Texas to run CART and IRL in 2001?

Texas Motor Speedway has suddenly become a key figure in a possible reconciliation between America's two leading single seater championships after appearing on a provisional 2001 Champ Car schedule recently.

The 1.5 mile oval recently agreed an extension to its current contract with the IRL which will see the tri-oval host two IRL events each year until the end of the 2004 season. It also forms an integral part of the restructured IRL series which is trying to bring some stability to its calendar for the first time.

Texas was also branded about in Champ Car circles as a new oval race for the Fed-Ex Championship Series after a provisional schedule was handed around the CART pit-lane in Portland recently. New interim CART boss Bobby Rahal has neither confirmed or denied whether Texas will feature in CART next year and there would be many delicate issues which would need to be resolved if the track was to appear in both championships.

Previously, no track has held events for both championships in the same season. Phoenix and New Hampshire both left Champ Cars for the IRL as did Indianapolis. No Champ Car has run on those circuits in anger since the split at the end of 1995 although Champ Car teams Walker Racing and Ganassi Racing competed in this years Indy 500, albeit in IRL machinery.

There have been ongoing calls to reunite the two championships and with CART teams now being tentatively welcomed to Indy, a possible deal with Texas could bring the series' closer together still.

Next years Champ Car calendar has not been finalised yet and Texas could still find itself missing from the final cut, either because of contractual obstacles or a lack of space on the cramped Fed-Ex schedule. However judging by the incredible race that the IRL drivers put on for the fans last month, the track should be worth a look at least.