All American Racers Owner: Dan Gurney Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1966 World Championships: 1(1974) Sponsor: Castrol(lubricant) Chassis: Eagle 997 Engine: Toyota RV8D Tires: Goodyear Eagle

#36 Alex Barron USA Round 1-7 #36 Gualter Salles Brasil Round 8-14 #36 Raul Boesel Brasil Round 15,20 #36 Andrea Montermini Italia Round 16-19

One of only 3 original entrants of CART in 1979 that are still in the series. Dan Gurney is credited with creating the CART acronym. AAR is actually much older than any other current Champ Car team, their first race in the series came in 1966. The team left CART to compete in the IMSA sports car championships before returning to the Championship formula in 1996.

Barron will be the sole driver for the team in 1999. The young driver will have a lot of responsibilities, as the new Eagle continues its development.

AAR has one World Championship title. It was in 1974 with Bobby Unser driving the team's Eagle-Drake-Offy.

All American Racers
Official AAR website
Alex Barron
Official Alex Barron website

Arciero-Wells Racing Owners: Frank Arciero and Cal Wells Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1995 World Championships: 0 Sponsors: MCI WorldCom(telecom), Pioneer(electronics) Chassis: Reynard 99C Engine: Toyota RV8D Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#25 Christiano da Matta Brasil #24 Scott Pruett USA

AWR was created in 1995 when Cal Wells(owner of the PPI off-road racing team) joined the Arciero team. New drivers will fill both AWR cars in 1999. 1998 Lights champion, da Matta, will become the driver for the MCI WorldCom sponsored car. Champ Car race winner, Scott Pruett, will handle the Pioneer sponsored car.

PPI also campaign cars in the CART Formula Atlantic Championship.

MCI Racing
Official MCI website

Bettenhausen Motorsports Owner: Tony Bettenhausen Jr. Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1986 World Championships: 0 Sponsor: Epson(business machines) Chassis: Reynard 98C Engine: Mercedes-Benz IC108E Tires: Goodyear Eagle

#16 Shigeaki Hattori Nippon Round 1-4,6-8,11,15,17 #16 Gualter Salles Brasil Round 5,19

Tony Bettenhausen Jr. is the son of the 2 time World Champion, Tony Bettenhausen Sr. Bettenhausen Motorsports has slowly grown into one of the consistant small teams that always seem likely to break into the big time.

Bettenhausen has signed Lights winner, Shigeaki Hattori, to drive for the team in 1999. Hattori brings sponsorship money from Epson to the cash strapped team. For the time being, it appears that the team might not have enough money to race the full championship. Bettenhausen also has a new Lola B99/00 in their garage, however, they don't have the money to develope it, and so are forced to race the Reynard 98C.

Della Penna Motorsports Owner: John Della Penna Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1996 World Championships: 0 Sponsor: Budweiser(beer) Chassis: Swift 010.c, Reynard 98I, Reynard 99I Engine: Toyota RV8D, Toyota RV8E Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#10 Richie Hearn USA

Argentinian born Della Penna's small team is a fast growing operation. Spending only 3 years in Toyota's Formula Atlantics, the team moved into the IRL before moving up to the CART Championship Series.

Della Penna made a bold decision to change to the developing Toyota engine for 1999. Long time driver, Hearn, hopes that the gamble will pay off as the team must begin to show results.

Della Penna Motorsports
Official DPM website

Forsythe Championship Racing Owner: Gerald "Jerry" Forsythe Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1999 World Championships: 0 Sponsor: McDonald's(food services) Chassis: Reynard 99C Engine: Honda HRS Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#44 Tony Kanaan Brasil

New Zealand born Steve Horne moved his successfull Indy Lights team, Tasman Motorsports, into the Championship Series in 1995 and found immediate success. However, with the withdrawel of their main sponsor following the 1998 season, Horne found the team in financial trouble. As it happened, Gerald Forsythe was preparing to build a new seperate team apart from his Forsythe Racing operation for his new sponsor, McDonald's. Horne and Forsythe was able to make an agreement, where Forsythe would buy Tasman, but leaving the operation in Horne's hands.

