Dirty Sanchez
11-13-03, 01:16 PM
2004 CART CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED Thursday, November 13, 2003
INDIANAPOLIS (November 13, 2003) – CART Champ Car announced its 2004 schedule Thursday morning, unveiling a challenging slate of races for the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford tour that again makes up the most diverse test in racing as drivers will face street circuits, temporary and permanent road courses and oval tracks in the quest for the 2004 Vanderbilt Cup.
The season is slated to begin on February 22, providing a unique sports marketing delivery platform in many of the largest markets in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The series will also expand its reach in the Pacific Rim in 2004 as the Champ Cars will make their debut in Seoul, South Korea to race on a temporary road circuit, and will again feature a trip to Surfers Paradise, Australia which drew an event-record 306,184 fans this year. The schedule has an intriguing mix of new and established events as recent successes such as St. Petersburg, Mexico City – where a series-record 402,413 fans came to this year’s race – and Denver are mixed into a slate which features 10 venues such as Portland that have hosted the Champ Cars at least 12 times.
Things get underway in St. Petersburg, Florida for the second consecutive year, and move to California in April for the 21st running of the Champ Cars at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. May brings the series’ first trip to the city of Las Vegas since 1984 as the Entertainment Capital of the World will once again hear the roar of turbochargers, and will be followed the next week by a visit to Monterrey, Mexico. The Champ Cars will also run a pair of night races for the second consecutive year, battling under the lights at the venerable Milwaukee Mile in June and again at Cleveland’s exciting Burke Lakefront Airport course on the Fourth of July weekend.
CART will make its regular three visits to Canada, holding street races in Vancouver, Toronto and at Montreal’s challenging Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The triumvirate of successful Canadian races has drawn nearly 500,000 fans to see the Champ Cars do battle in each of the last two seasons. Next year’s race at the picturesque Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California will return to its previously successful date in September, where it had run 13 of its 21 Champ Car events.
“We have crafted a schedule that is challenging for our teams and drivers, as well as enticing to our sponsors and fans,” said CART President and CEO Christopher R. Pook. “This schedule holds true to our philosophy of taking the racing to the major urban markets of NAFTA, while at the same time embracing our ties to the rich history of Champ Car racing at such places like Milwaukee, Road America and Long Beach.
“We have an unresolved situation in terms of a date at California Speedway,” Pook added. “And until this issue is resolved, we are unable to finalize dates at Mexico City, Korea and Miami. However, agreements exist with all of these venues and once the California Speedway issue is resolved, we will announce the remaining race dates. A similar situation exists with a possible return to Brands Hatch, and we will be able to proceed in that regard as soon as ownership rights to the track are worked out.”
About Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc.
Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc. (OTCBB: CPNT.OB) owns, operates and markets the 2003 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford. Veteran racing teams such as Newman/Haas Racing, Player's/Forsythe Racing, Team Rahal, Patrick Racing and Walker Racing competed with many new teams this year in pursuit of the Vanderbilt Cup. CART Champ Cars are thoroughbred racing machines that reach speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour, showcasing the technical expertise of manufacturers such as Ford Motor Company, Lola Cars, Walker Racing LLC, (Reynard) and Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC. The 18-race 2003 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford was broadcast by television partners CBS and SPEED Channel. CART also owns and operates its top development series, the Toyota Atlantic Championship. Learn more about CART's open-wheel racing series at www.champcarworldseries.com.
2004 BRIDGESTONE PRESENTS THE CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES POWERED BY FORD SCHEDULE
February 22 – St. Petersburg, Florida – Street Course
April 18 – Long Beach, California – Street Course
May 16 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Venue to be confirmed
May 23 – Monterrey, Mexico – Road Course
June 5 – The Milwaukee Mile – Oval
June 20 – Portland International Raceway – Road Course*
July 3 – Cleveland, Ohio - Road Course
July 11 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada – Street Course
July 25 – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – Street Course
August 8 – Road America – Road Course
August 15 – Denver, Colorado – Street Course
August 29 – Montreal, Quebec, Canada – Road Course
September 12 – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – Road Course
October 24 – Surfers Paradise, Australia – Street Course
TBA – Miami, Florida – Street Course**
TBA – Mexico City, Mexico – Road Course**
TBA – Seoul, South Korea – Road Course**
TBA – California Speedway – Superspeedway Oval**
Brands Hatch, UK event status to be determined with track owner/promoter
* - Subject to final commercial terms
** - 2004 sanctioning agreements in place
INDIANAPOLIS (November 13, 2003) – CART Champ Car announced its 2004 schedule Thursday morning, unveiling a challenging slate of races for the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford tour that again makes up the most diverse test in racing as drivers will face street circuits, temporary and permanent road courses and oval tracks in the quest for the 2004 Vanderbilt Cup.
