Andretti voted most popular driver in CART.

Fans have voted Team Motorola driver Michael Andretti as the 2001 recipient of the WorldCom Most Popular Driver Award, the sponsor and series organiser CART announced today [Thursday].

Andretti becomes the second driver to win the award. It was first presented in 1999 and in each of the first two years, 1999 FedEx Championship Series champion and 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Montoya was voted as the WorldCom Most Popular Driver. Montoya recently completed his first season in Formula One with the BMW WilliamsF1 team, and recorded a victory in September's Italian Grand Prix at the historic Monza circuit.

"WorldCom would like to congratulate Michael Andretti for winning the third annual WorldCom Most Popular Driver Award," said WorldCom director of sports marketing, Andy Deas, "We look forward to celebrating with him and the lucky fan who will present the award at the CART banquet in Las Vegas. We are excited to be a part of this 'up-close-and-personal' program that brings
CART fans closer to their favourite sport and to their favourite drivers."

Out of 32,623 votes polled, Andretti received 21.99 per cent of the total. Marlboro Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves finished second with 12.78 per cent, followed by Team KOOL Green's Paul Tracy with 10.92 per cent and Kenny Brack of Team Rahal with 8.14 per cent. Rounding out the top five was two-time FedEx Championship Series champion Alex Zanardi, with 6.7 per cent.

"It's a very special honour to have won the WorldCom Most Popular Driver Award," Andretti said, "It makes you feel good when the fans appreciate you, and it is really an honour that so many voted for me. It's just awesome that the winner of the trip to Fontana and Las Vegas is from Pennsylvania."

Andretti will divide the $25,000 winner's cheque equally among five different charities - the Northwestern University Settlement Association, the Missionary Vehicle Association, the Cody Unser First Step Foundation, the Maryville Academy, and the Sara Lee Corporation Foundation.

Additionally, CART and WorldCom announced 47-year old Pennsylvania resident Spike Mancuso as the winner of the Most Popular Driver Sweepstakes, meaning that Mancuso and his son, Tony, will travel to California Speedway for this weekend's 2001 season-ending Marlboro 500 presented by Toyota in California.

They will also be in attendance at The Venetian in Las Vegas on Tuesday night for the CART Year End Awards Banquet, where Mancuso will present Andretti with the 2001 WorldCom Most Popular Driver Award and the winner's cheque. While in Las Vegas, Mancuso will also participate in a Driving 101 experience as part of his prize for winning the sweepstakes.

"I don't know who had the bigger smile - my 15-year old son or me - when Tony opened the overnight FedEx package and read the letter congratulating me on winning the WorldCom Most Popular Driver Sweepstakes," Mancuso said.

"I attended my first Champcar race in 1974 and have been a huge fan ever since. This summer, Tony and I attended four races. That makes 15 years in a row that Tony has been to at least one CART event - he is truly a lifetime fan.

"What makes this year even more special though is the fact that we have a small part in honouring Michael Andretti for winning this award. My entire family, my wife Gail, son Keith, Tony, and I have been Andretti fans from day one. It will be a treat for Tony and I to have the opportunity to thank Michael for all the entertainment his family has provided for our family over the years. So to CART and WorldCom, thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime! Tony and I are looking forward to a weekend we will never forget!"