Foyt Takes CART Flap to Court

The feud between the established Championship Auto Racing Teams and the fledgling Indy Racing League is headed to court with four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt leading the charge.

Foyt, now a car owner who wants to field cars in events staged by the IRL, is suing CART in a federal antitrust action. Foyt’s 14-page suit accuses CART of trying to monopolize Indy-car racing, of pressuring companies--specifically Texaco--to stay away from sponsoring his IRL cars and of costing his A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Inc. at least $5 million.

Foyt is seeking actual damages plus triple damages as allowed by law plus other unspecific costs and fees.

“The complaint addresses many issues relating to IndyCar and the IRL, and IndyCar considers the document baseless and without merit,” a CART statement said.

Prep Sports

CIF Southern Section Commissioner Dean Crowley has asked Inglewood High officials to investigate whether Coach Patrick Roy used undue influence to get guard Jason Hart to transfer from Westchester last summer. Hart, who is suspended from the team pending a review of his enrollment status, played with Inglewood during a summer tournament while he was still attending Westchester.

City Section Commissioner Barbara Fiege also said it appears Hart may have been improperly enrolled at Westchester, which he attended for three years. Hart, who lives in the Crenshaw High attendance area, said he had a permit to attend Westchester but no record of such a permit has been found.

Miscellany

Greg Menton, a star swimmer for Massachusetts, died of a heart attack after collapsing during a meet at Dartmouth. Menton collapsed about 10 minutes after he finished swimming the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyles, a school spokesman said.

World Cup leader Lasse Kjus of Norway suffered a severe concussion in a fall in downhill practice at Kitzbuehel, Austria, that could jeopardize his chances for the season title. . . . A heavy snowfall in Spain, and predictions of more snow in the next several days, cheered worried organizers of next month’s World Alpine skiing championships. The event was canceled last January at the same site by an unprecedented snow drought.

Andre Agassi defeated Pat Rafter, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5), in a three-hour battle in his first test at the Colonial Classic at Kooyong, Australia. . . . Monica Seles routed Belgium’s Dominque Monami, 6-1, 6-2, in the second round of the Peters International at Sydney, Australia. Also winning were Mary Joe Fernandez, 6-4, 6-2, over South Africa’s Amanda Coetzer, and Lindsay Davenport, 6-2, 6-2, over Sweden’s Asa Carlsson. . . . Top-seeded Thomas Enquist of Sweden was upset in the second round of the BellSouth Open in New Zealand by Peruvian Jaime Yzaga, 7-5, 6-4.

The Montreal Expos traded infielder Wil Cordero to the Boston Red Sox for left-hander Rheal Cormier. Boston also gets right-hander Brian Eversgerd, and sent minor-leaguers Shayne Bennett and Ryan McGuire to Montreal. . . . Cal Ripken Jr. was an overwhelming choice as Associated Press male athlete of the year for 1995. . . . Outfielder Rob Deer and infielder Mike Sharperson were among 14 nonroster players invited to spring training by the San Diego Padres.

England soccer coach Terry Venables, saying he needed more time to fight court cases against British broadcasting and newspaper companies, will resign after this summer’s European Championship. . . . Pele said that he is stepping down as a director of his former club, Santos of Brazil, less than a month after helping it to one of its most successful seasons in the last two decades.

Shut out by NBC in the United States, Rupert Murdoch is offering a reported $2 billion for European broadcast rights to the first five Olympic Games of the next century. . . . Track’s world leaders have bowed to the concerns of runners and doctors and will start the men’s marathon at this summer’s Olympics in the morning. . . . Sprinter Michael Johnson and skier Picabo Street were honored as the 1995 sportsman and sportswoman by the U.S. Olympic Committee. . . . British middle-distance runner Diane Modahl, still fighting to clear her name after a doping scandal, has been authorized to compete internationally and seek to qualify for the Olympics.