CART makes it official; German 500 will go ahead Saturday

Stephen Wade

Thursday, Sept. 13, 2001 | 2:38 a.m.

KLETTWITZ, Germany - CART is going ahead with Saturday's German 500.

In the wake of terrorist attacks against the United States, CART officials gave their first race in Europe the official go-ahead Thursday after making tentative plans Wednesday to run the race.

Rain washed out all practice sessions Thursday on the two-mile oval north of Dresden. CART spokesman Mike Zizzo said practice and qualifying would be held Friday.

If it rains Saturday - there is no oval racing in rain - CART is prepared to run the race Sunday.

Zizzo said a remembrance ceremony would be held Saturday at the track with 70,000 fans expected if the weather is good.

Driver Jimmy Vasser reflected the ambivalence that surrounds running the race.

"Part of me says 'no, racing is not appropriate,"' said Vasser, the 1996 CART champion and one of only five Americans driving with CART. "My initial feeling was that I just wanted to go home and be with my family and my friends and my loved ones.

"A part of me also says ... we can't have them disrupt our lives like this and stop us from going on."

CART chief executive officer Joe Heitzler said almost all of CART's 1,500 traveling party was on the ground. Only three of 27 drivers were absent late Wednesday: Michael Andretti, Spaniard Oriol Servia and Scotsman Dario Franchitti. Servia and Franchitti were in Europe and Andretti was in the United States.

American, German and European Union flags flew at half-staff on the newly built circuit with heightened security promised for a race weekend being promoted as a slice of Americana in Germany. Another European race is set for Sept. 22 in Corby, England.