CART and IMG announced a three-year deal to continue to
run the 18-year-old Medic Drug Grand Prix in Cleveland,
according to Amy Rosewater of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Rosewater notes
that when IMG and CART "failed to reach an agreement earlier
this summer, the deal on the table called for IMG to pay
sanctioning fees" of $1.9M in 2000, $2.1M in 2001 and $2.2M
in 2002. Grand Prix President Kent Stanner: "This isn't
about money anymore. We got together, and we have a deal."
CART President & CEO Andrew Craig "could not be reached" for
comment. Medic Drug signed a three-year deal to continue
its title sponsorship, but the event "will need additional
sponsors." Stanner: "The biggest challenge we have now is
to get the race to new levels." IMG "now is working on
negotiating" deals with Trans-Am and the NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series for "support events." Next year's race will be
held July 9 (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 9/15).
CART'S VEGAS VACATION? In Las Vegas, Brian Hilderbrand
reported that Las Vegas Motor Speedway GM Chris Powell and
Craig "have discussed bringing in some" CART teams "to test"
at LVMS "at the conclusion" of the '99 season. Hilderbrand
noted that these sessions usually are "closed to the public"
(LAS VEGAS SUN, 9/14).
