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Indy Car Series driver Dario Franchitti during qualifying for the Honda Indy Toronto through the streets of downtown Toronto.Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

A promotional vehicle for an IndyCar world championship has become as important to the Izod-sponsored race series as the vehicles the world's top drivers use to chase each other around streets and ovals in the 17-event circuit.

A $5-million (U.S.) challenge that is inviting entries from drivers from Formula One to non-professionals to race against IndyCar pros will push the sport's envelope. The idea is to draw back some of the nearly 20 million fans who deserted open-wheel IndyCars in the 1990s during a schism with the CART circuit. But the invitation of drivers from other motorsport disciplines to race in the championship might cause concerns among IndyCar drivers.

The IndyCar World Championships and the Monster Energy Cup SuperCross races take place Oct. 15-16 in Las Vegas, Nev. Entertainment and hotel giant MGM Resorts International will serve as promotional partner, offering free tickets to the championships with reservations. Free tickets also are being offered to ticket buyers for the Toronto IndyCar stop.

"The five we choose for the $5-million challenge will get to test on Wednesday," said IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard at a Saturday news conference against a noisy backdrop of pole qualifying for the Honda Indy Toronto race. He said IndyCar had received at least 26 e-mail inquiries about the challenge and a committee will narrow that down to five drivers.

Brian Barnhart, the president of competition, and his team would conduct additional testing in cases, for instance, where a challenger has not been in an open-wheel car. "I believe Brian's offered (defending champion) Dario Franchitti to test with them. ... We want to make sure that we have the confidence of the drivers in this as well.

"This is not about being a circus, this is about showcasing our sport, showing how difficult it is to be an IndyCar driver. We don't think it will be easy to get into one of our cars and race.

"Some of the drivers have been vocal (in opposition). But if it helps the series and helps it grow... our reasoning for doing this was that last year we determined we lost 15-20 million fans in the mid-1990s. They didn't die, they went to other genres of racing. They're low-lying fruit and how do we attract them back?

"We'll show them what we're about."

Will there be special insurance or waivers required for the challengers?

"Our attorneys have all kinds of papers for them to sign," Bernard said.

"The most important thing we do in this promotion is to be sure that all the drivers in those cars are of quality and can handle it. Brian Barnhart will be persistent in making sure they're qualified, that's why he wants Dario there.

"We want the big ones (big names from other motorsports)... but I don't think that Formula One drivers have an appetite for ovals and travelling at 230 miles an hour. All I've heard is that they fear them. That's what separates our drivers. IndyCar isn't for everyone. It takes someone who has a lot of guts to get behind the wheel of an IndyCar.

"It's supposed to generate conversation about what makes us different, what makes this the fastest, most versatile car in the world."

Bernard said there will be strong competition in Toronto Sunday, especially with the double-file restarts..

"Going to the double-file (restarts), it's created a lot of carnage and wrecks, which the drivers hate, and allowed us to see a lot more passing and overtake," Bernard said. "You'll see a lot more passing than you've ever seen before in Toronto. That's a promise."

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