CART driver and team lineup

[KC]

Below is a list of drivers for the CART 2002 season. This list is those that have signed and may be subject to change befroe the season begins.

Adrian Fernandez Fernandez Racing
Shinji Nakano Fernandez Racing
Mario Dominguez(R) Herdez Competition
Tony Kanaan Mo Nunn Racing
Cristiano daMatta Newman/Haas Racing
Christian Fittipaldi Newman/Haas Racing
Scott Dixon PacWest Racing
Townsend Bell(R) Patrick Racing
Partrick Carpentier Player's/Forsythe Racing
Alex Tagliani Player's/Forsythe Racing
Max Papis Sigma Autosport
Kenny Brack Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
Bruno Junqueria Target/Chip Ganassi Racing
Dario Franchitti Team KOOL Green
Paul Tracy Team KOOL Green
Michael Andretti Team Motorola
Jimmy Vasser Patrick Racing
Tora Takagi Walker Racing

The rookie of the year battle looks set to be between Dominguez and Bell. The race for the title should be between Brack, Franchitti, Tracy and Andretti. A few long shots would be daMatta, Fernandez, Carpentier, Kanaan, Dixon and maybe Vasser. Of the smaller teams look out for Papis and Takagi to run for consistency. The others have not really shown me enough to make them contenders and need to raise their game to me. Tagliani has the speed but needs to get consistent. Junqueria probably has the confidence now, but needs the same consistency. Bell is smooth and fast but is in a new series without an established teammate. Nakano I am unsure of, who knows what is going there. Dominguez I think will struggle but eventually get it sorted out.

What do you think?

I want to post a thread on the IRL for the same thing but I cannot locate a driver and team listing for those that have signed. If anyone can find one lets get a thread started for the IRL the same way.

[Bostrom155]

There are only 3 IRL drivers worth mentioning:


Gil De Ferran -Penske
Castroneves - Penske
Giafonne- Mo Nunn

The rest of the drivers and teams are pure rubbish, last years Indy 500 results point to that. Your next IRL champ will be one of these 3, Brazilians have taken over the 'ALL AMERICAN' IRL, LOL I love it!

[Neil C]

Bostrom, your new here, so welcome, but KC is trying to post a sincere, thoughtful summary of both series' preseason lineups. It was not an invitation to start another pointless IRL/CART feud.

IRL has become more interesting in the past two seasons, and I for one will be cheering 10/10's member and fellow Michigan resident, Rob Buhl to give the Penske boy's a run for their money.

[Raven]

There should still be a couple more names to add - Servia @ PacWest and perhaps Jordian at Rahal, Moreno at Sigma.

My preditions

Championship top 10:
1. da Matta
2. Brack (+Indy)
3. Junqueira
4. Vasser
5. Andretti
6. Franchitti
7. Kanaan
8. Dixon
9. Tracy
10. Carpentier

Winners
da Matta - 5 wins
Brack - 4 wins
Junqueira - 3 wins
Franchitti - 2 wins
Vasser - 1 win
Tagliani - 1 win
Tracy - 1 win
Kanaan - 1 win

ROTY: Bell

I'm going for a da Matta vs Ganassi duo championship battle with CdM taking the honours in Fontana. Vasser to return to his consistent top 5 finishes, with a win or two somewhere along the way. Andretti will be consistent too, but he's pushing 40 now and I doubt he'll lift another championship. I think TKG will be their usual inconsistent selves, PT was really below par last year, despite some bad luck. That said I think they'll both have their good days and pick up a win or two each. Tagliani to get his first win and Kanaan his 2nd with the much better Mo Nunn team. Dixon should have another solid year, yet hard pushed to better his 2001 season. Rookie of the year should go to Bell comfortably, I'm interested to see how he'll do next year.

Things can't get much worse than they were in 2001, so roll on Monterrey!

[The Beer Baron]

Wow, does Robbie Buhl lurk here?

Bostrum, I wouldn't discout, other top IRL teams, Menard,Hemelgarn,Panther!

Oh well, at least there's enough in the IRL for you to give it a fair look!

[Dr. Austin]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by The Beer Baron

Wow, does Robbie Buhl lurk here?"

He might have until the greeting he just got from bostrom. Why does he need to be treated like that when they welcome him with open arms at Track forum?

[SevenGrain]

My CART prediction goes more like this...

1. daMatta
2. Andretti
3. Brack
4. Carpentier
5. Franchitti
6. Dixon
7. Junqueira
8. Vasser
9. Papis
10.Kanaan

If Servia and PacWest can agree to terms and make this deal happen, then he may break into the winners circle this season. Otherwise, Tagliani is likely to get that first win as well.

[Dr. Austin]

Hopefully they will televise some of the test. With the 24 hours on the same weekend, why leave the house?

[KC]

My goal is to get viable conversation going about each series, not which is better or any of that. These two series are separate entites and I would like to treat them as such.

I hope SevenGrain does not mind I am going to start a new IRL thread with his post so that we can discuss the coming IRL season in its own thread to help avoid problems.

[Liz]

1. daMatta
2. Kanaan
3. Junqueria
4. Brack
5. Franchitti
6. Dixon
7. Andretti
8. Vasser
9. Papis
10.Bell

Those are my predictions. Kanaan and Mo Nunn have declared that this season they are "Racing for Alex" and I think that will make a BIG difference.

And I look for Bruno to outdrag Brack simply because there are more street and road courses than ovals, and Bruno has also demonstrated some speed on the ovals -- where Brack's success has mainly come from driving rings around himself.

I might also reverse Dixon and Franchitti as the season develops.