China promoter sues Champ Car

UPDATE #2 You can read the full lawsuit here.

06/05/07 According to AutoRacing1.com sources, the first promoter for the China race did not fulfill all their obligations, hence why the May race had to be postponed. A second promoter was found by Champ Car and they are and have fulfilled all their obligations and when the China race finally comes off (after getting FIA approval), it will be with the second promoter. The first promoter is who has brought the lawsuit against Champ Car. And now you know the real story……Mark C.

06/01/07 The promoter of the planned Champ Car World Series race in China filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Champ Car owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe alleging breach of contract and fraud.

In the suit, filed in Marion County Superior Court, Sino Sports and Entertainment Inc. claims it paid Champ Car $1.6 million in advance for rights to promote a Champ Car race in China and telecast the full schedule in China. It claims $15 million in lost revenue because Champ Car didn't get permission from the FIA, the world governing body for motor sports, for either.

Sino alleges Champ Car was responsible for moving the race from May to October. But Champ Car president Steve Johnson, whose first knowledge of the suit came in a phone call Thursday morning from The Star, said it was Sino
that requested the change after it replaced the original promoter.

"The FIA approved us to race in May," he said. "The promoters asked for the date change, which the FIA rejected. We're still working with (the FIA) on that. The worst that can happen is they say no and we have to postpone the race till the spring of 2008." Indy Star