Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: CART, IRL to run under new names

Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2003 | 9:56 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.

North America's two major open-wheel series, which have been suffering identity crises since the CART-IRL split in 1996, will operate under new names this season.

The Indy Racing League has reacquired the rights to the name "IndyCar" from CART and announced on Tuesday it will call itself the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series.

CART, which lost title sponsor Federal Express at the end of last season, earlier announced its series would be called Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford.

IRL president and CEO Tony George said the name change would help differentiate his series from the Champ Car World Series by virtue of its association with the Indianapolis 500 -- although Champ Car teams are free to participate in the Indy 500.

"The new IRL IndyCar Series helps create a clear identity for the most exciting open-wheel racing series in the world, separate from the sanctioning body name," George said.

"Never before in the history of American racing have we had an open-wheel, oval-based series with established drivers, the celebrated owners and the significant committed players from the auto industry that the IndyCar Series will have in 2003."

The term "IndyCar" was used by CART, under license from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, prior to the split in 1996. IMS later sued to prevent CART from using the term "IndyCar," and both sides agreed not to use the term for a period of time. That agreement expired at the end of 2002 and the IRL regained control of the name.

In the past two years, many of CART's high-profile teams have jumped to the IRL, including Penske Racing, Target/Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Green Racing. Other CART teams, such as those owned by Bobby Rahal and Adrian Fernandez, will operate teams in both series this season.

The 2003 IndyCar Series opens March 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Vasser, who drove for Team Rahal last season, is rumored to be the leading candidate for a ride with one of two new Champ Car teams -- Stefan Johansson's American Spirit Team Johansson or Paul Gentilozzi's Rocketsports Racing.

Tagliani, who spent the past three season with Player's/Forsythe Racing, is believed to be the leading candidate for the second seat at Newman/Haas Racing.

Both teams are expected to name their drivers this month. The Champ Car Series opens Feb. 23 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Newman, a co-owner with Carl Haas in Newman/Haas Racing, is a four-time Golden Globe winner and also won an Academy Award for his role as pool shark Fast Eddie Felson in "The Color of Money."

Newman/Haas driver Cristiano da Matta earned the team's fourth Champ Car Series championship in 2002.