Jimmy Vasser has signed a new contract in CART with Chip Ganassi for three years, through 2001. Vasser considered offers from Bobby Rahal in CART and Craig Pollock's BAR Formula One team, but decided to continue with Ganassi's team with whom he's won seven races and one championship over the past three years. The 32-year old Vasser has won two races and taken two poles this year and currently runs second to teammate Alex Zanardi in CART's FedEx Championship, ten points ahead of Adrian Fernandez and fourteen ahead of Dario Franchitti.

Vasser said he gave serious thought to Pollock's Formula One offer before deciding to re-sign with Ganassi's team. "Craig and his group are serious people, and you have take serious look at something like that," Vasser commented. "I thought about it quite a lot, but I decided that I had so much going for me here with Chip's team that I didn't want to make a big change in my life by going to Formula One. With the Ganassi team I have great equipment, great people and some really strong relationships. The chemistry is right, we have committed partners in Honda and Firestone, and we can run up front and win races and championships."