Prost in NASCAR ?

[Raceboy]

Prost on NASCAR fact-finding mission
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive November 25, 2002
1:32 PM EST (1832 GMT)


HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Frenchman Alain Prost, a four-time Formula One world champion between 1985 and 1993, was one of many racing celebrities that attended the Winston Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

While CART driver Max Papis toured the garage area on a job hunt, and French driver Michel Disdier walked helmet in hand trying to meet a Busch Series owner to give him a tryout -- former Indy car champions Juan Pablo Montoya, Gil de Ferran and Scott Sharp were just drinking in the atmosphere of the weekend at Homestead-Miami.

Prost, 47, called "The Professor" for his analytical and precise style in a career that included 51 Grand Prix wins, was a man with a mission at Homestead.

"I have never been before -- this is my first time," Prost said. "I wanted to see the ambience and to see a few people, to understand the business and to get some information about this series."

Prost made an effort to run his own Formula One team before running out of money in the middle of the 2002 season. Despite his busy schedule, Prost said he was familiar with NASCAR through television exposure in Europe.

"I watch (NASCAR) very often on TV and I like it," Prost said. "But I had never been to see the cars and the people and it is quite nice."

Prost said there is plenty of Winston Cup and Busch Series television coverage available in Europe. In fact, he said his trip was a fact-finding excursion for some possible European sponsors.

"We can watch NASCAR -- Winston (Cup) and Busch," Prost said. "It's not always easy, you know, like watching Formula One in the States. But we have good programs and it's a very good thing."

"You never know," Prost said when asked if he was interested in any NASCAR team involvement. He toured Homestead's garage areas with Busch Series owner George deBidart, who has two teams in need of sponsorship in 2003.

"You never know," Prost said. "I quite like the ambience of motorsports in this country, so I am looking at a possibility. I cannot say more. But, I am trying to understand it, first.

"There is a huge interest for this series, even for sponsors, in Europe. I am more or less mandated by companies that asked me to see if it is interesting or not."

Prost only said "Maybe," when asked if he would attend Speedweeks 2003 events at Daytona, NASCAR's opening event of the season.

bron: nascar.com

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