2010 Atlantic Championship Season Placed on Hold
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (March 3, 2010) - Due to the downturn in the global economy and the subsequent shortage of funded drivers, the Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda will go on hiatus until global conditions improve. The Atlantic Championship has and always will be committed to providing the best driver development series available to the world’s next generation of top-tier driving talent. Unfortunately however this experience cannot be upheld through 2010. Series officials will continue working throughout the year to develop new ideas for the future that will add value to drivers and also lower costs associated with competing in a world-class racing series like the Atlantic Championship.

“It is with a heavy heart and only after deep consideration that I have accepted the recommendations from the stakeholders in the Series to pause efforts related to the continuation of the 2010 Atlantic Championship season,” said Ben Johnston, Owner, Atlantic Championship. “As a former Atlantic racer myself, the Atlantic Championship means a great deal to me personally. I know what this series means to the drivers of the world as well as the heritage that Atlantics carries with it and I will not devalue the world-class experience that each one of our drivers is entitled to just to save face during these tough economic times. I am committed to this series now as much as ever and will assure Atlantic fans that the Atlantic Championship office will be working during the down time in order to deliver an unparalleled racing offering when economic conditions allow.”

“All of us at Mazda are disappointed that the Atlantic Championship will be on hiatus this year,” said Robert Davis, Senior Vice President, Mazda North American Operations. “It was no doubt a very difficult decision made by the Atlantic management in conjunction with the teams. Mazda has greatly enjoyed the past four years of working with outstanding drivers, teams, and partners and we remain committed to our ongoing support of up-and-coming drivers in both open-wheel and sports car racing."

Atlantic Championship Heads to the Autosport Show
Will Meet with European Drivers and Managers
Photos © Jamie Longmuir 2009
ALPHARETTA, Georgia (January 12, 2010) – Ben Johnston, owner of the Cooper Tires presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, is headed to England to take part in the Autosport Show held at NEC in Birmingham, England on January 14th – 16th. Ben Johnston and top series officials are set to meet with many talented European drivers that have shown great interest in running in the 2010 Atlantic Championship Series. There has been great buzz surrounding the success of many ACS drivers that are having opportunities to drive and test with teams in top tier racing sanctions.

The ACS team has a busy schedule in front of them when they arrive at the Autosport Show. There is great excitement surrounding the show for both racers and the ACS team. “I have two days of meetings lined up with drivers and managers,” said Atlantic Championship President Ben Johnston. “As a result of demand we have organized a two day test in February in Florida, exclusively for European drivers, who will get a great deal of seat time in the car and will also have the chance to meet all the team owners. We expect a strong driver showing from Europe on the grid in 2010, which will make this a tight and competitive season for racing.”

A couple examples of recent racer activities come by way of Simona De Silvestro who recently completed a successful two-day test in an HVM Racing/Team Stargate Worlds IndyCar. Simon Pagenaud also recently announced a new ride in 2010 as co-driver with David Brabham of the Patrón Highcroft Racing Acura ARX-01c in the American Le Mans Series. J.R. Hildebrand was very impressive as well in a recent three-day test aboard the Force India Formula 1 VJM02 at Spain’s Circuit de Jerez. These opportunities are exactly what young aspiring professional drivers are looking for and exactly what the Atlantic Series has been able to offer to many drivers for years now.

Over the years, European drivers have been able to take advantage of the exchange rates, which makes racing in the Atlantic Championship Series extremely cost efficient and very enticing. Never before has it been more attractive to come to the U.S. and race, and with the success of the Atlantic Championship Series and the opportunities that it constantly has provided to drivers for larger opportunities, the 2010 season is set to be the best year yet in ACS history.

Star Mazda Champion Adam Christodoulou Completes Successful First Atlantic Test with Team Stargate Worlds at Buttonwillow
BUTTONWILLOW, Calif. (December 18, 2009) – As the holidays rapidly approach and 2009 draws to a close, 2009 Star Mazda champion Adam Christodoulou got his first taste of the Mazda-Cosworth-powered Swift 016.a utilized in the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda in a two-day test with Team Stargate Worlds at Buttonwillow Raceway on Thursday and Friday.

The 20-year-old British driver logged nearly 400 miles over the two days in cool weather conditions aboard the same No. 78 machine that Simona De Silvestro piloted to four victories and third in points in the 2009 Atlantic Championship. The team, which is based at Buttonwillow, reported that Christodoulou managed to work up to speed quickly and rarely put a wheel wrong over the two days.

“I was pleased,” said engineer Burke Harrison. “He was very consistent and obviously has a lot of raw talent. The conditions here weren’t great. There was very little off-track drama at all and the feedback was good. We made progress on the balance of the car, especially the second day. I thought it was a very good test. That’s the way I judge someone. We were trying stuff; we weren’t just driving around, putting new tires on and looking for a lap. We worked the day like you would a good test. He never got tired, the times were consistent, his feedback was good, and he went out and got after it. All in all, it was a positive test.”

After spending the early portion of his career in Europe, Christodoulou made the move to the U.S. and the Star Mazda championship in 2009, claiming the title with three victories and two pole positions from 13 starts. He won the championship over Peter Dempsey in dramatic fashion in the final race of the season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. As part of his prize for winning the Star Mazda title, Christodoulou receives a free ride in the 2010 Atlantic Championship – the top rung of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder – courtesy of Mazda.

De Silvestro Impresses in Team Stargate Worlds/HVM IndyCar Test
Photo Credit: Shane Seneviratne
SEBRING, Florida (December 10, 2009) - HVM Racing and Team Stargate Worlds wrapped up a successful test Wednesday with Swiss driver Simona De Silvestro behind the wheel of an HVM IndyCar. De Silvestro ran 147 clean laps over two days at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway.

"She was very impressive," said Keith Wiggins, HVM Racing team principal and owner. "From the first laps, she showed she was capable of driving the car fast and she progressed rapidly. She was fast, consistent and gave good driver feedback. In fact, by the second half of the first day, we were so comfortable that we began working on development of our 2010 program using her feedback. "By day two, I think everyone forgot she wasn't a seasoned professional. Everyone enjoyed working with her."

Team Stargate Worlds principals Shane Seneviratne and Imran Safiulla were happy with the test as well: "These were two very important days for us and our commercial partners. We want to thank Keith and the entire HVM organization for making us feel right at home. Simona got comfortable in the car over the last few days and it has been very exciting to get a glimpse of what may lie ahead. We would like to thank the IndyCar Series for making this test possible."

The 21-year-old De Silvestro finished third in the 2009 Atlantic Championship, winning four races this year for Team Stargate Worlds. She said it did not take long to get accustomed to the IndyCar. "It was a dream come true to step into the cockpit of the Stargate: Resistance IndyCar," said De Silvestro. "I got comfortable right away and soon came up to speed, and overall thought the test was excellent. I need to thank Gary Whiting at Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment along with Imran, Shane, and the rest of Team Stargate Worlds for making this happen. Thanks to Keith Wiggins and the engineers for making the experience so enjoyable and for supporting me. HVM is a first-class organization."

Team Stargate Worlds' test with HVM coincided with the launch of the Stargate: Resistance Web site, http://stargateresistance.com/, which was displayed on the car. Stargate: Resistance is an online third-person shooter game being developed based on the popular Stargate sci-fi television franchise.

2010 Atlantic Championship Schedule Features North America’s Classic Racing Circuits
Photos © Jamie Longmuir 2008
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (November 13, 2009) – The 37th season of the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda will once again take North America’s longest-running open-wheel driver development series to classic road racing facilities throughout North America.

“With another strong schedule for 2010, the Atlantic Championship will once again be the top open-wheel training ground in North America,” said Atlantic Championship President Ben Johnston. “We’ve got a great mix of facilities lined up for next year. We are again grateful to the American Le Mans Series for sharing their stage with us for a majority of our weekends in 2010, as well as to all of our terrific promoters for welcoming us back to their facilities.”

As it did in 2009, the 2010 Atlantic season will get underway at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla. as part of the festivities for the prestigious Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh From Florida for the American Le Mans Series. The 2010 Atlantic season-opener is slated for Friday, March 19.

After hosting the Atlantic season finale in 2009, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is scheduled to host Round 2 of the 2010 championship on Saturday, May 22, once again alongside the American Le Mans Series. It will be the 31st Atlantic Championship race at the venerable road circuit in Monterey, Calif.

One weekend later, the Atlantic Championship will make its first of two 2010 appearances at Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park as part of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series festivities on Memorial Day weekend. Round 3 is scheduled for Saturday, May 29. The Lime Rock event will also be the first of two consecutive races that Atlantic will share Grand-Am, as Round 4 of the championship takes place at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sunday, June 20.

On the following weekend, the Atlantic series makes its way back to the East for its first doubleheader of the year at New Jersey Motorsports Park. The first race of the weekend and Round 5 of the season is scheduled for Saturday, June 26, with the second half of the doubleheader set for Sunday, June 27.

The Atlantic Championship makes its third visit to Utah’s state-of-the-art Miller Motorsports Park on the weekend of Saturday, July 10 alongside the American Le Mans Series. Fourteen days later, the series swings back into action once again at Lime Rock, this time as part of the annual American Le Mans Series event.

It will be another quick turnaround for Atlantic as the series conducts its second and final doubleheader of the season with a pair of races at Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Ill. The first race of the Autobahn weekend is set for Saturday, July 31 with Race #2 of the weekend on Sunday, August 1.

The 2010 season also sees the return of the Atlantic Championship to the streets of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada as part of the 41st running of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres on Sunday, August 15 which will be the penultimate round of the championship. The season will draw to a close at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. for the second time in three years as part of the American Le Mans Series Petit Le Mans activities. The season finale is slated for Friday, October 1.

Negotiations are still in progress for a potential 13th event on the 2010 schedule and details on that event will be announced should an agreement be reached.

Plans for series-sanctioned open test sessions are still being finalized and will be announced in the near future. Series officials are also working diligently on television coverage for the 2010 season, and those plans will also be announced as soon as they are finalized.

Atlantic Championship to Test Cosworth Power To Pass at Road Atlanta
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (September 3, 2009) – With an eye toward the 2010 season, all Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda teams and drivers participating in the promoter test day at Road Atlanta on Tuesday, September 22 will have the opportunity to test Cosworth Power To Pass in the day’s first session. The session will run from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m. ET.

Cosworth pioneered the technology in 2004 for use in the turbocharged, 2.65-liter V8 engines used exclusively by the Champ Car World Series. Drivers utilize Cosworth Power To Pass by pressing a button on their steering wheel, which increases the engine’s rpm and horsepower for a pre-determined amount of time.

“Looking forward, we believe the addition of Cosworth Power To Pass will bring about more overtaking opportunities during our races,” said Atlantic Championship technical director Eric Haverson. “The system worked very well on the Cosworth-powered Champ Car and really helped provide for some exciting racing. It offers the driver another tool to use during the race when trying to pass and should bring some interesting strategy into play for the teams as well.”

Cosworth has been preparing the 2.3-liter, four-cylinder Mazda MZR engines used in the Atlantic Championship since the 2006 racing season. The normally aspirated, 16-valve, fuel-injected engines currently produce up to 300 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and are capable of speeds in excess of 175 mph. The length of time one push of the Cosworth Power To Pass button will increase rpm and horsepower will correspond with the longest straightaway on the circuit. Cosworth Power To Pass will disengage as soon as the driver lifts off the throttle.

“This is a big step for the Atlantic Championship,” said Cosworth Americas motorsport manager Jeremy Sundt. “As a development series, I think it raises the Atlantic Championship a few steps up the metaphorical global development ladder. We are giving these young drivers a chance to compete with similar strategy that they will likely encounter as they progress through their driving careers. The scheduled test at Road Atlanta will give Cosworth a chance to audit the strategy. The exact power output numbers are still being finalized and pending the results of this test will be released for the 2010 season.”

Next up for the 2009 Atlantic Championship is the penultimate round of the 12-race season on Friday, September 25 at Road Atlanta as part of the festivities at the 12th annual Petit Le Mans powered by MAZDA6 for the American Le Mans Series. Simona De Silvestro currently leads the championship standings by eight points, 160-152, over John Edwards with Jonathan Summerton just 12 points out of the lead in third.
 

Throwing a Curve at the Race Car Driver
John Edwards, NWR Driver, Feels “Out of His League” At Baseball Event
By Aislinn Miller
Photos © Lisa Salazar 2009
MUNDELEIN, IL (July 1, 2009) – What makes Newman Wachs Racing driver, John Edwards, nervous these days? Edwards joined Entergy Nuclear CEO, Mike Kansler, in throwing out the first pitches at the Mississippi Braves baseball game in Jackson, Miss., at the “Nuclear Clean Air Energy” Night on June 26.

This task caused some apprehension for Edwards; the 18-year old from Cincinnati, OH, who would much rather guide his Atlantic Championship race car at nearly 170 mph than throw a baseball in front of thousands of eager fans. Fortunately, both Edwards and Kansler both made quick work out of the traditional opening act of America’s pastime, and joined nearly 4,000 fans as they watched the Mississippi Braves go down to the Birmingham Barons in the closing innings.

“I’m just glad I didn’t bounce the pitch on the way to home plate, and I’m proud to be here to promote a good cause– the benefits of nuclear energy,” a smiling Edwards said.

It was a night of food, fun, and fireworks at Trustmark Park, home to the Mississippi Braves, a farm team of the Atlanta organization, as Edwards, team owner Eddie Wachs, and the Entergy-sponsored race car helped to spread the message about the benefits of “Nuclear Clean Air Energy” to the fans attending. The event was also an opportunity for Entergy employees at Entergy’s national nuclear headquarters in Jackson and their nearby nuclear power facility, Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, to meet their driver, see the race car and enjoy the baseball game.

“We are racers in the first order but we are also nuclear energy proponents as well. Racing, clean electricity production and baseball were a great combination to promote together on this night,” stated Wachs.

Entergy, the Nuclear Energy Institute, and NWR are enjoying their second year of a beneficial partnership that combines the highly visible motorsports arena and the need to promote an important message. Nuclear energy supplies electricity to one out of every five homes and businesses in the United States. The production of nuclear power produces no carbon emissions and no greenhouse gases. It accounts for 71% of America’s carbon-free source generation. The importance of this message has led to the partnership between NWR and the nation’s second largest nuclear fleet operator, Entergy.

Edwards drives the #36 MAZDASPEED/ Nuclear Clean Air Energy/ Entergy/ Newman Wachs Racing Swift 016 in the Atlantic Championship Series and currently sits 3rd in Championship standings. He won the season-opener in Sebring, FL and finished 2nd in Salt Lake City. Next up for Edwards and the team is Round 5 of the Championship at Lime Rock Park, CT July 18.

Atlantic Championship Graduates Off To Solid Start in 2009
Photos © Lisa Salazar 2009/Jamie Longmuir 2008
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (April 28, 2009) – Several graduates of the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda have gotten their 2009 seasons off to strong starts in various forms of North American motorsport. Here is a quick recap of what Atlantic alumni have been up to through the early stages of 2009:

Indy Racing League IndyCar Series
Heading into next month’s Indianapolis 500, three Atlantic graduates find themselves inside the top-10 of the series point standings. Ryan Hunter-Reay is the highest-ranked former Atlantic driver, as he currently finds himself fifth in the championship standings after three races with a best result of second in the season-opener at St. Petersburg.

“Atlantics was a transition from the spec cars at Skip Barber into real team motorsports, so it was a good transition that way,” said Hunter-Reay of his Atlantic experience. “It was a good year I was there in 2002 and it prepared me in a lot of ways, basically working with a full team, engineers and crew. That’s the biggest way. The cars were powerful, light and had a different feel than Barber Dodge, which geared me in the right direction. It was a good move. I’m definitely glad I raced those cars. I’m glad I made that step into Atlantics.”

One position behind Hunter-Reay in the standings is Danica Patrick, who has scored top-five results in each of her past two IndyCar starts with a best result of fourth in Round 2 at Long Beach. Patrick once again heads into the month of May as one of the top contenders for an Indianapolis 500 victory.

The third Atlantic graduate in the top 10 is second-year competitor Graham Rahal, who is currently ranked eighth in the championship. Rahal has started from the pole in two of the season’s three races and owns best results of seventh at both St. Petersburg and Kansas. He already holds the distinction of being the youngest race- and pole-winner in IndyCar Series history and is looking to become the youngest winner in Indianapolis 500 history next month.

Sitting just outside the top 10 in 11th place is Atlantic graduate Dan Wheldon, while 2007 Atlantic champion and ’09 IndyCar rookie Raphael Matos is currently 16th. Atlantic alum Alex Tagliani is 20th in the IndyCar standings, having competed in two of the season’s first three races.

Indy Lights Series
The top five in the 2009 Indy Lights Series point standings is dominated by drivers with Atlantic Championship experience, while former Atlantic competitors have also won three of the season’s four races to date. Sitting atop the championship standings is Jonathan Summerton, who has finished seventh or better in all four of the season’s races with a best result of second in the season-opening race at St. Petersburg. Summerton also competed in the 2009 Atlantic Championship opener at Sebring, scoring a third-place result.

