IRL to land street race in Canada

The jump from Champ Car to the Indy Racing League means Patrick Carpentier won't race in Canada this year, but he hopes to be back soon. "I know (the IRL) is trying really hard to get a race in Canada and I hope they succeed in the next year or two," the Joliette, Que., driver said Friday as his new Red Bull Cheever Racing team car was unveiled at the Montreal Auto Show. "It would be exciting to come back to race in Canada. I'll miss not racing in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, but that's how it is." The Canadian races have been some of the few bright spots in recent years for the beleaguered Champ Car series, formerly known as IndyCars, a name has been co-opted by the IRL. The Vancouver Molson Indy was replaced by a new race in Edmonton on the 14-event Champ Car schedule for 2005. Team boss Eddie Cheever said there would be an IRL race in Canada "very soon" and that it would be a street race, but gave no further hints of where and when it might take place. Canadian Press [Editor's Note: Eddie Cheever spouts a lot of things about the IRL that never come true. But if he is correct, one has to assume the venue would be Calgary or Vancouver.]