CHAMPCAR/CART: Spring Training Begins

CART WINNERS CIRCLE TO ALLOW FANS TO ATTEND HOMESTEAD SPRING TRAINING

MIAMI (February 8, 2000) -- Racing fans can get their first look at the 2000 FedEx Championship Series cars Wednesday and Thursday (Feb. 9-10) at the fifth annual Spring Training at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The unique event allows all of CART's star drivers and teams to fine-tune their 200-mph racing machinery in preparation for the 2000 season, which gets underway with "Opening Day," the running of the March 24-26 Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami presented by Toyota.

Members of CART's Winners Circle Fan Club will be permitted to attend this special mid-week event. Memberships to the CART Winners Circle Fan Club cost $14.99, and will be sold at the Speedway Registration Building. The Wednesday and Thursday schedules feature extensive testing, with sessions scheduled from 9-11:45 a.m. and 1:15--4 p.m.

"This is definitely a very good time for the CART fans to get to see and meet the drivers," said Dario Franchitti, driver of the Team Kool Green Honda Reynard. "The drivers have a little bit more time, and are less focused than they would be during a normal race weekend. You'll also get a view of what the competition is doing."

Franchitti finished the 1999 season tied with Juan Pablo Montoya, but lost the title to the Colombian rookie in a tie-breaker. Both drivers will continue their rivalry in 2000, with strong challenges expected from Michael Andretti, Paul Tracy, Gil de Ferran, Jimmy Vasser, Christian Fittipaldi, Helio Castro-Neves and the other stars of America's leading open wheel series.

In addition to exclusive Spring Training access, CART Winners Circle Fan Club members also receive numerous other benefits, including a subscription to the Inside Line newsletter; access to at-track meetings featuring drivers, race officials and other CART personalities scheduled exclusively for members during the FedEx Championship Series season; and discounts on merchandise, publications and race tickets, including a 10-percent discount on tickets for the Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami presented by Toyota.

Tickets for the March 24-26 weekend featuring the CART FedEx Championship Series will also be on sale during Spring Training. For additional information, call (305) 230-RACE, or visit the official Homestead-Miami Speedway web site, www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com, or the official CART site, www.cart.com.