The inaugural CART TX 600k will be held May 6 at TX
Motor Speedway (TMS), according to Tony Fabrizio of the
DALLAS MORNING NEWS. TMS GM Eddie Gossage and interim CART
CEO Bobby Rahal said that the track and racing series signed
a three-year sanctioning agreement for the event, but did
not disclose the fee. CART VP/Communications Ron Richards
said that the series' domestic sanctioning fees "are
usually" $1.6-1.9M (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/12). The race
will be televised live on ABC (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/12).
While the IRL also holds a race at TMS, Gossage sees no
conflict between the two series: "They're distinctly
different. ... Personally, I don't want to get into
philosophies, I just want to see a bunch of guys going
fast." Gossage, on oversaturating the open-wheel fan base
in the TX market: "I don't believe so. Our fans here have
led it be known to us that they just want to go racing and
see a lot of different kinds of races. Our number one
priority still is to get that second Winston Cup race, the
date we believe that NASCAR promised to us and that's still
our top priority. Right now for us ... we think that adding
CART makes all the sense in the world" ("RPM 2Night," 7/11).
Rahal said that yesterday's announcement continues CART's
plan to improve its schedule: "We want to align ourselves
with two entities. We want to be in great markets and we
want to work with great promoters." CBS SportsLine.com's
Mark Zeske wrote that if Rahal "can maintain his
breathtaking pace, he may soon have the 'interim' status
taken from his title" (CBS SportsLine, 7/11).
NO GO IN GOTHAM? In N.Y., Donald Bertrand writes on
reports that CART/Dover Downs Entertainment are proposing a
Grand Prix racing event for Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
But N.Y. Parks Commissioner Henry Stern dismissed talk of a
N.Y. race and said organizers "have about as much chance as
they would of turning Central Park into the Indianapolis
Speedway" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/12)....Las Vegas Motor
Speedway (LVMS) GM Chris Powell said Monday that he has
"held talks" with Indianapolis Motor Speedway Senior VP Bob
Reif about the IRL returning to LVMS in 2001. Powell said
that it "likely would be necessary" for LVMS to "secure a
title sponsor if it is to host" an IRL race. Powell: "If
there were a sponsor locally that's willing to step up to
provide itself with the exposure on the event, that would
make it more likely that it would happen" (L.V. SUN, 7/11).
MORE ON NASCAR: In TN, Paul Finebaum writes on the two
recent NASCAR driver deaths at the NHIS and notes, "I think
fans will eventually look the other way and find somewhere
else to spend their money. ... [NASCAR officials']
pathetically predictable statements every time some rising
star goes from pit road to a body bag will not be enough.
It won't be enough until someone does something about the
problems ... and fast" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 7/12). In
Richmond, Paul Woody writes that NASCAR must address the
safety issues of its drivers: "In no other professional
sport would this situation be tolerated. Say what you will
about the unions for the NFL, NBA and [MLB], they protect
their members, financially and physically. Who stands up for
the drivers of NASCAR? ... The NASCAR drivers should push
like never before to gain a bigger voice in the sport in
which they risk their lives every time they drive around a
track" (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 7/12).
