CART Auto Racing

Only one-third of CART races in 2002 will be on a television network available to most US households. I'll be left out. How about you? Nevermind. CART says the situation will get better. Later.

Jan 1, 2002 - Gary Presley

Chris Pook, the Englishman who made the Long Beach Gran Prix CART's showcase venue, was elected president of the troubled open wheel racing series.

Dec 26, 2001 - Gary Presley

There's no new CART CEO, the engine package is still up in the air, teams are having trouble finding sponsors to field two cars, but all the iffy news pales in comparison to word that Alex Zanardi has progressed far enough in his rehabilitation to stand on his two new feet.

Dec 18, 2001 - Gary Presley

The long-anticipated announcement that Team Penske will move from CART to the IRL came last week. Here's a few thoughts, and some reactions from around the 'Net.

Dec 10, 2001 - Gary Presley

We can't race, so let's talk about racing. CART apparently is still in the doldrums, with rumors of a revolution at HQ, with teams looking for sponsors, and drivers looking for rides.

Dec 4, 2001 - Gary Presley

Let's page through the rumors and gossip and think about who's going to run in the CART/FedEx Series in 2002.

Nov 27, 2001 - Gary Presley

Racing may be over for 2001, bur rumors continue to buzz around the CART circuit.

Nov 20, 2001 - Gary Presley

The CART season seems to have ended with the proverbial whimper rather than a bang, but there is some good news -- FedEx has renewed its contract as primary series sponsor.

Nov 13, 2001 - Gary Presley

Cristiano da Matta pulls a win out of the hat for Newman-Haas Racing at the season wind-up on the Fontana oval in California. It was a confusing race to mark the end of a confusing season for the USA's premier open wheel racing series.

Nov 6, 2001 - Gary Presley

You'd probably get an argument out of Team Penske driver Gil de Ferran, who picked up the series championship by finishing fourth, but the CART race at Surfer's Paradise wasn't the most exciting of the season. No surprise, really. We've come to expect that from temporary street courses.

Oct 30, 2001 - Gary Presley

Is CART collapsing? A series of bad decisions, late decisions, and protested decisions has left the series with no engine providers for the 2003 season other than a Ford-Cosworth spec offering.

Oct 23, 2001 - Gary Presley

Max Papis works some magical strategy to come away with a win at Laguna Seca, but everyone's talking about Paul Tracy talking himself into a major fine or Honda leaving CART in a huff over engine changes.

Oct 16, 2001 - Gary Presley

CART race fans suffered through another hum-drum street course race seemingly run in a no-passing zone while the real excitement is generated by a heated battle over changing the series' engine specs.

Oct 9, 2001 - Gary Presley

It's an off-week for the CART series, but that doesn't stop the action. Toyota makes an announcement that muddies the waters as the series sails toward a new engine formula.

Oct 2, 2001 - Gary Presley

Despite lack of practice time and a rain delay and a track that wouldn't dry out, the CART gang took to the new oval at Rockingham, England and put on a great show for the new fans in Europe.

Sep 25, 2001 - Gary Presley

With the smoldering ruins of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon lingering in everyone's memory, the CART teams race in Europe on an oval for the first time, and what should be a celebration is further marred when popular competitor Alex Zanardi loses his legs in a racing accident.

Sep 18, 2001 - Gary Presley

It is difficult to think about, talk about, or report on auto racing when terror strikes the heart of your land.

Sep 11, 2001 - Gary Presley

Roberto Moreno takes first in the Molson Indy Vancouver, a popular victory for a veteran driver, and now the CART series gears up for two weeks in Europe.

Sep 4, 2001 - Gary Presley

It's an off-week for the CART Teams, but the rumor mill is active with talk about CART owner Bobby Rahal being fired from his job as team manager for the Jaguar F-1 effort.

Aug 28, 2001 - Gary Presley

CART invades Road America at Elkhart Lake, but rain and television time constraints mean fans who follow the series via the tube miss some exciting race and a rookie's first win.

Aug 21, 2001 - Gary Presley

CART fans appreciate the good racing when Team Penske comes away with a dominating victory at Mid-Ohio, but it's Silly Season too, and the fans enjoy the racing rumors just as much.

Aug 14, 2001 - Gary Presley

A funny rumor -- Kenny Brack to NASCAR -- began circulating last week, but long-time fans are more worried about the health of the series rather than the destination of a driver.

