CART: Bridgestone set as tire for 2002 Series

DETROIT (October 31, 2001) - Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc.
and Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., announced today that the Bridgestone
Potenza racing radial will be the tire all FedEx Championship Series
competitors will be racing on in 2002.

Bridgestone tires also compete in Formula One competition and will be
joining the CART series for the first time next season.  While Bridgestone
tires have been competing on racetracks around the world since 1963, the
brand has had limited exposure to racing fans in the U.S.

"We are very pleased to have the Bridgestone tire brand joining CART and the
FedEx Championship Series," said Rich Henley, CART's senior vice president
of marketing.  "Bridgestone reaches an audience very similar to the CART fan
and has a following among enthusiasts and fans alike around the world.  We
believe Bridgestone, and its advanced technology, is a very good fit for
CART and Bridgestone/Firestone."

"We're very excited about featuring the Bridgestone brand in a major
open-wheel racing series that has its roots in the U.S.," said Shu
Ishibashi, President of the Bridgestone/Firestone U.S. Consumer Tire Group.
"From 1998 through 2001, the Formula One World Driver's Championship has
gone to Bridgestone-equipped drivers, providing excellent exposure for the
Bridgestone brand in European markets and other countries. Since CART has
evolved into an international program and the Bridgestone brand is involved
with international racing, we believe CART and Bridgestone make a perfect
match.  We're confident using Bridgestone tires in this demanding series in
2002 will reinforce the brand and complement Bridgestone's exposure in F1."

CART CEO and President Joe Heitzler said his organization supports
Bridgestone/Firestone's decision to begin using Bridgestone tires in the
series' competitions.

"We've been very pleased with the performance of Firestone in CART,"
Heitzler said.  "In event after event, the tires have been amazingly
consistent and safe, contributing much to the 
quality of our racing.  When Bridgestone/Firestone informed us they wanted
to use Bridgestone tires in future CART events, complementing the use of
Bridgestone Potenzas in Formula One, we recognized that as an astute
marketing decision and an effective strategy for the Bridgestone brand.  The
CART organization is proud to be affiliated with Bridgestone/Firestone,
because we know its people are dedicated to giving us great tires for every
competition."   


The Bridgestone Potenza racing radials for CART will be produced primarily
at the Bridgestone/Firestone technical center in Akron, Ohio; some tires
will be manufactured at the Bridgestone Technical Center in Tokyo, Japan,
and imported into the United States by Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.    

"CART is unique in that it races on oval tracks in dry conditions and on
road and street courses when it's raining or dry," Ishibashi said. "We're
sure the Potenza racing tires will be up to the challenge, and that CART
will provide a great showplace to reinforce our message about Bridgestone's
advanced technology to vehicle manufacturers, independent tire dealers, our
own retail stores and, ultimately, consumers. To support this exposure on
track, we're planning a complete marketing program that includes advertising
and drive and learn events using CART drivers."   

Bridgestone-equipped drivers have appeared in - and won - many events and
competitions around the world, including the last four Formula One
Championships.  In addition to competing in CART and Formula One in 2002,
the Bridgestone brand will be seen in a number of other series around the
world. The diversity of competition includes motorcycle action in the World
Grand Prix 500 cc series and the American Motorcycle Association's 125 cc
motocross and supercross series, sedan racing in Europe, Asia and Australia,
and go kart racing in numerous regional, national and international series.

"Our motorsports programs feature different brands, but our commitment to
providing superior racing tires and professional technical support to every
team we work with remains constant," said Bridgestone/Firestone Motorsports
Director Al Speyer. "We're excited about a new era in CART history, a time
when Bridgestone-equipped drivers will compete on road, street, oval and
superspeedway courses around the world. We are confident the Bridgestone
Potenza racing radials will provide these demanding drivers with the
consistency, durability and reliability needed to race in so many different
competitions."

Nashville-based Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. is the largest subsidiary of
Tokyo-based Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber
company. Bridgestone/Firestone develops, manufactures and markets
Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, and associate and private brand tires. The
company also produces Firestone air springs, roofing materials, synthetic
rubber, and industrial fibers and textiles.

Championship Auto Racing Teams, Inc. owns, operates and markets
the FedEx Championship Series. Champions Michael Andretti, Gil de Ferran and
Jimmy Vasser are among the drivers who battle for the FedEx Championship
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 www.cart.com.