NASCAR Team Co-Owner Gene Haas Says He Is Serious About Fielding An F1 Team

NASCAR team co-Owner Gene Haas insisted Monday that "he is serious about fielding an F1 team based in North Carolina, on the same land in Kannapolis that houses the Stewart-Haas Racing NASCAR team he co-owns with Tony Stewart," according to the NEW ZEALAND HERALD. Haas: "We want to be an American team. We think that has the most sizzle to it." Haas, through Haas Racing Development, paid a $5,000 application fee to F1's governing body during an open application period. He said, "[F1 CEO Bernie] Ecclestone doesn't think I have enough money to do this. He doesn't think we will get the license. So my chances probably aren't that great of a shot." So does he have enough money for an F1 team? Haas said, "I won't know until I try. If you don't try, you'll never fail. The Europeans have their way of doing things, and we as Americans have our way of doing things. I think we could be competitive and successful" (NZ HERALD, 1/28).