INDIANAPOLIS -- It's Tuesday night and closing in on 7 o'clock but none of the mechanics at the American Spirit team are thinking about going home for the evening. Mostly, they're heads down and elbows up -- racing against the clock to prepare four cars for next week's test session at Sebring, Fla.

"These cars have got to be loaded by Saturday night and these guys are doing whatever it takes to get the job done. But, unfortunately, we can't buy time," said Rob Hill, team manager for one of several new entries this year in CART.

"We knew it was going to be a challenge and another month would have made it a lot easier on everyone. But we'll make it."

Considering the time line of this team that's going to be quite an accomplishment.

The only operation currently sporting American drivers (Jimmy Vasser and Ryan Hunter-Reay) in CART's 2003 Champ Car lineup was only an idea until last November. That's when Stefan Johansson finally pulled the trigger.

"I started seriously thinking about this in the middle of 2002 and then things fell into place around Mexico City (Nov. 17) when the key people committed," said Johansson, who along with Chris James, Dan Benton and Nick Hunter-Reay are the partners of American Spirit.

"All we had at that time was an address and an empty shop so obviously it's been a bit challenging."

Johansson knows all about challenges. An accomplished racer, he spent seven seasons in Formula One before competing in CART from 1992-96 and he's still active in sports car racing.

The 46-year-old Swede owned an Indy Lights team in 1997-98 and wanted to move up but couldn't afford CART's steep prices. However, with Honda and Toyota taking their millions of dollars to the Indy Racing League, the once-haughty open-wheel series had to get realistic its budgets.

"Everyone had written CART off last summer but then, thanks to Chris Pook, it's come roaring back," he continued. "Between the engines, rules and support packages, Chris has turned this thing around.

	Johansson is a rookie Champ Car owner.

"And that enabled people like myself to put together an affordable deal."

Still, even though everyone will be powered by identical Ford/Cosworth engines this season and teams like American Spirit can run year-old Reynard chassis, there remains a big gap in experience. Newman-Haas Racing, defending CART champs, is in its 21st year of champ car racing while American Spirit is nearing its 21st day.

That made hiring the right people a priority for Johansson.

He signed veteran CART engineer Ed Nathman for '96 CART champ Vasser and Graham Taylor, who spent last year as chief engineer with the Arrows F1 team, for rookie Hunter-Reay. Then he got Rob Hill, ex-team manager for Chip Ganassi, to run the show.

"I was hired earlier this month and, essentially, we had nothing but a shop so we've had to buy everything ... cars, pit equipment, trailers, electronics and machine equipment," said Hill, whose CART career started in 1988 and includes stints with Pat Patrick and Bobby Rahal.

"I've got a little digital voice recorder that lives with me so when I wake up at 4 a.m. and think 'Oh my God we've got to order such and such' I won't forget it."

A daunting task such as prepping four cars, building pit equipment and readying the shop was made easier by Hill's hires. The American Spirit crew came with plenty of enthusiasm and experience.

"There were some very choice people out there and we've got a very good base crew," said Hill. "Whether they're building benches, assembling suspensions or painting walls, they're pulling together nicely.

"We started from ground zero and they're all busting their butt."

Vasser and Hunter-Reay will be on the track Feb. 4-5-6 at Sebring before returning to Florida for the season opener at St. Petersburg on Feb. 23.

"Spring training will be an eye-opener and we'll have a few hiccups," predicted Hill, who worked with CART champs Alex Zanardi and Juan Montoya. "But we'll have a month break after St. Pete and that will give us a chance to catch our breath."

As lead mechanic Rick Duman helps gearbox specialist Hap Griffing and turbo man Garrett Mothershead on one side of the shop, the other lead wrench, Sean Faust, is assisting Guy Oder, Corey Odenbrett and Tess Brelia as they slide an engine into place.

They'll eventually go home around 10 and be back at 7 the next morning. It's a drill they'll repeat a lot during the next 10 months. It's just a little more urgent this week.

Robin Miller covers open wheel racing for ESPN and ESPN.com.