Cars 'N' Stars: Actors Beat CART Drivers at Ball, New Lexus SUV coming, $1 million Porsche Debuts

02/12/97

At CART spring training at Homestead, FL, the CART hot-shot drivers lost a low-scoring, tightly-contested softball game to a celebrity group consisting of JASON PRIESTLY, ALPHONSO RIBEIRO, and others. The score was 22-17.

A couple of CART teams missed the Homestead pre-season practice sessions, including Michel Jourdain, Jr,. who was injured in a practice accident at Sebring. Also absent was the DAVIS/CRAIG team with GAULTER SALLES up. Now it seems like the team will call off 1997, as they cannot come up with the financing that Craig promised was out there.

Eight years ago we told BOB BONDURANT that a neat adjunct to his race-school for professional drivers would be a "finishing school" for those shoes who were sponsor-conscious. Now CART has announced they have hired ANDREA KIRBY to coach drivers on how to cope with the media and just be overly SCOTT PRUETT nice.

Dad ROGER promoted son GREG PENSKE to the post of CEO for the California Speedway.

The plan to build a motorsports facility in downtown Detroit has been voted down by the locals citing too much noise and confusion. What it really could amount to, however, is that someone did their homework and found out there was no way a new track could obtain a big time CART or USAC race, as the calendars arefull. That's where the "economic impact," (a.k.a, money) is, big races, lotsa people.

LEXUS will bring out a new/smaller sport utility based on the camry platform. Its called a sport luxury vehicle, SLV, and it'll run with a V6 motor, have full time AWD, and will be slightly longer/wider than a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

PHIL HILL's son DEREK had a good Daytona 24 hours, winning his class, as did SIMON GREGG, son of former racing great PETER.

CART driver MIKE GROFF logged the most practice miles at the Homestead spring practice: 574.

The FIA Touring Cars, which some say are the most exciting, high-tech race cars in the world, kick off their 1997 season at Hockenheim, Germany, on April 6. They wrap up the season at Sebring, FL and Laguna Seca, CA in October. Dynamite racing, and we'd like to see the Monterey race, if Steve Earle will allow us to buy a ticket.

Country music recording star, LORRIE MORGAN will sing the national anthem at the Daytona 500 next Sunday.

Beverly Hills 90210 star, JASON PRIESTLY was running third in class at Daytona, until his hood blew off.

IMSA owner ANDY EVANS is obviously a very successful man: private island, home, Jets, choppers. He owns race tracks and $million Ferraris. On his way to the top, he had a six month "career gap" in 1986 due to a hassle with Barclays Bank in Seattle.

PORSCHE has announced they will build 30 special racing 911GT1 rocketships, which can be had for $925,000. Porsche has 10 orders (who are these guys?). The horsepower reaches 544 ponies, air is optional. Honest.

Classic car-wise a 1964 Alfa Romeo 2600 sold at the Kruse Auction for $12,865. I sold mine 14 years ago for $1,200. Dumb!

DARREL WALTRIP says this will be his last FULL season with NASCAR. He'll probably spend his time managing his team.

Speaking of NASCAR legends, the latest issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED has a poignant/sad story about BOBBY ALLISON and his trials and tribulations. Two sons lost to racing, he's not quite whole, and a divorce is pending.

NATIONAL SPEED SPORT NEWS is THE weekly tip sheet on motorsports, and it's moving from Ridgewood, N.J. to Charlotte N.C. EVERYONE in racing is moving to Charlotte.

Television-wise, the World Professional Figure Skating show on NBC a few weeks ago garnered a 9.2 Nielsen, while the IRL race on ABC had a rating of 1.8.

Keep the TACH in the black!

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel