The Race is on for Player's Team

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Player's Future Up in the Air
©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.
Health Canada official give Player's
green light for Nazareth race
By Dan Proudfoot — Toronto Sun
Player's yesterday got the green flag from Health Canada officials to goracing this weekend at Nazareth, Pa.
Greg Moore, among the favorites to win Sunday's Bosch Grand Prix CART raceon the oval in Mario Andretti's backyard, was one of five Player's driverswho got the news last night.
"Obviously, I'm very, very happy with the news," Greg Moore said from hishome in Maple Ridge, B.C. "We had tried to keep the possibility of missingthe race quiet from the guys on the team as they prepared for the Player'scar, but Tony (Brunetti, team manager), Gerry (Forsythe, team owner), my dadand myself were really concerned.
"After what happened in Long Beach (failing to finish and collect anypoints) we realized that missing one more race just kills any hope of thechampionship. Add to that, Nazareth is a track where we've always done well,and expect to do well. We have a shot at winning there."
The news also came as a relief to Toronto's David Empringham. "I had real doubt whether we'd be racing after the conference call thedrivers had with higher-ups last Friday," said Empringham, the defendingIndy Lights champion.
Player's announced Friday it would pull its five drivers from the CART,Lights and Atlantic races rather than risk prosecution should Bill C-71,limiting tobacco marketing, receive royal assent later this week.
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Molson Indy races in Toronto and Vancouver had been relieved to learn lastFriday that Health Minister David Dingwall was promising an amendmentallowing tobacco-sponsored teams to show their colors in Canadian races.Player's was also advised the rules were different for Canadian companiesand its cars couldn't show their logos in races on foreign soil broadcastback to Canada.
"I think there was confusion, and now we have the clarification we need,"Jean Paul Blais, Player's Limited president, said last night. "As soon as we met Monday with eight or nine Health Canada officials, theyunderstood our situation and said they hadn't intended to make it impossiblefor us to continue. But I requested written clarification, and this wereceived (yesterday) at 4:30 p.m."
Source: Canadian Online Explorer


		JUST RELEASED! — The Official Directory for CART Racing

		Player's Future Up in the Air ©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc. Health Canada official give Player's green light for Nazareth race By Dan Proudfoot — Toronto Sun Player's yesterday got the green flag from Health Canada officials to goracing this weekend at Nazareth, Pa. Greg Moore, among the favorites to win Sunday's Bosch Grand Prix CART raceon the oval in Mario Andretti's backyard, was one of five Player's driverswho got the news last night. "Obviously, I'm very, very happy with the news," Greg Moore said from hishome in Maple Ridge, B.C. "We had tried to keep the possibility of missingthe race quiet from the guys on the team as they prepared for the Player'scar, but Tony (Brunetti, team manager), Gerry (Forsythe, team owner), my dadand myself were really concerned. "After what happened in Long Beach (failing to finish and collect anypoints) we realized that missing one more race just kills any hope of thechampionship. Add to that, Nazareth is a track where we've always done well,and expect to do well. We have a shot at winning there." The news also came as a relief to Toronto's David Empringham. "I had real doubt whether we'd be racing after the conference call thedrivers had with higher-ups last Friday," said Empringham, the defendingIndy Lights champion. Player's announced Friday it would pull its five drivers from the CART,Lights and Atlantic races rather than risk prosecution should Bill C-71,limiting tobacco marketing, receive royal assent later this week. RELIEVED Molson Indy races in Toronto and Vancouver had been relieved to learn lastFriday that Health Minister David Dingwall was promising an amendmentallowing tobacco-sponsored teams to show their colors in Canadian races.Player's was also advised the rules were different for Canadian companiesand its cars couldn't show their logos in races on foreign soil broadcastback to Canada. "I think there was confusion, and now we have the clarification we need,"Jean Paul Blais, Player's Limited president, said last night. "As soon as we met Monday with eight or nine Health Canada officials, theyunderstood our situation and said they hadn't intended to make it impossiblefor us to continue. But I requested written clarification, and this wereceived (yesterday) at 4:30 p.m." Source: Canadian Online Explorer