Chief designer leaves but Lola is staying.

Lola Cars International are reshaping its design and engineering group to service its CART teams. Looking toward the new 'rules freeze era', Jeff Swartwout, Lola Cars North American vice president is meeting with CART teams this weekend at Portland International Raceway to confirm the company's strong presence in the FedEx series.

"We are disappointed that Ben Bowlby is leaving us after working with Lola Cars for nearly 12 years," Swartwout declared. "Ben's fine designs have brought us great success in the Champ Car series and we appreciate his hard work and dedication."

Lola Cars was disappointed not to come to terms with the Indy Racing League on a new chassis supply and, with CART taking on the stance of "frozen" chassis rules, Bowlby decided the time to leave was imminent. "There is never a perfect moment to resign from a company with which one has had a great deal of fun, hard work and success. But the time for me to go, with the rules freeze in CART and with our IRL design on hold, is now," Bowlby admitted.

Frank Dernie, Lola Cars' engineering chief allowed, "We have built up a very strong design and engineering team here at Lola over the past few years. We have many talented people here who are ready to step up to the new era of CART."

Now in its 45th year servicing Lola customers in the USA, the firm intends to "ensure our business fits the changed marketplaces, which we now serve. We can say," David Bowes, managing director declared, "that we are in the USA marketplace to stay."