SEPTEMBER 24, 2002

Kool quits motor racing

Kool, the sponsor of Team Green (now owned by Michael Andretti), has withdrawn from all motor racing activities. It had been thought that the BAT subsidiary would switch across to the Indy Racing League with Andretti but this is not going to happen.

This is a major blow to open-wheeler racing in the United States as there is an agreement between the tobacco companies and the attorney generals of the different states which means that any existing sponsorship can remain in place but a new one cannot be started. Thus the BAT subsidiary Brown & Williamson is leaving the sport for good.