US Champ Car series aims for greater European audience

[Wizzo]

Champ car racer Justin Wilson – from Sheffield – returns back to British soil this week to promote the Champ Car visits to Europe as the series tries to promote itself as a world wide championship.

Justin – along with several other drivers and team bosses, including Paul Stoddart - will visit London, Belgium, Amsterdam and Paris to try and poach the traditionally European bias towards F1. With the addition of China to the 2007 calendar and rounds at Zolder, Belguim and Assen, Holland the Champ Car executives maybe pulling a shrewd move.

The last F1 race in Holland was 22 years ago and with the popularity of open wheeled racing and the success of current Dutch driver - Robert Doornbos – the race on September 2nd is set to be a sell out.

Equally the first race at Zolder on August 26th should see lots of Brits migrating to Belgium for a long bank holiday weekend. Currently over half of the Champ Car drivers are from Europe with four from Britain – including Northampton’s Katherine Legge the first female to win a major open wheeled race in the US – so maybe a British win in top flight single seater racing is not left for Hamilton to forge alone.

[Dare]

The funny thing about Champ Car,America's version
of F1 is that there's only 1 American driver in it.That
may change soon as I think Scott Speed will soon
be looking for a ride somewhere

[cosworth151]

They chose the right people. Stoddert, Wilson and Doornbos all have F1 backgrounds. If A1 tanks, maybe Champ Car can pick up some of the slack. I have to say, though, I think the only future for open wheel over here is for Champ Car and IndyCar to get back together.

I do like Champ Car's engine supplier, though.

[Dare]

To me CC resembles F! in the 80's a little.Just wish
they could race on some of the historic circuits,would
be interesting