|
Texas Motor Speedway sues CART over last-minute race cancellation |
||
| May
9, 2001
BY HERB GOULD STAFF REPORTER CART is headed to court over the cancellation of the inaugural Firestone Firehawk 600 on April 29. Texas Motor Speedway sued CART on Tuesday, seeking millions of dollars that were lost because of the last-minute cancellation at the Fort Worth track. The race was postponed just two hours before it was to start after drivers had complained of dizziness during practice. Cars had reached speeds of more than 230 mph on the high-banked track, subjecting the drivers to G-forces that potentially could have made them lose consciousness. Eddie Gossage, the speedway's general manager, said CART would have known about the potential problems had it done proper testing. In letters and faxes sent to CART officials months before the event, Gossage had questioned whether speeds of more than 230 mph would be safe on the track. He said he had been assured CART was ready to race at his facility. The lawsuit seeks the return of the purse and sanction fee paid by the speedway to CART, plus unspecified compensation for expenses, lost profits and other damages. |
||