CART Drivers To Compete In IROC
Jimmy Vasser, the PPG CART World Series champion for the 1996 season, will drive in the 1997 True Value Firebird International Race of Champions.

Joining Vasser in accepting invitations were three other top drivers from CART's 1996 campaign: Rookie of the Year Alex Zanardi, Al Unser, Jr. and Robby Gordon. The four join NASCAR drivers Mark Martin, Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon and Dale Jarrett in the lineup for the series. The remaining drivers in the 12-car field will be announced at a later date.

The four-race IROC series begins during SpeedWeek at Daytona International Speedway. The IROC race will be Feb. 14. Events will also be held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, California Speedway in Fontana, Calif., and at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. The drivers will be competing in equally prepared Pontiac Firebird TransAms.

Firestone Equips More CART Teams In 1997
Firestone, winner of ten of last year’s 16 PPG Cup races, will return to the series this year with an even stronger contingent of top teams.

Defending PPG Cup champion Jimmy Vasser and Alex Zanardi are both back in the Target/Chip Ganassi Racing stable where they combined to win seven races and 10 pole positions in 1996. Vasser won three of the first four 1996 CART race and four overall on his way to the title. Zanardi won three races at Portland, Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca.

Tasman motorsports teammates Andre Ribeiro and Adrian Fernandez provided Firestone with its remaining three victories last year on the CART circuit, and they will be racing for more in 1997. Ribeiro won in his home country of Brazil and later at Michigan in the Marlboro 500. Fernandez earned his first victory at Toronto.

Also returning to the Firestone fold is Scott Pruett, who served as the tire program’s test driver in 1994 and logged the first victory for the Firehawk in 1995 in the Marlboro 500. Pruett will have Raul Boesel as a teammate this year on the Brahma Sports Team (Patrick Racing), the veteran Brazilian’s first season on Firestones.

Greg Moore is back with the Player’s/Forsythe team after an impressive rookie campaign that saw him finish ninth in the season standings. Among his highlights were a second place finish at Nazareth and third-place showings at Australia and Cleveland.

Parker Johnstone is a Firestone veteran in 1997, but will be racing under new colors. The amiable driver has taken his talents from the Brix/Comptech team to Team KOOL Green this season, but he’ll still be riding on Firehawks. The Barry Green team announced the switch to Firestone late last year.

A pair of promising CART drivers are new to the Firestone family in 1997. The PacWest Racing duo of Mauricio Gugelmin and Mark Blundell will race on Firestones for the first time.

Arciero/Wells Racing’s Max Papis will also get his first full season on Firestones. The team will also field Hiro Matsushita who returns for a second stint with Arciero/Wells (1995) but his third-straight season on Firestones.

Mirror Rules Change For 1997
In addition to reduced boost (40 inches), less fuel on-board (35 gallons), increased mileage (2.0 mpg) and reduced aerodynamics, CART has also instituted a rule change for the mirrors in 1997.

Just to step back in time for a little history — previous to 1989 there were no rules governing mirror size or placement on the cars. In 1989, CART adopted rules that the mirrors were to be no less than 1 3/4" high, by 4" wide, but still had no rules on mirror placement.

For 1997, the mirrors are to be a minimum of 2" high, by 4 1/4" wide. Also for 1997, touted "The Penkse Rule", the inside edges of the mirror are to be a minimum of 19" apart. Previously, the Penske cars had their mirrors positioned partially into the windscreen. This was an aerodynamic move on Penske's part, but it rendered the inside edges of the mirrors virtually useless.

In addition, the CART rules also recommend the use of spherical or ashperical mirrors instead of standard flat mirrors, for increased visibility.