Forsythe Championship Racing also campaign cars in the CART Indy Lights Championship with Guy Smith(UK) and Airton Dare(Brasil) as pilots.

McDonald's
Official McDonald's website

Forsythe Racing Owner: Gerald "Jerry" Forsythe Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1983 World Championships: 0 Sponsors: Player's(tobacco) Chassis: Reynard 99C Engine: Mercedes-Benz IC108E Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#99 Greg Moore Canada #33 Patrick Carpentier Canada Round 1-13,15-20

In 1983, Forsythe Racing entered the series with Teo Fabi as pilot, and they missed the World Championship title by only 5 points! However, the team quickly withdrew from the sport. Gerald Forsythe re-entered the series in 1994 as Forsythe/Green Racing with Barry Green as partner. The two seperated after the season and Forsythe Racing was born again.

After a strong 1998 season, Greg Moore is a favorite to win the 1999 World Championship. A dissapointment so far since moving to Forsythe from Bettenhausen, Carpentier must show improved form.

Forsythe Racing also campaign cars in the CART Formula Atlantic Championship with Lee Bentham(Canada) and Alexandre Tagliani(Canada) as pilots.

Forsythe Racing
Official Forsythe Racing website
Player's Racing
Official Player's website(for Canadians only)
Patrick CARTpentier
Official Patrick Carpentier website

Chip Ganassi Racing Owner: Chip Ganassi Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1990 World Championships: 3(1997,1998, 1999) Sponsor: Target(retailer) Chassis: Reynard 99C Engine: Honda HRS Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#4 Juan Pablo Montoya Columbia #12 Jimmy Vasser USA World Champion Driver 1996

Chip Ganassi bought part of Patrick Racing in 1988, two years later, he took complete control of the team, thus began CGR. The team endured many difficulties in its early years despite "name" drivers. It wasn't until Ganassi became the North America importer of Reynard Cars did things begin to change. Following the gamble to switch to Reynard and eventually the equally risky gambles with Honda and Firestone, CGR became 3 time World Champions.

1998 International F3000 champion, Juan Pablo Montoya, will fill the seat vacated by 1998 World Champion, Alessandro Zanardi. Most likely, it will be up to long time Ganassi driver, Vasser, to keep the PPG Cup in the Ganassi team for another year.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing
Official Team Target website
Jimmy Vasser
Official Jimmy Vasser website

Team Gordon Owners: Robby Gordon, John Menard, Mike Held Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1999 World Championships: 0 Sponsor: Johns Mansville(construction materials) Chassis: Swift 010.c, Reynard 98I, Eagle 997 Engine: Toyota RV8D Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#22 Robby Gordon USA

Robby Gordon returns in 1999 as an owner/driver. His new team is in a difficult position as many pieces were put together late in the off season. Gordon becomes the first and only owner/driver since Rahal retired from driving in 1998.

Team Gordon
Official Team Gordon website

Team Green Owner: Barry Green Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1995 World Championships: 1(1995) Sponsor: KOOL(tobacco) Chassis: Reynard 99C Engine: Honda HRS Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#26 Paul Tracy Canada Round 2-20 #26 Raul Boesel Brasil Round 1 #27 Dario Franchitti UK

After being partners with Gerald Forsythe in the Forsythe/Green Racing team in 1994, a remarkable thing happened the following year. Team Green became one of the few teams to win the Championship in its debut year when Green and Forsythe split. However, the jubilation was short lived when Jacques Villeneuve II left the team following 1995. A dry spell of good results ensued, as none of the pilots that came after could bring the team back to its glory. 1998 was a breakthru year as Franchitti found consistency and wins in the second half of the season and is a favorite for the World Championship in 1999.

Paul Tracy was suspended for the first round of the 1999 season due to infractions incurred in 1998. Former Team Green driver, Boesel, was obtained to fill Tracy's seat for Round 1.

Team Green also campaign cars in the CART Indy Lights Championship with Johnny Kane(UK) as the pilot.