One spot behind Summerton is former Atlantic competitor Junior Strous, who opened his Indy Lights career in a big way with a pair of victories in the season-opening doubleheader at St. Petersburg. J.R. Hildebrand, who contested the full 2007 Atlantic Championship, is currently fourth in the championship on the strength of a victory after starting from the pole position at Long Beach. Hildebrand is followed by Canadian racer James Hinchcliffe, who currently ranks fifth in the standings with top-six results in three of his first four starts, including third-place runs in the Round 2 at St. Petersburg and Round 3 at Long Beach.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Atlantic graduates A.J. Allmendinger and Sam Hornish Jr. have both enjoyed career-best race results in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in the early stages of the 2009 season. Allmendinger, the 2003 Atlantic champion, scored his best ever Sprint Cup result with a third-place performance in the season-opening Daytona 500. He is currently ranked 27th in the point standings.

Hornish, a full-time Atlantic driver in 1999, picked up the best result of his Sprint Cup career earlier this month with a ninth-place run at Phoenix. He also earned his best-ever starting spot last weekend at Talladega, where he started fourth. Hornish is currently 31st in the championship.

American Le Mans Series
Atlantic graduates are inside the top-two positions in three of the four class point standings through three rounds of the 2009 American Le Mans Series and account for five class victories. In the LMP1 category, 2006 Atlantic champion Simon Pagenaud celebrated his first career American Le Mans Series victory alongside team owner and co-driver Gil de Ferran in Round 3 at Long Beach. Pagenaud and de Ferran are currently second in the LMP1 point standings.

Leading the LMP2 standings and going a perfect three-for-three in class victories thus far is Atlantic grad Luis Diaz. The Mexican racer shares his ride with countryman and team owner Adrian Fernandez. In GT1, former Atlantic driver Johnny O’Connell opened the 2009 campaign with his record eighth class victory in the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh From Florida, and is currently ranked second in the GT1 point standings alongside co-drivers Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia. However, O’Connell’s focus will shift to the new Corvette program in the GT2 class later this summer, after he goes for his fourth class victory in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
Atlantic graduates have celebrated overall victories in both of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series races to date, with 2000 Atlantic champion and 2004 Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice claiming the overall victory in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona alongside Brumos Racing co-drivers David Donohue, Darren Law and Garcia. Last weekend at Virginia International Raceway, Atlantic graduate Alex Gurney and two-time Atlantic champion and 35th Anniversary Atlantic Championship All-Star Team member Jon Fogarty celebrated their first victory of the season.

The victory moved Fogarty and Gurney to second in the Daytona Prototype championship standings, trailing co-leaders Donohue and Law by just one point. Others with previous Atlantic experience in the Daytona Prototype top-10 include Romain Dumas (sixth), Memo Gidley (eighth), Michael Valiante (ninth) and Guy Cosmo (10th).

In the Rolex Series GT class, former Atlantic competitor Andy Lally opened the season with the class victory alongside co-drivers Patrick Long, Jorg Bergmeister, and Justin Marks. He and Marks finished 15th in class last weekend at VIR, putting Lally fifth in the GT driver standings. Dane Cameron, a 2008 Atlantic graduate, is currently tied for seventh in the GT driver standings, while another former full-time Atlantic driver, Mike Forest, is ninth.

Primetime Race Group Expands Into Open Wheel
News from Primetime Race Group
Photos © Jamie Longmuir 2008
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (April 20th, 2009) - As the 2009 racing season begins to unfold, Primetime Race Group has decided to spread its diversity into the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda with the addition of a two-car effort aimed at the $1 million series championship.

American Le Mans Series Team owner Joel Feinberg and team manager Brent O’Neill, in a joint venture with entrepreneur Jamie Rand, have acquired the 2008 championship-winning No. 8 car and the No. 88 car from Brooks Associates Racing. The team intends to campaign both cars for a repeat performance in the 2009 championship.

“These cars are proven to be competitive and for them to not be running at a time when the grids need to be filled made our decision an easy one,” O’Neill said. “The entire Atlantic organization including Mazda, Cooper Tires, and Ben Johnston have provided an unmatched opportunity to race at a competitive level giving drivers the ability to earn big money and big exposure.”

Primetime will provide a full-service, arrive and drive program for interested drivers and will deliver the highest standard of race support available. Programs will include private testing, full data analysis and driver coaching, PR and marketing activation, as well the ability to co-brand potential sponsors with the team’s ALMS effort. While the team’s goal is to win a championship, its focus will be geared towards funded drivers who are seeking a reputable team capable of fielding an ultra competitive program.

“This is a move for Primetime that gives us another opportunity to expand our brand under the IMSA umbrella at a point in time when racing needs us,” said Feinberg. “With the commitment of Ben Johnston, the Atlantics have become the biggest bang for your buck. In the times that we’re in, this opportunity couldn’t be passed up. The move will be beneficial to everyone involved as it will bring more cars to the grid, more drivers to the series, and allow Primetime to continue to grow even bigger.”

The Atlantic Championship features a $1 million prize for the series champion, $500,000 to the runner up, and $200,000 going to third place with all drivers earning points from their best 11 finishes in the 12-race season. Additionally, most 2009 Atlantic events offer a $50,000 winner’s purse, making Atlantic purses among the richest in all of North American open-wheel racing. As if this is not enough reason for Primetime to participate, the series also shares six of its remaining race weekends with the American Le Mans Series at Miller Motorsports Park, Lime Rock Park, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Mosport International Raceway, Road Atlanta and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

“We are obviously thrilled to welcome Primetime Race Group to the Atlantic Championship,” said Atlantic Championship President Ben Johnston. “Joel and Brent have earned a reputation for fielding a first-class program in the American Le Mans Series, and this is exactly the type of team we need in Atlantic. We’re looking forward to seeing the two Primetime cars on the grid next month at Miller Motorsports Park, throughout the 2009 season and hopefully well into the future.”

“Primetime Race Group could not have acquired two better cars for its initial foray into the Atlantic Championship,” added Atlantic Championship Executive Vice President Vicki O’Connor. “That No. 8 car was clearly a front-runner throughout the 2008 Atlantic season and the No. 88 was also a top contender at many of our events last year. It would come as no surprise if the two Primetime cars were at the front right off the truck in Utah.”

About Primetime Race Group
The Primetime team is known for their rapid growth and ability to build their brand. In just 4 years since its entry to IMSA, it has grown from a single car in IMSA Lites, to a full scale American Le Mans Championship competitor returning for their second full season in the #11 GT2 Viper. With multiple entries in IMSA Lites and SPEED World Challenge over the last 3 seasons, Primetime has hand carved its name into the record books as well as the heart of the fans. Through its development in IMSA Lites and their GT2 program they have become a fixture within the paddock and will continue to build on this success for years to come. www.primetimeracegroup.com

Garcia Flies Atlantic with Condor to Conquer America
by Charles Barrett
PALM BEACH, Florida (12th March 2009) - Borja Garcia will be racing in the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda with Condor Motorsports after testing with the team at the Palm Beach International Raceway on Tuesday and Wednesday and topping the time sheets in all four sessions, with a best time of 1.07.286, leaving 2008 Champion Markus Niemela and the rest of the field in the distance.

In a move masterminded by his management company, CJ Motorsport Consulting, the talented Spaniard follows in the footsteps of fellow CJ Driver Franck Perera, who successfully took up the same challenge in 2007.

At the time, following an equally dominant first test at Laguna Seca, Perera literally rewrote the record books (3 Wins, 8 Podiums, 2 Poles, 1 Best Lap, and Top Five in all 12 Races) on his way to the 2007 Rookie of the Year title. He narrowly missed out on the overall title to series returnee Raphael Matos.

Perera's achievements did not go unnoticed as he earned himself a Champ Car test at Sebring, where he proceeded to top the time sheets and beat the unofficial track record. This secured him a ride for the season, initially in Champ Car and later in IndyCar after the former was absorbed. Unfortunately, the Frenchman became the victim of Conquest Racing’s sponsorship woes and he was forced to relinquish his seat despite some very good early performances.

Garcia’s resume boasts a wealth of experience and success, including Spanish F3 champion, World Series by Renault vice-champion, multiple podiums in GP2 and an impressive Formula One test for Toyota F1.


“We are delighted to have been able to secure a deal for Borja to race in the Atlantic Championship with Condor,” commented Serge Celebidachi from CJ Motorsport Consulting. “The strategy was a successful one two years ago with Franck as he really made a name for himself on the American scene. Borja has the talent and temperament to achieve similar success and we know that in Condor Motorsport, we have a team that can help us challenge for the title.”


"We're all really happy to welcome Borja to the team," said Carlos Bobeda, owner of Condor Motorsports, who captured the 2005 Champ Car Atlantic Championship with Dutchman Charles Zwolsman. "Borja’s achievements in Europe speak for themselves and he comes from the same management stable as Franck Perera, with whom we had a lot of success in 2007. I am expecting great things from him and so far, I haven’t been disappointed."

“It has always been an ambition of mine to race in the USA and I am extremely grateful to both Carlos Bobeda from Condor Motorsports and to my management team at CJ Motorsport Consulting for this new opportunity”, said Garcia. "Atlantic is a fantastic championship. It offers excellent prize money and will give me the opportunity to showcase my talent in the United Stated so that I can start building a long-term racing career over here, which is our goal.”

 

Newman Wachs Racing Adds Niemela for Strongest Team to Date
News from Newman-Wachs Racing
MUNDELEIN, IL (March 5, 2009) – Newman Wachs Racing celebrates the largest Atlantic Championship Series prize money funding in history with the completion of the strongest driver lineup of the modern Swift 016 era. Reigning Atlantic Champion, Markus Niemela will join reigning Star Mazda Champion, John Edwards in NWR’s campaign to win the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda. This two-car effort will be the strongest team NWR has ever had. Putting their efforts behind two drivers of this caliber, NWR is confident they can take the last step to securing the Championship’s one million dollar prize.

Markus hails from Rauma, Finland, and is the first driver to return to defend his title with a full-time effort since Lee Bentham, who won the 1998 title and finished sixth in the 1999 championship. He will carry the #1 on his Mr. Jones/ Nuclear Clean Air Energy/ Entergy Swift 016.

Niemela will return to the series-opener at Sebring International Raceway March 17-20 with a great deal of momentum. The two-time winner closed out his ‘08 championship with a win at the finale at Road Atlanta. Race day in Sebring will also be on his 25th birthday.

“First of all,” said Niemela, “I would like to say that I am extremely excited for this season. For me, this is also the first time that I have competed in the same series for more than one year since karting. I was looking at other options after I won the Championship last year, but when Ben Johnston announced the new prize money structure, it made sense to do it again. Newman Wachs Racing was my first choice for a new team and I am very happy to be here. It took awhile to get things together but I am very relieved and now ready to focus on what is ahead and get some good results.”

Markus’ career has been impressive and he holds a resume that spans the globe. From karting at a young age to GP2, he has six championships to his name. Over the winter Niemela kept busy; testing a GP2 car, an Indy Lights car, and a DTM car. Between testing and his strictly regimented training, Markus remained diligent and hopeful to find a ride for 2009. This diligence paid true earlier this week when a contract was signed with NWR.

“I am pleased that we will not have to race against Markus this year,” said Eddie Wachs, Team Owner. “He is a fierce competitor and is a welcomed asset to our team. We had our most successful season last year to date, and I am secure in saying 2009 will be even better. With Markus and John (Edwards) as teammates, I think they can both benefit and get the most out of each other. It’s been a long winter and I’m sure I speak for the rest of the Atlantic family when I say, ‘let’s get this going’.”

Newman Wachs Racing heads into its fourth year of competition in the Atlantic Series in 2009. In its three years of competition, NWR has earned 1 pole position, 3 victories, 7 podium finishes, and 11 top-fives.

 

Team Stargate Worlds Enters the 2009 Atlantic Championship Series
News from US Racetronics
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (February 25, 2009) – The worlds of gaming, racing, Hollywood, and women sports all merged today when it was announced during the annual MAZDASPEED Motorsports Media Lunch in Irvine, California that Frankie Muniz and Simona De Silvestro would be teaming up for the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda as part of Team Stargate Worlds™.

The team will be operated by US RaceTronics but will run under the banner of Team Stargate Worlds and features sponsorship from Stargate Worlds™ developer Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment™ and publisher FireSky™. The sponsorship is unique in that Muniz and De Silvestro will be featured in the upcoming Stargate Worlds massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). Based on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s (MGM) very successful Stargate franchise, Stargate Worlds features tactical modern combat vs. science-fiction weapons and instant travel across the galaxy in a story-driven MMO.

With a challenging 12-race 2009 schedule and a significant prize package that includes a $1 million prize for the series champion, Muniz returns to the Atlantic series after a solid season in 2008 in which he earned three top-10 race results and narrowly missed finishing inside the top 10 in the championship. This marks Muniz’s third year in the series and his second year with the team.

De Silvestro is no stranger to the Atlantic Championship. The native of Thun, Switzerland who currently resides in Phoenix, Ariz. made history last year by becoming the second woman in Atlantic Championship history to win a race by taking the season-opening Imperial Capital Bank Atlantic Challenge of Long Beach. In addition to her historic win last year, De Silvestro’s 2008 season included an impressive eight top-10 finishes and a career-best eighth-place position in the final championship standings.

In addition to the sponsorship from Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment and FireSky, Team Stargate Worlds is also pleased to continue to have the support of Meguiar’s Car Care Products and Mechanix Wear, both of whom have a long relationship with USRT.

Frankie Muniz, Driver No. 77: “I'm excited about Team Stargate Worlds and the upcoming 2009 Atlantic Championship season. I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone at Cheyenne Mountain and Mr. Gary Whiting for this incredible opportunity. I'm looking forward to working with everyone at US RaceTronics once again including my new engineer Gerald Tyler. I am very excited about the scenario of mixing my two passions of racing and acting, as I will be starring as a galactic racer in the upcoming Stargate Worlds game.”

Simona De Silvestro, Driver No. 78: “I'm really excited for the 2009 season with Team Stargate Worlds. I want to thank Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment especially Mr. Gary Whiting for the opportunity of a lifetime. The team has a great combination of proven winners including the capable engineering of Burke Harrison, and we hope to have a very strong team this year. I'm also ecstatic about entering Frankie's world of acting in a virtual sense as I will be starring as an intergalactic racer in the Stargate Worlds game. I'm really looking forward with partnering with Frankie in bringing our team success.”

 

2008 Atlantic Engineer of the Year Joins Newman Wachs Racing News from Newman-Wachs Racing
Photos © Jamie Longmuir 2008
MUNDELEIN, Ill. (December 5, 2008) – Newman Wachs Racing (NWR), in keeping with their pledge to improve on their third place Championship run in the 2008 Atlantic Championship, is pleased to announce that 2008 Atlantic Engineer of the Year, Nick Harvey, will be joining the Chicago-based team.

Nick's racing career began in 1976, as a driver, behind the wheel of a Kart in England. His driving career spanned Karts, FF1600, Sports 2000, Ferrari Challenge, Skip Barber Racing Series, Trans Am and Toyota Atlantic over the next 16 years.

Following his most successful Atlantic season to date, Harvey was the engineer behind the 2008 Atlantic Champion, Markus Niemela, and scored two wins on his way to clinching the title at the season ender at Road Atlanta. This will be Harvey’s 13th season in the Atlantic Championship and has earned 5 wins and 4 poles with the current Swift 016.

A personal highlight for Nick was steering the PPI Atlantic team to the Championship in 1999 with Anthony Lazzaro. The following year, his double duty efforts as Team Manager and Race Engineer paid off when he was awarded Engineer of the Year in 2000 for helping Dan Wheldon secure second in points and the Rookie of the Year honors.


Nick Harvey:
"I feel very lucky to have been asked to join NWR, Eddie has been such a great supporter of motorsports through the years and I have enormous respect for Don Halliday. I'm really excited to learn a lot working with him and hopefully we can take a serious run at the Championship.”

Don Halliday, Technical Director for NWR:
“It is nice to have someone with Nick’s experience and success becomes a part of our team. I worked with him ages ago, and he is a welcomed asset. He is extremely easy to get on with, which is a tenet of NWR, and he brings a wealth of knowledge within this racing discipline. I believe this is another strong addition to our organization, and will serve to strengthen our existing knowledge base when we combine it with his. We are looking forward to the 2009 season and definitely pleased that our arch rival is now one of us.”

Newman Wachs Racing will enter its fourth season of the Atlantic Championship with the season opener in Savannah, Georgia March 14-15, 2009.

Atlantic Racing Series, LLC Purchased by Atlanta Businessman Ben Johnston
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (October 31, 2008) - On the heels of an outstanding, 35th anniversary season of the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, which wrapped up at Road Atlanta earlier this month, the series' future has been solidified as it was announced today that Atlanta-area businessman Ben Johnston has purchased Atlantic Racing Series, LLC from Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

"It is very exciting to play a part in the future of such a historic racing series," Johnston said. "The Atlantic staff and teams are the best racing has to offer and we are honored to have the continued sponsorship of Cooper Tires and Mazda. It will be a fantastic season."

