Subject: [DMVR] More on OWRS & Trans-Am

From: Ric Johnson <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 12:37:25 -0600

From England's www.crash.net:

Following last week's announcement of the acquisition of Trans-Am Racing 
LLC by Open Wheel Racing Series LLC, the Sports Car Club of America has 
issued a statement clarifying its ownership - and the current and future 
use - of the Trans-Am name.

"Trans-Am is a registered trademark of Sports Car Club of America, and it 
has been since 1970," the statement read, "In that time, SCCA has entered 
into licensing agreements with companies including, but not limited to, 
General Motors, Spalding, Panoz/Sanchez Group and Trans-Am Racing LLC.

"The agreement with Trans-Am Racing LLC, the organiser of the 2003 Trans-Am 
series, was for use of the name Trans-Am and its operational and marketing 
rights for the 2003 season. That agreement expires after 31 December 2003.

"SCCA is open to a future agreement and there have been discussions between 
SCCA and Trans-Am Racing LLC regarding this. However, at this time, there 
is no such agreement in place for 2004."

The statement was issued in response to Trans-Am team owner and former 
competitor Paul Gentilozzi's assertion that OWRS had acquired the series 
and would run it alongside the resurrected Champ Car World Series in 2004.

Gentilozzi and TAR executive director John Clagett confirmed the deal 
shortly after Gentilozzi had revealed it during an OWRS press conference. 
As a result of the agreement, OWRS claimed that it would take charge of 
planning of the 2004 Trans-Am series from the start of next year, and would 
include the BF Goodrich Tyres Cup on the Champ Car World Series package, 
which also looks likely to comprise the Toyota Atlantics, Barber Dodge and 
the new Formula BMW USA Championship.

"What OWRS has done is taken the assets of Trans-Am Racing LLC, which was 
the company I used this year to run Trans-Am events, and purchased the 
assets," Gentilozzi explained at the press call, "We wanted to make that 
series part of our programme. There is value in having a mix of product."

It would appear, however, that there is still some negotiating to do if 
that series is to run under the Trans-Am name....
l
ti