Paul Tracy
Official Thrill of West Hill website

Hogan Racing Owner: Carl Hogan Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1997 World Championships: 0 Sponsor: Hogan(motor leasing) Chassis: Reynard 99C Engine: Mercedes-Benz IC108E Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#9 Helio Castro Neves Brasil #21 Luiz Garcia Jr. Brasil Round 14-17

Hogan Racing enters its third year with yet another new pilot, former Bettenahusen pilot, Castro Neves. The team's weakness is its inability to find a major sponsor. Switching to the underdeveloped Lola is another gamble that the team must work with.

Hogan Racing
Official Hogan Racing website

Newman/Haas Racing Owners: Paul Newman, Carl Haas Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1983 World Championships: 3(1984, 1991, 1993) Sponsors: Havoline(lubricant), K-mart(retailer) Chassis: Swift 010.c Engine: Ford Cosworth XD Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#6 Michael Andretti USA World Champion Driver 1991 #11 Christian Fittipaldi Brasil Round 1-12,18-20 #11 Pupo Roberto Moreno Brasil Round 13-17

One of the most successful teams in the modern Championship. Winning its first World Championship in only its second year with Mario Andretti. It would be a seven year wait for the team to get its second championship, this time with Michael Andretti. The last championship was obtained with Nigel Mansell as the pilot. However, all of its previous World Championships came with Lola; it would be a major achievement if the team can bring Swift its first title.

The team made a startling decision to switch to Firestone tires just one month before the start of the 1999 season.

Andretti
Official Andretti website
Texaco
Official Havoline website

PacWest Racing Group Owner: Bruce McCaw Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1993 World Championships since 1979: 0 Sponsors: Hollywood(tobacco), Motorola(electronics) Chassis: Reynard 99C Engine: Mercedes-Benz IC108E Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#17 Mauricio Gugelmin Brasil #18 Mark Blundell UK Round 1-4, 13-20 #18 Pupo Roberto Moreno Brasil Round 5-12

One of the better organized teams in the series. The team began with sponsorless cars in 1993 and slowly built its organization into a winning force on the circuit. The next goal for the team is the World Championship, but that is a much harder task.

After a stellar 1997 season, 1998 proved to be a major dissapointment as the team lagged behind the contenders. This year, the team wants to prove that its success in 1997 wasn't a fluke.

PacWest also campaign cars in the CART Indy Lights Championship with Didier Andre(France) as pilot.

PacWest Racing Group
Official PRG website
Mauricio Gugelmin
Official "Big Mo" website
Mark Blundell
Official "Billy" website

Patrick Racing Owner: UE "Pat" Patrick Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1970 World Championships: 2(1976, 1989) Sponsors: Tecate(beer), Visteon(automotive), Quaker State(lubricant) Chassis: Swift 010.c Engine: Ford Cosworth XD Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#40 Adrian Fernandez Mexico Round 1-13,17-20 #40 PJ Jones USA Round 14-16 #20 PJ Jones USA Round 1-12,20 #20 Jan Magnussen Denmark Round 13-19

One of the founding members of CART, the team had to wait 10 years to obtain its first CART title. The title came with Emerson Fittipaldi piloting a Penske-Chevrolet. However, things began to fall apart after that. The switch to Alfa Romeo power resulted in accusations by Roger Penske that Patrick provided Alfa with information about the Chevrolet engine. When Alfa Romeo withdrew after poor performances, Penske refused to supply the dominant Chevrolet engines to Patrick, forcing the team to disband. It wasn't until Firestone's return to the sport in 1994 did Patrick Racing return.

Switching to the Swift chassis, the team hopes that having the Swift-Ford combination will be an advantage. PJ Jones joins the team after spending many years with AAR.

Patrick has one World Championship title prior to 1979. It was in 1976 with Gordon Johncock driving the team's Wildcat-Offy DGS.

