Champ Car 2008 dies sans promoter

Las Vegas, Nevada:

The Vegas Grand Prix of the Champ Car World Series will not return in 2008.

Race officials said they were unable to find a new promoter to replace Phoenix-based DDB Ventures, which hosted the inaugural Las Vegas race last Easter but canceled a December race in Phoenix and chose not to return next year.

In announcing the Champ Car schedule for next year earlier this week, Steve Johnson, president of the open-wheel series, said, "The promoters of the 2007 Las Vegas event were the same promoters who canceled our Phoenix event. To make a long story short, we're not prepared to work with them again. Though we did consider different options for returning to Vegas in '08, the tight timetable just didn't allow it to happen.

"We'd certainly consider returning to Vegas in the future, but really only under the right situation."

The race, which was run as the Champ Car season opener, drew a small crowd on the holiday weekend, but drivers said the circuit built on the streets of downtown Las Vegas was one of the best temporary tracks they have raced on.

Johnson said Las Vegas officials are hoping the race can be renewed.

"While there is some disappointment, there is also understanding by everybody I spoke to, including members of the city council," he said. "As they said, they're going to do whatever they can to try to get us back there in the future, and they understood the challenges that we faced."

DDB's owners, Dale Jensen and Brad Yonover, closed their race promotion business shortly after canceling the Phoenix event.