European World Sportscar Championship proposed

EUROPEAN WORLD SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP PROPOSED

11 September, 1997

TAMPA, Fla. (September 11, 1997) -- Professional SportsCar Racing, Inc. (SportsCar) will propose to the FIA World Council on September 18 plans to organize an FIA-sanctioned European World SportsCar Championship in 1998. This is in addition to the SportsCar-sanctioned North American World SportsCar Championship that is currently in its fourth season.

"A draft of the rules for the European Championship was circulated at the last FIA SportsCar Commission meeting on September 3," stated SportsCar chairman Andrew Evans. "We expect the rules and 1998 schedule to be completed shortly. We are waiting for the 1998 FIA GT calendar to be decided."

"The European World SportsCar Championship replaces the idea of a Euro-American World SportsCar Challenge that would have seen select races in Europe and North America comprising an overall championship," said Evans. "After discussing the idea with the FIA and both European and North American World SportsCar teams, we've determined that it is best to have the two separate series."

As a member of the FIA GT and Sportscar Commission, Evans was in Europe last week to meet with manufacturers and the Technical Working Group of the FIA GT and Sportscar Commission. Among other topics, the Group was meeting to discuss the technical and sporting regulations for both the European and North American World SportsCar Championships.

Evans will return to Europe on September 18 to meet, along with the FIA, European World SportsCar manufacturers and competitors to finalize plans for 1998.