Addressed to all sides of the US open-wheel racing divide - from Tony George, Kevin Kalkhoven, Paul Gentilozzi and Gerry Forsythe to the teams, manufacturers, constructors and suppliers, as well as circuits and media - this is Jim's letter printed in its entirety......
"As a fan of American open-wheel racing, I have to say that enough is enough. Both sides of the divide have worked so hard to drive the sport that I love so far into the dirt to make it almost unrecognisable in regards to what it once was. People I know who were once true fans of open-wheel racing have either left for the greener pastures of NASCAR, or no longer watch or care about racing at all. This is mostly because both series fail to hold a candle to CART in its heyday.
"CART became my favourite series because, in my opinion, it was really the greatest driver's championship in the world. I know there are/were many who were also of that same opinion.
"I started out as a drag racing fan, attending races at Irwindale Raceway, but loved to take in everything: sprint cars at Ascot Park, local hardtops at Speedway 605, NASCAR at Riverside. I have camped out on many occasions in turn four at Ontario Motor Speedway to watch both Champcars and NASCAR, and have even done so at Fontana. I have gone out to support Vintage Club Racing and I have stood at the top of Laguna Seca to watch Champcars plunge through the Corkscrew. I have even dragged myself out of bed at 4am to cheer on Eddie Cheever, Michael Andretti and
Scott Speed as they raced against some of the best drivers and teams in the world. I have been to the Test In The West at Fontana and Spring Training at Laguna Seca. I attend open testing at Fontana when Champcar comes around. Each April, I can be found at various vantage points around Long Beach. My point here is this: one, I've been around for quite awhile, and I'm not a Johnny-come-lately to motorsports, and two, even though I love a wide variety of racing, nothing captured my heart and imagination like CART.
