Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Vasser to compete in the Baja 1000

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2002 | 9:42 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

With his open-wheel career winding down, 36-year-old Jimmy Vasser has expressed an interest in moving to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and trying his hand at stock cars.

In the meantime, the Las Vegas resident plans to branch out and compete in the Baja 1000 off-road race as a member of the Groff Motorsports team.

Vasser, the 1996 CART champion, spent Tuesday testing a Class 1 open-wheel desert racer near Victorville, Calif., in preparation for the Nov. 20-23 Baja 1000.

"I am looking forward to the whole Baja 1000 experience with a great deal of enthusiasm," Vasser said. "I know that the Groffs and (driver) Marty Fiolka have assembled a first-class effort and I hear from Robbie (Groff) that driving their Class 1 car ranks right up there with an Indy car.

"Joining this team is a commitment that I'm going to enjoy but I also know I have a steep learning curve to contribute a good, solid run in Baja."

Following Tuesday's test, Vasser was scheduled to leave Las Vegas today for Denver, where he will compete in Sunday's CART Shell Grand Prix of Denver street race.

"Aside from leading 41 laps at Richmond earlier this year, its obvious that our overall performance has not met our expectations -- neither mine, nor those of my team at Foyt Racing," Ray said.

"Therefore, considering where we are in the points championship, it makes total sense at this point for me to step out of the car and focus my time and energy on developing business opportunities to create a winning program."

Ray, 22nd in points, is under contract with Foyt through the 2003 season. Foyt also fields cars for Eliseo Salazar and Airton Dare in the IRL.

"Well, I'm not sure how much talent is going over to the IRL. I think the guys that consistently qualify on the front part of our grid are with us. The more senior ones who qualify in the back part of the grid, I think the IRL provides a good retirement opportunity for them."

A new CART team, Team Saint George, will debut at next month's race at Rockingham Motor Speedway in Corby, England. The team, which is expected to announce a British driver today, purchased the assets of the defunct Sigma Autosport CART team. Former CART owner and driver Dale Coyne is involved with the new team. Coyne said Tuesday that Johnny Herbert and Darren Manning head a short list of potential drivers. ...

Auto racing legend Mario Andretti has been named to CART's Board of Directors. Andretti won 52 Champ Car races and four championships during his USAC/CART career and also captured the Formula One world championship in 1978. Andretti and A.J. Foyt are the only drivers to have won the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. ...

Colorado-based Coors Brewing Company will sponsor Scott Dixon's Toyota/Lola in Sunday's Shell Grand Prix of Denver. Dixon's No. 44 Target/Chip Ganassi Racing entry will carry a silver and black Coors Light paint scheme for the race.