It is so hard to pick who the champion will be this year, you might be better off picking a name from a hat.  The numerous changes that were made this off-season in CART has made our job nearly impossible.  How do you top last years championship battle that ended in a points battle with five drivers in contention for the crown going into the final race.  To say CART is competitive is an understatement.

Each year since it’s inception the CART series has become more competitive than the previous one. Now in its 23^rd year, CART has become perhaps the most difficult driving championship to win. With its mix of road, street and oval circuits, this grueling 20-race series demands more raw driver versatility than any other. A stable rules package, well financed teams, the right mixture of technology, and some 20 drivers capable of winning, means the CART FedEx championship is once again up for grabs.

To win the CART championship, it isn’t good enough to be fast on only certain types of circuits. The champion must be versatile enough to score well on all three types – ovals, streets and road courses. On ovals the driver must know how to work traffic, work the draft (Handford Device), brave the high speeds, and know how to setup the car to remain neutral as the track changes. On street circuits the driver must contend with bumps, walls all around creating a tunnel-like effect, heavy braking and acceleration, lots of gear changes, avoiding contact with other cars, occasional rain, limited opportunities to pass, and no place to relax. On natural terrain road courses the driver must contend with elevation changes, a wide variety of fast and slow turns – some off-camber, heavy braking, acceleration and shifting, and occasional rain.

Do heroes make a sport, or does a sport make heroes?