500 will begin May 11, the same day time tests start for the
Indy 500. Other details, such as plans to televise the race, will be
released later this week. "We are going to stage an event for our fans
that will feature the biggest stars of our sports running on the
fastest track on the IndyCar circuit," IndyCar president Andrew Craig
said. The U.S. 500 provides an option to IndyCar drivers who would be
forced to vie for the final eight spots in the 33-car field. Under the
old qualifying system at the Indianapolis 500, drivers contended for
33 spots over a pair of weekends, with the fastest cars receiving
berths. PPG Cup points standings, which are used to determine the
year's top driver, are not a factor. George has said previously he
didn't think owners and their sponsors would pass up Indy's $8 million
purse and worldwide recognition. The IRL three-race inaugural season
will include the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World in Orlando on January
27, the Phoenix 200 on March 24, and the Indianapolis
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> CART announces plans to challenge Indy 500
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> It signals the beginning of a war that might not have winners.
Only losers, mainly we, the viewing public. Thanks for the announcement
Joe. I can only say, I'll be writting ESPN, ABC, and Disney to inform
them, I'll be tuned to Michigan not Indianapolis.
Dave Henrie
* JABBER v1.1 * "Dammit Jim, I'm a Doctor not a Do...er, I'll get right on
it."
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