Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Indy only F1 show in North America

Friday, Aug. 15, 2003 | 8:43 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.

The United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis will be the only Formula One race in North America next season, F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone confirmed Thursday.

After initially denying the Canadian Grand Prix would be dropped from the 2004 F1 schedule, Ecclestone released a statement that said the country's impending ban on advertising by tobacco companies fueled his decision to drop the Montreal event.

"I can confirm that a letter was written to the Canadian race promoter following a meeting I had with him when I informed him the Canadian round of the FIA Formula One Championship would not be included in the 2004 calendar," Ecclestone said in the statement. "The reason for this is that the Canadian government has brought into effect a total prohibition on tobacco-related sponsorship."

Ecclestone cited the same reason for dropping the Belgian Grand Prix from this year's schedule. Belgium since has relaxed its anti-tobacco advertising laws and Ecclestone is expected to reinstate the race next year. Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien earlier this week said that Canada would not change its laws concerning tobacco advertising.

"Our problem is quite simple," Ecclestone said. "The Formula One teams with tobacco-related sponsorship lose part of their revenue when a certain percentage of the events ban tobacco sponsorship. This was the reason the Belgian Grand Prix was not included in the 2003 calendar.

"One thing is for sure: Everyone is sorry to lose the Canadian race as we all love Montreal and the warm support the city has always given Formula One."

Canada's strict ban on tobacco advertising, which goes into effect Oct. 1, also forced Player's Ltd. to end its sponsorship and co-ownership of Gerald Forsythe's CART team at the end of this season. Las Vegas residents Paul Tracy and Patrick Carpentier drive for Player's/Forsythe Racing.

The new format will be in effect only for the Denver and Miami street races and is expected to minimize the controversy that has surrounded qualifying at several of CART's street and road-course races this season. Paul Tracy was stripped of a provisional pole last month in Vancouver after CART officials ruled he was impeding other drivers during their qualifying runs.

Each driver will run one untimed out lap, followed by three timed qualifying laps. The best single lap of the three will count as the driver's official time. A driver who returns to the pits before taking the green flag will have a chance to run again after all other competitors have qualified, but a driver who runs at least one green flag lap will not be allowed to make another qualifying effort.

"These changes will not only provide a better and safer racing environment for our teams, it will also give our fans a truer look at the performances of our teams and drivers during qualifying sessions," Lee Dykstra, CART's director of technology, said.

Formula One also adopted a single-car qualifying format this season, but drivers are allowed only one timed lap.

"We've talked on occasion," Childress told the Indianapolis Star. "He'd definitely be my kind of driver if he'd like to try Winston Cup racing."

Tracy has said on several occasions that he would like to give NASCAR a try once his open-wheel racing days are over. With CART's shaky financial future, that move could come sooner rather than later.

Fittipaldi will drive the No. 9 Ballew Motorsports Ford in Wednesday night's truck race.

A spokesman for the family said Attisani's condition had not changed significantly since early in the week. Attisani, 32, remained in a drug-induced coma and was breathing with the aid of a ventilator.

Attisani suffered bruised lungs and multiple rib fractures when his Super Late Model car veered out of control and slammed driver's-side-first into the outside wall in Turn 1. Attisani's father, Dick, said it appeared as if the right-front brake caliper on the car broke and locked the right-front wheel.

The Great American Drag Racing Championship has added Funny Bikes to its lineup and also will include a drag-racing school for developing and competitive racers.

Also added to the roster of racing is the Great American SupermotoTT, round 6 of the STTARS Southwest Championship, and the previously announced World Off Road Championship Series-sponsored Great American Grand Prix. Both events will be Sept. 20 and 21.

GAME2003 will be a five-day festival featuring eight styles of pro and amateur motorcycle racing, a long-distance jump, custom bike competition and show, a vendor's village, street and dirt industry exhibits, vintage motorcycle museum, demo rides, music festival and fireworks shows. Additional information can be found at www.great-motorcycle-exp.com.

The first 175 children through the main spectator gates and the first 25 through the "Stockyard" gates will receive a back-to-school gift pack that will include various school supplies. In addition, 500 gift bags filled with toys will be given out to children attending the races.

Spectator gates open at 5:30 p.m., qualifying begins at 6:20 and racing starts at 7:15. General admission is $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens and military personnel and $3 for children ages 6-12. Children 5 and under are admitted free.