OCTOBER 4, 2003

Haas resigns from CART board

Carl Haas, the co-owner of Newman-Haas Racing with actor Paul Newman, has resigned from the board of directors of CART.

Carl Haas, the co-owner of Newman-Haas Racing with actor Paul Newman, has resigned from the board of directors of CART. Haas said that his resignation should not be construed as a current lack of support for CART. I am committed to CART and that's the end of the discussion.

If this is really the case, one can only describe the timing of Haas's move as extremely clumsy as it gives the very strong impression that he is unwilling to continue in his role as CART goes through with its takeover by Open Wheel Racing.

Haas (73) has been a member of the CART board of directors since the split with the Indy Racing League in 1997 and was always the most vociferous opponent to the rival Indy Racing League. Recently however he has admitted that the team is looking at running an IRL operation in 2004, with the aim being to win the Indianapolis 500.

Haas's resignation follows those of Pat Patrick, a CART co-founder and the first president of the company and Mario Andretti.