Pacwest focuses on CART Championship in 2002.

Following completion of the 2001 CART FedEx Championship Series season, PacWest Racing Group is busy preparing for its run at the 2002 CART series championship.

2001 brought success back to the PacWest stable as rookie Scott Dixon captured the Jim Trueman Rookie of the Year Award. Along the way, Dixon became the youngest winner of any major open-wheel racing series with his victory in Nazareth at the age of 20 years and nine months. His early success has lifted the PacWest team as it prepares for the winter testing season - fully committed to the CART series and a 2002 championship.

"We believe CART offers a strong, viable product to PacWest and its sponsors," said PacWest Senior Vice President Mike Lowry. "We remain very supportive of the business model advanced by CART CEO Joe Heitzler and his tireless commitment to make our series the best open-wheel racing series in the world. Hopefully, our winter preparation will give us the advantage necessary to win the CART championship in 2002.

Our expectation is to field a two-car effort in CART next season. We are also considering participation in the Toyota Atlantic series. PacWest has been a supporter of CART's Indy Lights development program for the past five years. Development of young driving talent is what has made CART so special. Among the notable graduates of the Dayton Indy Lights Championship is PacWest Champ Car driver Scott Dixon and seven other drivers who raced in CART's season finale two weeks ago at Fontana. That say's a lot about the importance of CART's driver development program."

Although PacWest has yet to announce their engine and chassis line-up for 2002, an announcement is expected shortly. PacWest will also be introducing their slate of sponsors for the 2002 season, including its traditional core of high-tech companies and the possibility of a new primary sponsor to the team's mix. PacWest sponsors are expected to not only add support to the team's championship run, but also be integrally involved in development of business opportunities with CART and its corporate partners.

PacWest Racing Group was formed in 1993, and has fielded two cars in the CART series for the past eight years.