CART Creates Los Angeles-Based Sports Entertainment Office; Lucas Named to Oversee New Marketing Effort

    DETROIT, Feb. 14 Building on its commitment to take its
racing to the next level of sports entertainment, Championship Auto Racing
Teams announced today that it is opening a Los Angeles office
dedicated to extending CART's presence in the entertainment industry and led
by California Speedway executive Jay Lucas.
    CART President and CEO Joseph Heitzler announced that Lucas has been named
Vice President of Sports Entertainment as CART continues to evolve its
marketing and communications approach.
    Lucas, who has more than 20 years of sports entertainment experience in
the Los Angeles area, most recently served as Assistant General Manager at
California Speedway.  His experience in public relations and marketing with
California Speedway and the Los Angeles Dodgers, as well as in college sports,
will serve as the foundation around which CART will build its sports
entertainment program.
    "Jay's extensive background in sports entertainment and his relationships
with media throughout Los Angeles and Southern California make him a perfect
choice for this newly created position," said Heitzler.  "Jay is responsible
for developing a strategic entertainment marketing direction for CART as well
as managing that function for all of our racing series.
    "The job Jay did at California Speedway with Penske Motorsports and
International Speedway Corporation was well-regarded within the motorsports
community and it allowed him to expand his relationships in the sports
entertainment field.  We are pleased he is becoming a business associate at
CART."
    In his position with CART, his responsibilities will focus on developing,
managing and expanding the entertainment aspects of CART and the FedEx
Championship Series while integrating the stars of the sport with other
entertainment and media entities. He will manage all events that have an
entertainment focus, such as the CART Sneak Preview and All-Star events as
well as the annual CART Awards Banquet.
    One of his initial tasks will be to coordinate and extend CART's
promotional efforts surrounding the April 27 release of the motion picture,
"Driven."  The Franchise Pictures film, a Warner Brothers release, stars
Sylvester Stallone and utilizes CART's FedEx Championship Series as a backdrop
for the action drama about open-wheel racing.
    Lucas, 43, has spent his entire career in the Los Angeles area.  At
California Speedway, which plays host to the annual CART FedEx Championship
Series finale, Lucas oversaw all public relations activities and assisted with
development of marketing strategies and the day-to-day operations of the 529-
acre, 90,000-seat motorsports facility.
    He joined the speedway when it opened in 1996 and served as the director
of public relations in the track's inaugural year. He was promoted in 1997 to
director of public relations for Penske Motorsports, where he oversaw the
public relations efforts of four Penske-owned race venues, including the
California facility.  In 1999, Lucas was promoted to assistant general
manager.
    "This is a tremendous opportunity to bring my sports entertainment
experience to an exciting and dynamic organization like CART and its FedEx
Championship Series," Lucas said. "I have great respect for Joe and his team
at CART, and I look forward to helping create opportunities for all consumers
to see our product, familiarize themselves with our drivers, teams and
sponsors and, at the same time, blend in the rich tradition of the past."
    Prior to his stint with Penske Motorsports/ISC, Lucas worked with Los
Angeles Dodgers from 1988-1996.  During his last six years with the baseball
club, he served as director of publicity, directing the daily operation of the
team's publicity department and acting as the chief liaison between
management, players and the media.
    Before joining the Dodgers, Lucas held a variety of positions with the
University of California, Santa Barbara; the Los Angeles Lakers; the
California Angels; and Orange County-based TRW Information Services. He also
served as a media liaison during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics for the U.S.
men's basketball team.
    Lucas graduated from California State University, Chico with a degree in
Information and Communications Studies in 1981. He resides with his family
in Chino Hills, Calif.
    Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc. owns, operates and
markets the FedEx Championship Series, which is comprised of 21 races in seven
countries on four continents in 2001. Champions Michael Andretti (1991),
Alex Zanardi (1997-98), Jimmy Vasser (1996) and Gil de Ferran (2000) are among
the drivers who battle for the series title on oval circuits as well as
temporary and permanent road courses. CART also owns and operates its top two
development series - the Dayton Indy Lights Championship and the Toyota
Atlantic Championship. Learn more about CART's open-wheel racing series at
http://www.cart.com.