SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Champ Car World Series will have at least two new cars in 2007.
Former sports car champion Bob Gelles, who currently field four cars in the Atlantics series and six in the developmental Formula BMW U.S.A. series, said Friday he will add two more in the top series.
"I'm very ecstatic to be part of the CCWS for 2007," Gelles said. "It's something I've truly dreamed about and been working on for five years, and it's nice to see it come true. Everyone has had rave reviews over what Kevin Kalkhoven, Gerry Forsythe and Paul Gentilozzi have created and its the best open-wheel series in the world."
Series owners Kalkhoven, Forsythe and Gentilozzi bought the assets of the bankrupt CART series late in 2003 and started Champ Car.
"We set off on a strategy to rebuild the Champ Car World Series from the ground up," Kalkhoven said. "The first step of that strategy was the rebuilding of the Atlantic Championship Series. The second step was the introduction of the 2007 chassis, which will allow Atlantic teams to move up to Champ Car.
Gelles is the first new owner to take advantage of Champ Car's introduction of a new, less-expensive, safer Chassis for 2007 and beyond. The Panoz DP01 was unveiled during a ceremony at San Jose's city hall on Friday night.
"We welcome Gelles Racing as proof of the success of our strategy," Kalkhoven said.
The Champ Car series is currently down to 17 cars, but at least two more Atlantic teams and possibly a team from the rival Indy Racing League could join the series in 2007.
Fast start
The official schedule for 2007 has not been announced, but Champ Car officials confirmed that the first three races next season will be run on consecutive weekends.
The season will start with a new street race in Las Vegas on April 8, followed by the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 15 and the second running of the Grand Prix of Houston on April 22.
The rest of the schedule is expected to be announced next month.
Bourdais' future
Sebastien Bourdais, the two-time defending Champ Car champion and winner of the inaugural San Jose race last year, acknowledges he would be willing to listen to offers from Formula One teams -- if they are interested.
The big rumor in Europe has been that BMW boss Dr. Mario Theissen, who reportedly wanted to sign Bourdais for this season but was unable to get out of a contract with Jacques Villeneuve, is still interested, as is F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.
