By Norris McDonald

The nice thing about being young is that the world is your oyster and youlook through eyes that are nothing but optimistic.

Which explains why Greg Moore, the Canadian whiz-kid from Maple Ridge, B.C.,truly believes he will be a contender for this year's PPG Cup Indy-car worldseries title — his second on the circuit after finishing ninth last year — andthat he will start the long march to the championship by winning tomorrow'sseason-opening race at Homestead, Fla.

All that — despite starting the season in a used car.

Moore, 21, will take the green at the wheel of his 1996 Reynard (withMercedes power) instead of the 1997 Lola that Forsythe Racing, hisemployers, had planned on. The decision came after a disastrous springtraining session in Florida a month ago.

"That was a humbling experience," Moore said in an interview from Floridathis week. "We had expected to do well with the Lola — everybody expected usto be fast — but we weren't. Other cars were more than a second faster a lapthan we were and we tried but we just couldn't make it go fast."

"So we sat down and talked it out and decided the Reynard was the only wayto go. I'm going into this season fully expecting to be running for the topthree in the championship. I want to start winning races. I couldn't doeither in the Lola. We'll have a new '97 car for the next race [inAustralia] but I'll drive the '96 car this weekend. We ran some tests a fewweeks ago and it felt real good."

A rules change stipulated by CART for the Florida race could play right intoMoore's hands.

"We'll be running speedway wings at Homestead [wings are nose and taildevices that keep the car on the ground, but in this case will be flat,instead of the high billboard-type behind the driver's head that are used onsmaller ovals and on road/street courses such as the Molson Indy races inToronto and Vancouver]. That could work to our advantage."

"Our car didn't change a lot during the races on the high-speed ovals a yearago. We didn't have to make a lot of adjustments during our pit stops. I'mhoping that will be the case this weekend, and if it is, I could win thisrace."

Homestead is the first of the 16 races that will make up this year's PPGCup, including the Molson Indy Toronto in July and the Molson Indy Vancouverin August. For the second consecutive year, the series will not include theIndianapolis 500 — but that's something that could change.

Moore said he was aware Roger Penske had said he would only be too happy torun Indianapolis again (restricted mainly to full-time runners in the rivalIndy Racing League) as long as he was allowed to design his own chassis andengine and that Indy 500 officials had said they were open to dialogue withPenske.

"I think things will eventually straighten themselves out," Moore said. "Butit could take four or five years. It would be nice to go there [Indy],though. You know, I could be a four- or five-year Indy-car veteran and winthe Indy 500 as a rookie."

In the short term, Moore is quite happy to be running the CART series — acircuit he maintains is the most competitive in the auto-racing world.

"At any one race, you have 12 to 15 drivers who can win," he said, "and youcan't say that about any other series. The competition is fierce and, to behonest, I think we're heading into the best CART season ever."

"I think the Target team of [Alex] Zanardi and [defending champion Jimmy]Vasser are going to be really tough this year. And Paul [Tracy, a fellowCanadian] and Junior [Al Unser Jr.] will be right there in the Penske cars.Gil de Ferran will be tough, and the Bobby Rahal team. As I said, there's somany."

Moore said he's happy to see a third Canadian, Formula Atlantic championPatrick Carpentier, running the full CART series for BettenhausenMotorsports but thinks the young Quebecker will take some time getting hisfeet wet.

"I don't think Patrick will be real fast at the start. I'd give him a yearto feel his way around and then I think people can start looking for him toturn in some results."

Moore is following the debate over tobacco sponsorship in Canada withinterest, because Player's is his major sponsor on the CART circuit and itwas help from Player's that took him from running midfield in the IndyLights series to the front of the pack.

"I can't let it [the pending legislation] distract me, because I have to domy job," he said.

"But I often think to myself, 'Where would I be without Player's?' They werethe people who gave me the opportunity to fulfill my lifelong dream. For me,it's been such a great thing. I go to race in Toronto and Vancouver and Pauland I, we're the Canadian heroes."

"I have to be perfectly honest: There is no way I would be there if itwasn't for them."