Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Speeds have CART drivers leery of Texas

Friday, Nov. 17, 2000 | 9:44 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand's motor sports notebook appears Friday. Reach him at bh@lasvegassun.com or 259-4089.

In political circles, Florida may be considered the confusion capital of the United States these days. In auto racing, however, that distinction belongs to Texas.

Rumors are flying around the Lone Star state -- and making their way to Las Vegas -- concerning the status of next year's CART race at Texas Motor Speedway.

According to a published report in the Indianapolis Star News, CART teams are concerned about potential high speeds and extreme G forces the Champ Cars would be subjected to on the high-banked TMS oval.

According to reports, a computer simulation done by one of the CART teams suggested the Champ Cars would run in excess of 230 mph -- perhaps as fast as 250 mph on the straights -- with loads in excess of 6 Gs being placed on the right-front tire and suspension.

CART reportedly has toyed with the idea of running a larger rear wing on the cars, but computer simulations reveal that doing so only increases the load placed on the right-front suspension -- which is considerably more fragile than those on the IRL cars which run at Texas.

According to the Star News, a CART test has not yet been scheduled at TMS because tire manufacturer Firestone can't find any drivers to volunteer.

That is where Las Vegas comes in. Although nobody from CART or Las Vegas Motor Speedway will say anything for the record, sources have told the Sun that CART officials are working behind the scenes in an attempt to move the race to the less-steeply banked LVMS 1.5-mile oval.

LVMS general manager Chris Powell denied any such talks have taken place and Eddie Gossage, his counterpart at TMS (which also is owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc.), insisted the April 29 race will go off as planned at his track.

"I've got a contract to run a race," Gossage told the Dallas Morning News. "There will be a CART FedEx Championship Series race at Texas Motor Speedway April 29. That's just it. End of story."

Maybe not. According to industry insiders, CART has approached Gossage about moving the race to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which is in line to host a season-opening CART race in 2002 -- if Powell wants it.

The timing of the Texas race poses a problem for LVMS officials, however. The April 29 date conflicts with the NASCAR Winston Cup race at California Speedway in Fontana, which would syphon fans away from Las Vegas.

Giving LVMS a season-opening date next year is another option being tossed around, according to sources, but Powell may be wary of that scenario because it would not give his track enough time to properly market the race.

Another option being discussed is holding the race in Las Vegas in May -- an attractive date because it would give CART and LVMS the opportunity to promote the race both at the Long Beach Grand Prix and the Winston Cup race in Fontana -- but that date could conflict with the few CART teams that might elect to compete in the Indianapolis 500.

Compounding the problem is the fact that CART still has not hired a CEO to replace outgoing interim CEO Bobby Rahal. So a decision on the Texas race may not be made for several weeks ... or months.

Sound familiar?

But the 22-year-old Las Vegas native said he won't have much time to relish his whirlwind season, which included four wins and Rookie of the Year honors in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and an unexpected promotion to Winston Cup.

"I'll probably take one day off, take everything in and pinch myself to see if this year has been a dream," Busch said of his off-season plans. "Everything has happened so quickly that I haven't had a chance to sit down and really think about what I have accomplished.

"I'll head home to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving and try to find some time outside of the racing environment. Then it's back to the grindstone preparing for next season. There isn't much of an off-season in Winston Cup, and I want to take a hands-on approach at the shop." ...

Roush Racing, which fields the No. 97 Ford for Busch, is scaling back its Winston Cup effort in 2001 and will run four cars (Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Busch) instead of five. Kevin Lepage, who drove fulltime for Roush the past two seasons, will not have a Cup ride with Roush next year. ...

Dodge tentatively has rescheduled its twice-postponed Winston Cup test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Jan. 6-8. The test will be closed to the public. ...

LVMS also will host an open test for all Winston Cup and Busch Series teams Jan. 29-Feb. 2 which will be open to the public, free of charge.

Vasser had been close to terms with team owner Morris Nunn, but Nunn reportedly is having problems securing sponsorship to run a second car for Vasser.

Vasser will replace Adrian Fernandez, who left Patrick Racing at the end of this season to start his own team, and will have Roberto Moreno as a teammate in 2001.

Wattles, 39, has made 14 career IRL starts, with at least one start in each of the series' five seasons. Wattles qualified eighth and finished 23rd in this year's Indianapolis 500 in a Hemelgarn/Metro Racing entry. ...

Starz Super Pak will sponsor Al Unser Jr.'s Galles Racing entry in the IRL next season. Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc. will join the team as associate sponsor. ...

Unser Jr., a Henderson resident, received the IRL Crew Most Popular Driver Award at this week's IRL banquet in Indianapolis. ...

Buddy Lazier, the 2000 IRL champion, will compete in the International Race of Champions (IROC) all-star series in 2001. Lazier will be joined by fellow IRL drivers Eddie Cheever and Scott Goodyear.

Force won his 10th NHRA Winston Funny Car championship this season.

The multi-million dollar agreement includes sponsorship of Force's teammate and fellow Funny Car driver Tony Pedregon.

Matt Vogel, a 17-year-old Las Vegas resident, won Rookie of the Year honors in the NASCAR Grand American Modified division at Rocky Mountain Raceway in Salt Lake City.