Local drivers on the move?

Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2000 | 9:48 a.m.

It could prove to be an interesting off-season for three of the four Las Vegas residents who drive in the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series.

Jimmy Vasser, Paul Tracy and Patrick Carpentier are at the center of some wild speculation concerning their futures with their respective teams.

Vasser on Sunday confirmed that he would not be returning to Target/Chip Ganassi Racing next season; Tracy is rumored to be heading from Team Kool Green to Player's Forsythe Racing in 2001; and speculation continues that Carpentier will not return to Player's Forsythe next season.

"I had another year left, but Chip wanted to make a change, so he bought me out," Vasser told the Indianapolis Star. "We decided to have a nice, amicable divorce."

Vasser, the 1996 CART champion and 1998 runner-up, who said he would like to drive for another two or three years, could remain in CART with another team or jump to the rival Indy Racing League.

"Things were getting a little stale, maybe it's for the best," Vasser said of his parting with team owner Chip Ganassi. "I just appreciate the fact Chip didn't wait until the last race to do this. Now I've got a chance to shop.

"And, from what I'm hearing, there might not be a better time to throw my hat in the ring."

Vasser may have been referring to rumors that fellow CART driver Michael Andretti has a $20 million offer to drive in the IRL next year. On Saturday, Andretti confirmed that he would leave Newman/Haas Racing at the conclusion of this season.

"This free-agent thing is kind of nice," Andretti said. "There's more interest out there than I imagined.

"I hear I'm driving for five or six teams, but the fact is I've got two very attractive offers, one from each series."

While Vasser's fate next year with Ganassi has been settled, Tracy continues to be at the heart of speculation that he may jump to Player's Forsythe at season's end, perhaps replacing fellow Las Vegas resident Carpentier.

Published reports claimed that Carpentier left Chicago Motor Speedway in a huff two weeks ago after team owner Gerald Forsythe failed to renew his contract on Aug. 1 as Carpentier had expected.

"Something happened with the team I did not appreciate," Carpentier said, "but I do not want to talk about it."

Tracy, on the other hand, was more than happy to talk about his situation with Team Kool Green, saying he had every intention of honoring the final year (2001) of his contract with team owner Barry Green.

Tracy won the Long Beach Grand Prix earlier this spring and led the CART points standings after seven races, but has failed to score points in four of the past six races and has slipped to seventh in the championship.

Tracy did acknowledge that Forsythe has talked to him in the past about joining Player's, and rumors persist that Forsythe is attempting to buy out the final year of Tracy's contract with Team Kool Green.