Aug 7, 2001 - Gary Presley

The swift Swede sophomore, Kenny Brack, takes the victory at the CART-FedEx Series race at Chicago, proving once again the Ford/Lola combination is the class of the field on the short ovals.

Jul 31, 2001 - Gary Presley

The CART/FedEx Series races again on the big oval at Michigan, and the fans are treated to the traditional 500 miles of wheel-to-wheel racin' and passin' on every lap making it all the more puzzling the series and the track owners say, "Sorry. This is the last CART race here, folks."

Jul 24, 2001 - Gary Presley

Michael Andretti displays some of the old Andretti magic at the Molson Indy Toronto. Andretti drops to the back of the pack after nearly being shunted into the tire barriers at the first turn of the first lap, and then he comes back for his 7th win on the streets of the Canadian capital.

Jul 17, 2001 - Gary Presley

A few thoughts about Team Target Chip Ganassi's new driver, Memo Gidley, as we await the CART series assault on the streets of Toronto.

Jul 10, 2001 - Gary Presley

Team Kool Green's Dario Franchitti takes his first win in the CART FedEx Series since 1999, but the buzz after Cleveland's Marconi Gran Prix was near win by Team Target Chip Ganassi's new driver, Memo Gidley.

Jul 2, 2001 - Gary Presley

The CART FedEx raced in the rain at Portland last week, with Max Papis winning from the pole.

Jun 26, 2001 - Gary Presley

Father's Day weekend saw four major races, different series on different venues, with winners old and new. It was a great weekend to be a race fan.

Jun 19, 2001 - Gary Presley

It's an off-week for the CART FedEx Racing Series, but fans are still discussing Toyota's decision to provide engines for the rival IRL Series and wondering what influence that decision will have on the two series merging.

Jun 12, 2001 - Gary Presley

Team Rahal driver Kenny Brack makes it two in a row with a victory at the Milwaukee Mile, a race which included a competitor being black-flagged out of the competition for the first time in recent memory.

Jun 5, 2001 - Gary Presley

CART Teams dominate the 2001 Indy 500, with IRL Teams fading to also-rans while Team Penske avenges its ignominious 1995 appearance by taking the top two positions.

May 29, 2001 - Gary Presley

It's time for qualifying and practice for the legendary Indy 500, and so CART heads for Japan to run at Twin-Ring Motegi. The man happiest about that migration is 1999 Indy winner Kenny Brack, who picked up his first CART victory.

May 22, 2001 - Gary Presley

Ganassi put four drivers from Team Target in the Indy 500 after giving the seats in his primary cars to two experienced US open wheel drivers. The Brickyard now has the greatest CART contingent participating since the war between the series and Indy owner Tony George began 6 years ago.,Ganassi put four drivers from Team Target in the Indy 500 after giving the seats in his primary cars to two experienced US open wheel drivers. The Brickyard now has the greatest CART contingent participating since the war between the series and Indy owner Tony George began 6 years ago.

May 15, 2001 - Gary Presley

New Zealander Scott Dixon becomes the youngest winner in CART by holding off challenges from veterans Kenny Brack and Paul Tracy at the tight little bullring at Nazareth. The series next moves to the Japan and the Twin Ring Motegi oval.

May 8, 2001 - Gary Presley

CART cancels -- or maybe, postpones -- the race at Texas Motor Speedway after sustained high g-forces generated by the 900 horsepower cars on the banked oval suggest the race will be physically-impossible for the drivers.

May 1, 2001 - Gary Presley

The CART/Fedex Series heads to Texas for a first-time appearance at Bruton Smith's Texas Motorspeedway, a fast 1.5 mile oval. This same weekend Sylvester Stallone's new movie about the adventures of the CART series -- DRIVEN! -- will open.

Apr 24, 2001 - Gary Presley

We're still nearly two weeks from the next race in the CART/FedEx series, and so we're left to speculate on engines, the IRL and why CART may no longer be the premier auto racing series in the USA.

Apr 17, 2001 - Gary Presley

The CART/FedEx Racing Series ends a long lay-off with a parade through the streets of Long Beach. The race draws celebrities, a hundred thousand fans, but the lack of passing zones turned it into a parade.

Apr 10, 2001 - Gary Presley

With every other series running rings around the US's premier open wheel series, CART drivers took another week off. The Long Beach Gran Prix is scheduled for Saturday, and true fans are eager to hear the engines roar.

