Trans-Am on offer to privatised CART

As US media continue to speculate about moves towards privatising US series promoter CART, it has emerged that, if the consortium of which he is a member succeeds in its bid, team owner Paul Gentilozzi would bring his Trans-Am touring car series to the Champ Car World Series package. "I'm trying hard to make the right plan in Trans-Am," Gentilozzi told AP. "It's very close to my heart. I love the series and the cars and I'm trying to make it fit with CART."

Aug 13, 2003, 9:03 AM

It was reported on Tuesday that CART team owners Gentilozzi, Gerald Forsythe, Paul Newman and Kevin Kalkhoven were expected to buy CART's remaining public shares and take it private within the next few days.

CART spokesman Adam Saal had no comment on any possible move to buy the NYSE-listed public company and take it private. "As we have stated in our financial guidance issued in June, and a further update last month, the company has committed to exploring strategic alternatives and additional sources of financing," he said. "Further statements would be inappropriate."

Gentilozzi added that any future version of CART "needs Champ Cars, a 'feeder' open-wheel series, Trans-Am, and a production Toyota-celebrity import kind of series that you can do special events with. That in my mind is what fans want to see. All the exit polling that we've done has told us that."