Champ Car Confirmed for Grand Prix of Monterey

                            Grand Prix returns to traditional fall date
MONTEREY, Calif. (January 29, 2004) - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has reached an
agreement with the new owners of the Champ Car World Series that ensures the open-wheel
series returns as the feature event of the Grand Prix of Monterey for the 22nd consecutive year.
The 2004 Grand Prix is scheduled this year for Sept. 10 - 12, a return to its traditional fall date
following two years in the month of June.
The agreement was reached with Open Wheel Racing Series, LLC (OWRS), which was
awarded the assets of Indianapolis-based Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) yesterday
during a bankruptcy sale hearing for the parent company of the long-running Champ Car series.
"We had to wait for the bankruptcy proceedings to run their course so we could work out an
agreement with the new owners," said Gill Campbell, general manager of Mazda Raceway
Laguna Seca.  "But this has been the plan all along.  We have been on the 2004 Champ Car
schedule and they have been on our schedule, plus OWRS has been working on the acquisition
since last season.  So today we made it official and we can both get busy preparing for the
Grand Prix of Monterey, which historically has been one of our larger events."
"We're delighted to be bringing Champ Cars back to the beautiful Monterey Peninsula and one
of the most famous circuits in the world," said Paul Gentilozzi, one of three principals with the
new ownership group.  Gentilozzi, along with partners Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven,
each own teams competing in the Champ Car World Series.
Current Champ Car World Series champion Paul Tracy begins his title defense April 16 - 18
with the 30th running of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.
The 2004 season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca begins with the Road & Track U.S. Sports
Car Invitational, April 30 - May 2.  The season features four more events:  Honda Superbike
Classic, July 9 - 11; 31st Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races, Aug. 13 - 15; Grand Prix
of Monterey, Sept. 10 - 12; Fry's Electronics Sports Car Championships, Oct. 15 - 17.
The Grand Prix of Monterey has been a fixture on the Champ Car World Series schedule since
1983 when Italian Teo Fabi won the inaugural event.  Since then, the Grand Prix podium has
been a virtual Who's Who of auto racing greats as drivers including Bobby Rahal, Danny
Sullivan, Rick Mears, Michael Andretti, Alex Zanardi, Paul Tracy and Morgan Hill-native Jimmy
Vasser have won the event.  Last year's race was won by Canadian Patrick Carpentier.
Support races for this year's Grand Prix of Monterey include the Motorock Trans-Am Tour and
Toyota Atlantic Championship.  Additional races will be added.
Tickets to this September's Grand Prix of Monterey are on sale now by calling 1-800-327-SECA
or logging onto laguna-seca.com or ticketmaster.com.
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The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) has operated Mazda Raceway
Laguna Seca since it's opening in 1957.  SCRAMP is a nonprofit organization chartered to benefit local
charitable and nonprofit groups, and to promote economic vitality.  Race events at Mazda Raceway
Laguna Seca have resulted in more that $10 million being distributed to Monterey Peninsula and Central
California groups for youth programs and community service projects, and have generated more than $1
billion in revenue for area businesses.