TORONTO, Ont. (July 14, 2001) - Despite having a rather disappointing qualifying session Saturday afternoon, Michael Andretti sat down with NYAutoRacing.com and talked about his recent comments about driving on superspeedways, and the disappearance of his home race at Nazareth on the CART schedule. Andretti, of course, came all the way from the back to take victory Sunday afternoon at the Molson Indy. It was his seventh victory on the streets of Toronto and the first win for Team Motorola Honda.
Kevin Ma: Michael, recently you had very strong opinions about racing on superspeedways, such as next week's race at Michigan. It is going to be the last time CART to race there, what is your feeling about losing that race?
Michael Andretti: My feeling is, from the spectators' standpoint I think the race is very good because we do put on a good show there; but from the drivers' standpoint, the danger aspect is very great. We are just waiting for cataclysm over there. From that stand point, I am happy not going back there. The other problem we have in Michigan is the promoter just didn't support it. They didn't advertise it and we didn't have anybody at the stands, which is not good for the sports. I think replacing it with a race such as Montreal is going to be a huge success and it is going to be better for us.
KM: CART always emphasizes the diversities of tracks the it runs, but with Michigan and Texas disappearing from the schedule, do you think it is going to hurt CART's reputation since the series is leaning more and more towards road course races?
MA: Yes, but we are losing both Bill France's tracks. I think you got to look at the bigger picture - we are adding two ovals as well this year in Europe. I don't think we are abandoning ovals. It is just a coincident that those two races are not drawing well and doing well. It is really a coincident that both are Bill France's tracks, and they haven't been promoting our races.
KM: There are also talks that CART will lose Fontana sometime in the future.
MA: Well, that's another one. I think it is highly dangerous, and I don't have a problem losing Fontana because of that. When you have all the drivers holding their breathe for the whole weekend, I think it comes wrong. Our cars and the way we set them up have outdated the racetrack.
KM: By saying that, it was a good call in Texas earlier this season?
MA: That was the best call they have ever done. I think Joe Heitzler made a good move. Otherwise, it would be a guarantee disaster.
KM: Then you guys shouldn't be there in the first place?
MA: Bobby Rahal shouldn't sign the contract for us to race there. I think Bobby made a mistake.
KM: CART is going to leave your home track at Nazareth [PA] as well, what is your comment about that?
MA: I mean from my personal standpoint I am disappointed. But if you look at the race was being supported - this year we had beautiful weather and they [the fans] didn't come out to watch. Our series deserves a full stands, to go to places where we can fill the stands like Montreal, probably if we go to Denver or something, I know we will get the full stands there. I think we should go to places where we are really welcomed.
KM: As I understood that there are plans to put CART in New York City sometime soon.
MA: That would be awesome. I think our series is much better when we can bring the show right to the town, and all of our street circuits are really successful. Having a race in the biggest market in the World right down there would be awesome.
KM: Would you drive one of those IRL cars on a superspeedway such as Michigan?
MA: That would be a big problem. The IRL cars are much slower, but I still don't think they are suited for that. That was one thing I looked at when I made my decision to come to CART because I didn't like when they were going to couple of races, which were highly dangerous.
KM: Couple of races, such as …
MA: Texas, Atlanta and maybe Charlotte at that time, which are not made for open-wheel cars.
KM: Are you going to participate in next year's Indy 500?
MA: I hope so.
KM: Since the IRL race at Nazareth is right before Indy, would you take a one-off race there before you return to the 500?
MA: I don't know. I highly doubt it because we have too much being scheduled with CART races, so I don't think we will do that. That race and setups had nothing to do with Indianapolis anyway.
KM: Speaking of Indy, how do you feel about your respectable finish [3rd] over there?
MA: Disappointed. I think we were capable and should have won the race if they didn't have that problem in the pit lane. I think that really hurt our chances.
KM: Did the rain come into the play that day?
MA: It didn't rain at the right time. It should have rained the half way point and remained all day, that we would be very happy.
KM: Lastly, the new CART formula is not out yet, but what is your comment about that?
MA: I think it gets to a point where they should go with one closes to the IRL engine rules because it would make it easier for the CART teams to go over to Indianapolis.
KM: But having normal aspirated engine running on street courses such as Houston, it won't be that environmental friendly compare to the turbo engine because of the noise. Your comments?
MA: With the new exhaust they have, I don't think it is going to be too bad. They actually sound similar to our cars because they have a different exhaust than before.
