Cart race renamed

Conditions may be too dangerous for the drivers

Cart officials have decided to rename this Saturday's race in Germany 'The American Memorial' as a tribute to those who lost the lives in the terrorist attacks in the United States.

The race, the first in Europe for the American-based open-wheel racing series, had been criticised for going ahead with so much top sport already being cancelled.

In response, Cart had already scheduled several memorial events and plans a religious service prior to Saturday's start.

It's important that we exhibit the proper respect in this situation

Cart VP Ronald Richards

"The renaming of the race, coupled with the variety of pre-race activities we announced yesterday (Thursday) will offer the proper respect in the situation," said Cart chairman Joe Heitzler.

"It's important that we exhibit the proper respect in this situation and that doesn't change from being in the States or being over here," said Cart vice-president Ronald Richards.

The race has been thrown into doubt because of heavy rain at the Lausitzring circuit in Germany.

Following heavy downpours, making the oval dangerous and slippery, both Friday morning's practice session and the afternoon's qualifying had to be cancelled.

Organisers are still confident Saturday's race will take place with the current championship standings used to determine the starting positions.

With average speeds exceeding those reached in Formula One, racing Carts on the rain-soaked curves of the oval would prove too dangerous for the drivers.

Saturday's German 500 is the first of two scheduled Cart races in Europe. The following race takes place later in September at Rockingham, in Britain.

The German race is seen as a test for the promoters of Lausitzring, a brand new, state-of-the-art facility costing £47m which was inaugurated in August last year and hailed as the safest circuit in the world.