Johnston, 53, also owns Alpharetta, Ga.-based Media Brokers, Inc., which specializes in media planning and buying. He is a long-time road racing enthusiast and owns eight regional titles in SCCA Atlantic competition. Johnston also made one start in the Atlantic Championship in 2005.

"I am absolutely thrilled that Ben has stepped forward to ensure the Atlantic series' position as the longest-running open wheel driver development series in North America will continue well into the future under his ownership," said Atlantic Championship President Vicki O'Connor. "At the same time, I must thank Kevin Kalkhoven and Jerry Forsythe for their outstanding support and ownership of the series over the past several years, and for ensuring the series' operation in 2008. Likewise, we are indebted to our wonderful partners in Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and Mazda North American Operations for their contributions to making the 2008 season a reality and we look forward to continuing those relationships well into the future as well. We literally couldn't have done it without them or the fantastic teams and drivers that made this one of the most competitive and memorable seasons in Atlantic history."

The series will continue to operate out of its Brownsburg, Ind. headquarters under the leadership of O'Connor, who has helmed the Atlantic Championship since 1985. The series plans a schedule of 10 to 12 events for 2009, with an official schedule announcement expected shortly. Also expected in the near future is an announcement regarding television coverage for the 2009 season.

Series partners Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and Mazda North American Operations applauded the sale to Johnston. Mazda just completed its third season as the series exclusive engine supplier and sponsor, while Cooper Tire wrapped up its second season as presenting sponsor and official tire.

"Cooper Tire is thrilled to have Ben on-board as the series owner," stated Chris Pantani, Director of Motorsports for Cooper Tire. "His vision for the series is a breath of fresh air, and Cooper Tire looks forward to working closely with Ben and the other series partners for a successful 2009 season."

"The Atlantic Championship is the top rung of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder," added Robert Davis, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Quality, and the man responsible for Mazda's North American motorsports operations under the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development banner. "We have greatly enjoyed our past three years with the Atlantic Championship and are looking forward to continuing that partnership with Cooper Tires and the new series owner. We greatly appreciate the heritage of the series. Our team members have been attending Atlantic races as far back as 1976 and we want to do our part to carry on the tradition."

The Atlantic Championship is the longest-running open-wheel driver development series in North America and celebrated its 35th Anniversary season in 2008, with Finnish rookie Markus Niemela taking the series championship in the final race of the season. The series is noted for its long history of graduating its drivers into the top levels of motorsport throughout the world, including IndyCar champions such as Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti, Jacques Villeneuve, Jimmy Vasser, Greg Ray, Sam Hornish Jr. and Dan Wheldon, Indy 500 winners such as Sullivan, Rahal, Villeneuve, Buddy Rice, Wheldon and Hornish, and Formula One world champions such as Villeneuve and Keke Rosberg. In 2008, Atlantic graduates battled for race victories and championships in top North American series such as the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in addition to various other series all over the world. Learn more about Atlantic at www.atlantic-championship.com

2008 Atlantic Championship Events to Air on SPEED This Fall and Winter
INDIANAPOLIS (September 29, 2008) – Race fans will have the opportunity to catch the excitement of the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda on Sunday afternoons in November and December as officials from the series, Mazda and SPEED today announced that 2008 Atlantic races will be shown on the network.

“With the invaluable assistance of our partners at Mazda, we are pleased to announce that all of our races from an exciting, 35th Anniversary Atlantic Championship will be televised on SPEED later this fall,” said Atlantic Championship President Vicki O’Connor. “This is a homecoming of sorts for Atlantic, as we enjoyed five great years on SPEED earlier in this decade. Television coverage for this season was the last piece of the puzzle for us as we reorganized following the reunification at the top of open-wheel racing in February, and I am thrilled that we are finally able to make this announcement.”

The season-opening race from Long Beach will be the first 2008 Atlantic Championship event to air on SPEED on Sunday, November 9. One week later, on Sunday, November 16, Round 2 from Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and the first race of July’s doubleheader at Edmonton will be aired. The second half of the Edmonton doubleheader and the first race of the Road America doubleheader are set to air on Sunday, December 14, followed by the second race from Road America and the race at Trois-Rivieres on Sunday, December 21. The penultimate round from Miller Motorsports Park and the season finale from Road Atlanta will air on Sunday, December 28.

All SPEED telecasts will be aired beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET. The broadcast team will consist of veteran announcers Bill Stephens and Jon Beekhuis.

“We welcome the Atlantic Championship back to the network,” said SPEED coordinating producer Pete Richards. “The series has provided some great racing throughout the years, as many of sport’s biggest stars cut their teeth and launched their careers towards IndyCar racing or Formula One stardom. Each race is compelling, as up-and-coming drivers not only compete for podium finishes – but their futures as well.”

Atlantic events previously aired on SPEED from 2002 through 2006. Last season, ESPN2 provided the coverage as part of the Champ Car World Series television partnership with ESPN. In addition to coverage on SPEED, video from most 2008 Atlantic Championship events is currently available on www.atlantic-championship.com. The 2008 Atlantic season has also had continued exposure throughout the season on FOX Latin America.

Mazda has been the engine partner for the Atlantic Championship since 2006, and has been a consistent advertiser on SPEED since its early days as Speedvision.

Jim Jordan, Alternative Marketing Manager, Mazda North American Operations, noted that, “This scheduling will give road racing fans a great off-season TV fix and is a nice complement to the Star Mazda Championship currently broadcast by SPEED. Viewers can watch the progress of 2007 Star Mazda Champion Dane Cameron in the Atlantic Championship.

Series presenting sponsor, Cooper Tires, meanwhile, will undoubtedly also have a strong presence on the SPEED Atlantic telecasts. Since joining the series as presenting sponsor and official tire prior to the 2007 season, Cooper Tires has been extremely active in promoting the series.

Atlantic Points Leader Junior Strous Chases Thieves through Dutch Hometown
INDIANAPOLIS (July 16, 2008) – While most of his fellow competitors in the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda have been spending the time between last month’s race at Mont-Tremblant and next weekend’s doubleheader at the Rexall Edmonton Indy working on their fitness program or getting some rest and relaxation, points leader Junior Strous had a bit of an adventure in his hometown of Wassenaar, The Netherlands.

Approximately two weeks ago, Strous was awoken at 3 a.m. by the alarm at his family’s Shell fuel station, which is adjacent to his home in the suburb of The Hague. Strous looked outside to find three burglars and the Dutchman quickly sprang into action.

“I jumped out of bed, got dressed and ran next door,” Strous explained. “Three burglars stormed out of the shop with a bag full of stolen goods and jumped into a waiting getaway car. They sped off in the direction of Amsterdam. I jumped into our BMW M3 and started to pursue them. What followed was a real exciting street race, and while driving at full speed, I called the cops. The thieves were getting very nervous because I pushed and pushed, so at the end of the motorway, they braked too late and crashed their car into a lamppost.

“The three thieves jumped out of the car and ran away. I also jumped out of my car and started to pursue them. Luckily, the cops were there at the same time as me and they put a police dog on their trail. Before I knew what was happening, the dog attacked one of the thieves and was biting him. What a fantastic way to catch a thief! Great dog! Lucky for us, all the stolen goods were still in the car and all three thieves were taken into custody by the police. It was great work by the local police force, and I want to thank them for their quick reaction.”

Next week, Strous will return to the cockpit of his No. 6 Shell/HTP/ Muermans Group/Red, White & Bluezz machine for Condor Motorsports/Team Holland alongside his fellow Atlantic Championship competitors for Rounds 4 and 5 of the 11-race season at the Rexall Edmonton Indy. Strous currently leads the Atlantic point standings by seven, 74-67, over Canadian racer James Hinchcliffe and Finnish rookie Markus Niemela.

Round 4 of the season and Race 1 of the doubleheader weekend is scheduled for Friday, July 25 with the second half of the doubleheader slated for Saturday, July 26.

IMSA to Sanction Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda Events in 2008
INDIANAPOLIS (June 23, 2008) – A key component of the 35th anniversary season for the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda has finally fallen into place as Atlantic Championship President Vicki O’Connor and officials from the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) announced today that IMSA has agreed to sanction Atlantic Championship events for the 2008 season.

“After a lengthy period of negotiations, we are delighted to announce that IMSA will now be the sanctioning body for the Atlantic Championship,” O’Connor said. “As a road racing championship in North America, it certainly makes sense to align Atlantic with North America’s premier road racing sanctioning organization. Atlantic has some previous history with IMSA and—in our 35th anniversary season—we are excited to begin a new chapter with IMSA.”

IMSA previously sanctioned Formula Atlantic in the United States in 1976. The U.S. championship was contested in addition to the Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs (CASC)-sanctioned Player’s Challenge Series north of the border, and both championships were won by Canadian racing legend Gilles Villeneuve. Ironically, the 1976 season also featured an event at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., where IMSA is now based. Road Atlanta will also play host to the 2008 Atlantic season finale on the same weekend as the prestigious Petit Le Mans for the American Le Mans Series.

While the Atlantic Championship will continue to be owned by Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe and will be operated by O’Connor and her staff, all races will be run under IMSA rules. The Atlantic Championship will be conducted under the IMSA Code, which establishes and oversees event, participant and safety parameters and conduct, as well as governing rules for each of its sanctioned series. The IMSA sanction takes immediate effect and will be in place for the next round of the Atlantic Championship on June 27-29 at Mont-Tremblant.

“IMSA is extremely proud to extend its sanction to the Atlantic Championship,” said IMSA Chief Operating Officer Tim Mayer. “Over the past four decades, the Atlantic Championship has produced some of the world’s greatest race car drivers including Formula One world champions, IndyCar champions and sports car champions. The series becomes part of a logical progression of championships sanctioned by IMSA including the Formula BMW Americas Championship, the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear and now the Atlantic Championship. Whether a driver’s goals lie in open wheel, stock car or sports car racing, the IMSA family of sanctioned series provides a solid foundation.

“We believe that the Atlantic Championship provides a great basis for professional drivers. The series is superbly managed; it offers a great car, engine and tire package. If proof were needed we can simply point to 2006 series champion Simon Pagenaud’s recent success in the American Le Mans Series and his great performance at Le Mans.”

Atlantic championship graduates competing in top North American series in 2008 include IndyCar stars Dan Wheldon, Danica Patrick, Graham Rahal, Buddy Rice and Ryan Hunter-Reay; rising NASCAR stars Patrick Carpentier, A.J. Allmendinger and Sam Hornish Jr.; American Le Mans Series competitors Johnny O’Connell, Luis Diaz, Simon Pagenaud, Alex Figge and Tom Sutherland; as well as reigning Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series champions Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney among many others.

The Atlantic Championship is the longest-running open-wheel driver development series in North America and celebrates its 35th Anniversary season in 2008. The series is noted for its long history of graduating its drivers into the top levels of motorsport throughout the world, including IndyCar champions such as Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti, Jacques Villeneuve, Jimmy Vasser, Greg Ray, Sam Hornish Jr. and Dan Wheldon, Indy 500 winners such as Sullivan, Rahal, Villeneuve, Buddy Rice, Wheldon and Hornish, and Formula One world champions such as Villeneuve and Keke Rosberg. In 2008, Atlantic graduates will battle for race victories and championships in top North American series such as the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in addition to various other series all over the world. Learn more about Atlantic at www.atlantic-championship.com.

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) is the premier sanctioning body for road racing in North America. Since its establishment in 1969, IMSA has conducted hundreds of auto races on a variety of permanent and temporary racing circuits in the United States and Canada. Exclusively in the auto racing business, IMSA organizes and officiates professional road racing competitions. IMSA is one of the eight member clubs of the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS), which is the FIA sporting association for the United States. As such, IMSA is one of just a few organizations in the U.S. authorized to stage competitions based in the International Sporting Code.

Currently IMSA sanctions several professional auto racing series including the American Le Mans Series, the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, IMSA Challenge by Michelin, Formula BMW Americas and IMSA Lites presented by Hankook. Each series provides a unique form of auto racing action through varying levels of driver and manufacturer competition.

Each year, IMSA awards millions of dollars in prize money, bonus awards and series point funds to the various winners. The headquarters office for IMSA is located in Braselton, GA.

Walker Racing Atlantics Welcomes New Sponsor Vital Lifestyle Water for the Season and Alex Tagliani for the Weekend
News from Walker Racing
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 16, 2008) - Walker Racing returns to familiar ground this weekend in Monterey, California as the Atlantic squad competes at the famous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca circuit May 16-18th. What better way to kick off the race weekend than with two announcements.

Walker Racing is happy to announce that VITAL Lifestyle Water (http//www.vitallifestylewater.com   ) the new 100 percent natural, low calorie and truly functional enhanced water will be joining the operation’s sponsor/partner portfolio for the remainder of the 2008 season. Not only will the VITAL Lifestyle Water logo be carried on all three Atlantic cars, but the team will stay refreshed at the tracks with their supply of VITAL Lifestyle water.

Vital Lifestyle Water is the only true functional water loaded with vitamins, minerals, all-natural supplements and the first beverage in North America to be naturally sweetened with the 100% natural fruit extract Fruit Up®.

“It’s always good news when we have new sponsor partners coming on board our program. We are happy to have VITAL Lifestyle Water joining the Atlantic team as one of our sponsor partners. This is a great emerging company that is very progressive and has a strong interest in reaching our core fans with their products, so it’s a great marriage. We are glad to welcome VITAL Lifestyle Water on board,” stated Derrick Walker, Walker Racing Owner.

“Vital Lifestyle Water is excited to join with an established and respected brand like Walker Racing and we know that their team and their fans are going to understand and enjoy our product,” said Paul Patterson, President of Vital Lifestyle Water. “The Walker team is at the forefront of technology and so is Vital Lifestyle Water in the functional beverage category so our two brands mesh well. The race team is always trying to set the bar higher for performance and that’s what Vital Lifestyle Water is doing by setting the bar high in our industry.”

Reuniting with Walker Racing for the weekend is Canadian Alex Tagliani, who accepted the team’s offer to come and help coach their three drivers, Canadian Kevin Lacroix, and Greg and Leo Mansell, sons of former Formula One World Champion and IndyCar Champion, Nigel Mansell.

“Alex Tagliani accepted our invitation to come and support the Atlantic program at Laguna Seca, which really came out of Long Beach. When Alex was watching practice he came back to the pits with some input on how the drivers should try taking some of the corners differently. The response from the drivers was very favorable that we really thought continuing that on through Laguna Seca would be very helpful. Alex will be our designated driver coach for the weekend and I think it will help our drivers a great deal, because Alex can really teach the drivers, because he can relate to them,” commented Walker.

Tagliani drove for Walker Racing under the Team Australia banner in 2005 and 2006 and competed for the team last month for the final Champ Car event in Long Beach, California.

“I had the opportunity to race with Walker Racing for the final Champ Car race in Long Beach and it is a great pleasure to continue my relationship with the team and to help drivers to be quicker on track,” said Tagliani. “I think Walker Racing is a strong organization. If I can bring support to and bring success to the Atlantic team.”

Walker Racing will hit the pavement tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. local time for Atlantic practice. For more updates on the team please visit www.walkerracing.com
 

Andreas Wirth Returns to Racing Realities with Brooks Associates Racing
Announces a Cool New Contest for His Fans
News from Brooks Associates Racing
LONG BEACH, California (April 15, 2008) — Having recently been announced as the 2008 feature driver for "Racing Realities – Diaries of a Race Car Driver," Andreas decided it was time to get his fans involved a little more this season. With just a few days before the season begins we're happy to declare that "Andreas Wirth's RacingRealities.com Prediction Pool" is open to receive your entries!

Join Andreas' fans from around the world in a little friendly racing competition and you could win an Andreas Wirth Motorsport prize package! Simply follow his career in the Atlantic Championship as he attempts to take care of some unfinished business in 2008. Visit RacingRealities.com for complete details and gain a bit of an edge in the competition by reviewing his track history and personal comments on each race venue - then, submit your predictions in and you could win!

Don't miss a minute of the fun or a single opportunity to accumulate some points - get your Overall Season and Long Beach Race Predictions in by 12-midnight EST on Thursday April 17th to be eligible for the first round of prediction pool competition.

Finally, don't forget to follow Andreas and the whole Brooks Associates Racing Squad as they hunt down the title in the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda - enjoy this unique perspective into the world of motorsport and enter the contest by visiting www.RacingRealities.com

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and Mazda Reaffirm Support for
Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda
Photos courtesy Atlantics Championship 2007
INDIANAPOLIS (March 6, 2008) – With the recent unification of the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series and the Champ Car World Series, the 35th Anniversary season of the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda will be a watershed one in the history of North America’s longest-running open-wheel driver development series.

