Saturday's CART Notebook - Good News From Bridgestone

FONTANA, Calif.November 2, 2002; Mike Harris writing for The AP reported that CART got a boost Saturday with the announcement that Bridgestone has signed on as presenting sponsor for the Champ car series in 2003.

Bridgestone, the exclusive tire supplier for CART, will become part of the series logo and name, although the wording is yet to be determined.

It was recently announced that FedEx, the series title sponsor since 1998, will leave CART at the end of 2003. Chris Pook, president and CEO of CART, said the addition of Bridgestone as a presenting sponsor will not effect CART's search for a new series sponsor.

Asked the difference between the two types of series sponsors, Pook said, ``A presenting sponsor clearly is not going to be required to invest the same amount in fees in the series as a title sponsor. I think what is important here, and what we've got to capitalize on, is the marketing promotion. That's where a presenting sponsor provides huge value.

``We would love to have a series sponsor. But we will continue to take one step at a time in this building block process.''

Pook, who is nearing the end of his first year with CART, is trying to turn around a situation in which CART is losing ground to the Indy Racing League.

The Champ car series has lost drivers, teams and engine manufacturers to the rival open-wheel circuit.

Al Speyer, executive director of Bridgestone Motorsports, said the company studied the situation carefully before making this commitment to CART.

``We see great strength in CART,'' he said. ``We know there is going to be a changing of the guard ... we're excited about some of the new young blood that is going to come in. We like to grow and build new series and get involved with new energetic people.''

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NEW DRIVER: If Adrian Fernandez cannot race in the season-ending event in Mexico City on Nov. 17, untested Luis Diaz will likely be in the cockpit of the Honda-powered Lola.

Fernandez, a national hero in Mexico, fractured two vertebrae in his neck in a crash last Sunday in Australia and is wearing a neck brace as he watches Max Papis drive his car this weekend.

Diaz, 24, is a resident of Mexico City and a former Formula Mexico champion. He finished fourth in this year's CART Toyota-Atlantic Championship.

``I'm hoping with all my heart that I will be able to race in Mexico City,'' said Fernandez, the only driver-owner in the CART series. ``If I'm not cleared to drive, then we have to be prepared as a team and we want to have a Mexican driver in our car. Luis is the obvious choice.''

Diaz was being fitted for a seat on Saturday at California Speedway and will test the car at Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix on Tuesday.

``We have been watching Luis for quite some time,'' Fernandez said. ``He is a very talented driver, and I know there are a lot of top teams interested in him.''

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RUNNER-UP BATTLE: With Cristiano da Matta already crowned as the 2002 CART champion, the major battle in the standings is for second place.

Bruno Junqueira goes into Sunday's race in the runner-up spot, with several drivers close enough to push him in the last two races of the season.

Junqueira, who drives for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing, is nine points ahead of Dario Franchitti, 13 in front of Patrick Carpentier and 28 ahead of Christian Fittipaldi with a maximum of 44 points remaining.

``I'm not going to do anything different,'' Junqueira said. ``I would like to finish second for the team, but I race as hard as I can in every race. We'll try to win the last two races and then nobody can catch us.''

Da Matta leads the series this season with seven victories, followed by Franchitti's three and two each by Junqueira and Carpentier. Paul Tracy, Michael Andretti and Mario Dominguez have each won once.