CART -- Championship Auto Racing Teams. CART is the definitive open wheel racing league in the U.S. As of the 2000 season, they drive Champ cars with V8 Honda, Toyota, Ford, and Mercedes engines. In the early ninties, Indy Car racing forked into CART and the IRL. CART kept all the exceptional drivers and teams, IRL kept the Indianapolis 500, the most watched racing event in the world. CART is easily the most competitive open wheel racing series in the world, and it is gaining worldwide support and acceptance. In CART, the focus is on the driver and the crew, rather than the technology the team has available, as it is in Formula 1. This, coupled with the fierce competition, is why many claim CART is the better series.

Just three minor corrections:

It's Roger Penske, not Roger Pensky.

Roger Penske does not own CART, though he has been a major shareholder in it since its inception.

CART is generally considered to be more competitive than Formula 1, not less competitive. While it is true that the better drivers tend to gravitate to F1 this is more because of financial reasons than anything else. Due to the degree of technical sophistication and development necessary to be competitive in Formula 1, it's been pretty much a two-team show (Ferrari and MacLaren) for the past several years, even though there are 12 or 13 teams that have been competing. Due to the wide technology gaps between the F1 teams, the drivers rarely get to showcase their abilities.

CART is currently a publicly traded company. CART's stock ticker is MPH. It first went public in 1998 at which point all franchise owners were issued shares and an IPO was made. After the IPO CART used some of the funds to purchase the Toyota Atlantic and Indy Lights racing series, and now there is a CART ladder system for developing drivers in lesser formulas and bringing them to CART Champ Cars (currently known as the FedEx Championship Series). CART is technically a sanctioning body.

It's also worth noting that while Mario Andretti did return to CART after driving in Formula 1 for some years, he had driven in the predecessor to CART/IndyCar years before going to F1. At that time the racing series was generally referred to as the USAC Gold Crown series.

Cart (?), n. [AS. craet; cf. W. cart, Ir. & Gael. cairt, or Icel. kartr. Cf. Car.]

1.

A common name for various kinds of vehicles, as a Scythian dwelling on wheels, or a chariot.

"Phebus' cart."

Shak.

2.

A two-wheeled vehicle for the ordinary purposes of husbandry, or for transporting bulky and heavy articles.

Packing all his goods in one poor cart. Dryden.

3.

A light business wagon used by bakers, grocerymen, butchers, atc.

4.

An open two-wheeled pleasure carriage.

Cart horse, a horse which draws a cart; a horse bred or used for drawing heavy loads. -- Cart load, ∨ Cartload, as much as will fill or load a cart. In excavating and carting sand, gravel, earth, etc., one third of a cubic yard of the material before it is loosened is estimated to be a cart load. -- Cart rope, a stout rope for fastening a load on a cart; any strong rope. -- To put (∨ getset) the cart before the horse, to invert the order of related facts or ideas, as by putting an effect for a cause.

 

© Webster 1913.


Cart, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Carted; p. pr. & vb. n. Carting.]

1.

To carry or convey in a cart.

2.

To expose in a cart by way of punishment.

She chuckled when a bawd was carted. Prior.

 

© Webster 1913.


Cart, v. i.

To carry burdens in a cart; to follow the business of a carter.

 

© Webster 1913.

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