THE CLASS OF 2003; CART's rookies fight for a future.(Motorsports)

Byline: BILL McGUIRE

Who said change is always a bad thing? One door closes, another opens. When the bulk of CART's best-known teams and star drivers bolted for the Indy Racing League last winter, a door opened. Now a whole new gang of teams and drivers is getting a shot at making names for themselves. Meanwhile, some much-needed rules changes have improved the show, while a chassis freeze and the spec Cosworth engine have gone a long way toward leveling the playing field. So whatever CART's troubles off the track, which are considerable, the racing has been pretty darned good this season. Even if maybe you never heard of some of these guys before.

That's not to say the game still isn't tough, if not as cut-throat competitive as in years past. So far this season 12 rookie drivers have tried to make the grade in Champ Cars, but after 14 races only seven remain. Roberto Gonzales, Alex Sperafico, Alex Yoong and Patrick Lemarie all quickly came and went, while others continue to struggle at the rear of the field. But a few have managed to distinguish themselves. At the top is Newman-Haas Racing's Sebastien Bourdais, with four poles and three wins. With top-notch equipment, he was expected to excel. But there are others well worth keeping an eye on-to name two, Darren Manning and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Manning's resume is well-rounded. A throwback to the days of Have Helmet, Will Travel, at 28, Manning is the 2000 All-Japan F3 champion, won the Macau Grand Prix that same year, ran two seasons in F3000, served as a test driver for the BAR-Honda F1 team, and did a spell in ASCAR, the Brit-based U.S.-style stock car series, in order to polish his oval-track skills. Manning even holds a world's record for driving backward, in a Caterham 7, as a stunt for a British television program.

"It was the model powered by a big motorbike engine, with a changeover box added for reverse gear. Some bright spark figured out how to change it 'round to six gears in reverse, and they asked me to give it a go,'' says Manning. Which he did, at more than 100 mph. Last year the North Yorkshire native was pegged to drive the CART-owned entry of Team St. George at Rockingham, where he led 18 laps and finished ninth. That showing led to his CART ride with Derrick Walker. ...