Series co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe have pledged to continue the popular championship, which will open its season on April 18-20 at the legendary Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. In light of the open-wheel unification, Atlantic Managing Director Vicki O’Connor and her staff continue to work feverishly to solidify key details on the 2008 series, such as the 12-race schedule, prize package and incentives, sanctioning body and television coverage, with announcements expected soon.

However, none of this would be possible without the continued support of series partners Mazda and the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company.

Mazda joined the series as a sponsor and engine supplier in 2006 and has identified the Atlantic Championship as the top rung on its MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder, which includes the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear, the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Championship Presented by Mazda and the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup. As part of the program, Mazda ensures that the Star Mazda champion receives a ride in the next season’s Atlantic Championship, which will again be the case this year with Dane Cameron. Mazda has also included Atlantic in national television advertising campaigns.

“Mazda is fully committed to all rungs of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder, including our top rung, the Atlantic Championship,” said Robert Davis, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Quality for Mazda North American Operations and the man responsible for Mazda’s North American motorsports operations under the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development banner. “Mazda is working diligently with Vicki O’Connor, Cooper Tire, event promoters and tracks to produce the best possible 2008 season with an eye on 2009. Mazda is working with the best interests of our fans, teams, drivers and sponsors in mind.”

Cooper Tire was a new partner to the Atlantic Championship in 2007 and enthusiastically supported the series through programs such as an interactive traveling display at all events—which also provided the perfect backdrop for wildly successful all-driver autograph sessions at every stop—as well as television advertising. Those programs are expected to continue in 2008, with additional opportunities to activate the partnership currently being examined.

“The 2008 Atlantic Championship season will mark Cooper Tire’s second year as presenting sponsor,” said Chris Pantani, Director of UHP Marketing and Motorsports for Cooper Tire. “The Atlantic Championship has established itself as the top rung of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder, and continues to produce some of the greatest talent ever to move up to the next level. Cooper Tire is proud to be a partner of a series that plays such an instrumental role in a young driver’s career, and we look forward to following those drivers on their path, which has historically included IndyCar racing, Formula 1 and even NASCAR. The level of racing excitement, the fan base and professionalism of the participants, as well as the expertise of the Atlantic Championship organization, has and continues to be an overwhelming success for all involved.”

In addition to Mazda and Cooper Tire, the Atlantic Championship continues to enjoy support from companies such as Cosworth, Inc.; Swift Engineering; BBS of America; Pi Research, USA and Haas Automation, Inc. among others.

The efforts of Mazda and Cooper Tire, as well as those of the Atlantic Championship staff and the drivers and teams in the series will be on display next week during Spring Training at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on March 10-11. Media is invited to attend Spring Training on both days.

Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda Set For 35th Anniversary Season in 2008
Photos courtesy Jamie Longmuir 2007
HOMESTEAD, Fla. (February 27, 2008) – The longest-running open-wheel driver development series in North America will contest its 35th Anniversary season in 2008 with today’s announcement that the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda will conduct a 12-race schedule beginning April 18-20 in Long Beach, Calif. The announcement was made by series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven, who will own the series with Gerald Forsythe.

“The Atlantic Championship’s history and record of developing drivers is so impressive that Jerry and I want to see it continue this season and for many years to come,” Kalkhoven said. “Many great drivers have cut their teeth in Atlantic over the past 34 years before moving on to terrific careers at the highest level of motorsports all over the world, including the Champ Car World Series, IndyCar Series, Formula 1 and NASCAR. An outstanding crop of drivers and teams will maintain that tradition in the 35th Anniversary season this year.”

The 2008 Atlantic Championship will feature a 12-race schedule that begins with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on the weekend of April 20, with venues and dates for the remaining events to be released in the near future. The series also will conduct an open test for all 2008 teams and drivers at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on March 10-11.

The series will continue to be operated on a day-to-day basis by Managing Director Vicki O’Connor and her current staff. O’Connor has been at the helm of Atlantic since 1985, when her company, Pro-Motion Agency, Ltd. took over ownership of the Atlantic series. O’Connor remained in charge of the series after selling Pro-Motion Agency to Forsythe in 1996, as well as when Atlantic was later purchased by Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) in 1998 and subsequently owned by Champ Car World Series, LLC beginning in 2004. The series will continue to be headquartered in Indianapolis.

“This is the beginning of another exciting chapter in the history of Atlantic and I am proud and honored to be a part of it,” O’Connor said. “Of course, this would never be possible without the tremendous support we enjoy from Mazda and Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and our other valued partners, as well as the support of Jerry Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven. There is an incredible amount work to be done before we get to our season opener at Long Beach, but we will be ready to go on the weekend of April 20.”

O’Connor currently is in Southern California meeting with key partners of the series and also will attend a MAZDASPEED Motorsports preseason business update with key members of the automotive media today. Announcements regarding the sanctioning body for the Atlantic Championship as well as broadcast information and prize structure are expected shortly.

The Atlantic Championship is noted for its long history of graduating its drivers to the top levels of motorsports all over the world, including IndyCar series champions and Indianapolis 500 winners Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Jacques Villeneuve, Sam Hornish Jr. and Dan Wheldon, and Formula 1 world champions Villeneuve and Keke Rosberg among many others. Five of the last nine IndyCar Series championships and three of the last four Indianapolis 500s were won by Atlantic graduates. The top two finishers in the 2007 Atlantic Championship—Raphael Matos and Franck Perera—will compete in the Indy Racing League Indy Pro Series and IndyCar Series this season. Other 2007 open-wheel drivers who competed in the Atlantic Championship include Danica Patrick, Graham Rahal and Simon Pagenaud.

In addition, Hornish and former Atlantic champions Patrick Carpentier and A.J. Allmendinger currently compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, while two-time Atlantic champion Jon Fogarty and former Atlantic competitor Alex Gurney won the 2007 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype championship. Other Atlantic grads, including Johnny O’Connell and Luis Diaz, rate among the front-runners in the American Le Mans Series.
 

Hinchcliffe leads First Day of Champ Car Atlantic Testing at Sebring
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
SEBRING, Fla. (February 5, 2008) – The first day of open testing for the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda at Sebring International Raceway featured a time sheet that was topped by three drivers representing the three countries which will host Champ Car Atlantic races this year.

Leading the way was Canadian James Hinchcliffe (#3 Forsythe Championship Racing) who turned a best lap at 57.449 seconds (104.587 mph) in his return to the Forsythe Atlantic operation after a one-year absence. Second-quickest was American driver Jonathan Bomarito (#6 Sierra Sierra Enterprises), who posted a lap at 57.542 seconds (104.418 mph) in his first official test session with the team that won the 2007 series title. Hinchcliffe’s new Forsythe Championship Racing teammate, Mexican driver David Garza (#7 Forsythe Championship Racing), was third on the day at 57.860 seconds (103.844 mph).

Entering his third year of Atlantic competition in 2008, Hinchcliffe is focused on challenging for the series championship. The Canadian racer got that effort off on the right foot in the first official day of on-track activity for Atlantic.

“Obviously, we’re pretty happy with the results,” Hinchcliffe said. “The team ended the day first and third, so that’s a good place to start. Sebring is kind of an enigma in itself, so you can’t take too much away from this, but for the sake of the team and for the confidence of both me and David, it’s a good place to start. We’re looking forward to Long Beach more than anything. We’ve got two tests still to go, but we know we’ve got a good package underneath us. Now I just want to go racing.”

Bomarito echoed those sentiments following his public debut in the cockpit of the championship-winning No. 6 machine. The American moved to Sierra Sierra Enterprises in the off-season and is entering his fourth year of Atlantic. He too is focused on battling for championship honors.

“It’s good so far,” Bomarito said. “A lot of the teams have been here in their private testing in weeks previous to this test and we haven’t, so we were a little bit behind when we first got here this morning. This afternoon has been awesome. It’s a new team for me, joining Sierra Sierra this year, and I’m just working on gelling with the team. I can’t tell you how excited I am to get to Long Beach and start the year.”

Like Bomarito and Hinchcliffe, Garza also made his official debut with a new team at Sebring, moving from U.S. RaceTronics to Forsythe Championship Racing for his second year of Atlantic action. The move appears to be paying immediate dividends as evidenced by his third-quickest time in Tuesday’s test sessions.

“I think we started on the right foot,” Garza said. “It’s a great confidence booster for our whole team. We worked really hard in the preseason and to come to the first test and be quick, it’s just a really good payoff. The whole team is working really great and the car is doing what I want it to do, so it speaks of good things for the team. I’m looking forward to starting racing. Forsythe is such a big organization and everything is so well-prepared. You have so much confidence in the team. I’m very happy to be here.”

Fourth-quickest on Tuesday was second-year American driver J.R. Hildebrand (#17 Genoa Racing) at 57.981 seconds (103.627 mph). Finnish rookie Markus Niemela (#8 Brooks Associates Racing) impressively completed the top five with a best lap at 57.997 seconds (103.598 mph).

A total of 24 drivers combined to complete 1,266 laps (2112.954 miles) on Tuesday, and the top 11 drivers were covered by less than one second. The test sessions were run under unseasonably warm weather conditions with no major incidents. Testing continues on Wednesday.

Brooks Associates Racing Announces Its 2008 Drivers
News from Brooks Associates Racing
TUCSON, Ariz. (January 18, 2008) - Brooks Associates Racing is proud to announce its driver lineup for the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, with both drivers secured and ready to test.

Filip Salaquarda (pictured right), comes to the U.S. for the first time from the Czech Republic. Filip began his racing career winning championships, starting with the Comer category in Czech go-karts, and then progressed to ICA 100, winning that championship before the age of 15. Moving into driving cars, he progressed to the Ford Puma Cup, Formula BMW, then Formula 3, competing in the Formula 3 Euroseries in 2007, with two top five finishes. He also represented his country in the A1GP series, finishing 10th at Shanghai.

Markus Niemela (pictured left), also ventures to the U.S. for his first entry into U.S. competition, leaving behind his home of Finland. Markus began his driving career in karts, winning the Junior Championship as a young driver. His achievements include victories in England, Germany, Scandinavia, Belgium, Finland and Sweden in both karting and formula racing. In 2007, Markus joined the GP2 series in mid-season, running well with BCN Competition.

The two will partner with BAR’s engineers, Nick Harvey and Yancy Diotalevi, and the rest of the team for an exciting 2008 season. “Markus and Filip fit right into our team and I’m really looking forward to 2008. We’re changing any number of things, and having two quality drivers signed early, with plenty of time to test and work together promises a good season for all my guys,” said team owner, John Brooks.

In slightly more than two weeks, the team heads for Florida for its first round of 2008 tests before returning to its Tucson, Ariz. base.

The Champ Car Atlantic Championship is the premier open wheel development series in the United States, celebrating its 35th season in 2008. Series information can be found at www.champcaratlantic.com . Team information will be available at www.brooksassociatesracing.com  when the site relaunches next week.

Genoa Racing Completes Successful Test in Sebring
News from Genoa Racing
INDIANAPOLIS, IN. (January 16, 2008) – After a long off-season, Champ Car Atlantic Series competitor Genoa Racing started the new year with a very successful two-day test at the Sebring International Short Course this past weekend. The team tested with experienced Atlantic Series drivers Tom Sutherland and J.R. Hildebrand, along with longtime racer Larry Connor, and was joined by the Atlantic teams of Forsythe Championship Racing and Jensen Motorsports.

The team quickly got acquainted with its drivers and the conditions on Saturday, working on the setups of all three cars to prepare for the upcoming series tests and racing season. Following a productive first day but with rain in the forecast for Sunday afternoon, the Genoa team got down to business early, making big gains right away and unofficially setting the fastest lap time of the test with driver J.R. Hildebrand at the wheel and Tom Sutherland finishing just tenths behind. The team continued to make improvements even as the conditions got worse, outrunning their competitors for the rest of the day.

“All the drivers did a superb job,” related team manager and engineer Thomas Knapp. “We were able to quickly establish communication and used our track time to excellent effect. We also wanted to use this test as a proper warm-up for the upcoming season in regards to our crew and team, so we got a lot of value out of that, as well.”

The drivers and team were very happy about how the test went, collectively learning about what the cars needed and then taking advantage on the track.

“Everything went really smoothly from the beginning,” said Hildebrand. “I was able to work with Thomas [Knapp] to make some big changes to the way the car handled on Sunday and our pace was quite fast for the remainder of the afternoon. It was great for me to get back in the car, so I want to thank Angelo Ferro and the Genoa team for giving me that opportunity as I work on my plans for the upcoming year.”

Genoa Racing has had a long history in the Atlantic Series dating back to the early ‘90s with Greg Ray and Jimmy Vasser. Team owner Angelo Ferro and manager/engineer Thomas Knapp are ready and have been eager to begin the 2008 season as it quickly approaches. Next up for Genoa Racing is the first of three Champ Car Atlantic Series open-tests at the Sebring International Short Course on February 5th and 6th.

Walker Racing Completes Houston Test
News from Walker Racing
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 14, 2008)- The 2008 Champ Car Atlantic season has already begun for Walker Racing as they completed two days of testing last Thursday and Friday at MSR Houston, the 2.38 mile road course located 13 miles south of Houston.

“We went into Houston with a long list of tasks and checked off each one successfully. All three drivers accomplished a lot in the two days,” said Derrick Walker, Walker Racing owner.

Last week’s test marked the first of a series of tests before the team heads out to Sebring, Florida for the first official Champ Car Atlantic open test February 5-7. With championship hopes in mind for the 2008 season not only has Walker Racing expanded to a three car operation, but has signed three standout drivers to get the job done, Greg and Leo Mansell, sons of former Champ Car champion Nigel Mansell, and Canadian Kevin Lacroix.

The weather was a mix of wet and dry conditions, allowing Walker Racing to accomplish everything they set out to do on their engineering checklist. Testing allowed for all three drivers to get a little more adjusted to the new cars and doing long runs, getting them one step closer to their championship hopes.

Greg and Leo signed with the team in November and got their second taste of testing the car last week. “It was great to finally get back in a car after a couple of months off. We learned a lot about the cars, especially in the high speed corners and had a productive two day test. I am very excited about the 2008 season and I am looking forward to the tests we have scheduled over the next few months,” stated Leo Mansell.

“We had a good two days with the development of the car and learned a lot about the set up. It was great to get back to driving and we got the 2008 test season off to a solid start. I am looking forward to progressing the car further in future tests,” commented Greg Mansell.

Lacroix signed with Walker Racing in August and will be entering his second season in Champ Car Atlantic. “I think the test went very well. The first day we didn’t get much time in, because of the weather, but on the second day we made more progress. We made a lot of changes to the car and learned a lot about it as well. There were some areas where we were slow, but we learned where to get the speed and I know we will be faster for our next test,” said Lacroix.

Walker Racing will head to their second test this weekend at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona. For more updates on the team, please visit www.walkerracing.com

Sierra Sierra Enterprises Signs Jonathan Bomarito to “All American” Lineup for 2008 Champ Car Atlantic Championship
News from Sierra Sierra Enterprises
MINDEN, Nev. (December 10, 2007) – In conjunction with this evening’s Mazda North America Operations holiday party and 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Rotary engine, Sierra Sierra Enterprises announced that it has signed Jonathan Bomarito to contest the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. Bomarito and team owners Dennis and Diane Kottke were present at the Mazda celebration.

Bomarito brings a strong record of success to Sierra Sierra Enterprises with 31 career Atlantic starts, two victories, one pole position and a total of eight podium finishes. In 2007, Bomarito finished fifth in the championship with a victory after starting from the pole position in San Jose, and he is looking to be a front runner in the championship sprint for 2008 first place title.

“When I received the call from Richard [Raeder, Sierra Sierra Team Manager] I was thrilled,” Bomarito said. “I’m so excited to start working with the team and to test in the spring. This was the best news I could have hoped for.”

Bomarito joins American rookie Dane Cameron, the 2007 Star Mazda Champion, on the two-car Sierra Sierra Enterprises team, which claimed its first Atlantic championship in 2007 with driver Raphael Matos. Both Bomarito and Cameron hail from California.

“We are really looking forward to hearing the National Anthem playing from the podium – hopefully after every race,” said Diane Kottke. “We are very proud to be in a position to work with talented drives like Jonathan and Dane. We are very excited to get this season started!”

“With a championship title to defend there is definitely more pressure to perform,” added Raeder. “Having a team with both an experienced driver and a rookie is a great way to develop talent and build on our success. We are really excited to have a driver of Jonathan’s ability on our team, and 2008 is shaping up to be a great season.”

With both drivers hailing from the Golden State, the season opener in Long Beach is certain to bring the local crowd of supporters out in force. The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will take place on the weekend of April 18 – 20.
 

