FAN ACTIVITIES ADD EXCITEMENT TO CART GRAND PRIX OF MID-OHIO
DUBLIN, Ohio (August 6, 2002) - Two-hundred-mile-per-hour Champ Car competition will attract thousands of racing fans to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the CART Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio, August 8-11, but there will be much more for them to take in during this weekend's open-wheel event than the dramatic on-track action. A pre-race party, all-driver autograph session, fan forum and aerial stunt show are among the many fan activities planned before Sunday's showcase race gets the green flag. "Much like our five other spectator events, the CART Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio will be a complete weekend of fun, family entertainment," said Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course President Michelle Trueman Gajoch. "Complementing CART's world-class open-wheel racing competition with exciting off-track activities provides lots to do and exceptional dollar value to Mid-Ohio ticket buyers." The four-day event kicks off with the CART Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio Fan Fest, the event's official pre-race party, Thursday evening, August 8 at The Patio in the Brewery District in downtown Columbus. Fan Fest runs from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., and Champ Car racing legend Bobby Rahal will be there to meet fans and sign autographs between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. Fans looking to have their questions answered by Champ Car racing's movers and shakers can attend the CART Fan Forum Friday, August 9 at 1:00 p.m. on Championship Row in the track's infield. CART CEO Chris Pook and a number of other team and series executives and CART television personalities will be on hand for the hour-long question-and-answer session. CART will host a meeting of its Winners Circle Fan Club Saturday afternoon, August 10 at the track. Club members will hear about series news and events, and enjoy a question-and-answer session with some of CART's current and future stars during the meeting, which will be held from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. at the Honda of America Chalet on Championship Row. (more) FAN ACTIVITIES ADD INTEREST, EXCITEMENT 2-2-2-2 Meeting the series' drivers has never been easier thanks to the CART all-driver autograph session. Autograph seekers can meet the series' stars Saturday afternoon between 4:45 and 5:15 p.m. at the pace car tent in the paddock area at Mid-Ohio. Adult fans can explore and enjoy the Miller Lite Racing Garage, a mobile museum and interactive display that will be at the track all weekend, and fans of all ages will marvel at the aerial acrobatics of the Klein Tools Stunt Plane during special performances on both Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11. Tickets to the CART Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio are available at the advance purchase discount price through Wednesday, August 7. Tickets may be purchased at the gate throughout the weekend. More event and ticket information is available by calling 1-800-MID-OHIO or logging on to www.midohio.com <http://www.midohio.com>. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a 2.4-mile, 15-turn permanent road racing circuit in Lexington, Ohio. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the track has been called the most competitive in the U.S. and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned racing events for amateur, club and professional riders and drivers. Mid-Ohio's 2002 schedule features six spectator events, including this weekend's CART Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio and the SCCA National Championship Valvoline Runoffs* September 16-22.