The season is slated to begin on February 22, providing a unique sports marketing delivery platform in many of the largest markets in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The series will also expand its reach in the Pacific Rim in 2004 as the Champ Cars will make their debut in Seoul, South Korea to race on a temporary road circuit, and will again feature a trip to Surfers Paradise, Australia which drew an event-record 306,184 fans this year. The schedule has an intriguing mix of new and established events as recent successes such as St. Petersburg, Mexico City – where a series-record 402,413 fans came to this year’s race – and Denver are mixed into a slate which features 10 venues such as Portland that have hosted the Champ Cars at least 12 times.
Things get underway in St. Petersburg, Florida for the second consecutive year, and move to California in April for the 21st running of the Champ Cars at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. May brings the series’ first trip to the city of Las Vegas since 1984 as the Entertainment Capital of the World will once again hear the roar of turbochargers, and will be followed the next week by a visit to Monterrey, Mexico. The Champ Cars will also run a pair of night races for the second consecutive year, battling under the lights at the venerable Milwaukee Mile in June and again at Cleveland’s exciting Burke Lakefront Airport course on the Fourth of July weekend.
CART will make its regular three visits to Canada, holding street races in Vancouver, Toronto and at Montreal’s challenging Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The triumvirate of successful Canadian races has drawn nearly 500,000 fans to see the Champ Cars do battle in each of the last two seasons. Next year’s race at the picturesque Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California will return to its previously successful date in September, where it had run 13 of its 21 Champ Car events.
“We have crafted a schedule that is challenging for our teams and drivers, as well as enticing to our sponsors and fans,” said CART President and CEO Christopher R. Pook. “This schedule holds true to our philosophy of taking the racing to the major urban markets of NAFTA, while at the same time embracing our ties to the rich history of Champ Car racing at such places like Milwaukee, Road America and Long Beach.
“We have an unresolved situation in terms of a date at California Speedway,” Pook added. “And until this issue is resolved, we are unable to finalize dates at Mexico City, Korea and Miami. However, agreements exist with all of these venues and once the California Speedway issue is resolved, we will announce the remaining race dates. A similar situation exists with a possible return to Brands Hatch, and we will be able to proceed in that regard as soon as ownership rights to the track are worked out.”
About Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc.
Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc. (OTCBB: CPNT.OB) owns, operates and markets the 2003 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford. Veteran racing teams such as Newman/Haas Racing, Player's/Forsythe Racing, Team Rahal, Patrick Racing and Walker Racing competed with many new teams this year in pursuit of the Vanderbilt Cup. CART Champ Cars are thoroughbred racing machines that reach speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour, showcasing the technical expertise of manufacturers such as Ford Motor Company, Lola Cars, Walker Racing LLC, (Reynard) and Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC. The 18-race 2003 Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford was broadcast by television partners CBS and SPEED Channel. CART also owns and operates its top development series, the Toyota Atlantic Championship. Learn more about CART's open-wheel racing series at www.champcarworldseries.com.
2004 BRIDGESTONE PRESENTS THE CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES POWERED BY FORD SCHEDULE
February 22 – St. Petersburg, Florida – Street Course
April 18 – Long Beach, California – Street Course
May 16 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Venue to be confirmed
May 23 – Monterrey, Mexico – Road Course
June 5 – The Milwaukee Mile – Oval
June 20 – Portland International Raceway – Road Course*
July 3 – Cleveland, Ohio - Road Course
July 11 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada – Street Course
July 25 – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – Street Course
August 8 – Road America – Road Course
August 15 – Denver, Colorado – Street Course
August 29 – Montreal, Quebec, Canada – Road Course
September 12 – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – Road Course
October 24 – Surfers Paradise, Australia – Street Course
TBA – Miami, Florida – Street Course**
TBA – Mexico City, Mexico – Road Course**
TBA – Seoul, South Korea – Road Course**
TBA – California Speedway – Superspeedway Oval**
Brands Hatch, UK event status to be determined with track owner/promoter
* - Subject to final commercial terms
** - 2004 sanctioning agreements in place