DETROIT — Defending PPG Cup champion Jimmy Vasser heads an entry list of 28 drivers participating in the second annual Championship Auto Racing Teams Spring Training, Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Metro-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex in Homestead, Fla.

Vasser drove his Target/Chip Ganassi Racing Reynard Honda to victory in the 1996 PPG Indy Car World Series, scoring four victories and becoming the first driver to win the championship while completing every race. Vasser posted the best practice speed of the week in last year's inaugural Spring Training at Homestead, then went on to win the season opener a month later at the same venue.

Twenty-seven of his peers have set their sights on Vasser in the chase for the 1997 PPG Cup, including former series champions Bobby Rahal (Miller Lite Reynard Ford), Michael Andretti (Kmart Texaco Havoline Swift Ford), Al Unser Jr. (Marlboro Penske Mercedes), and 1996 Rookie of the Year Alex Zanardi (Target Reynard Honda). Spring Training affords Vasser's pursuers the opportunity to shake down their 1997 packages with three days of testing in anticipation of the March 2 Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami, presented by Toyota, the opening of the PPG CART World Series season.

"We're delighted to have such a large field of cars and drivers joining us for our second Spring Training,'" said Andrew Craig, CART president and chief executive officer. "Our inaugural Spring Training in 1996 was well received by the participants, the media and the fans, and, after the extremely competitive season which followed, we're expecting an even more successful event in 1997."

Open test sessions are scheduled for Thursday afternoon, Jan. 30; Friday morning and afternoon, Jan. 31; and Saturday morning and afternoon, Feb. 1. Off-track activities will be highlighted by the MCI Celebrity Softball Classic, featuring PPG Cup drivers versus celebrities, scheduled for Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. at the nearby Homestead Sports Complex. Admission to the game is $6.50 for reserved seating, $4.50 for general admission.

Among those taking the field for the drivers will be Vasser, Unser Jr., Paul Tracy, Greg Moore, Bryan Herta, PJ Jones, Christian Fittipaldi, Scott Pruett and former PPG Cup champion and series broadcaster Danny Sullivan, among others.

Celebrities expected to be taking their cuts include actors Jason Priestley, D.B. Sweeney, Grant Show, Alfonso Ribeiro, Mark Paul Gosselar and Jason Bateman; former and current Miami Dolphins Bob Griese, Earl Morrall, Jimmy Cefalo and O.J. McDuffie; and Florida Marlins pitcher Al Leiter.

CART's second Spring Training will also feature a full schedule of media conferences. The tentative schedule for Thursday, Jan. 30 includes sessions with the Brahma Sports Team (a 10:30 a.m. photo opportunity followed by an 11:15 a.m. media conference), Ford/SVO (10:30 a.m.), Mercedes-Benz media luncheon (11:45 a.m.), MCI (12:45 p.m.), Ford Motor Company (1:30 p.m.), and Marlboro Team Penske (5 p.m.).

Friday's docket includes a breakfast conference hosted by Team Rahal (8 a.m.), a luncheon conference hosted by Newman/Haas Racing (12:30 p.m.) and a Target/Chip Ganassi press conference (1:45 p.m.).

PacWest Racing Group (1:30 p.m.) and DellaPenna Motorsports (2 p.m.) have scheduled media conferences for Saturday.

Fans in attendance will want to take advantage of a driver autograph session, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1, from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. Spectator admission is $2 for Thursday, $3 for Friday, $5 for Saturday, or $5 for all three days.

The 1997 Spring Training will prepare teams for the season-opening Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami, presented by Toyota, on March 2 at the Metro-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex.

Source: CART News Service