CART: Champ Cars converge on Chicago Motor Speedway for two day open test
6 July 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
DETROIT - Defending Target Grand Prix Presented by Energizer champion Juan Montoya of Target Chip Ganassi Racing will be joined by seven other event winners from the 2000 FedEx Championship Series season as Championship Auto Racing Teams conducts its second Open Test of the year Thursday and Friday at Chicago Motor Speedway.
Montoya (Target Toyota Lola), the reigning Indianapolis 500 champion, drove to victory in the inaugural Target Grand Prix at Chicago Motor Speedway last year, and used that victory as a springboard to the FedEx Championship Series title. Virtually the entire field of FedEx Championship Series drivers, including all eight race winners to date, will be on track for at least one of the two test days on the 1.029-mile oval located in Cicero, a Chicago suburb.
The test has been scheduled to help teams prepare for this year's Target Grand Prix Presented by Energizer, July 28-30.
In addition to Montoya, who won at Milwaukee last month, the entry list also includes Gil de Ferran (Marlboro Honda Reynard) of Marlboro Team Penske, winner at Nazareth and Portland; Max Papis (Miller Lite Ford Reynard) of Team Rahal, winner at Homestead; and Paul Tracy (KOOL Honda Reynard) of Team KOOL Green, winner at Long Beach. Also present will be Adrian Fernandez (Tecate/Quaker State/Patrick Racing Ford Reynard) of Patrick Racing, winner at Rio de Janeiro; Michael Andretti (Big Kmart/Texaco/Havoline Ford Lola) of Newman/Haas Racing, winner at Japan; Helio Castroneves (Marlboro Honda Reynard) of Marlboro Team Penske, winner at Detroit; and Roberto Moreno (Visteon Ford Reynard) of Patrick Racing, winner last weekend at Cleveland.
The test will feature use of the Handford MK1, the superspeedway variant of the rear-wing aerodynamic package utilized by CART at FedEx Championship Series events. The Handford MK1 will be the only rear-wing aerodynamic package allowed during Thursday's on-track activities.
Chicago Motor Speedway's grandstands will be open to the public free of charge both Thursday and Friday. The paddock area, meanwhile, will be open only to members of CART's Winners Circle Fan Club. Fan club memberships will be available at the track registration office for $14.99 per person for U.S. residents. All WCFC members in attendance must stop at registration to receive a credential.
Following the Chicago Open Test, the FedEx Championship Series takes a weekend off before resuming with Round 10, the Molson Indy, July 14-16 at Exhibition Place on Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Text provided by T.E. McHale
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