With Champ Car and IndyCar announcing they are to ‘merge’, Jerry Forsythe today made it clear that his team will not be embracing the brave new world of a unified US racing scene.

Forsythe, who in November of last year announced the Dan Pettit - formerly the ‘P’ of PKV Racing - as new co-owner of his team, announced today that his team will not be taking part in the IndyCar series and is to close his team with immediate effect.

“Forsythe Championship Racing is announcing today the cessation of its racing operations,” VP of Operations Neil Micklewright said in a statement. “After 13 years of competition in CART and the Champ Car World Series, the team has been unable to secure the necessary sponsorship to be able to compete in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series in 2008.”

“Forsythe Racing Inc., the parent company of FCR, will participate in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the Champ Car finale, with drivers to be announced.”

Canadian veteran Paul Tracy was about to embark on year two of his five-year contract with the team, but this seems to have been nullified with the recent merger. The team did however confirm that it will continue to field a team in the Atlantics series with James Hinchcliffe and David Garcia.

“I’m in shock and I’m very, very disappointed,” Speed TV report Tracy as saying. “Right now, I need to quickly regroup, regain my composure and then start looking for another ride – and I mean in IndyCar. The team may be done, but I’m ready to go racing.”

Regarding sponsorship, following the pullout of the Player’s tobacco sponsorship a few years ago, the team has run the ‘Indeck’ colours in which Forsythe is a major shareholder and CEO.

With IndyCar gobbling up the best of the Champ Car World Series, Forsythe’s actions are far from a surprise. However, KV Racing, NHL Racing, PCM, Conquest and Walker Racing are expected to race in the new series adding at least nine cars to the current field.