IRL expects an influx of CART teams at Indy

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999 | 10:37 a.m.

Leo Mehl, executive director of the Pep Boys Indy Racing League, said Tuesday he expects "10 to 12" teams from the rival CART FedEx Championship Series to participate in next year's Indianapolis 500.

Mehl made the observation based on his discussions with the IRL's engine and chassis builders, he said, and it could lead to a quasi-reunification of the two open-wheel leagues at the IRL race next spring in Las Vegas and, a month later, at Indy.

The April 22 IRL race at LVMS will be the last race on the IRL schedule prior to the Indianapolis 500, and would provide CART teams competing at Indy an opportunity to test their IRL cars before going to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"Sure, they will be given invitations (to come to Indianapolis)," Mehl said of any CART teams wishing to attempt to qualify for the Indy 500. "We sent them invitations in '96 and '97, and I think in '98 I decided we should save the stamps.

"But I think if any of them give us any indication ... I think they need to give us an indication (that they want to come) and we'll certainly invite them."

Mehl said his sources in the automobile racing industry leads him to believe that as many as a dozen CART teams will decided to compete at Indianapolis for the first time since 1995.

"My source of information is based on engine builders who have had inquiries (from CART teams) to buy engines and on chassis builders who are preparing the year 2000 car," Mehl said.

Mehl said the IRL would welcome the CART teams to Indianapolis after a four-year absence and a year of sometimes-acrimonious reunifications talks between the two series.

Mehl made his comments during a teleconference to announce the 2000 IRL schedule. As had been expected, Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., and Dover Downs International Speedway in Delaware were not on the 10-race schedule.

This season, the IRL had 11 scheduled races but the event at Lowe's was canceled following the deaths of three spectators who were hit by debris from a crash.

The 2000 season will open on Jan. 29 at Walt Disney Word Speedway in Orlando, Fla., and will be followed by a March 19 race at Phoenix International Raceway before coming to LVMS on April 22.

Only nine of the 10 races on next year's schedule were announced Tuesday. A venue for the Sept. 10 date is listed as "to be determined," but there is speculation the IRL is negotiating with Nazareth Speedway in Pennsylvania and Miami-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex in Homestead, Fla.

Mehl said the decision to move the Las Vegas race from the fall to the spring was made in an attempt to draw larger crowds for the event. This year's race attracted an estimated 35,000 spectators.

"We spent a lot of time talking to (LVMS general manager) Chris Powell and (track owner Bruton Smith) and for whatever reason, in the fall ... we just didn't create the excitement that we had hoped to out there."

In addition to Lowe's Motor Speedway and Dover Downs dropping off the schedule, Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain, Colo., will hold only one race next season (June 18) after hosting two dates this year.

Atlanta Motor Speedway remains on the schedule with a July 15 date and the new Kentucky Speedway will hold its inaugural race on Aug. 27.

Texas Motor Speedway in the Dallas/Fort Worth area will continue to hold two races -- the season finale on Oct. 15 and a prime-time night race on June 10.