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CART/IRL: 10-Week Indy Car Team Karting Challenge To Begin

16 November 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

"ILikeRacing.com Karting Challenge" To Pit Indy Car Teams In 10-Week Karting League

(Indianapolis, IN, Nov. 16) -- Indy car teams are used to performing their duties in the background, but starting December 4th, they will take center stage in a new karting League. The "ILikeRacing.com Karting Challenge" will pit all Indy car teams in the Indianapolis area against each other in a 10-week series, held at the Stefan Johansson Karting Center (3649 Lafayette Road, 317-297-5278).

Teams from the Indy Racing Northern Light Series (IRL) and Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) will race competitively against each other for points and prizes, ultimately culminating in an "ILikeRacing.com Karting Challenge" Champion at the end of the series' run in February. Teams can be comprised of the same or different people each week, and may even see karting action from the professional drivers who normally run in the IRL or CART series'.

The teams will assemble at Stefan Johansson Karting Center most Mondays, beginning Dec. 4th (with two weeks off for the holidays) from 4:00 - 6:00 pm, and compete in a "LeMans-style" race, being split up into one of two 40-minute sessions. Three racers per team, plus one "wildcard" driver, will each have about 10 minutes to complete a race, with a mandatory amount of pit stops required per team to change karters. At the end of the 40-minute period, the team that has completed the most laps in the least amount of time will win that segment, with all times from both sessions combined to award an overall 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-place finisher for that day. The first-place award will be a transferable trophy that will go home to the winning team's shop for the week, and be brought back to the Karting Center for the next week's competition. A running point total will be kept, awarding prizes and awards to the top finishers at the end of the "Challenge" event in February.

The general public is invited to attend each of these karting events weekly, and will be asked to donate $1.00 at the door, with all proceeds going to the Indianapolis-based Riley Hospital For Children. Fans attending these events will also have an opportunity to win valuable prizes, which will be raffled off each week.

Sponsors and the media are welcome to participate weekly. If you are interested in reaching a very specific segment of the racing population, the highly-skilled race team member, please contact the Promoter via phone at (317) 280-8832 or e-mail for more information on sponsorship of this 10-week event.

Members of the media are invited to and encouraged to race with our teams each week. Any media member wishing to participate in an "ILikeRacing.com Karting Challenge" event should contact the Promoter at the above number to be scheduled for an event. If advance notice is not possible, simply show up at the Karting Center at about 3:45 pm on the day of a race and the Promoter will place you onto an available team (done by blind draw, only 10 media spots available). It is suggested that all media wishing to participate confirm the exact time for that day with the Karting Center or the Promoter, as weather may play a factor in the time these events actually come off, and/or the Karting Center may adjust the time slightly due to a private party being booked there in the evening.

Text Provided By Janie Vogel

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