US RaceTronics Confirms Skerlong for 2008 Atlantic Campaign
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
BUTTONWILLOW, California (September 27, 2007) – US RaceTronics is delighted to confirm that Seattle’s Carl Skerlong will return to the team in 2008 for a second season of competition in the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

Skerlong enjoyed a solid rookie season in 2007 with the California-based team, piloting the 300bhp #24 King Taco-backed Swift Mazda-Cosworth to 10th overall in the Driver Standings and a pair of podium finishes in Houston and Elkhart Lake respectively. The 18-year-old American, who arrived in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship this season as the reigning Formula TR Pro Series Champion, impressed many paddock observers with his character and style, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed by US RaceTronics team boss, Shane Seneviratne.

“I’m obviously delighted to have secured Carl’s talents for US RaceTronics and the PCM Junior Team for 2008,” Seneviratne commented. “He did a great job for us this year and I know there was considerable interest shown in him by other teams based on his performances with us. I’m extremely pleased that he’s staying with US RaceTronics and our collective goal is to put together a bid to win the 2008 Champ Car Atlantic Championship.”

Carl Skerlong is equally pleased with his continued association with US RaceTronics and the PCM Junior Team.

“I can’t wait for the 2008 season to start,” Skerlong stated enthusiastically. “We finished this year’s campaign with another podium and I stated afterwards that I wanted to use that as a springboard into next season. There’s no doubt that continuity can play a big factor in being successful in motorsport and I believe that with US RaceTronics we’ve got everything in place to push for the title in my sophomore season. Things didn’t always go our way this season but armed with everything I’ve learned and my circuit knowledge I’m looking forward to being back with the team in 2008 and turning the potential we showcased into results.”

2007 marked US RaceTronics third season in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship, the team running Skerlong and Mexico’s David Garza throughout the season. In June the squad became part of the PCM Junior Team, the driver and team development program created by Champ Car World Series outfit Pacific Coast Motorsports (PCM).

The association between US RaceTronics and Pacific Coast Motorsports has continued to develop with Seneviratne going on to add, “We’re actively seeking to strengthen our partnership with Pacific Coast Motorsports ahead of next season and as part of that deal we’re also looking to confirm a test date for Carl to sample one of their Champ Cars. While we don’t have anything further to announce at this stage we are negotiating with Pacific Coast with regards to further developing our relationship and we hope to make the outcome of these discussions public shortly.”

Kevin Lacroix to Pilot #15 Uni-Select Entry for Walker Racing in 2008
News from Walker Racing
Photos courtesy Jakob Ebray and Champ Car Atlantics
ELKHART LAKE, WI (August 10, 2007) — As the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic season comes to a close this weekend in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, Walker Racing is already making preparations to formulate their driver lineup for 2008. The team is pleased to announce that Canadian Kevin Lacroix and Uni-Select will join Walker Racing for the full season in the Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda in 2008.

After much communication, a successful testing session last October and a long, continued relationship between Walker Racing and Lacroix the two parties are finally ready to go racing. "It's taken longer than it should have, but it finally came together. I'm glad that we finally signed Kevin (Lacroix) to our Atlantic program for 2008. My partners Steve Caudwell and Wayne Deans have followed Kevin's career for several years now and I speak for all of us when I say we are delighted that we finally have the chance to race together," stated Walker Racing owner Derrick Walker.

Lacroix, a native of Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada, got his start competing in various karting series in 1996 winning multiple championships, and continued to move up the ladder finishing second in the 2005 Formula BMW USA championship with four victories and six podiums, finished second in the 2006 Star Mazda championship with five podiums and ten top-five results and earned the Star Mazda Rookie of the Year title. Last October the 18 year old tested with Walker Racing and for 2007 joined Brooks Racing Champ Car Atlantic program in Portland scoring his first Champ Car Atlantic victory in just his second career start at Portland.

"First of all, I want to start by thanking John Brooks and his team for all that they have done for me. I will never forget that John was the one who gave me my first shot at the Champ Car Atlantic Series and also my first win. This last race of the year, I'm really trying hard to provide our team's second win of the year as a token of appreciation. Secondly, I'm truly happy that I will be running with Walker Racing next season. This is for me, the chance of a lifetime to take part in this highly competitive series with a 'top notch' team, and aim for nothing less than the championship title. I also need to thank Uni-Select and its CEO, Mr. Jacques Landreville for believing in me and supporting me through this adventure," said Lacroix.

Teaming up with the Canadian for the season is primary sponsor Uni-Select, a Canadian based company who unites more than 2,000 independent jobbers in developing optimal means of distribution for motor vehicle replacement parts, tools, equipment and accessories. Uni-Select was created in 1968 and now boasts a sales volume of $1,123 billion reaching markets in the U.S. and throughout Canada, making them a solid business in the North American marketplace.

"We are happy and pleased to support Kevin. Kevin is a very talented athlete who possesses everything one needs to become a champion. We wish him, and all of Walker Racing, success for the 2008 program," commented Uni-Select CEO Jacques Landreville.

Walker Racing\'s Champ Car Atlantic program utilizes sponsorships raised to provide the financial engine to power its activity. Partnering in the venture are Canadian businessmen, Steve Caudwell and Wayne Deans, who joined forces with Derrick Walker as key contributors to help create the structure of the program. The Canadian duo is avid supporters of the Champ Car Atlantic Series and takes an invested interest in promoting young Canadian talent.

"In addition to securing Kevin Lacroix services, we are very fortunate to have Uni-Select on board," stated Wayne Deans of Deans Knight. "Associate partners are the kinds of companies we need in the Atlantic Series and we look forward to a successful season."

Wayne Deans is co-founder of Deans Knight, a capital management company formed in 1992, which has grown into one of Canada\'s leading financial management firms. Fellow Canadian Steve Caudwell founded WasteCo Management in the late 1970\'s and has created an empire by providing services in waste management and recycling, expanding his operation to most parts of Canada and Florida.

Walker Racing established the Champ Car Atlantic program in 2005 announcing the move at the Champ Car World Series Surfer's Paradise race in Australia. Their first season was a success as they earned the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic championship title with Frenchman Simon Pagenaud. With Champ Car Atlantic being a feeder series, Pagenaud's success enabled him to move up to Walker's Champ Car team.

PR1 Motorsports Atlantic Team to Provide Test for 2007 Pacific F2000 Series Champion
News from PR1 Motorsports
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
BUTTONWILLOW, CA (May 4, 2007) – Continuing to provide opportunities for open-wheel racing’s top young drivers, Miracle Sealants Company and the PR1 Motorsports Champ Car Atlantic team have announced that they will host a special post-season test for the champion of the 2007 Pacific F2000 series.

In its third season competing in the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, PR1 Motorsports has established itself as one of the top squads in the series. With the help of the team’s primary sponsor – Miracle Sealants – PR1 has agreed to provide a one-day test session in one of the squad’s 300-horsepower Mazda-Cosworth/Swift/Cooper Atlantic cars for the winner of this year’s Pacific F2000 championship. The Pacific F2000 series features a host of talented young drivers beginning their careers in open-wheel racing and the test will provide a unique opportunity for the series champion to showcase their skills in hopes of securing a ride in the prestigious Atlantic Championship in the future.

“Prior to the start of the 2007 season, PR1 Motorsports advised us that the team was creating this unique testing program for the Pacific F2000 champion,” said Vicki O’Connor, Managing Director of the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. “We’re happy that PR1 is able to bring this concept to reality later this year and this is truly a great opportunity for a promising young racer to get a chance to test with one of the premier Atlantic teams.”

The test will take place at California’s Buttonwillow Raceway Park after completion of the 12-race Pacific F2000 season, which concludes in the middle of October at Las Vegas. Further details on the test will be released later this summer.

“The Pacific F2000 series was created specifically to create an environment where young drivers can race among the best of their peers using a more modest budget that allows for both testing and racing,” said Pacific F2000 founder Les Phillips, “This support for our series champion is clearly one of our greatest driver motivators. A fully-supported test day in the most modern of cars with a top team is probably our greatest year-end award.”

PR1 Motorsports, which also fields a team in the Pacific F2000 championship, competes with drivers Jonathan Bomarito (#23 Miracle Sealants/Konica Minolta/Dynacor) and Mike Forest (#32 Miracle Sealants/Konica Minolta/Dynacor/Earthwater) in the 2007 Atlantic Championship. Bomarito, in his third season in Atlantics, is currently ranked second in the series championship standings, 23 points behind leader Raphael Matos (#6 ProWorks) after three rounds of action. Forest, the 2005 Pacific F2000 champion, continues to show positive development as a series rookie this season.

“Miracle Sealants is proud to help support the Pacific F2000 Series as it continues to provide an affordable venue for young aspiring drivers to hone their racing skills,” said Al Salvo, President of Miracle Sealants. “A test day with a team like PR1 Motorsports in an Atlantic racecar should fulfill any champion’s dream at this stage of their careers and we are proud to help make that happen.”

Entering its fourth season, Pacific F2000 already has established an excellent reputation for providing exciting open-wheel competition at modest cost, ensuring a valuable first step on the auto racing ladder for potential open-wheel stars of the future. F2000 represents one of the first rungs on the professional open-wheel auto racing ladder in North America and has provided the launching pad for the careers of many top racers, including former Atlantic racers and Champ Car World Series champions Jimmy Vasser and Paul Tracy, along with Indianapolis 500 winners and distinguished Atlantic graduates Buddy Rice, Dan Wheldon and Sam Hornish Jr. The series will contest Rounds 5 and 6 this weekend at Buttonwillow Raceway Park.

Jiang Tengyi of China Joins Brooks Associates Racing Atlantic Effort
News from Brooks Associates Racing
TUCSON, Arizona (April 2, 2007) — Jiang Tengyi, former Team China A1GP driver, has confirmed his plans to compete in Champ Car, beginning with the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic Championship and the Brooks Associates Racing team.

“The Brooks team was highly recommended by Forsythe Racing, a team I hope to race with in Champ Car in the future. Brooks’ philosophy of competition, the top engineering staff (Nick Harvey rejoined the BAR team this season, coming from Forsythe Racing’s 2006 Atlantic effort), the great crew and longevity in the series made it the right choice for me,” said Tengyi. The young Chinese driver, from Shanghai, leveraged his karting championship in China to a Formula BMW seat in 2002, followed by Italian Formula Renault, then most recently the A1GP Series.

“We are happy to have been invited to join Jiang Tengyi on the live television link to the Champ Car Grand Prix of China media event at which Tengyi’s U.S. driver development program was presented to the Chinese media and senior political guests by the race promoters,” said Peter Davies of Forsythe Racing. “Representing Brooks Associates Racing and Forsythe, I was happy to confirm that Tengyi could not be in better hands than with the Brooks team as he steps up to campaign the 2007 Atlantic season as a rookie, and that Forsythe is pleased to support him by placing him into our own Atlantic [non-racing] driver program including fitness, media and engineering training. We will follow his progress on the track with interest during the upcoming Atlantic season and, subject to his performance and to agreeing final terms with the Grand Prix of China promoters, we hope that Tengyi might graduate to Champ Car at the 2007 Grand Prix of China.”

“We’re looking forward to working with this young Chinese driver. Our team is stronger than ever – I’m very happy to have Nick Harvey back as engineer. The guys are working really hard for a top effort for Jiang and he reminds us of some of our favorite drivers of the past – Andreas Wirth, Ronnie Bremer and Al Unser III. Jiang’s focus, not only this season, but in his future in Champ Car, will be an integral element in his success,” continued John Brooks, team owner.

Brooks Associates Racing is one of the longest running Atlantic teams in the series. Voted Team Owner of the Year in 2005, John Brooks, a former driver himself, has always focused on young up-and-coming drivers with an eye towards helping them develop their skills, both on and off track. The team was thrilled to win its first race in 2005 with Andreas Wirth, a young German who went on to Forsythe’s Atlantic effort in 2006, then into Champ Car. In 2004, the Brooks squad led the series championship early on with Ronnie Bremer, another BAR driver to graduate to Champ Car.

The team is based in Tucson, Arizona. Visit www.brooksassociatesracing.com for updates throughout the season.

Deep, International Atlantic Field Ready to Take First Green Flag of 2007 at Las Vegas
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (March 29, 2007) – The future of Champ Car racing will be clearly on display next week in Las Vegas as the rising stars of the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda take the first green flag of the season at the inaugural Vegas Grand Prix.

Race winners and championship contenders from across the globe will highlight the power-packed 2007 field as the series young guns begin their quest for the coveted Atlantic title and the $2 million bonus designed to help the champion move up to the pinnacle of American open-wheel racing – the Champ Car World Series – in 2008.

Fans attending the much-anticipated season-opening race on the downtown street circuit in Las Vegas April 6-8 will get a chance to see one of the most diverse and talented classes in the 34-year history of the Atlantic Championship. That’s a bold statement for a series that has produced such stellar racers over the years as Jacques Villeneuve, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti and Jimmy Vasser, just to name a few. But one glimpse of the current Atlantic field reveals a special season awaiting series fans in 2007.

The Atlantic Championship is expecting at least 30 cars on the starting grid at Las Vegas. That would mark the largest field for a series race in over eight years. The last time 30 cars took the green flag in an Atlantic event was at Montreal during the 1999 season.

The 2007 Atlantic lineup will also be a melting pot of diverse cultural and racing backgrounds. At least 13 different countries are expected to be represented to start the season. Yet with all the international flavor, the future of American open-wheel racing will also be well represented in North America’s premier open-wheel development series as nearly half the Atlantic field will be made up of racers from the United States.

“We fully expect the level of competition in Atlantic this season to be the best it’s ever been,” said Vicki O’Connor, Managing Director of the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. “With so many of the top young drivers from around the world battling it out on the track, this is shaping up to be one of the best seasons in the history of the series. We can’t wait until we get to Vegas and see these future stars of Champ Car in action.”

The on-track activity gets started next week with practice and first-round qualifying on the 2.44-mile Las Vegas street circuit on Friday, April 6. Another morning practice and final qualifying for the Atlantics are on tap for Saturday before the lid gets lifted on the 2007 campaign on Sunday, April 8. Round 1 of the Atlantic Championship will begin with a 4 p.m. PT standing start as the Mazda-Cosworth/Swift/Cooper Atlantic cars roar to life to begin the 34th season of Atlantic racing.

For more information on the Atlantic Championship, please visit www.champcaratlantic.com

Speedy Frenchman Franck Perera Keeps Record Perfect in Leading Final Day of Champ Car Atlantic Test at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
MONTEREY, California (March 8, 2007) – For a driver who had never stepped in an Atlantic car or turned a wheel of competition in America just 48 hours earlier, Franck Perera looked like a seasoned pro during the final pre-season test session for the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

After dominating testing on Wednesday and unofficially shattering the Atlantic track record at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Perera continued to impress Thursday as the Atlantics wrapped up their third and final test session prior to the start of the 2007 season. Testing for Condor Motorsports, Perera staged a day-long fight with series sophomore Raphael Matos of Sierra Sierra Enterprises Thursday. The two talented racers battled for the top time of the test and just when it seemed that Matos was ready to equal the speedy rookie, Perera would set a new mark to reach for.

At the end of the two full days of testing that would see the Mazda-Cosworth/Swift/Cooper machines log well over 10,000 miles on the fabled 2.238-mile road course among 26 drivers, Perera once again proved to be the man to beat. The 22-year-old former GP2 racer and Formula One test driver completed a perfect test by leading all four sessions as he wound up with a fast lap of 1:16.067 (105.917 mph).

“It was a good test and we had a really nice fight with Matos all day. The Condor team did a really good job and I think I was getting better with the car all the time,” said Perera, who hasn’t yet been signed for the 2007 season. “My goal is definitely to be in Champ Car and the best way to do that is like (2006 Atlantic champion Simon) Pagenaud did last year. Win the Atlantic championship and then move up. I’ve just got to focus on that and see what happens with the team.”

Pagenaud, another fast Frenchman with a strong European racing background who was also impressive from his very first Atlantic test, claimed the $2 million Atlantic champion’s bonus last season and will compete with the Team Australia Champ Car squad in 2007. Another $2 million bonus is available for this year’s series champion to graduate to Champ Car.

After finishing second to Perera in Wednesday’s testing, Matos again looked strong in the final day of the test as he raised his game to match the impressive performance of the rookie. The native Brazilian who now makes his home in Miami, Florida owned the second fastest overall time of 1:16.216 (105.710 mph).

“It’s been two days of good battles on the track,” said Matos. “We definitely made some progress today, especially in the afternoon session when we were able to find at least three or four tenths (of a second) in our car. It was definitely a positive test and I think the Sierra Sierra team is ready for the start of the season.”

While the fight for the top time of the test was compelling between Perera and Matos, the other Atlantic competitors also demonstrated impressive speed as the top six drivers all posted laps faster than the official track record of 1:16.986 (104.653 mph), recorded by A.J. Allmendinger in 2003.

PR1 Motorsports driver Jonathan Bomarito, who hails from Monterey, came on strong in the final session of the day to claim the third-fastest time on his home track. Bomarito stopped the clocks at 1:16.374 (105.491 mph) to finish on the testing podium.

“The way the morning was going, we didn’t think we’d wind up third,” said Bomarito. “We struggled a little bit but the whole team, along with engineer John Hayes, rallied and found the little things that made the difference.”

