Chrysler to Recall Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Cirrus? 01/24/96 Reuters reported that National Highway Traffic Safety Administration determined that 1995 Chrysler Cirruses and Dodge Stratuses do not meet federal safety standards for seatbelt anchorage strength. NHTSA says a weld nut on a rear seatbelt pulled out of the floor of a Cirrus during routine testing last July. Stratuses use the same seatbelt anchoring system. To date Chrysler has not recalled the cars. Summarized by Paul Dever ##--##--##news00027 Rift Between IRL and CART Affects Indy 500 01/24/96 The Associated Press is reporting that a number of large sponsors will not attend this year's Indy 500, but will rather go to the U.S. 500 in Detroit Michigan. Major sponsors are picking sides in the Indy Racing League/Championship Auto Racing Teams dispute, which means that some of them will not attend the Indy 500. The dispute started when Speedway officials started a new racing circuit called the Indy Racing League. They made up new qualifying rules for the Indy 500 in an attempt to garner participation in the league, including a provision that could reserve 25 of 33 Indy 500 racing slots for IRL teams. CART teams showed little interest in the IRL and were upset with the new rules. They decided to have another race and invented the U.S. 500, which is scheduled to run in Michigan on the same day as the Indy 500. Major companies with strong ties to CART--including Honda, Toyota, Miller Brewing and Mercedes Benz have all announced their refusal to participate in the Indy 500 or their intention to scale back their participation. Summarized by Paul Dever ##--##--##news00028 Changes in line-up for Indy 200 01/24/96 The official homepage of the Indy Racing League reported the following changes to the entrylist for Saturday's Indy 200 at Walt Disney World: Scott Brayton's primary car will be #2 Eddie Cheever's primary car will be #3 (Team Menard) Michele Alboreto's primary car will be #33 (Scandia/Simon Racing) Summarized by Paul Dever Source: http://www.brickyard.com/wdw/index.html ##--##--##news00029 Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Pre-Race Ceremonies to be Spectacular 01/24/96 The pre-race ceremonies for the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World will only last 12 minutes, but they will be directed by Disney's Gary Paben. Paben's past accomplishments include directing the show for the 1987 Pan-American games (with a cast of 20,000), Superbowl XVIII, and Superbowl XXI. The ceremony will have a cast of more than 750, including Florida A&M University's 320 piece Marching Band. The show will also include 300 white pigeons, 10 Hot-Air-Balloons, banners, helium balloons, flags, and pyrotechnics. Summarized by Paul Dever Source: http://www.brickyard.com/wdw/index.html ##--##--##news00030 Isuzu Expects Steady Production 01/24/96 The associated press reported that Isuzu expects to produce roughly the same number of vehicles in 1996 as it did in 1995--about 700,000. They expect domestic sales to rise slightly less than 20%, but any increase in vehicles due to this rise is expected to be offset by falling demand for exports. Summarized by Paul Dever ##--##--##news00031