CART President Joe Heitzler Q&A

"We're going to do what's best for CART. We're not going to respond to what the IRL is doing. You start by analysing what will make the sport safer, more competitive, and what will meet the economic realities we deal with in the world. There are issues CART needs to be more specific about in terms of how it wants to develop its sport and regain the ground as it relates to the atmosphere in which it projects itself. We're very happy that Toyota is progressing on issues they would like to see in their marketing mix, and they are a huge participant in CART. In all of our conversations with Toyota, they have made it clear that they are not leaving CART."



"One of the objectives that I see, and that I hope that I bring to the sport, is that you want to see common ground that benefits the fans of open wheel racing. But having said that, I want to remind people that we went to Mexico and attracted more than 300,000 fans for the weekend for an inaugural event. Sure it had its frustrations, but people close to CART who went to the IRL race in Phoenix said there were about 10,000 people there. So I think the fans, the Indianapolis 500 notwithstanding, have adopted our series. They love our brand of racing, and we're not going to do anything to disappoint our fans."



"I would hope the danger of losing a major engine manufacturer would be negated by the fact that we are providing an atmosphere for them to accomplish their goals. As long as CART is a viable medium for Honda and their technology, for Toyota and their marketing, and Ford/Cosworth for the issues that they have, we have to make sure that we provide an environment for them to accomplish their goals. It's maybe not the right analogy, but it's sort of like someone worrying about something that they have no control over. We need to do what's best for CART. Sponsors stay in a sport because they feel it is a viable medium for them. I've talked extensively to all three engine manufacturers, and they all want to stay in CART."



"We understand that we have some races on the schedule that either need to be timed differently or moved to a different geographic location. We have delayed the announcement of the 2002 schedule so we can accomplish that goal. The other issue that we're dealing with is that we are out of the business of going someplace because they are our friends."



"It's a very exciting time in that respect. We have a global marketing concept and we are an event-based company. On the international TV scene, we've done something unique. We've invested some dollars and we've gone from a Wednesday night highlights package to live on Sunday on Eurosport. We bought 50 percent of the inventory, and in all of our television negotiations, we are moving forward with the plan that we will produce the broadcast and we will deliver the program to the distribution entity. Believe me, there are other racing organisations that were taken by surprise by this. We hit it quick, made a fast decision. In the media, we have been accused of missing out on opportunities, but this is one that got the attention of Formula 1 and NASCAR. On the domestic front, we're in the process of dealing with ABC and ESPN. We have other interested networks, and the negotiations are ongoing.



"Absolutely vital. I think something akin to ABC and ESPN could be something like CBS and TNN or NBC and CNBC. We've done a full broadcast asset inventory for the first time in the history of CART, and we're talking to the networks about starting our coverage on Friday. On Friday it may be on a racing-specific entity, on Saturday a cable-specific entity, and on Sunday on a free-air broadcaster. CART is out of the business of making rush decisions. We're going to make decisions based on data and on what's best for the open-wheel racing fan."



"Going back to Brazil makes infinite business sense because we have nine drivers who are Brazilian, a tremendous amount of sponsorship, and one of the most important international television packages there. As for Vancouver, I'm going there in about two weeks. We have received a lot of correspondence, including a letter from the mayor, and what we are looking at right now is changing the date of the event. We have several issues relative to the schedule that need to be resolved, and I'm told we need to make the Vancouver course a little more competitive or challenging for the drivers. We love street races."



"First of all, the criteria under which I accepted the position negated all of that. I asked for and got a unanimous vote, I asked for the board to disassociate itself from managing the business, and we are managing the business. I think the only disappointment I've had is that there are only 24 hours in a day. I think we have a fantastic product here, and as a businessman, I looked at this opportunity and pursued it as an entrepreneur pursues any environment. We have been able to articulate a specific path that we know the fans and the viewers want. We have great racing; if we had poor racing, they would have hired a racing guy. We have a great product, but we have to come up with programs in marketing and branding the product for a new audience. Because what got us to where we are isn't going to take us to where we want to go. The one thing I really want to get across is that there has been a lot of criticism of our board, and I think that's wrong. I've been to several board meetings, and I think that has been completely misrepresented by the media and other parties. These are people passionate about racing. When one of our team owners promotes a race, it's not out of a financial situation, but out of a passionate situation. One of my conditions of taking this job was that the board would allow me to manage that passion. We're beginning to take the strengths of the board to make the company better. I haven't come across anything that is discouraging; everything has been encouraging. The only thing I'd love to have is about three weeks of 48-hour days. But if passion is enough to get us through, we're going to make it."