Champ Cars return to Kent venue's Indy layout
source: autosport.com
CART boss Chris Pook has announced at the AUTOSPORT International show in
Birmingham, UK, that Champ Cars will return to Brands Hatch this year.
Pook confirmed that the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered
By Ford series will race on the Brands Indy circuit layout on the May 3-5 Bank
Holiday weekend. The event will be supported by the British Touring Car
Championship.
Speaking on the AUTOSPORT central stage at the NEC in Birmingham, Pook said:
"It's a fabulous race track for us and our cars and the public will be able
to see virtually every aspect of it from anywhere on the circuit. The Indy
circuit isn't really an oval but it is as close to a road racing oval as you are
going to get.
"We have done some simulations and we have got a little bit of work to do,
particularly at Paddock Hill Bend, which is one the world's most awe-inspiring
turns. We are told that our entry speeds will be around 175mph and the cars will
exit at around 150. It will certainly sort the men from the boys in a
hurry."
He cited the circuit's location near to England's capital London as a major
plus point for the event.
"With its proximity to London, [the track] will draw from the dedicated
motorsport fans, not only in the UK, but from other countries too," he
added. "CART is committed to expanding in Europe and Brands Hatch is a
strategic move forward in our development plans."
The last time CART raced at Brands was in 1978, when Rick Mears won in a
Penske-Cosworth. CART has raced in Britain for two years at the Rockingham oval.