LEXINGTON, Ohio -- Championship Auto Racing Teams figures to get some new owners in the immediate future and will have a new look in 2004, providing all the dominoes fall into place.

It will still be called Champ Car and feature all turbocharged Ford/Cosworth engines, but what has been the most challenging test in auto racing for the past 24 years will no longer sport four types of tracks or as many dates, according to various sources within the CART paddock.

For the first time in its history there will be no superspeedways and only one oval as CART circles its wagons and tries to play to its strengths.

The European stops at England and Germany will be dropped, in addition to the two-mile superspeedway at Fontana, Calif. And it appears CART will be all road courses and street circuits next year except for the legendary Milwaukee Mile.

"We've got to do whatever is necessary for our series to get better and if it's better to run all road races then lets do it," said Alex Tagliani. "Sure, all of us drivers love the different disciplines but this isn't about what we want.

"It's about what makes the best business sense."

Since the open-wheel racing split in 1996 attendance at oval tracks in CART and the Indy Racing League has suffered. CART staged some of its best racing ever at Michigan from 1997-2001 but saw the crowds plummet from 80,000 to 30,000. The IRL drew 30,000 two weeks ago at Michigan.

Even though it makes for CART's most exciting shows, only three ovals (Germany, Milwaukee and Fontana) are on this year's schedule.

"I love Phoenix, Michigan, Fontana but look what the fans are telling Tony George," said Jim McGee, president of Patrick Racing who is in his fifth decade of Champ Car racing. "They're telling him they don't want Homestead, Nazareth, Phoenix, St. Louis and Michigan.

"We all want to run ovals but not at the expense of putting yourself out of business."

Paul Tracy has excelled on all disciplines during his 13 seasons but understands the change in priorities.

"There's a lot of stuff going on at street races. Concerts, volleyball, beer gardens, pretty women," said Tracy. "And it's easier for people to get in and out of the track.

"We haven't been able to translate that kind of fun to our rural tracks and, as much as we like to run them, you can't afford to have a great track that's an eyesore for TV coverage."

Adrian Fernandez, the lone owner/driver in CART who also fields a team in the IRL, doesn't think it will be that big a departure from 2003.

"We've only got three ovals this year so I don't see it a big deal if we go to all road racing," said the 40-year-old veteran. "It certainly wouldn't bother my sponsors and I think it would be better for CART.

"It wouldn't be so confusing for people. The IRL runs ovals and we road race. I think it would be a good thing."

As of today, eight street circuits (Monterrey, Long Beach, St. Petersburg, Toronto, Vancouver, Australia, Denver and Miami) are signed up for 2004. The permanent road courses of Laguna Seca (which has requested a return to the fall because of its terrible turnouts the past two Junes), Montreal, Mexico City, Portland and Elkhart Lake have contracts for '04 while Mid-Ohio's ended Sunday. There is a contract with Cleveland (airport layout) but no promoters at the moment.

	"	There's a lot of stuff going on at street races. Concerts, volleyball, beer gardens, pretty women. And it's easier for people to get in and out of the track. We haven't been able to translate that kind of fun to our rural tracks. "
		— Paul Track

CART promotes Miami and co-promotes Denver and St. Pete and will likely have to take over Cleveland to keep it going. Milwaukee, which hosts its initial IRL race next July, is in the first of a three-year deal with Champ Car.

There is also a possibility a street show in Houston could be added for 2004.

Bobby Rahal doesn't have a problem with segregating but also doesn't want to hear that Elkhart Lake, Laguna Seca or Mid-Ohio might be endangered species.

"I don't think Elkhart Lake or Mid-Ohio have anything to do with the situation CART is in," said the three-time CART champion who fields a car in each series, plus Toyota Atlantics.

"They're the crown jewels of this series and it would be a crime for us not to be here or at one of those permanent places in CART's history."

Of course many people figured CART would be history at the end of 2003 since its bank account has been drained by an estimated $70 million to fund several new teams and pay for televising its races.

If new ownership injects enough money into the kitty to keep the current 19 cars on track and pay for TV, CART is banking on a reduced schedule, reduced costs and successes in Canada, Mexico and Australia to restore a little balance to the budget.

"We don't need 20 races and if we have 16 races at good venues where everyone can make some money then maybe we wouldn't need CART's help," reasoned Tagliani.

"I know we've got the right people in our paddock right now and if this thing doesn't work with them then it won't work."

The new order
Gerry Forsythe, Paul Gentilozzi, Paul Newman and Kevin Kalkhoven are thought to be the heart of CART's new order and, along with a couple of other owners and outside partners, are expected to buy CART's remaining public shares and take it private within the next few days, according to sources in the paddock.

Whether they can pump enough cash and clever marketing into this series to see it through its 25th year remains to be seen.

But it's rumored that Gentilozzi, whose first-year team with Alex Tagliani already owns three podiums, is leading the logistics of CART's makeover. Supposedly, at least at street races, it will include Trans-Am races on Saturday (Gentilozzi owns Trans Am), major rock concerts on Saturday nights and Champ Car as Sunday's main event following Toyota Atlantic.

"I share a vision with a bunch of other smart guys in what open wheel racing can be," said Gentilozzi when asked Saturday about his role in CART's future. "I think we've got a great product and the biggest asset CART has is its fans.

"But I am not the leader."

Asked if Trans Am would be CART's partner in 2004, he replied: "Trans Am has always been a part of CART's history so I don't know why we'd lose that."

Jamie Rose of Motorock, a concert promotion company, has been hanging with Gentilozzi all weekend and he's thought to be the entertainment connection in CART's future.

Tracy, Franchitti rumors

	Tracy

NASCAR owner Richard Childress reportedly met with Tony George last week in Indianapolis, supposedly to talk about a potential IRL effort but with Paul Tracy as a possible shoe?

"I've talked to Richard several times about testing one of his stock cars any time I was ready to quit open wheel," said Tracy when asked about the rumor. "But I've never talked to him about the IRL."

Tracy has a contract with Gerry Forsythe for 2004.

Meanwhile, his former teammate at Team Green, Dario Franchitti, is rumored to have signed with Newman-Haas for the 2004 CART season.

The 30-year-old Scotsman is recovering from back surgery and couldn't be reached for comment while Carl Haas, who tried to sign Franchitti this season but lost out to Honda, denied there was any deal for 2004.

Canadian smoke screen?
The Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal has reportedly been removed from the 2004 Formula One schedule because of Canada's tobacco legislation, which forbids advertising in motorsports after Oct. 1, 2003.

Considering F1 domo Bernie Ecclestone is the co-promoter at Canada and its one of the biggest races on the F1 calendar, a lot of people are having trouble believing it's going to happen.

"I don't believe Canada is going to lose its F1 race," said Quebec native Patrick Carpentier. "I think it's just Bernie putting on the pressure."

Ecclestone took away the Belgium Grand Prix this year at Spa because of similar tobacco restraints and, surprise, that legislation has been rewritten to allow motorsports signage so Spa is back on the card in 2004.

If Bernie could make Canada change its laws, it would also give new life to Player's, the cigarette brand that has sponsored races, teams and programs since 1961 and is being forced out of CART participation in two months.

"We've all got our fingers crossed," said Player's general manager Neil Micklewright.

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