Patrick Racing
Official Patrick Racing website
Adrian Fernandez
Official Adrian Fernandez website

Payton/Coyne Racing Owners: Walter Payton, Dale Coyne Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1995 World Championships: 0 Sponsors: Herdez(package food), Tang(beverage), Smith-Kline Beecham(consumer products) Chassis: Lola B99/00, Reynard 98C Engine: Ford Cosworth XD Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#19 Michel Jourdain Jr. Mexico #71 Luiz Garcia Jr. Brasil Round 1-3,5,8-10 #71 Dennis Vitolo USA Round 11 #71 Memo Gidley USA Round 13-14,16-19 #34 Dennis Vitolo USA Round 1,4,6,7,12,15,20 #34 Gualter Salles Brasil Round 3

The team was formed when Walter Payton joined Coyne Racing in 1995. This small team has endured many with few results. The team has its hopes pinned on 1997 Most Improved Driver, Michel Jourdain Jr. An increased budget for 1999 from Herdez might be the key.

A new Lola B99/00 will be used by Jourdain. Garcia and Vitolo will use year old Reynards. Vitolo will only race in 7 oval races for 1999 due to budget restraints. Coyne hopes that he will be able to have Tarso Marques(Brasil) fill Vitolo's seat in the third car in several road races.

Team Penske Owner: Roger Penske Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1977? World Championships: 9 (1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1994) Sponsors: Marlboro(tobacco) Chassis: Penske PC27B, Lola B99/00 Engine: Mercedes-Benz IC108E Tires: Goodyear Eagle

#2 Al Unser Jr. USA World Champion Driver 1991 World Champion Driver 1994 Round 1, 4-20 #3 Tarso Marques Brasil Round 2-3,5,8-9 #3 Alex Barron USA Round 12,20 #3 Gonzalo Rodriguez Uruguay Round 13,17

Team Penske is clearly the most successfull team in the modern Championship. One of three original members of CART still in the sport, it set the pace for the series by winning the first CART World Championship in 1979. Over the years, drivers such as Rick Mears, Al Unser, Danny Sullivan, and Al Unser Jr. have given the team a record seven World Championships since 1979.

Penske has decided to run only one car for 1999, the first time the team will do so since its first year in the World Championship.

The team also took two world titles prior to 1979. Tom Sneva won the World Championships of 1978 and 1979, driving a McLaren-Cosworth and a Penske-Cosworth respectively.

In some ways, Penske is the only team producing its own engine. Roger Penske owns 25% of Ilmor, the race engine producing arm of Mercedes-Benz.

Tarso Marques substituted for Unser at rounds 2 and 3 of the championship after the former World Champion was injured in the first race of the 1999 season.

Penske Motorsports
Official Penske Speedway website

Team Rahal Owners: Bobby Rahal, David Letterman Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1995 World Championships: 0 Sponsors: Miller Lite(beer), Shell(fuel, lubricant) Chassis: Reynard 99C Engine: Ford Cosworth XD Tires: Firestone Firehawk

#7 Massimiliano Papis Italia #8 Brian Herta USA

Team Rahal began when Bobby Rahal and Carl Hogan seperated their partnership(Rahal/Hogan Racing) at the end of 1994. Papis fills the seat vacated by the retired Rahal. After winning Laguna Seca in 1998, Herta's confidence is high.

Team Rahal
Official Team Rahal website
Brian Herta
Official "Hertamania" website
Max Papis
Official "Mad Max" website

Walker Racing Owners: Derek Walker Debut Year in Champ Cars: 1991 World Championships: 0 Sponsor: Valvoline(lubricant) Chassis: Reynard 99C Engine: Honda HRS Tires: Goodyear Eagle

#5 Gil de Ferran Brasil #15 Naoki Hattori Nippon Round 1,13-14,16-20 #15 Memo Gidley USA Round 8-11

British born Walker began his role of team owner when he bought the equipment of the defunct Porsche CART team(where he was the manager). The team started small but quickly moved up the ladder, scoring sporadic wins. With de Ferran as the pilot, the team has its greatest chance of becoming World Champions. Uncustomary engine failures caused the team results in 1998, so reliability must be solved for the team to fulfill its potential.

After spending two seasons in Indy Lights as Team Green's driver, Naoki Hattori finally enters Championship Cars. A favorite driver of Honda, Hattori is looking to return to his 1996 form, where he finished second in the Formula Nippon series.

Gil de Ferran
Official Gil de Ferran website

This "Teams" page first created on April 25, 1998.
Version 2 created on March 6, 1999.
Last modified on November 3, 1999.