NOVEMBER 15, 2001

Miller to go to Indianapolis - and to Europe?

THE Miller Brewing Company is expected to announce at the end of the week that it will be sponsoring an assault on the Indianapolis 500 next year by Team Rahal. It will be the team's first Indianapolis 500 since 1996 when CART and IRL split. Rahal is expected to run Jimmy Vasser in a Miller-sponsored car and may have a second car, depending on available sponsorship. Team Rahal is the third major CART team to announce an Indianapolis 500 program, following Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Penske.

There has been speculation in recent days that Rahal may be trying to convince Miller to support the efforts of young American drivers in Europe. Rahal's brief spell in Formula 1 gave him the chance to see how hard it is for young Americans to break through into Grand Prix racing and he is believed to be trying to help with American sponsors.