Rahal Takes Over CART After Craig Is Forced Out

Former champion Bobby Rahal assumed control of Championship Auto Racing Teams Inc. after chairman and CEO Andrew Craig resigned under pressure Friday.

Rahal, one of the nine-member CART board, took the position on an interim basis. The former Indianapolis 500 winner and three-time CART champion will continue to operate his racing team while the board initiates a search for a new leader.

Craig, a 50-year-old Britisher who came to CART from a sports marketing background, had been president of the open-wheel racing organization since 1994.

“I imagine we’ll get a bunch of resumes in the mail as soon as people hear about Andrew leaving,” said Rahal, 47. “It all came about rather quickly, rather unexpectedly.

“In the meantime, our first priorities are to set our 2001 schedule and improve our TV ratings, which haven’t been what we had hoped for. There are no easy answers, but we need our TV partners to contribute if we are going to improve.”

James Hardymon, a member of the board and former chief executive of Textron Inc., was elected chairman of the board.

CART has been under criticism this year for having only two American drivers--Michael Andretti and Jimmy Vasser--on its roster, but Rahal said he saw no problem with that.

Juan Montoya, last year’s CART champion and winner of the Indianapolis 500 last month, is from Colombia. Paul Tracy, this year’s points leader, is from Canada. Nine drivers are from Brazil.

“I don’t think that is too significant,” Rahal said. “I am sure there are a lot of Mexican and Canadian and South American fans watching, as well as Americans. Besides, I don’t think TV ratings are the most accurate measure of interest. But we have to continue to work to build them up.”

Also on Friday, CART announced that it would not return to Homestead-Miami Speedway next season. This follows an earlier announcement that it would no longer race at Gateway International Raceway, near St. Louis.

“We dropped two tracks, but there are a number of good circuits in the wings,” Rahal said. “I don’t think we will have any problem getting a solid 20 races next year. We want stronger markets.”

Under Craig’s tenure, CART added races in Brazil and Japan and next year will go to Mexico, as well as continuing a long-standing series in Australia. Dates are also planned for Germany and England in the future.

“I have enjoyed my six years at CART,” Craig, who did not attend a news conference announcing his departure, said in a statement. “I now want to move in another direction, but I remain committed to assist the board in a consulting capacity during the transition.”

Rahal also said he plans to contact Tony George, founder and president of the Indy Racing League, to discuss the possibility of the two feuding open-wheel racing organizations getting together.

“There is no doubt the split has hurt both of us,” Rahal said. “I think fans on both sides would like to see it all end.”

Rahal competed for 17 years in CART, winning 24 races and 18 poles. He was named driver of the year in 1986 and 1992. After competing as an owner-driver for five seasons, he retired in 1998 to devote full-time to Team Rahal.

“I hope today was an omen for our team,” said Rahal after his drivers, Max Papis of Italy and Kenny Brack of Sweden, qualified first and third for Sunday’s Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit.