CART partners launch programme to promote safety.

Championship Auto Racing Teams, in a partnership with Ford Racing, Shell and Simple Green, will utilise several Ford-powered Champcar drivers to help promote automobile, helmet and environmental safety among children through the formation of CART Wheels For Kids summer youth camp programme.

The drivers will visit summer camps in six race markets - Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Brooklyn, Michigan, Chicago and Columbus - in a concerted effort to relay safety messages to children regarding such key components as seatbelts, helmets and the environment, educate them about the sport and the FedEx Championship Series, and create a special experience for all those involved.

"Thanks to the partnership between CART, Ford Racing, Shell and Simple Green, this programme provides an excellent avenue to promote automobile, helmet and environmental safety to children, as well as giving them the opportunity to meet and talk with some of the stars of the most competitive racing series in the world," said Mike Zizzo, CART vice-president of competition public relations.

"The summer camps allow us to reach a large number of children at once - the groups range from 250 to over 1000 per camp - and give us the ability to provide memorable experiences for more than 4000 children overall in several race markets. We are hopeful that the success of this programme will allow us to expand this foundation in the future."

CART Wheels For Kids will kick off this Thursday at the Safe & Sound after-school programme in Milwaukee, as the FedEx Championship Series arrives in nearby West Allis for the weekend's Miller Lite 225 at The Milwaukee Mile. Sigma Autosport driver Oriol Servia will be the featured guest at Safe and Sound, where he will visit more than 250 children to initiate the first of six CART Wheels For Kids visits throughout the country this summer. A seventh event is tentatively scheduled during the school year in Houston's Harris County in conjunction with the 7 October Texaco/Havoline Grand Prix of Houston.

Other Ford drivers participating in CART Wheels For Kids are Kenny Brack and Max Papis of Team Rahal, Bryan Herta of Zakspeed Forsythe Racing and Michel Jourdain Jr of Herdez Bettenhausen.

"This programme will give the kids a tremendous insight into safety both in racing and on the road," said Brack, the 2000 CART Rookie of the Year, "Companies like Shell, Ford, Simple Green and CART can really affect the children and their futures with this programme. Highway safety is such an important issue that we want to make children aware of this programme and explain how seatbelts, helmets and other safety equipment are essential."

Simpson Racing Products also has produced and donated a specially made child-sized firesuit as well as gloves, shoes and a helmet to assist the driver in explaining about safety features. One lucky child at each camp will get to suit up with the Champcar driver and receive the opportunity to sit in the show car as the driver explains the nuances of the car and the sport.

Each camper in every market will receive a special CART Wheels For Kids gift bag courtesy of CART, Ford Racing, Shell and Simple Green. Among some of the items included will be a Lego race car, CART Wheels For Kids poster, CART
driver trading cards and CART stickers. All three partners, as well as the track promoter in that respective race market, also will have items for special give-aways from the driver during the Question and Answer session, including special Lego sets, weekend race tickets, and various other merchandise.

The CART Wheels For Kids programme will be held on the Thursday of race week in those selected markets. Prior to the Tenneco Automotive Grand Prix of Detroit at The Raceway on Belle Isle (June 15-17), the CART Wheels For Kids will be held on 14 June at the YMCA of Livonia. In preparation for the Marconi Grand Prix of Cleveland at Burke Lakefront Airport on 1 July, the visit will be held on 28 June at the YMCA of Cleveland.

"Because safety is so important to Ford Motor Company, we look forward to meeting and educating these youngsters about the importance of wearing the proper safety equipment," said Burt Diamond, global marketing manager for Ford Racing Technology, "Ford is committed to remaining an industry leader in production vehicle safety, and we are active in the pursuit of safety for CART and its Champcar drivers. Our hope is that this programme will provide the campers with a fun, energetic atmosphere from which they can meet and interact with one of the stars of CART while also learning to use a helmet and seatbelt when riding their bike, rollerblading or riding in a car."

The Miller Lite 225 at Milwaukee is round six of 21 in the 2001 FedEx Championship Series.