CART confirms Mexico City for 2002.

The Champcar calendar has grown to include another new venue for 2002, following an announcement that CART had reached an agreement to stage a second race south of the American-Mexican border.

Along with Mexico-based entertainment giant Corporacion Interamericana de Entretenimiento [CIE] and Forsythe Racing impresario Gerald Forsythe, CART announced a multi-year deal to stage the race at a former Formula One circuit on the outskirts of Mexico City. The agreement, made by CART chairman and CEO Joseph Heitzler, CIE's COO and vice-chairman Rodrigo Gonzalez Calvillo and Forsythe, marks the largest North American sanction fee in CART's 23-year history. The five-year sanction agreement is understood to cost in the region of $4 million a year, but takes Champcar racing back.to the Mexican capital for the first time since 1981.

"We are extremely excited about the potential for this race and are looking forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with CIE and Forsythe Racing in Mexico City," Heitzler said, "This decision demonstrates the commitment to our newly established strategic direction and we look forward to providing Mexican fans with our exciting style of racing, while maximising this opportunity for CIE, Forsythe and CART.

"Our initial [Mexican] race in Monterrey this past March saw overwhelming support for our series, the weekend attendance establishing a CART event record. This arrangement with CIE reinforces CART's strategic focus on taking its events, and our racing product in general, to the next level of sports entertainment, but will also give us another opportunity to reach out with CART racing to the large and growing group of Hispanic fans who are attracted to our sport."

CIE, a major player in the entertainment business with interests ranging from concerts to sporting events, will partner Forsythe Racing, which runs three cars in the FedEx Series, to promote the event, while Forsythe will also provide operational and management expertise for the race.

"Incorporating Mexico City into the 2002 CART schedule places it alongside such major worldwide venues as Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Japan, Mexico and the United States," claimed Calvillo, "This represents the opportunity for CIE to participate in one of the highest growing activities in terms of live attendance and worldwide TV audience, as well as an event that attracts more sponsorship than any other sporting event. Likewise, it marks our entrance into the motorsports industry on a long-term vision with clear business opportunities for CIE."

The race is set to be staged on the road course at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which is located within the Magdalena Mixhuca sports city approximately 15 minutes from the centre of Mexico City. CIE and Forsythe plan to invest $25-30 million in facility improvements. A date for the event has yet to be confirmed, but will be announced when CART unveils its 2002 FedEx Championship Series schedule.