Paul Tracy and Childress? If CART driver Paul Tracy’s team owner Barry Green is forced to move to the IRL by his current sponsor KOOL, Tracy could wind up with another CART team or even in NASCAR. Yes, NASCAR, the stock-car series whose success has grown by leaps and bounds and left both CART and the IRL in its exhaust, particularly in the United States. “I’ve talked for about a year to (car owner) Richard Childress,” Tracy said. “We’ve had an ongoing open dialogue. We talk to each other every couple of months. He’d like to test me in a car, but the timing is not right. But he’s said any time I want to come and test one.” Despite his discussions with Childress, Tracy made it clear he wants to remain in open-wheeled racing for “as long as I can because I really love it. “But I have to be realistic,” he added. “Open-wheeled racing is struggling right now. And while I’m only 33, I’m not 23, so I have to look at my future. I don’t want to stop racing at 38 or 39.” Tracy revealed that his agreement with Green expired in May when Green was unable to pick up the option on his contract because of the uncertainly by KOOL.(Waymoresports.com)(7-6-2002)
