What a blow to CART. The IRL just got a lot more competitive. http://news.excite.com/news/ap/011206/17/car-irl-penske Penske jumping to IRL Updated: Thu, Dec 06 5:24 PM EST By DICK BRINSTER, AP Sports Writer Roger Penske, one of the founders of CART and the most successful owner in open-wheel racing, is moving to the rival IRL next year. "We plan to compete in all Indy Racing League series races in 2002, in addition to the Indy 500," Tim Cindric, president of Penske Racing, Inc., said Thursday in a statement from Penske corporate headquarters in Reading, Pa. He said the decision was made in conjunction with Marlboro, the team's chief sponsor, whose auto-racing marketing plans had been affected by the 1998 tobacco settlement. The shifting of the racing operation that has accounted for nine CART titles and 11 open-wheel championships overall was the latest blow for CART, which has been losing prestige in the United States since it left the Indianapolis 500 after formation of the IRL in 1996. CART's growth in recent years has been overseas, with races in Australia, Japan, England and Germany. The move also leaves CART without a defending champion. Gone will be Gil de Ferran, who won titles the last two years. It also guarantees that Helio Castroneves, who gave Penske his 11th Indianapolis 500 victory this year, will defend that title next May. Later Thursday, CART issued a statement expressing disappointment in Penske's decision. "The economics of our sport require teams to satisfy sponsors' marketing needs," the statement said. "We believe the CART FedEx Championship Series delivers significant value for sponsor investment as evidenced by the 2.5 million spectators who attended our races in 20 markets around the world in 2001 ... "CART has always enjoyed the loyal support of our owners, sponsors and fans. They are drawn to our fast cars, unique tracks and technological sophistication, as well as to our many world-class drivers. We will maintain their support by offering the same top-quality product we have offered for decades. And we will remain focused on our No. 1 objective - growing our sport and the CART brand." The IRL said the defection was another indication that its form of American oval racing - as opposed to CART's globe-hopping mixture of ovals, road courses and street courses - will continue to gain in popularity. "What better affirmation could there be than to have the most successful team in American motorsports choose the Indy Racing League as its competitive platform," IRL founder and Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George said. He called the addition of Penske "a great plus." Penske's decision was based more on financial considerations than the caliber of racing in CART. Last May, Penske's cars ran in the Indy 500 without the logos of longtime sponsor Marlboro because the tobacco settlement forbids advertising on more than one circuit. Ina Broeman, a spokesman for Marlboro parent Philip Morris U.S.A., said that since the cigarette maker marketed its products only in the United States and its territories, "we believe that the IRL is more closely aligned with our business interests and objectives for 2002." The Penske statement says the team has no plans to participate in any other open-wheel series in 2002. Penske also fields stock cars for Rusty Wallace and rookie Ryan Newman in the NASCAR Winston Cup series. Penske, who has 110 victories and 135 poles in open-wheel racing, will announce at a later date his choices for engine, chassis and tire combinations. The defection had been expected for some time, and seemed plausible from the moment Penske entered his drivers in the Indy 500. Chip Ganassi, who won an unprecedented four straight CART titles before de Ferran halted that run in 2000, took the Indy 500 in 1999 with Juan Montoya. Ganassi, also car owner in NASCAR, is one of several CART owners expected to race at Indy next year during an off-week in the CART schedule. CART is now dominated by foreign-born drivers. Its last three champions - Italian Alex Zanardi, Colombian Montoya and Brazilian de Ferran - have extended the drought of American champions to five years. Michael Andretti, 38 and no longer a frequent winner, is the only high-profile American on the circuit. And even he raced last season in the Indy 500. Since the arrival of the IRL, the core group of open-wheel racing fans has been split, and CART's TV ratings have dipped precipitously. After working with ABC and ESPN for years, CART's new TV contract offers a handful of races on CBS and the rest on cable's Speed Channel.