Italy’s Giacomo Ricci enjoyed a top-four result for the second consecutive day. The Conquest Racing rookie was fourth overall after posting a top lap of 1:16.605 (105.173 mph). After struggling a bit on Wednesday, Sierra Sierra racer James Hinchcliffe recovered to finish among the top-five testers with a time of 1:16.631 (105.138 mph).

First-year Atlantic racer Carl Skerlong of the US RaceTronics team clocked a fast lap of 1:16.850 (104.838 mph) to settle in sixth overall, while Genoa Racing’s Adrian Carrio posted the seventh-fastest lap at 1:17.072 (104.536 mph).

David Garza of US RaceTronics was eighth in the order as he checked in at 1:17.118 (104.474 mph) and the Red Bull Team Forsythe duo of Robert Wickens and John Edwards completed the top 10. Wickens owned a fast lap of 1:17.132 (104.455 mph) while Edwards recorded a time of 1:17.134 (104.452 mph).

After a busy and exciting pre-season testing schedule, the 2007 Atlantic competitors now have a month to concentrate on preparations for the first race of the year – April 6-8 on the downtown streets of Las Vegas, Nevada at the inaugural Vegas Grand Prix.

PR1 Motorsports Returns for 2007 Atlantic Season with Drivers Jonathan Bomarito and Mike Forest
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
FRESNO, California (March 1, 2007) — Following a strong finish to the 2006 Atlantic season, PR1 Motorsports announced today that it will compete in the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda with returning drivers Jonathan Bomarito and Mike Forest.

Bomarito gave the Fresno, California-based team its first Atlantic victory in the ’06 season finale at Road America and the squad returns to series action this season looking to build on its momentum. A native of Monterey, California, the 25-year-old Bomarito started all 12 races for the PR1 team last season, scoring three podium results on his way to finishing sixth in the championship standings. The 2007 season marks Bomarito’s third year in Atlantics and second with PR1 Motorsports, the team that helped guide him to the 2003 Cooper Tires Formula Ford Zetec series championship.

Forest showed promise in an abbreviated rookie season in 2006. He suffered fractured vertebrae in a qualifying accident at the first race of the season at Long Beach and spent the rest of the year rehabilitating from his injuries. The 25-year-old Edmonton, Alberta, Canada racer made three starts last season with a top finish of 10th at Road America. Forest also has a strong history with PR1 as he won the 2005 Pacific F2000 title while racing for the team.

Miracle Sealants returns as the primary sponsor for both cars in 2007. Bomarito will continue to drive the #23 entry with additional sponsorship from Konica Minolta and Dynacor Media Group. Forest will once again be behind the wheel of #32 car with additional sponsorship from Konica Minolta, Dynacor and Earthwater.

“We are happy to have both Jonathan and Mike back on our team this year,” said Bobby Oergel, co-owner of PR1 Motorsports with his wife Lisa. “We feel that having a long-standing relationship with both drivers can only help to build on last year’s success. Miracle Sealants has been a great partner and we’re happy to again be working with them in 2007.”

Both Bomarito and Forest participated in the first two Atlantic series pre-season open tests and both drivers will be back in action for PR1 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca March 7-8 in the final test session before the start of the season at the Vegas Grand Prix, April 6-8.

PR1 Motorsports, entering its third Atlantic season in 2007, has captured four series championships at various levels of open-wheel racing since the team was formed in 1999. For more information on the team, visit www.PR1Motorsports.com

Justin Sofio to return as driver for Mathiasen Motorsports Atlantic Team in 2007
Alain Clarinval joins squad as Team Manager and Chief Engineer
News from Mathiasen Motorsports
ENCINO, California (January 26, 2007) — Mathiasen Motorsports has announced that it has assembled a team with extensive motor racing experience to compete in the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda and that Justin Sofio will return as its driver in a one-car effort for the 2007 season.

Mathiasen Motorsports, owned by Ray Mathiasen, returns for its third year of competition in the Atlantic Championship after winning the 2005 C2 Atlantic title and then moving up to a much higher level of competition and a new race car in 2006. “Although our success on the race track in 2006 did not match our first year in the series, it did exceed my expectations given how competitive this series has become. I was pleased with the knowledge we gained as to what will be necessary for us to achieve our goal of being able to compete against the top teams and drivers in the 2007 Championship,” said Mathiasen.

In addition to Justin Sofio, who is returning for his third season with the team, Mathiasen has also restructured his team by bringing together a crew with over 50 collective years of experience in motor racing. Alain Clarinval has joined the team as the team manager and chief engineer. Clarinval, a race and design engineer, has worked for over 40 years with some of the top teams in all the major open-wheel and sports car championships in the U.S. and Europe. He also brings with him Evan Waymire, as a specialized data analysis engineer. Joe Lewis is returning as associate mechanic and Cam Binder, who has been with the team since its exception, will also return as a team consultant. The team hopes to have a permanent chief mechanic in place shortly. In the interim, Scott Davin will handle these responsibilities.

“This team has the refreshing approach of an owner who wants to create a successful racing enterprise based on team spirit, team work and competent specialists, with compromise only for the non-essential fluff. The results we achieve will demonstrate Ray’s vision and courage to provide what it takes to win the 2007 Championship. I can’t wait to get started,” said Clarinval.

The restructuring will allow Sofio to concentrate exclusively on driving. He was formerly the chief mechanic, engineer and general manager for the team as well as its driver in 2005 and 2006. He enters the 2007 championship dedicated to proving that he is one of the top drivers in the series and to making Mathiasen Motorsports a top performing team.

“I am anxious to get the season started and have committed myself to being in the best condition, both mentally and physically, of my life. I realize that Ray has given me the chance of a lifetime. I’m thankful for the opportunities he has given me these last couple of years and for the additional resources he has provided in 2007 which will allow me to focus exclusively on driving the car. I’m confident we will be running with the top teams this year,” said Sofio. “I’m really looking forward to performing in front of my hometown crowd in Long Beach with the quality and experience of the people Ray has assembled for 2007. I will not disappoint him,” added Sofio.

Mathiasen Motorsports, the winner of the Sherwin-Williams “It’s All in the Finish” award for the best appearing car on the grid in 2006, will participate in all three sanctioned testing sessions as well as in all 12 races in the 2007 Atlantic Championship.

For more information on the Mathiasen Motorsports racing program, visit our web site at www.mathiasenmotorsports.com

Interest continues to soar in Atlantic Championship as series prepares for first of three pre-season open tests
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (January 24, 2007) – After a flurry of off-season testing activity, the competitors of the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda are anxious to hit the track en masse this weekend at the first of three series open test sessions.

Sebring International Raceway will be the site of the first series-sanctioned open test of 2007 as the challenging bumpy road circuit will host the 300hp Mazda-Cosworth-powered Swift racing machines riding on the new Cooper Atlantic tires this weekend. More than 20 of the Atlantic rockets-in-training are expected to take to the track January 27-28 as the teams prepare for the 34th season of Atlantic racing.

The two-day test session to drop the green flag on 2007 comes after a fall and winter team testing period that brought an all-time high in Atlantic action. Series officials reported that more than 40 drivers tested among 14 different teams in the four-month period between the end of the 2006 season on September 24 and the January 15 cut-off date for teams to conduct individual testing.

“We’ve never witnessed such a busy ‘off-season’ of testing,” remarked Vicki O’Connor, managing director of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship who’s entering her 22nd season at the helm of the series. “Our teams have literally tested some of the top young drivers from all over the world and it really underscores the international appeal of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship. With such an impressive level of talent, I think we’re all excited to get our first glimpse of what the 2007 field will look like this weekend in Sebring.”

The Sebring test session is the first of three two-day series tests available to all ’07 Atlantic competitors. The MSR Houston road course in Angleton, Texas will host the Atlantics on February 9-10, while Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California will be the site of the final pre-season test, March 7-8. The ’07 Atlantic schedule officially gets underway with the inaugural Vegas Grand Prix Fueled by Visa, April 6-8 on the downtown streets of Las Vegas, Nevada.

With 15 drivers already announced for the upcoming season among 17 Atlantic teams – and several more driver announcements planned in the next few weeks – this season is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting and competitive in the rich history of the Atlantic Championship.

Forsythe Red Bull Atlantic squad sharpens focus at Houston Test
News from Forsythe Championship Racing
ANGLETON, Texas (18 January 2007) — With two young drivers and a revamped team structure, the Forsythe Red Bull Atlantic squad journeyed south last week from their base in Indianapolis to the fast and demanding MSR Houston road course in Texas for a two-day private test. For 17-year old Robert Wickens of Toronto, Ontario and 15-year old John Edwards of Little Rock, Arkansas it was a chance to experience increased cornering loads and magnified downforce on the physically draining 2.38-mile 17-turn high-speed road course.

For the crew, it was a chance to build the relationship with their two young guns while seeking the always-elusive team chemistry that defines a championship contender.

For engineers Lou D’Agostino and Nick Harvey the test served as a time to evaluate the progress of their teenage prodigies, both of whom are already seasoned products of the Red Bull Junior Team global driver development program. For Team Manager John Brunner, the final private test of the preseason was a critical benchmark for the upcoming 33rd edition of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship, which gets underway with the much-anticipated Vegas Grand Prix Fueled by Visa, April 6-8 on the downtown streets of Las Vegas, Nevada. “The test was very productive,” said D’Agostino. “Robert and John are two really nice young men and just a pleasure to be around. It’s my second test with Robert and we’re progressing at a tremendous pace; I’m very pleased. He responded well to everything we threw at him. Given the amount of maturity and professionalism he displays it’s hard to believe he’s only 17, but he’s already won a championship (the 2006 Formula BMW USA title) and it shows. We got in a lot of laps with changing conditions and he never put a wheel wrong while setting some very quick times.”

“Downforce,” said Wickens, “is a tricky thing to get used to. The faster you go, the more grip you have. Fitness definitely came into play since the long, high-speed corners build a lot of G-force, but both John and I have pretty strict workout programs so that’s paying off. I got more comfortable with my engineer Lou (D’Agostino) and the whole crew - just a good test all around.”

Edwards agreed. “It was great to work more with Nick (engineer Nick Harvey) and we’re getting to know one another very well, he said. “Drivers and engineers have to develop kind of a “sixth sense” when it comes to communicating and we’re getting there. Our times were good and I’m looking forward to the open tests in Sebring, back here in Houston and then in Laguna Seca so we can see how we stack up against the competition.”

At the conclusion of the test, Wickens and Edwards headed across the Atlantic Ocean to Austria for an intensive week-long Red Bull training session. The next challenge for the Forsythe Red Bull Atlantic team is the first of three open tests coming up prior to the Las Vegas season-opening race. All the teams and drivers will be on track together for the first time as Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda on the historic road course at Sebring, Florida on January 27-28.
 

Sierra Sierra Enterprises Signs James Hinchcliffe to 2007 Lineup
News from Sierra Sierra
Photos courtesy  Jakob Ebray
MINDEN, NV (January 9, 2007) – Sierra Sierra Enterprises has signed James Hinchcliffe to its two-car 2007 Champ Car Atlantic Championship lineup. Bringing with him a strong racing background as well as a surplus of enthusiasm and excitement, Hinchcliffe will pair up with Brazilian driver Raphael Matos to round out the two-car effort.

"I'm really excited about signing with Sierra Sierra for next year's Atlantic series. After getting in touch with this team, it was clear how badly we wanted to work with one another, and we did everything we had to do to get the deal done. I can't wait for Vegas and I seriously expect to see some great results throughout the year,” commented Hinchcliffe.

The expansion of Sierra Sierra to a two-car team was announced shortly after the successful 2006 season. Finding a driver with the right skill set and personality was critical to ensuring a successful season.

“The ‘07 season is shaping up to be even more competitive than last year. This decision puts us in the best possible strategic position,” commented Richard Raeder, Sierra Sierra’s Team Manager.

“Hinch,” a native of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, comes to the team with a record of success and growth as he climbed the open-wheel racing ladder:

2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship: 10th place overall finish with Forsythe Racing, one win (Portland) and three podiums
2005 Star Mazda Series: 3rd place overall finish
2004 Formula BMW USA: 2nd place overall finish, Top Series Rookie
The Sierra Sierra team and Hinchcliffe are excited to launch into 2007. The Champ Car Atlantic 2007 season opener takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada (April 6 – 8).

Hinch sums it up by saying: “I have never been as excited for a season before. I really want to thank Sierra Sierra for giving me the opportunity to be part of the family for '07. Now let's get that green flag waving and get this season started!"

Forsythe and Red Bull announce blockbuster deal for Champ Car Atlantics 2007
News from Forsythe Championship Racing
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – December 8, 2006 - Forsythe Championship Racing is pleased to announce a blockbuster partnership with Red Bull, the world's #1 energy drink, that brings two of North America's most promising young drivers to Team Forsythe for an all-out attack on the 2007 edition of the Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

15 year-old American sensation John Edwards and 17 year-old Canadian prodigy Robert Wickens, both products of the Red Bull Junior Team program, have joined the Forsythe squad with primary sponsorship from Red Bull. Edwards, Wickens and the Forsythe Atlantic squad have set their sights squarely on the $2 million dollar prize to be awarded to the 2007 Atlantic Champion.

"Red Bull has shown an incredible commitment to driver development here in North America,” said Jerry Forsythe, owner of the Forsythe Championship Racing team, “paving the way for young open wheel stars to get the opportunities they deserve. We are honored to be selected as beneficiary of this development program as two of the brightest stars on the horizon have come on board with us for 2007. John and Robert are proven winners, but beyond that they are two incredible young men who have committed themselves to reaching the pinnacle of open wheel racing. We look forward to the 2007 Atlantic season with great anticipation."

John Brunner, who manages the FCR Atlantics team, is very enthusiastic about the two new team members. "We had a chance to test Robert and John in Moroso (Florida) last month and again last week at Thunderhill (California) and they were both quite impressive. Their talent is unmistakable, and when these young men are out of the car it's pretty amazing how mature and focused they are. They're young, but both have a lot of racing experience and when they put their helmets on it's like they become grizzled old veterans instead of teenagers! We’re looking forward to the first series open test in January when we can really see how we stack up against what looks like another incredibly strong Atlantic field for 2007."

“It's great to be joining Forsythe for next season,” said Edwards. “I can tell already that they have one of the best packages, and I can't wait to see how we compare to the others at the first race in Las Vegas. I've enjoyed working with everyone on the team, and it's great to be working with people that understand every detail of the car.”

"Ever since I can remember I have always looked up to Canadian Forsythe drivers like Greg Moore, Alex Tagliani, Lee Bentham, Jacques Villeneuve and of course Paul Tracy,” added Wickens. “So to be able to say that I am a part of Forsythe Championship Racing is a real honor to me and a dream come true. I plan on making the most of it. It looks like the Atlantic Championship is once again shaping up to be highly competitive. That being said, I always expect a lot out of myself, and 2007 will be no different. I think if we can achieve consistent top five finishes through out the season, we will have a very good chance of winning the title.”

Forsythe Championship Racing's Red Bull Atlantic squad hit the track for testing November 29-30 at Thunderhill Raceway in Northern California, part of a comprehensive testing schedule for the team leading up to the first event of the 2007 Atlantic Championship on the streets of Las Vegas, April 6-8. For more information about the Atlantic Championship, please visit the official website at www.ChampCarAtlantic.com

Newman Wachs Racing announces Cooper Series Champion J.R. Hildebrand as its first selected driver for 2007
News from Newman Wachs Racing
INDIANAPOLIS (November 16, 2006) — The 2006 Cooper Tires Formula Ford 2000 series champion J.R. Hildebrand will join Newman Wachs Racing for the 2007 season in the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

J.R. Hildebrand brings a very impressive record to the NWR Atlantic team after shattering the record for most wins for a season in the Cooper Tire FF 2000 series with twelve in '06. The 18-year-old native of Sausalito, California made his Atlantic debut for the NWR squad at the '06 season finale at Road America. “(NWR team co-owner) Eddie (Wachs) has given me a lot of opportunities this year and I am really grateful for that. He is a super guy, and I will be pushing 100% all the time to bring him some hardware," said Hildebrand.

Team principals Eddie Wachs, who owns NWR with legendary actor Paul Newman, and Ove Olsson have been restructuring the team since the last round at Road America. “J.R. impressed us from day one," said Wachs "His commitment and work ethic are exceptional. J.R has had much success this season and we are hoping he will bring the same success into our program. The driver’s comfort is very important, and I feel we can achieve that here with our group of people. We are also in negotiations with a Technical Director to finalize our engineering staff. It’s all very exciting and all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together. We are really looking forward to next season, and we are expecting to field a second funded car which will be announced within the next thirty days.”

