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CART Notebook Motor City still in CART's plans
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) -- CART hopes to stay in Detroit even though the Champ car series is leaving Michigan International Speedway. CART president and CEO Joe Heitzler said every effort is being made to keep a CART race in Detroit. "I'm personally dedicated to that," Heitzler said. "I found it to be a wonderful spot." Detroit has played host to a CART race since 1989 on either the streets of Detroit or Belle Isle, near downtown. Its contract with International Management Group, the promoter of the Detroit Grand Prix, expired following the race last month. Heitzler said IMG, Detroit mayor Dennis Archer and Michigan Gov. John Engler have been discussing the future of the Detroit race and have met twice in the last month. "When I met with the mayor I besieged him on where is the ambiance to go with the race," Heitzler said. "Where are the concerts? I just wish I could take my visual of Toronto and sell it to Detroit. "I'm a big believer in staying in Detroit if they could make some improvements that our teams would feel good about." Drivers have complained about the poor conditions of the temporary track on Belle Isle, while spectators have complained about poor sightlines. CART announced last month that it was not renewing its agreement to hold a race at MIS following the Harrah's 500 on Sunday. In July 2002, the track will hold an Indy Racing League event. CART and the IRL are open-wheel racing rivals. "I think eventually we're going to come back here," Heitzler said. "If you walk through the pit and paddock area here, there's such a rich tradition. I don't want to be the one that interrupts history. I want to be the one that perpetuates it." On Friday, MIS president Brett Shelton said he decided to not renew the contract with CART because he didn't feel the two entities were going in the same direction and he didn't like the way CART canceled races in Homestead, Fla., and Nazareth, Pa, other venues owned by International Speedway Corporation. The two sides decided to be more cordial on Saturday. "CART continues to be a healthy, viable and competitive series that will fit well at ISC facilities in the future," ISC senior vice president John Saunders said in a statement. CART's headquarters is in Troy, Mich.
Rahal's takeWith three victories at MIS in the 1980s, one wouldn't think Bobby Rahal has mixed emotions about CART and the track parting ways. But he does. "I remember always coming here with a fair amount of trepidation," said Rahal, the principle owner of Team Rahal and the president of Jaguar Racing in Formula One. "Whenever I walked away from here, the sky always seemed bluer and the grass greener because of all the speed and the amount of risk involved here. As an owner, I know my heart has been in my mouth for 3 1/2 hours with the type of racing here. "While I'm a little sad that we're leaving a place where I have great memories, I'm also a bit relieved for the drivers' safety." MIS has seen its share of tragedy during CART events. Among them, Emerson Fittipaldi, one of racing's greats, had a career-ending back injury in a crash during the 1996 race. The next year, a tire from the wrecked car of Adrian Fernandez flew into the grandstand, killing three spectators and injuring several more. Rahal will not watch his two drivers -- Kenny Brack and Max Papis -- race in person Sunday because he will be in South Bend, Ind., where his 12-year-old son, Graham, is competing in a shifter go-kart race. Rahal, who will watch the race on television, left his drivers with some instructions, however. "Don't hurt each other," Rahal said with a grin.
Coming of ageHold the milk and pass the champagne. Rookie driver Scott Dixon will be able to legally drink alcohol for the first time in Victory Circle if he wins the Harrah's 500. Dixon turns 21 on Sunday. He became the youngest winner in major open-wheel racing with his victory May 6 at Nazareth. Following that win, Dixon was asked how he was going to celebrate. "Well, I'm sure the guys on the team have something special planned," Dixon said, "but I'm not old enough to get in anywhere." Dixon enters Sunday's race seventh in series points. "It's going to be exciting for me, being my first 500-mile race," he said. "So don't get me wrong. I'm looking forward to working on my birthday." Up frontThe 1-2 start for Team Rahal is the first since the Long Beach race in 1998 when Bryan Herta and Rahal started from the front row. That grid also was set from practice speeds after rain washed out qualifying.
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