Apr 3, 2001 - Gary Presley

The CART/FedEx Series seems in limbo after the cancellation of the race in Rio, and fans are impatient for the Long Beach Gran Prix, which is still nearly two weeks away.

Mar 27, 2001 - Gary Presley

The CART/FedEx Series sits in the middle of a long lay-off brought about when Brazilian politicians and series executives couldn't get together on who owes whom what to stage a race in Rio. Team Penske made use of the downtime by fielding a couple of IRL cars at Phoenix.

Mar 20, 2001 - Gary Presley

The 2001 CART/FedEx Racing Season gets under way in Monterey, Mexico, and a crowd of 100,000+ watch Brazilian Cristiano da Matta grab the win in his first ride with the legendary Newman-Haas Racing Team.

Mar 13, 2001 - Gary Presley

The CART/FedEx racing season is poised to begin this coming weekend, with the first race set for Monterey, Mexico. There's little hard news, but there's been lots of hype about "Driven," the new Slyvester Stallone film about champ car racing.

Mar 6, 2001 - Gary Presley

Auto racing safety continues to highlight media discussion of the sport in the week after NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt was killed on the last lap of the Daytona 500.

Feb 25, 2001 - Gary Presley

A few thoughts about NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, whose death during the 2001 Daytona 500 brought memories of other racing heroes dead too soon.

Feb 20, 2001 - Gary Presley

Reaction from the auto racing press after hearing the announcement the CART FedEx Series has pulled the plug on the race at Rio de Janeiro after a dispute with Brazilian government officials.

Feb 13, 2001 - Gary Presley

Okay, I'm jealous. The straight-line NHRA hot rods burned rubber at Pomona over the weekend. The email lists and Web sites buzz with the countdown numbers for the Daytona 500. But we CART/FedEx Series fans are stuck in the groundhog's hole, waiting for the March open wheel opener down in Mexico.

Feb 6, 2001 - Gary Presley

Checking the latest news as teams test, drivers practice, and fans gear up for the start of the 2001 CART season.

Jan 30, 2001 - Gary Presley

Team Penske uses CART's Winter Sneak Peek to announce a return to competition at the storied Indy 500. The 10 time winners join Team Target/Chip Ganassi to become the second CART team to compete at the Brickyard under the new Indy Racing League formula.

Jan 22, 2001 - Gary Presley

Robin Miller, a veteran auto racing reporter, left his long-term employer, the Indianapolis Star, under circumstances no one has been able to decipher. The news stirred talk among fans because Miller, love him or hate him, knew how to get people's engines wound to the maximum rpm.

Jan 15, 2001 - Gary Presley

The holidays are over, and the teams again are setting their sights on the CART season opener at Monterey, Mexico. It's more than two months away, but it's not too early for Team Players to add one of racing's best engineers to its staff.

Jan 9, 2001 - Gary Presley

The CART/Fed-Ex racing season doesn't begin until March, but, with former series champion Alex Zanardi testing in Florida, a fan can while away cold winter nights by doing a little 'Net Racing.

Jan 2, 2001 - Gary Presley

A brief run-down of who's driving what in the upcoming season, including observations about who's gone where to drive what and links to each team's Web site.

Dec 26, 2000 - Gary Presley

It's a quiet week in the racing off-season and so word that General Motors will pull the plug on the venerable Oldsmobile name spurs talk among auto enthusiasts around the world. What effect the decision will have on the Indy Racing League, for which Olds provides engines under the Aurora badge, is not yet known.

Dec 19, 2000 - Gary Presley

CART winding up its tour and heading into the off-season doesn't stop rumors, news and views from racing around the Internet. Fans were delighted last week to learn of the return of Alex Zanardi, a former champion with a win-to-start ratio of 1 to 3.4 ... but veteran media watchers were at odds over the appointment of Joseph Heitzler as the new president of the racing series.

Dec 12, 2000 - Gary Presley

Everyone comes equipped with a nose ... and with an opinion. It's off-season for the Cart/FedEx Series. What do we have better to do than take a spin around the Internet?

Dec 4, 2000 - Gary Presley

Mutterings in the press and paddock accuse Chip Ganassi, a guy with four consecutive CART championships in his pocket, of running a farm team for F-1. Looking at his selection of drivers for the 2001 season, you have to wonder a bit.

