Florida loses CART

By KEVIN KELLY

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 17, 2000

On the day CART head Andrew Craig announced his resignation, the open-wheel series confirmed another major change Friday.

Homestead-Miami Speedway, which has hosted the Marlboro Grand Prix since 1996, will not be on the series' 2001 schedule.

"It is CART's belief that it is in the best interest of our race series that we move in a different direction as we prepare for next year," said Bobby Rahal, who was named CART's interim president.

The season-opening race in March drew between 30,000 and 40,000 spectators to the speedway, which drew 75,000 for a Winston Cup event in November.

Speedway president Curtis Gray said he was notified last week that his track would no longer be on the schedule.

"They told us that they were not going to renegotiate the contract with us," Gray said. "That's pretty much when we found out. I would say we are surprised more than disappointed."

The pullout by CART, which has raced in South Florida 10 times beginning in 1985, doesn't mean the speedway will go without an open-wheel race next season.

Gray said he has talked with officials from Indy Racing about bringing that series to Homestead next season.

"We anticipate the Miami Grand Prix to keep happening," Gray said. "We've had ongoing discussions with the IRL even before all this came up."

Indy Racing is expected to release its 2001 schedule in four to five days. Gray and Indy Racing spokesman Ron Green declined to say whether Homestead-Miami will be on it.

"All I can say is that Indy Racing League officials and Homestead-Miami Speedway officials have had some talks," said Green, who was in Fountain, Colo., for the Indy Racing event at Pikes Peak International Raceway. "A facility as nice as the Miami facility is very attractive, though."

This year, CART's schedule has 20 races in five countries on four continents. The series previously announced it will hold an event March 11, 2001, in Monterrey, Mexico. It also plans not to return to Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis.

"With the continued growth and interest in our racing series, both domestically and overseas, we are faced with several difficult scheduling decisions," Rahal said. "Requests for ... events are at an all-time high, and we must make the most prudent choices for CART, its fans, sponsors, race teams and shareholders."

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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