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 CLEVELAND,
Ohio (February 28, 2002) – Launching a new way of doing
business that will see CART co-promote new and existing race
weekend events, representatives of CART and IMG announced
today a partnership to co-promote the Marconi Grand Prix of
Cleveland Presented by Firstar, CART’s oldest temporary
circuit event and a premier race on the FedEx Championship
Series schedule.
The announcement was made at City Hall at the office of
Cleveland Mayor Jane L. Campbell who participated in the press
conference along with Italian CART FedEx Championship Series
driver Max Papis, a five time participant in the Marconi Grand
Prix of Cleveland.
Although CART has sanctioned the Cleveland Grand Prix since
its inception in 1982, this is the first time CART has taken a
significant financial stake in the race or any other current
event on the annual FedEx Championship Series calendar. Last
year, CART announced a cooperative relationship for a new
Grand Prix race in Denver that will debut this Labor Day
weekend, but the Cleveland promotional partnership is the
first such relationship with an existing event.
“As we move forward with CART’s business plan, a key goal will
be the co-promotion of our own FedEx Championship Series race
events with some of our valued promoter partners,” said CART
President and CEO Christopher R. Pook. “After we made the
decision to pursue this new way of doing business, we quickly
determined that the Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland and IMG
were an ideal fit. This race personifies what CART is all
about and we are grateful to IMG for allowing us to invest in
this event in addition to the outstanding cooperation we have
had from Mayor Campbell and the City of Cleveland. The Marconi
Grand Prix of Cleveland is preparing for its third decade of
operation but from our point of view it is only the
beginning.”
Operators of the Grand Prix since 1993, Cleveland-based IMG
will continue in the same capacity in the new relationship
with CART.
“The business of racing has changed significantly since IMG
bought this event nearly 10 years ago, said Grand Prix
President Bud Stanner. “We constantly challenge ourselves to
stay ahead of the curve and operate our business in the most
efficient and fan friendly way possible. When Chris Pook and
CART approached us with the thought of taking an active role
in our event, we gladly agreed. Today, Chris is the CEO of
CART, but he continues to be one of the best event promoters
in the business based on his incredible success with the
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. His event experience and the
resources that CART provides will only make a strong event
stronger.”
Papis, 33, is in his seventh year of CART FedEx Championship
Series competition in 2002 and has competed in the Marconi
Grand Prix the last five years. The native of Como, Italy who
now lives in Miami is in his first season with Sigma Autosport
and will drive the #22 Sigma Autosport Ford Lola this season.
Next weekend’s season opening Tecate/Telmex Monterey Grand
Prix will mark his 100th career CART Champ Car race start.
“I have been very impressed with some of the changes I have
seen from CART over the last month and this new relationship
with Cleveland should make a great event even better,” said
Papis. “The Cleveland track design gives us much room to race
and when you combine this with CART’s new rules to make our
races better shows and more exciting, we should have a very
good race this year. I look forward to it.”
Among the competition rule changes recently adopted by CART
are several competition enhancements that are intended to
produce more exciting races. These regulations are intended to
create less full course caution periods, green flag finishes
and the end of fuel-conscious economy runs.
The Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by Firstar, July
14, is round nine of 19 on the 2002 FedEx Championship Series
schedule. The race will be broadcast live on CBS at 1:30 p.m.
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Martin Basso
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