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FYI
09-18-2000

KARTING AND CART ANNOUNCE “STARS OF TOMORROW” PROGRAM

Monterey, California - Champ Car driver Bryan Herta and 30-year karting veteran Hollis Brown have announced a prestigious program to bridge the gap between kart racing and CART. The inaugural “Championship Auto Racing Team “Stars of Tomorrow” will identify and showcase future stars of the FedEx Championship Series.

Team Rahal, Skip Barber Racing Schools and Firestone Racing have joined with CART to provide top, young drivers with the most exciting opportunities in kart racing today, including a chance to test drive a Champ Car for one of the best teams in the series. The kart racing challenge will be held the weekend following the CART FedEx Championship Series season-finale, November 3-5 at the Las Vegas Karting Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“The open-wheel community has really come forward to support this event”, said Herta, who began his career in karts at age 12. “With Bobby (Rahal) donating a test in the Team Rahal Champ Car, Skip Barber giving school packages, Bridgestone/Firestone becoming the official tire and a class sponsor and CART lending its name and support, this is a first in karting!”, Herta stated.

“ ‘The Stars of Tomorrow’ will be an excellent extension of our development series ladder which consists of the Dayton Indy Lights Championship and the Toyota Atlantic Championship”, said CART CEO and Team Rahal Co-owner Bobby Rahal. “It allows us to reach the grass-roots level of our sport, which is the background of many of our current drivers, and (will) provide an outstanding platform for those whose ultimate goal is the FedEx Championship Series”. Rahal continued,“ Having Bryan Herta as well as some of the other stars of our series lending assistance and advice to these young drivers will prove invaluable to their learning experience.”

The event will be structured like a Champ Car race weekend with practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and racing on Sunday. The three most popular classes have been chosen to attract the best young drivers from ages 16 and up; Pro 125 Gearbox (Shifter), Pro 80 Gearbox, and Pro Superbox. In addition, there will be a Junior Superbox class and a Pro/Celebrity Invitational matching Champ Car drivers and racers from the entertainment industry.

“It’s great to see Champ Car superstars getting involved to give something back to the sport,” said Hollis Brown, who sponsored Herta in his karting days. “To have them giving advice to young karters and taking part in the judging is invaluable. Imagine, you’re a 16 year-old aiming for Champ Cars someday, and one of your heroes is helping to point you in the right direction. Wow!”

Five drivers from the senior classes -- the three race winners and two “at-large” picks chosen by a panel of Champ Car drivers and the experienced eyes of Skip Barber Racing -- will be awarded the title Championship Auto Racing Team’s “Stars of Tomorrow”. The winners will participate in a three day Skip Barber driving school culminating in a test in the Team Rahal Champ Car.

For Skip Barber, who operates one of the world’s leading racing schools, it’s a further extension of his efforts to help young drivers take their talents to the top. “Skip has really led the way in helping young drivers in the early steps”, added Herta, who won the 1989 Skip Barber Formula Ford Championship. “His current program is one of the best opportunities available for young drivers.”

Firestone Racing has come on board to provide support not only as a class sponsor, but as the official tire of the “Stars of Tomorrow” program. “Firestone is proud to be a part of this event that will give young drivers a chance to showcase their abilities,” said Al Speyer, Director of Motorsports at Firestone. “We see this as a way of graduating these drivers up to the Dayton Indy Lights series, then to the FedEx Champ Cars.”

The winners will share a current prize-fund of $10,000. The top three participants in the Junior Superbox class, consisting of drivers from 12-15 years of age will be awarded a 125cc Gearbox Driving School and test with one of the top Gearbox teams in North America - Paul Tracey Kart Racing.

The Las Vegas Karting Center is a 13-turn, 7/8-mile road course that is the only track in North America sanctioned by all kart racing organizations including FIA/CIK. It is located at 15000 South Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, Nevada USA. For more information on the event, contact Hollis or Carol Brown by phone at: 702-260-6355 or toll-free for USA/Canada only 888-612-KART (5278) or by e-mail: kartguys@aol.com .

“ASTM STANDARDS ON AMUSEMENT RIDES AND DEVICES”
PUBLICATION NOW AVILABLE

The 6th annual edition of the “ASTM Standards on Amusement Rides and Devices” is now available. The 44 page, soft cover book (ISBN: 0-8031-2739-1) contains 11 of the latest ASTM standards relating to the design and manufacture, testing, operation, maintenance, inspection, quality assurance and terminology of amusement rides and devices. The publication is designed for ride and concession kart manufacturers, track operators, park owners and inspectors.

The publication contains 1) Standard guide for testing performance of amusement rides and devices, 2) Standard test method for composite foam hardness-Durometer hardness, 3) Standard specification for physical information to be provided for amusement rides and devices, 4) Standard terminology relating to amusement rides and devices, 5) Standard specification for physical information to be transferred with used amusement rides and devices, 6) Standard practice for the design and manufacture of amusement rides and devices, 7) Standard practice for an amusement ride and device manufacturer’s quality assurance program, 8) Standard practice for maintenance procedures for amusement rides and devices, 9) Standard guide for inspection of amusement rides and devices, 10) Standard practice for operation procedures for amusement rides and devices, 11) Standard guide for the classification of amusement ride and device related injuries and illnesses, and 12) Standard practice for the classification, design, manufacture, and operation of concession go-karts and facilities.

For more information contact: ASTM, PO Box C700, W. Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428 USA. Phone: 610-832-9585, Fax: 610-832-9555, e-mail: service@astm.org. (For a related story, see this months Concession Corner).

END

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