Nov 28, 2000 - Gary Presley

Thinking about internationalism in auto racing, a fan wonders how a Lincoln Navigator-driving Brazilian who likes his fish hot from a George Foreman grille ends up driving an English chassis powered by a Japanese motor owned by a famous American film star and sponsored by a discount store chain.

Nov 21, 2000 - Gary Presley

The CART season is over -- and it was one of the best in recent memory -- but NASCAR devotees and those who pass judgement only at the bottom line still don't give the USA's premier open wheel series proper respect.

Nov 14, 2000 - Gary Presley

A brief look at Gil de Ferran, winner of the 2000 CART Series Championship, taking the prize in his first year with Team Penske.

Nov 7, 2000 - Gary Presley

A rain delay pushed the completion of the California 500 - and the crowning of the CART 2000 Season Champion - back one day, but the delay didn't deter Gil de Ferran from outlasting the other contenders to earn the Vanderbilt Cup and his first title.

Oct 31, 2000 - Gary Presley

The Championship Auto Racing Teams head for the track at Fontana, California to settle the CART/Fed-Ex Championship for 2000, with Gil de Ferran, Adrian Fernandez, Paul Tracy and Kenny Brack at the top of the points chart.,The Championship Auto Racing Teams head for the track at Fontana, California to settle the CART/Fed-Ex Championship for 2000, with Gil de Ferran, Adrian Fernandez, Paul Tracy and Kenny Brack at the top of the points chart.

Oct 24, 2000 - Gary Presley

A fan goes looking for information on the CART race Down Under in Limboland, lamenting the decision of the powers-that-be choosing not to tape-delay the next-to-last race of the season. Worse, the race begins with a lap one debacle which scrambles the championship points chase and makes the season finale at Fontana critical.,A fan goes looking for information on the CART race Down Under in Limboland, lamenting the decision of the powers-that-be choosing not to tape-delay the next-to-last race of the season. Worse, the race begins with a lap one debacle which scrambles the championship points chase and makes the season finale at Fontana critical.

Oct 17, 2000 - Gary Presley

In search of Jimmy Vasser and his foray into NASCAR testing, rambling about the Internet, checking racing sites and uncovering rumors and news of interest to fans of CART racing and auto racing in general.

Oct 10, 2000 - Gary Presley

A fan's review of the Championship Auto Racing Team series race at Houston, Texas, complete with thoughts on the 2000 series championship, driver changes, rumors around the circuit and news from the Internet about CART racing.

Oct 3, 2000 - Gary Presley

It was an off-week for the Championship Auto Racing Teams, but open wheel fans couldn't be sad on the Sunday Formula One returns to the USA.

Sep 26, 2000 - Gary Presley

The CART Racing Series hits the Gateway City for an oval race, and fans watch reigning champion Juan Montoya pick up the pieces after Little Mikey enjoys another piece of the Andretti Luck.

Sep 19, 2000 - Gary Presley

The Championship Auto Racing Teams visit Laguna Seca Raceway, and Marlboro Team Penske comes away with another one-two finish, dominating qualifying and the race despite some grumbling from anonymous drivers following Patrick Carpentier's spectacular Friday over-the-wall tumble.

Sep 12, 2000 - Gary Presley

An overview of the Championship Auto Racing Team series race at Vancouver, British Columbia, where Paul Tracy and Dario Franchitti finished one-two for Team Kool Green.

Sep 5, 2000 - Gary Presley

The Championship Auto Racing Teams have a late summer off-week, but several teams take advantage of the down time to test at California's Laguna Seca Raceway where Team Penkse's Helio Castroneves sets the fast time -- a track record, in fact.

Aug 29, 2000 - Gary Presley

A fan's review of CART's 2000 visit to Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, where Paul Tracy came away with the victory, leaving in his trail half the field sweeping up parts from broken cars.

Aug 22, 2000 - Gary Presley

A review of The CART - FedEx Racing Series visit to the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course, where Team Penske ran away with the race while a fog of rumors swirled around other teams and drivers.

Aug 15, 2000 - Gary Presley

It's a mid-season off-week for the CART-FedEx Racing Series, but rumors never take a week off. The series also announces its 22 race schedule for 2001.

Aug 8, 2000 - Gary Presley

Cristiano da Matta takes the checkered flag at the CART FedEx Series champ car race at Chicago for his first victory -- and the first victory for PPI Motorsports. Michaeal Andretti again runs second and maintains his point lead, but only 11 of the 24 starters finish the race.

