CART: Legens of Champ Car Racing to gather at season finale

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

September 21, 2001

Participating Legends Have Won More Than 400 Races and 400 Poles Combined

LOS ANGELES- Andretti, Mears, Unser, Sullivan and Gurney are some of the legendary drivers that put Champ Car racing at the forefront of motorsports. For the second consecutive year, these Legends, along with other racing greats, will celebrate Champ Car racing's rich heritage at the CART FedEx Championship Series season finale -- the Marlboro 500 presented by Toyota, scheduled for Friday, November 2, to Sunday, November 4, at California Speedway in Fontana.

The Legends, who are expected to make up one of the most illustrious groups of Champ Car drivers ever assembled, include Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, Bobby Unser, Bobby Rahal, Parnelli Jones, Tom Sneva, Danny Sullivan, Dan Gurney and Wally Dallenbach, along with current CART stars Michael Andretti, Jimmy Vasser and the 2000 CART FedEx Series champion, Gil de Ferran. Together these drivers have won more than 400 races and 400 pole positions.

The Legends will participate in several fan-focused activities throughout the race weekend, including autograph sessions on Saturday, November 3, as well as Fan Forums, where race fans can ask questions to their favorite Legends. California Speedway, in partnership with the California Highway Patrol, will distribute Legends posters to fans in attendance.

The Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota has one of the largest paydays in all of motorsports -- $1 million to the winner. In addition, the CART FedEx Series Champion is crowned and presented with the prestigious Vanderbilt Cup and a $1 million bonus. Last year's race saw 59 lead changes as drivers reached speeds of 235 miles per hour. As the weekend started there were five drivers in contention for the Championship and it wasn't until the final lap of the race that Marlboro Team Penske driver Gil de Ferran captured his first National title and Roger Penske's record-setting tenth.

Text provided by Jordan Miller

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.