Kool Kwits CART

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. will end its auto racing sponsorship program at the end of this season.

The company, based in Louisville, Ky., has been a race team sponsor since 1996 and has backed Team Green's two-car effort in CART since 1997 with its Kool cigarette brand.

"The decision to end our motorsport sponsorship program was a very difficult one to make," said Ludo Cremers, divisional vice president for the tobacco company. "Our Team Kool Green sponsorship program has played a key role in the revitalization of the brand in the United States.

"However, the brand has evolved and the fit with motor racing has become less and less optimal, making it increasingly difficult to achieve an acceptable business return on our motorsport investment."

Cremers said the company has invested more than $120 million in the program since its inception.he team, recently sold by Barry Green to Michael Andretti, will switch from CART to the rival Indy Racing League in 2003, with Andretti and Dario Franchitti as its drivers. Andretti has not yet announced sponsorship.