Other than Nigel Mansell, the pattern has usually been to win a CART championship and then go seek fame and fortune in Formula One. That's the path Jacques Villeneuve, Alex Zanardi and Juan Montoya all took in the '90s and Cristiano da Matta is currently following suit.

But there could be a little role reversal in the cards.

One of the regulars da Matta replaced at Toyota's F1 operation may be headed for CART with another F1 principal.

Craig Pollock, the longtime tutor/friend/manager of Villeneuve and former co-owner of the British American Racing F1 stable, has announced he's forming a one-car team to compete on the 2003 CART circuit.

And ESPN.com has learned that Mika Salo has the inside line to be his driver.

Pollock and high-tech industrialist Kevin Kalkhoven announced Tuesday the formation of PK Racing, which will campaign one car in CART's Champ Car World Series in 2003.

"This has all come together very quickly," Pollock said of the PK Racing operation. "Just prior to Christmas, I got a call from Kevin about looking into the possibility of starting up a team in CART. The timing is perfect, because CART is in the process of reinforcing its organization and priorities, and has done a tremendous job in that regard over the last few months."

The 46-year-old Pollock has hired long-time CART team manger Russell Cameron in that capacity for PK Racing and will tap into his experience in order to fully prepare his team for the February 23 season opener.

"It's a short period of time to put the whole thing together," said Pollock. "The fact that all CART teams will be running with the same engine this season will make the start-up a bit easier for us because it's a level playing field for everyone. The CART series is extremely competitive. If we do our jobs well, we should be able to field a competitive team. But we're going to make sure that we walk before we run."

Pollock said a formal driver announcement will be made shortly.

Salo, a 36-year-old Finnish native whose F1 career spanned nine years with Lotus, Tyrrell, Arrows, BAR, Sauber and Ferrari before joining Toyota's new effort in 2001, made it known he wanted to come to CART back at the U.S. Grand Prix.

"I'm not ready to quit and I want to keep running open wheel so I'm going to see if there's anything available in CART," said Salo last September in Indianapolis. "It's got to be more fun than I had this season."

Salo, who filled in for Michael Schumacher in 1999 after the world champion suffered a broken leg, scored two points for Toyota in the first three races of 2002 and qualified mid-pack before the team lost its way.

	Salo

Despite the car's obvious lack of downforce and Toyota's teething problems, Salo and teammate Allan McNish were both fired. "It's a good team but there is so much politics outside that it's a nightmare. Da Matta needs to be wary of all the 60-year-old guys who are going to come down and tell him he's not braking late enough,' said Salo when asked if he had any advice for the 2002 CART champ.

Pollock, who reportedly asked Eddie Irvine to come to Champ Cars, is also keen on BAR test driver Patrick Lemarie.

CART notes