CHAMPCAR/CART: Greg Moore Legacy Award nominees named

Four Nominees Announced For 2005 Greg Moore Legacy Award, Fan Vote added to Selection Criteria

Indianapolis -- (October 26, 2005) -- Champ Car has selected the four nominees for the 2005 Greg Moore Legacy Award and also is announcing a change in the way the award is decided as Champ Car's fans will now hold one of the five votes used to select the winner. This year's nominees include 1996 Champion Jimmy Vasser, Oriol Servia, Andrew Ranger and 2005 Toyota Atlantic Champion Charles Zwolsman.

This year's crop of nominees all are deserving of the award. 1996 Champ Car titlist Jimmy Vasser (#12 Gulfstream Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone) continues to run at the front of the pack earning two podium finishes this season as well as the Bridgestone Pole Award at Milwaukee. Vasser is also the ironman of the Champ Car World Series as he is in the midst of a series-record streak of 208 consecutive starts. Oriol Servia ( #2 PacifiCare Ford-Cosworth/Lola/Bridgestone) stepped into the Newman/Haas ride at the third event of the season and has earned seven podiums including his first career win at Montreal. Servia also claimed his first career Bridgestone Pole at Australia. Rookie Andrew Ranger has made only 12 starts in the Champ Car World Series but has already opened a lot of eyes. The young Canadian's run to the podium in Monterrey, Mexico in only his second start made him the youngest driver to reach a Champ Car podium. The final nominee is 2005 Toyota Atlantic Champion Charles Zwolsman. The Dutch Rookie in the Atlantic Championship won three races, five pole positions and garnered eight podium finishes to earn a one-off ride at Mexico City in a Champ Car.

"This is an extremely special award, and all of the drivers who have been nominated should feel tremendously honored," said Champ Car President Steve Johnson. "This year's nominees for the Greg Moore Legacy Award have shown the same spirit and dedication throughout this season that Greg had throughout his too-brief career."

The Greg Moore Legacy Award is presented to one of the four nominees who are chosen by a select board from the Champ Car World Series and the Toyota Atlantic Championship. Five different rankings then choose the winner. Champ Car co-owner and team owner Gerald Forsythe, Champ Car vice president of operations Tony Cotman and Toyota Atlantic managing director Vicki O'Connor each rank the drivers along with a selection committee made up of Champ Car media members. The fifth ranking has been added this year as Champ Car fans can vote for the most deserving driver on the Champ Car World Series Website www.champcar.ws.

The Greg Moore Legacy Award has been presented at Champ Car's season ending banquet for the past five years and is awarded to the Champ Car driver who most exemplifies Moore's distinctive combination of outstanding on-track talent and dynamic personality. The award honors the legacy of the former Indy Lights Champion and rising Champ Car star who lost his life in a 1999 racing accident.

The recipient of the Greg Moore Legacy Award will be announced on Sunday, November 6 at the 2005 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford Awards Celebration. The winner will receive a custom painting entitled "Victory" by motorsports artist Bill Dixon and the Greg Moore Legacy Award trophy. Past winners of the award include Helio Castroneves, Dario Franchitti, Patrick Carpentier, Sebastien Bourdais, and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

-ccws-