Team Australia/Walker Racing begins search for Champ Car Atlantic 2007 lineup
Four Drivers tested at MSR Houston
News from Team Australia/Walker Racing
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (November 3, 2006) — Preparations for the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic season have already gotten underway for Walker Racing, as the they completed their first series of tests earlier this week at MSR Houston. The team embarked on their search for interested drivers to complete their 2007 lineup. Walker Racing tested four standout drivers, each with a unique racing background. The first batch of talent to test with the team included Formula BMW USA star Simona De Silvestro, Star Mazda talent Canadian Kevin Lacroix, Formula Palmer Audi Champion, Englishman Joe Tandy, and British Formula 3 standout, South African Cristiano Morgado.

Walker Racing made the jump to run an Atlantic team last season, announcing the move at the Lexmark Indy 300 in Surfer’s Paradise Australia. 2006 marked the first year for the team and a very good season at that, as they brought home the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship title with Frenchman rookie Simon Pagenaud.

This week’s test marks the first in a series of tests for the Indianapolis based squad as they continue to make efforts to formulate the 2007 lineup. Keeping another championship title in mind, Walker Racing is looking to expand the two car operation and to sign multi-year contracts to build longer lasting relationships with the drivers. “We are currently testing a number of interested drivers. The team looks forward to the 2007 season as we plan to expand the Atlantic program and increase the number of cars,” stated Walker Racing owner Derrick Walker.

All four drivers liked working with the team, enjoyed their time in the Atlantic cars and hope to be in the Champ Car Atlantic Series next season as they got the opportunity to sample the Mazda-Cosworth/Swift 016.a car October 28-31.

Making her mark in Houston was Swiss, Simona De Silvestro. The 18-year-old just came off of a successful 2006 Formula BMW USA season with one win, six podiums and 11 top-ten finishes in 14 races finishing 4th in the overall championship. The young Swiss showed her talent as she made huge improvements and really took to the team and the Atlantic car throughout the two day test.

“Testing was great,” exclaimed De Silvestro (pictured above). “The car was quite impressive because there is a lot more horsepower and down force, which is a lot different from what I’m used to driving. It took some getting used to the Atlantic car, but I improved a lot in two days and the whole Walker Racing team was very helpful and showed great teamwork. I really had a great time and loved it.”

Jumping aboard the Atlantic car for the first time as well was former Formula Palmer Audi champion, 23-year-old Englishman Joe Tandy. Tandy had great success in 2005 as he scored six wins, and 11 podiums, finishing first in the overall championship. The young Brit took to the Atlantic car as he continued to get quicker throughout the day as he learned the car. Excited to have the opportunity, Tandy had a full day of testing.

Kevin Lacroix is a 17-year-old Canadian who competed in his first season in the Star Mazda series this year finishing 2nd in the championship scoring five podiums and 11 top-ten finishes out of twelve races. In 2005, Lacroix attended BMW driving school in Valencia, Spain earning a scholarship for the Formula BMW USA series where he scored 4 victories, 6 top-five and 10 top-ten finishes. The young Canadian was on a roll this week as he adjusted quickly to the Atlantic car and to the team.

“What a nice car to drive. It’s a lot different compared to the Mazda. Driving the Atlantic car is like driving a big boat, but it’s a lot faster and more stable. In the first run I was slower, but I took more time to learn the car and once I got used to the power, I was fast. The whole Walker Racing team is so helpful. The engineers are young and have a lot of experience, which is great. The test went really well and I really enjoyed the opportunity,” stated Lacroix (pictured right).

The fourth driver testing the Walker Racing Atlantic car was 27-year-old South African, Cristiano Morgado who progressed nicely throughout the afternoon of testing. The former two-time Rotax Max World Kart Champion just recently completed his rookie season in British Formula 3 where he scored four victories. Morgado spent a whole day learning and adjusting to the car as he spent the first day warming up and the latter part making changes.

The test proved successful as it gave each driver a taste in the Atlantic car. Walker Racing will continue preparing for the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic season with another series of tests as they search for interested drivers to complete the lineup for next season. For more updates on the team visit www.walkerracing.com.
 

Champ Car Atlantic Series announces its 2007 Schedule
Two new venues, races in the US and Canada featured in schedule
By Martha Meacham
Photos courtesy A. Read
CINCINNATI, Ohio (October 11, 2006) — Coming off a highly successful 2006 season which saw highly skilled racing, sportsmanship and a championship race which went down to the final race a few weeks ago at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the Champ Car Atlantic series proudly announced the schedule for its 34th season, featuring a new series sponsor and two new exciting race venues. The Atlantic series unveiled the 2007 series schedule, revealing an interesting 12-race blend of some of the top road and street course events in North America. The Atlantic Championship welcomes new series presenting sponsor and exclusive tire supplier Cooper Tire, which replaces longtime supplier, Yokohama Tires... Teaming with Mazda North American Operations, which came on board this year, the new-look Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda will offer a varied slate of events designed to test the skills of up-and-coming racers from North and South America, as well as Europe. The '07 Atlantic schedule will provide an equal balance of six races run on street circuits and six events held on permanent or temporary road courses. The calendar features three events in Canada and nine races held within the United States.

"We're still enjoying the exciting conclusion to the 2006 season, but we're already looking forward to the 34th year of Atlantic racing in 2007," said Vicki O'Connor, Managing Director of the Atlantic Championship. "After welcoming Mazda to the series this past season, we're excited to open up new doors with Cooper Tire coming on board as presenting sponsor of the Atlantic Championship. With some of the best venues in all of racing on the series schedule for 2007, it's bound to be one of the most thrilling seasons in Atlantic history. My sincere thanks to all of the event promoters and everyone at Champ Car for helping to put together an awesome schedule for next season. With our first series-sanctioned test scheduled in late January, the Atlantics will be back on track before you know it!"

"We are excited to join forces with Champ Car Atlantic and are looking forward to a great first season," said Jim Keller, Vice President of Marketing for Cooper Tire. "The Champ Car Atlantic Championship is a proven champion and their track record speaks for itself. Cooper is confident that this partnership will boast one of the best championship combinations in racing today."

Preparation for the '07 Atlantic season and the battle for the $2 million series champion's Champ Car bonus, won this year by Simon Pagenaud (#15 Team Australia) will begin with three open tests, spread out from January-March. The organized test sessions, open to all series participants, will kick off on January 28-29 at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida. Two weeks later, the Atlantic cars return to the track with a two-day test at the MSR Houston road circuit in Angleton, Texas, February 9-10. The final pre-season test will be hosted at the classic Laguna Seca road course in Monterey, California, March 7-8.

The 2007 season officially gets underway at a new venue for both the Champ Cars and the Atlantics. The streets of downtown Las Vegas will host the Vegas Grand Prix on April 8, kicking off a series of three straight races in the month. The Atlantic series will then compete at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on the streets of Long Beach, April 15, followed by the second running of the Grand Prix of Houston at the Reliant Park circuit on April 22.The Atlantic competitors will get a short break in the schedule before returning to action with a doubleheader weekend at Portland International Raceway, June 9-10. The season will reach its halfway point on June 24 when the series visits the wide-open Burke Lakefront Airport circuit in its annual visit to Cleveland. From there, the Atlantics begin a three-race Canadian swing.

The legendary Mont Tremblant circuit last hosted an Atlantic event in 1976. The Atlantics will return there to compete at the St. Jovite venue in Quebec on July 1. A week later action will resume at one of the most popular events on the calendar, racing on the Toronto streets at Exhibition Place. For the third consecutive season, the series will compete in Edmonton at the fast City Centre Airport course on July 22, completing the Atlantic Canadian Triple Crown. The streets of San Jose host the Atlantic series for the third straight year at the Grand Prix of San Jose on July 29. The penultimate round will feature the 23rd Atlantic race run at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on August 12. For the first time since 2002, Denver will be the site of the series season finale as the Pepsi Center street circuit will play host to Atlantics for the sixth straight season.

Season Schedule
January 28-29 Sebring Raceway - Sebring, Florida (Pre-season Test)
February 9-10 MSR Houston - Angleton, Texas (Pre-season Test)
March 7-8 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - Monterey, California
(Pre-season Test)
April 8 Streets of Las Vegas - Las Vegas, Nevada
April 15 Streets of Long Beach - Long Beach, California
April 22 Reliant Park - Houston, Texas
June 9 Portland International Raceway - Portland, Oregon
June 10 Portland International Raceway - Portland, Oregon
June 24 Burke Lakefront Airport - Cleveland, Ohio
July 1 Circuit Mont Tremblant - St. Jovite, Quebec, Canada
July 8 Exhibition Place - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
July 22 City Centre Airport - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
July 29 Streets of San Jose - San Jose, California
Aug. 12 Road America - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Aug. 19 Pepsi Center - Denver, Colorado

Competing in newly-designed Swift 016.a chassis powered by a 2.3-liter Mazda-Cosworth engine while riding on Cooper Tires, 2007 competitors will fight for the 12-race championship and the unique $2 million Champ Car series champion's bonus. For more information on the series and to view last season's races on demand, please visit www.champcaratlantic.com. Race Family will bring racing weekend coverage as well as exclusive interviews with the series' stars.

Pecorari a deserving fourth in Road America
News from Gelles Racing
ROAD AMERICA, WI (September 25th, 2006) — Gelles Racing Champ Car Atlantic driver Robbie Pecorari and the #28 Western Union car finished in fourth place in the last round of the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Starting from the fourth line, Pecorari dropped a few positions on the start before carving his way to a well deserved fourth place, his second best result of the season. Meanwhile, teammate Colin Fleming in the #14 eSoles/King Taco finally took to the track with two laps into the race but ended up in 13th place after a wild comeback.

“This kind of performance is Robbie’s trademark,” claimed team owner Bob Gelles. “He always makes sure he gets a clean start and then gets to work. He went from 10th to 4th in only 18 laps and four full course yellows. One has to give credit to this young man. Colin was very unfortunate. He had to sit in the pit lane waiting for the crew to fix a mechanical problem with the transmission. The race was two laps down when he took off but he enjoyed himself coming from dead last to 13th overall and the 8th fastest time. It was an exciting day for our drivers.”

“That’s a fine season ending,” added Pecorari. “When you have a good car like I did, you want more laps and no yellow flags to slow you down. I felt I could have made it to the podium again, but we had eight laps out of 18 behind the pace car.”

“I really enjoyed myself, said Fleming. Once I realized I was far behind, I decided to have fun and reel in some fast laps and pass as many cars I could. Finally, earning points in the end seems a fair reward. Beside the mechanical hiccup, the car was strong and fun to drive.”

Antoine Bessette to take part in the Grand Prix de Montréal
Returning race winner on Gilles-Villeneuve track
News from Bessette Racing
MONTRÉAL, Canada, (August 22nd, 2006) — Montreal Atlantic race winner Antoine Bessette will be returning to his hometown track this weekend. The French Canadian will drive the Brooks Associates Racing #8 Samsara Concept car and will team up with Brazilian Alex Sperafico. AB won two Canadian rounds last year in Toronto and Montreal, went on to finish 3rd in the standings, tied with teammate Katherine Legge and was selected for the Gilles-Villeneuve award at the end of the season.

“Montreal remains the most important victory in my career,” admits the 24-year old, “especially in front of my home crowd. When an Atlantic seat became available at Brooks, we took the necessary measures with John to reserve it for Montreal. I want to take the opportunity to thank Samsara Concept, a Montreal clothing company, for making all this possible. I know competition is very high in this series for having entered an event earlier in Portland but I will do my very best to take up the challenge on my favorite track.”

“We’re very happy to have Antoine on board,” adds John Brooks. “He’s a quality driver I respect very much and highly capable of taking our car to the front. He will be engineered by Willie Hoplinger. Antoine and I have been in the same paddocks for years and I’m glad our paths finally cross.”

The usual Champ Car Atlantic schedule

Bessette will take to the track on Friday morning for a 45-minute practice at 9:10 am. He will be back for the first qualifying session early afternoon at 1:10 pm. Saturday will be similar with practice set for 9:25 am and second qualifying also at 1:10 pm. At short Sunday warm-up will take place at 8:00 am while the cars will be staged at 10:30 for a standing start when the reds go out at 11:00 sharp.

Winner of two rounds last year in Montreal and Toronto, Bessette was the Gilles-Villeneuve award winner and Best Canadian Race Driver from the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. Bessette will steer the #8 Samsara Concept machine this weekend. AB takes the opportunity to thank the fans who took some time to visit his web site at www.bessetteracing.com

Top American talent Colin Fleming to join Gelles Racing for remainder of 2006 Atlantics season
News from Gelles Racing
INDIANAPOLIS (July 17, 2006) — Fresh off the team’s first victory in the Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda last round in Toronto, Gelles Racing unveiled some more good news on Monday. Colin Fleming (#14 Western Union), one of America’s top rising racing stars that has spent the last several seasons competing in Europe, has joined the team and will race at all remaining events on the 2006 Atlantic calendar.

Fleming will team another talented young American driver in the Gelles Racing stable, rookie Robbie Pecorari (#28 Western Union/USA Today/Gelles Racing), who brought the squad it’s first Atlantic victory on July 9 when he led wire-to-wire on the streets of Toronto.

“It is so exciting to be racing again in America in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship with Gelles Racing,” said Fleming. “It’s a culture shock after three years in Europe, but I think I can use the experience and hard-driving style in my favor. I have heard only good things about the new Swift car, the championship and the high level of racing this year. Gelles Racing has become one of the best teams in the series and I know we’re going to be competitive fairly quickly. I’ve known the Pecorari family from my karting years and teaming up with Robbie, who just won the last round in Toronto, will make it all the more exciting.”

Fleming, the 22-year-old native of North Hills, California, will join the team and compete at this weekend’s Round 8 of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship – the West Edmonton Mall Grand Prix Presented by The Brick in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

First identified as one of the future stars of open-wheel racing after winning numerous karting titles and the 2001 CART Stars of Tomorrow championship at age 17, Fleming also earned the Skip Barber-CART scholarship in 2002. He raced in the ’02 Formula Dodge National Championship and won the Barber Dodge Pro Series scholarship that season. After winning Rookie-of-the-Year honors following the 2003 Barber Dodge Pro Series season, Fleming was selected to participate in the Red Bull Driver Search program. Designed to help cultivate America’s leading drivers into the next generation of Formula One stars, Fleming began racing in Europe and his skills shined on the international stage. Excelling alongside fellow American Red Bull driver and current F1 star Scott Speed, Fleming was impressive in the both the European and German Formula Renault championships in 2004, posting four wins and 15 podium finishes.

He joined the ultra-competitive World Series by Renault in 2005, racing against current Atlantic championship leader Simon Pagenaud (#15 Team Australia/Location U/Cons. Gen. Vienne). Fleming returned to compete in the series this season and was ranked seventh in the championship when he elected to return to the U.S. at the end of June in order to develop his skills in North America. His desire to prove himself against some of the top international competition in the Atlantic Championship this season led him to Gelles Racing.

“I am truly elated to have Colin join our Atlantic effort beginning in Edmonton,” said team owner Bob Gelles. “In the last five years I have done much scouting in the national karting series and formula support series. I had noticed this talented driver early and I’m very happy our paths finally cross. He is an awesome talent and a front-running driver fresh out of the top Renault ladder series. He will be a great addition to our Atlantic team.”

The dynamic all-American combination of Fleming and Pecorari on the Gelles Racing squad should be an exciting one to watch over the remaining five rounds of Champ Car Atlantic competition this season.

Forsythe Atlantic Team joined by Layer 7 Technologies at the Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by US Bank
News from Forsythe Championship Racing
CLEVELAND, Ohio (June 23, 2006) — Vancouver based North American IT company Layer 7 Technologies joins Forsythe Championship Racing’s Atlantic Team as the Primary partner on Leo Maia’s #7 entry and as an Associate partner on Forsythe’s #37 and #33 entries driven by Andreas Wirth and Richard Philippe.

Layer 7 CEO Ed Koepfler is a long time follower and supporter of Champ Car and Forsythe Racing, “Champ Car is recognized as North America’s most highly technical and all-round most challenging and competitive motor racing environment; testing its drivers, equipment and team personnel to the limits week in and week out. I’m excited to introduce Layer 7 Technologies to this most demanding and technical sport, and particularly through Forsythe’s successful Atlantic racing programme which will allow Layer 7 Technologies to explore and develop potential technology synergies with the Team and the Series, and to cultivate business opportunities within the Champ Car community of business partners.”

Team owner Jerry Forsythe welcomed the new partnership, “After years following our racing programs, I’m delighted to now be formally welcoming Ed Koepfler and Layer 7 Technologies to Forsythe Racing and the Atlantic Championship. It is always gratifying to see new partners join Champ Car, and I strongly believe that through this relationship we can provide a unique and exciting environment for Layer 7 through which they can positively develop their business relationships in Canada and across the United States.”

Forsythe Atlantic Team Manager John Brunner said, “I’m thrilled to be expanding our Team’s relationship with such an award winning IT innovator - Layer 7 Technologies. We are enjoying new technological and operational benefits from show casing high-tech applications provided through our relationship with Emexis (sponsor of James Hinchcliffe’s #3 race car), and I’m confident that as well as providing a great business relationship building platform for Layer 7, that this relationship will be a catalyst to more exciting and mutually beneficial technical opportunities.”

