ast ▁going ▁into ▁the ▁week end ▁at ▁Cleveland ▁also ▁seemed ▁to ▁predict ▁rain ▁on ▁rac ed ay , ▁which ▁would ▁affect ▁handling ▁and ▁g rip ▁on ▁an ▁already ▁b um py ▁track ▁surface . ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁teams ▁and ▁drivers ▁were ▁looking ▁forward ▁to ▁the ▁annual ▁race ▁at ▁Cleveland , ▁which ▁was ▁popular ▁with ▁the ▁fans ▁and ▁unique ▁on ▁the ▁calendar ▁for ▁its ▁speed ▁and ▁unusual ▁amount ▁of ▁room ▁to ▁pass ▁other ▁cars . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁lead - up ▁to ▁the ▁race ▁week end , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁C ART ▁would ▁not ▁return ▁to ▁race ▁at ▁Michigan ▁International ▁Speed way ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁season ; ▁the ▁speed way ▁had ▁hosted ▁the ▁series ▁every ▁year ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁it ▁would ▁never ▁host ▁C ART ▁again . ▁ ▁R ival ▁series ▁Ind y ▁Racing ▁League ▁would ▁pick ▁up ▁where ▁C ART ▁left ▁off ▁and ▁run ▁its ▁own ▁race ▁at ▁the ▁speed way ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁Michigan ▁would ▁join ▁Texas , ▁Naz are th , ▁Detroit , ▁La us itz , ▁and ▁Houston ▁as ▁race ▁events ▁that ▁would ▁not ▁appear ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁C ART ▁calendar . ▁ ▁Pract ice ▁and ▁Qual ifying ▁ ▁The ▁sun ▁sh ined ▁on ▁Friday ▁morning ▁practice ▁as ▁drivers ▁took ▁to ▁the ▁track ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁Several ▁drivers ▁had ▁difficulties ▁coming ▁to ▁g ri ps ▁with ▁the ▁track ▁surface ; ▁in ▁the ▁morning ▁session ▁alone