Herta to make CART comeback

Herta was due to drive for FCR in the full series this season until team boss Gerry Forsythe withdrew the squad in a dispute over franchises.

The American driver has been on the sidelines since then, although he impressed when deputising for the injured Shinji Nakano at Walker Racing. A later sojourn at Mo Nunn Racing after Tony Kanaan's violent Detroit accident proved less happy, and he then turned down the chance to take Takuya Kurosawa's drive at Dale Coyne Racing.

Now Forsythe has entered Herta in a Reynard-Ford, to be sponsored mainly by Indeck, for next weekend's Laguna Seca round, although his future beyond that race is unclear. Herta won at Laguna while driving for Team Rahal in both 1998 and 1999.

The car and crew will be on loan from Forsythe's primary Player's-backed team. Herta has already tested for the team at Putnam Park and has a good feeling about his comeback race.

"The stars are lining up for this thing," he said. "I have a good feeling. The Player's guys figured something out in the last road course race at Road America, so I know it will be a strong car. I think we've got a good chance."