AUGUST 2, 2001

Herbert rules out Rockingham appearance

BRITAIN's triple Grand Prix winner Johnny Herbert has ruled out making an immediate race debut in the CART Champ Cars series after unofficially breaking the British closed circuit record at the new Rockingham oval in Northamptonshire.

Running a 2000 Dale Coyne Racing Lola-Ford, updated to this year's aerodynamic regulations, Herbert recorded a 198.5mph (27.242s) lap of the 1.5-mile oval. "It's not as scary as everyone says it is" said Herbert. The 37-year-old is looking at a full-time move into CART or the IRL next year, but declared that he would be 'mad' to attempt to compete in the first speedway race in Britain this September as he aims for a competitive ride in the 2002 Indy 500.