Aug 1, 2000 - Gary Presley

A viewer's report on the CART Fed-Ex Series race for the Michigan 500, with Juan Montoya taking a tip-of-the-nose victory from Michael Andretti. Plus, news, views and opinions from your Suite 101 columnist and from around the 'Net.

Jul 25, 2000 - Gary Presley

The CART Fed-Ex series invades the concrete canyons of downtown Toronto, Canada, and veteran Michael Andretti comes away with his 40th champ car victory.

Jul 18, 2000 - Gary Presley

It's an off-week for CART, with the series heading for Toronto next week, but it's always fun to check out the rumors that abound at this point in the season.

Jul 11, 2000 - Gary Presley

A review of the CART/Fed-Ex Racing Series visit to Cleveland for the 9th race of the 2000 Season. Moreno takes the win and pads his championship points lead.

Jul 4, 2000 - Gary Presley

An overview of the CART race at Portland International Raceway, with 3 Brazilians finishing on the podium. Gil de Ferran gives Team Penske its third victory in the last four races, and points-leader Paul Tracy's poor finish drops him into third place in the championship chase.

Jun 27, 2000 - Gary Presley

The Gran Prix of Detroit is Juan more DNF for series champ Juan Pablo Montoya, the lead driver for Team Target-Chip Ganassi, but the buzz in the pits concerned the ouster of CART's CEO Andrew Craig.

Jun 20, 2000 - Gary Presley

Team Target-Chip Ganassi smiled at the reception they received at the Indy 500, and the remaining CART teams were pleased -- and proud of the Ganassi victory. Now there's talk more participants in the senior series will sign up for the Indy 500 in 2001.

Jun 13, 2000 - Gary Presley

The CART/Fed-Ex Series runs the Milwaukee Mile 24 hours late after a rain delay, but the wait didn't deter Juan Montoya. The Quick Colombian proved his IRL Indy victory could be duplicated on a senior series oval.

Jun 6, 2000 - Gary Presley

CART sends Team Target-Chip Ganassi to the Indy 500 to reclaim the Borg-Warner Trophy, and, just as planned, CART's quick Colombian Juan Montoya reclaims it for the premier open wheel series.

May 30, 2000 - Gary Presley

CART Team Ganassi attempts to conquer Indy, but IRL veteran Greg Ray will start on the pole for the 84th edition of the fabled race.

May 23, 2000 - Gary Presley

The CART series visits Japan while NASCAR racing suffers a devastating loss to its first family.

May 16, 2000 - Gary Presley

Notes on two email discussion groups devoted to auto racing, with comments about the CART season to date.

May 9, 2000 - Gary Presley

A review of CART's visit to Brazil for the Rio 200, the open-wheel racing series' first overseas venue for the 2000 season.

May 5, 2000 - Gary Presley

On the way to Rio, CART floats a balloon about an oval race in Europe next year.

Apr 28, 2000 - Gary Presley

A review of CART's 2000 visit to Long Beach, the American 'Monte Carlo' of auto racing.

Apr 21, 2000 - Gary Presley

The Bosch Spark Plug Gran Prix at Nazareth, Pennsylvania is snowed out, and so the CART series moves on to Long Beach, California for the season's first race on a street course.

Apr 14, 2000 - Gary Presley

A short discussion of the history and characteristics of the Nazareth Speedway in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, with speculation about the prospects of Target-Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Penske.

Apr 7, 2000 - Gary Presley

Mulling over the first CART race of the season ... the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Mar 31, 2000 - Gary Presley

A discussion of CART's new "fan friendly" attitude, with notes on how fame and fortune throws up a barrier than can never be breached.

Mar 24, 2000 - Gary Presley

Thinking about Bill Vukovich and Greg Moore ... and the complex feelings generated when a hero dies while trying to entertain us.

Mar 17, 2000 - Gary Presley

Target/Chip Ganassi Racing Team becomes the first active CART/FED-EX series team to take part in the IRL's Indy 500.

Mar 10, 2000 - Gary Presley

A discussion of Michael Andretti's prospects for CART 2000, with a reflection on his father Mario's illustrious career.

Mar 3, 2000 - Gary Presley

News and views as CART heads for the racing series opener at Homestead in the Sunshine State.

Feb 25, 2000 - Gary Presley

Thoughts on the death of Tony Bettenhausen, Jr.

Feb 15, 2000 - Gary Presley

A Look at Prospects for the 2000 CART Racing Season

Feb 3, 2000 - Gary Presley