About Layer 7 Technologies

Layer 7 Technologies helps enterprises accelerate the application network through secure and cost-effective business integration using XML and Web services. Layer 7 Technologies’ SecureSpan product line is the first set of products to address security and governance end-to-end across a Web services and SOA deployment without expensive and inflexible programming. With the SecureSpan set of products, customers realize lowered integration costs, increased security reliability, and the ability to future-proof their Web services and SOA investments. For more information, visit: www.layer7tech.com

For more information on Forsythe Championship Racing and the Champ Car Atlantic Championship, please visit the official websites: www.forsythe-racing.com and www.champcaratlantic.com

Antoine Bessette returns to Champ Car Atlantic in Portland
Photos © LAT/Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (June 12, 2006) — Canadian Antoine Bessette will enter the Trinity Carpet 100, fourth round of the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship at the helm of the #14 Western Union car next weekend in Portland. The St-Bruno, Quebec driver is returning to a series where he had a lot of success last year with a team which he competed in 2003 & 2004. However, the 24-year old pilot did not stay idle this year since he drove a Daytona Prototype in a few Grand-Am Rolex rounds with MSR. Antoine is eager to take to the track the new Swift-Mazda combo.

“I long to drive that Western Union car, said the French Canadian. When I tested with Bob (Gelles) last winter in the Renault V6, the new Swift car was not yet available. In Portland, I will benefit from a full test day to gel with my new engineer. It will also be fun to collaborate with Robbie Pecorari also with whom I tested last winter. Portland is a track where I enjoyed two Top-5 finishes last year: the track is quick and fun to drive with one very tricky corner (#2) after the start.”

“We’re very happy to have Antoine back with us, this time in our Atlantic program, said team owner Bob Gelles. This fine young driver has been around a few years with our team. He won races in many series and I know he will be fast from lap one, especially with recent experience gained after racing a 650 HP Rolex Daytona Prototype.”

AB: a late bloomer
Antoine Bessette started his meteoric racing career only five years ago and raced everything from Formula Ford to Daytona Prototype, from rally cars to Atlantic cars. He won on many racetracks but his two Atlantic victories in Toronto and Montreal last year together with two second place finishes tied him with Katherine Legge for third in the 2005 final standings. He was awarded the Gilles-Villeneuve Trophy by the series and received Best Canadian driver award at the Canadian Hall of Fame annual gala evening. This will make him the highest point achiever returning to the Atlantic series in 2006.

Gelles Racing on the Oregon Trail
Gelles Racing is traveling across the United States to Portland. Testing day for Gelles drivers Bessette and Pecorari will take place on Wednesday on the 10-turn 1.964 mile permanent circuit. There will be practice and qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday with the last practice sessions taking place Saturday evening at 5:00 pm. The Trinity Carpet 100 will go green Sunday morning at 10:00 am to be aired on SPEED.

Champ Car Atlantic Championship to host post-season test for 2006 Star Mazda Series Champion
Photos © Champ Car Atlantics and Star Mazda Series
HOUSTON, Texas (May 12, 2006) — Helping to define an even clearer developmental path for the world’s top up-and-coming open-wheel drivers, officials from the Champ Car Atlantic Championship and Mazda North American Operations jointly announced today that the champion of the 2006 Star Mazda Championship will receive a full test session with a top team in the Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

In addition to earning a new Mazda RX-8 passenger car and a $100,000 cash award for winning the series title, the top point-earner in this season’s Star Mazda open-wheel championship will get a chance to prove what they can do in a 300-horsepower Champ Car Atlantic machine. The test session with a current Atlantic team will take place after completion of both the Atlantic and Star Mazda 2006 seasons. Further details of the test will be announced in the coming months. In addition, Champ Car has also agreed to wave all entry and competition fees for the ’06 Star Mazda champion if they race in next season’s Champ Car Atlantic Championship.

Today’s announcement simply formalizes the unofficial developmental relationship between Atlantic and Star Mazda. Many of this season’s top Atlantic racers helped refine their skills in Star Mazda competition. Current Atlantic drivers such as 2005 Star Mazda champion Raphael Matos, ’03 Star Mazda title-winner Luis Schiavo, Graham Rahal, Robbie Pecorari and James Hinchcliffe all cut their teeth in the Star Mazda ranks. In addition, Star Mazda graduates Guy Cosmo and Jamie Bach have moved their careers on to the American Le Mans Series, driving the Mazda-rotary-powered P2-class Mazda-Courage. The champion’s testing program will create more opportunities for Star Mazda drivers to compete in the Atlantic Championship, in its 33rd season as North America’s top open-wheel development category.

“With so many talented drivers emerging from the Star Mazda series in recent years and so many of our current Atlantic racers coming up through the series, it makes perfect sense to ensure that the Star Mazda champion has an opportunity to test an Atlantic car,” said Vicki O’Connor, Managing Director of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship.

“Champ Car is anxious to continue to expand its relationship with Mazda and the testing program for the Star Mazda series champion with a top Atlantic team is a great example,” said Steve Johnson, President of the Champ Car World Series. “It’s clear that with all of the talent coming up through the Mazda development system, this is the next generation of Champ Car stars and we want to make sure the cream of the crop continues to develop their talent in the Atlantic Championship.”

The establishment of the testing program also enhances Mazda’s ladder system of driver development and opens up more doors for drivers graduating from Star Mazda.

"If you want a career as a professional racing driver -- either open-wheel or closed -- then you need to be associated with Mazda," said Robert Davis, Senior VP, Research, Development and Quality for Mazda North American Operations, and the man responsible for Mazda's North American motorsports programs. "Young drivers can start in club racing in a Formula Mazda, graduate to the professional Star Mazda, then on to the Champ Car Atlantic Championship. From there, who knows where a career can go -- GP2 in Europe? Champ Car? Formula 1? With our involvement in Star Mazda, and the series' champion's opportunity of a guaranteed Atlantic test, Mazda is committed to helping find the next open-wheel star."

"From our perspective, we know that many of our racers aspire to race in Champ Car, by way of the Atlantic series,” said Gary Rodrigues, President of the Star Mazda Championship. “To be recognized by Mazda and Champ Car through the award of a sponsored test in the program widely recognized as the next logical step from the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, a driver gets tremendous validation of his future in motorsports. The winner will undoubtedly list this award prominently on his or her resume. The Star Mazda Championship is proud to see our graduates' careers get this kind of boost, and we thank Mazda and Champ Car for their encouragement of emerging talent."

Texas heat brings out the best in European racer Simon Pagenaud during first day of Champ Car Atlantic MSR Houston Test
Photos © Champ Car Atlantics
ANGLETON, Texas (May 7, 2006) — If it weren’t for the heat and humidity, Atlantic rookie Simon Pagenaud (#15 Team Australia/Location U/Cons. Gen. Vienne) might have thought he was back home on Sunday, blistering lap times on a track in the French countryside. But instead of Europe, Pagenaud was actually burning up the MSR Houston road circuit in the first of two Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda open test days at the secluded and challenging track 30 miles north of Houston.

Pagenaud, a 21-year-old native of Montmorillon, France, led all 27 Atlantic drivers that tested at the 2.38-mile course. The Team Australia racer clocked a fast lap of 1:19.608 (107.627 mph) in the afternoon session on a day that featured humid conditions and temperatures in the upper 80s. The Atlantics are testing in preparation for Round 2 – the Fast Trac 100 at the Grand Prix of Houston – to be held May 11-13.

“I really like this track and it’s a lot like the tracks you see in Europe,” said Pagenaud, who finished fourth at the season-opening race in Long Beach on April 9. “There are lots of bumps and some really fast corners. You could really feel the downforce of the car here. It was a real pleasure to drive the Atlantic car on this kind of track.”

Based solely on the amount of work the Atlantic teams put in on Sunday, it appeared that all series competitors enjoyed testing at the MSR Houston circuit. As the squads continued to learn and test the limits of the 2006 Mazda-Cosworth/Swift 016.a/Yokohama car, the durability and performance of the new Atlantic passed yet another test. Collectively, teams logged nearly 4,000 miles during a full day of testing. The high level of talent in the field was also clearly on display as the top 12 drivers were separated by less than a second in their fast-lap times.

While Pagenaud secured the top lap of the day, young American rising star Graham Rahal (#18 Gehl Company) was not far behind. Rahal posted a time of 1:19.859 (107.289 mph) and joined Pagenaud as the only two drivers to break the one-minute, 20-second mark on Sunday.

“It was a really good day for us,” said the 17-year-old Rahal, who claimed fifth at Long Beach for Mi-Jack Conquest Racing in his series debut. “We showed that we were quick all day today, but it was more than just lap times. We found out a lot more about the car today and these are things that are going to help us in the long run this season.”

PR1 Motorsports driver Jonathan Bomarito (#23 Miracle Sealants) also spent much of the day learning about the intricacies of his Atlantic car. He recorded the most laps of any competitor, turning 98 orbits on the 17-turn circuit. The Monterey, California native also found time to score the third-fastest time of the day at 1:20.051 (107.032 mph).

Canadian James Hinchcliffe (#3 Emexis/INDECK) also looked strong as he finished the day just behind Bomarito in the running order with a top lap of 1:20.072 (107.004 mph). Hinchcliffe’s Forsythe Championship Racing teammate Andreas Wirth (#37 INDECK/Wirth Solar) completed the top five from the first day of testing. Wirth, the current series points leader who claimed his second career Atlantic win when he took the checkered flag at Long Beach, produced a best time of 1:20.234 (106.788 mph).

After leading the morning practice session, Sierra Sierra Enterprises driver Raphael Matos (#6 ProWorks), was sixth overall on Sunday. Matos, currently ranked as the top series rookie after a second-place run at Long Beach, had a quick time of 1:20.276 (106.732 mph). The talented Brazilian only turned 11 laps in the afternoon session; however, after an off-course excursion left his car in need of some extensive repair.

The Atlantics will return to the testing trail on Monday, with another full day of activity at MSR Houston. The Champ Car Atlantic Championship begins second-round action later this week at the Grand Prix of Houston with practice and qualifying at the new Reliant Park course set to begin on Thursday, May 11.

Transnet Racing solidifies 2006 Atlantic lineup with Australian Racer Barton Mawer
Photos © Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (April 18, 2006) — The depth of talent in the 2006 Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda was clearly on display in the series’ opening round of competition at Long Beach in early April. The Atlantic Championship continues to grow and add more skilled racers to its impressive lineup, however, with today’s announcement that one of Australia’s top developing open-wheel drivers will join the series. Transnet Racing has solidified its two-car effort for ‘06 by naming Aussie young gun Barton Mawer as its second driver for the remaining 11 races this season.

Mawer, a 24-year-old racer from Camden, Australia, has spent the last several seasons competing successfully at the Formula 3 level. He joins the fourth-year Transnet team for his rookie season in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship driving the #17 entry with sponsorship from the Australian Motorsport Foundation. Mawer will be paired with British driver Charles Hall (#16 Accent Card / OmniSource /Dixien) to create a solid two-car lineup for Transnet Racing in 2006.

“I am very pleased to have Barton join us,” said Alex Garcia, co-owner of the Transnet team. “He brings great experience and will be a tremendous asset to Transnet Racing. Bart has adapted very well to the team and has shown great dedication, spending his spare time working with the guys at the shop. I expect to see him at the front of the field in 2006.”

In 2005, Mawer shined in the British Formula 3 International Championship, claiming second in the series national class standings. He scored six wins and 12 podium finishes on his way to the runner-up performance. The son of David Mawer, who designed Australian Formula Fords in the 1970s, Barton also won the Formula 3 support race at last year’s Australian Grand Prix. He posted nine consecutive podium results in the 2004 British Formula 3 scholarship class after collecting five wins and five poles to finish as Australian Formula 3 series runner up in 2003.

Mawer was present and working with the team throughout the season-opening weekend at Long Beach, April 7-9. He watched as Hall qualified 16th for the team and unfortunately witnessed an early exit for Transnet on race day. Hall ran well for most of the race but was forced to retire after making contact with a tire wall just eight laps from the finish of the 32-lap event. Both Hall and Mawer are anxious to make their debut as a team in Round 2 of the Atlantic Championship – May 11-13 at the Grand Prix of Houston's Fast Trac 100 Atlantic event. For more information on Transnet, log on to www.transnetracing.com

“This is a fantastic opportunity for me,” said Mawer. “Having watched the first race at Long Beach with the team I am really excited to join the action at Houston. Transnet is a very professional team and I feel a part of the family already. I just can't wait to get to the track.”
 

SPEED to air season-opening Champ Car Atlantic Long Beach Race on Sunday
Photos © Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (April 14, 2006) – An impressive field of 28 drivers from 12 different countries ushered in a new era of Atlantic competition last weekend as the Yokohama Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda took the first green flag of the 2006 season on the streets of Long Beach.

Television viewers across the U.S. and Canada will get a chance to see all of the racing action from the Imperial Capital Bank Atlantic race at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach through comprehensive coverage this weekend on SPEED, the premier motorsports network.

Round 1 of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship from Long Beach will air on Sunday, April 16 at 1 p.m. ET on SPEED. In addition to providing flag-to-flag coverage of the 32-lap race on the challenging Long Beach street circuit, Sunday’s broadcast also marks the debut of the new Atlantic announcing team. Rick Benjamin, longtime motorsports announcer and the voice of the Champ Car World Series, will carry play-by-play duties for all Atlantic telecasts this season. He’ll be joined in the booth by former racer Jon Beekhuis, who’s been calling Atlantic events for over 10 seasons. Cameron Steele joins the broadcast team this season working the developing stories from the Atlantic pit lane.

The new crew witnessed a spectacular season debut for the new 2006 Mazda-Cosworth/Swift 016.a / Yokohama Atlantic racing package last weekend. Germany’s Andreas Wirth (#37 INDECK/Wirth Solar) fought back a pack of young hard-chargers all race long to seize his second career Atlantic win as he got off to an early lead in the pursuit of the coveted series title and the $2 million champion’s Champ Car incentive bonus. The race also featured several incidents and caution flags on the tight 1.968-mile street circuit as a number of the top expected contenders in ’06 saw their days end early as a result of the fierce on-track battles. Sunday’s hour-long broadcast, produced by the Mullin Production Group, will also bring viewers closer to some of the new personalities that will highlight the Champ Car Atlantic series this season.

Check local listings for this weekend’s SPEED broadcast details, The network will also re-air the Long Beach Atlantic race on Wednesday, April 19 beginning at 3 p.m. ET.

Atlantic racing fans will also have an opportunity to relive the excitement of each race and the SPEED broadcasts whenever they’d like this season through a new unique option on the official web site of North America’s top open-wheel development series. All 12 Atlantic race broadcasts will be available to view on demand in 2006 simply by visiting www.champcaratlantic.com  The sure-to-be-popular feature makes its debut this week and is just one example of how the new-look Atlantic series will be bringing its racing and its stars closer to the fans this season.

David Martinez of Mexico returns to US Racetronics Atlantic team for 2006 season
Photos © Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (April 3, 2006) — Mexican racer David Martinez and the US RaceTronics team hope the momentum they built at the end of the 2005 Atlantic season carries over to the Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda in 2006. Competing with the first-year team last season, Martinez emerged as one of the top rookies in the Atlantic field, posting five podium results to claim fifth in the final series standings. The talented 24-year-old racer from Monterrey, Mexico returns to the US RaceTronics squad this season looking to build on his success from ’05. Martinez will race in the #4 entry for the California-based team

“I think we proved last year, especially at the end, that we’re a pretty good team,” said Martinez. “It’s going to be a very tough field in Atlantics this year, but with our experience I think we can be up there fighting for wins and the championship this season.”

After claiming the Mexican Formula Renault title in 2003, Martinez began to assert himself in US open-wheel racing. He scored a dramatic victory in front of his hometown fans in Monterrey, Mexico in the Barber Dodge Pro Series in ’03 on his way to a fourth-place finish in the series championship. He competed in the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup in 2004 before making his 2005 Atlantic debut back at Monterrey with a third-place finish for US RaceTronics.

Despite competing in only 11 of 12 events for a rookie team last season, Martinez was one of Atlantics’ most consistent performers, earning top-five results in seven starts. He came on strong toward the end of the year claiming podium results in three of his final four races and earning his first series pole position in Montreal at the season finale.

“We’re really excited to have David back with us for this season,” said Shane Seneviratne, owner of US RaceTronics. “The team had good success and good continuity at the end of last season and we want to build on that as we head into 2006.”

Martinez returned to action for US RaceTronics recently, testing the new Mazda-Cosworth/Swift 016.a/Yokohama Atlantic car for the team at California Speedway. This weekend he will make his first start on the streets of Long Beach when the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic season gets underway at the annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 7-9.

Forsythe Atlantic Team wraps up pre-season testing at California Speedway
News from Forsythe Championship Racing
FONTANA, California (March 25, 2006) — As the clock winds down to the April 7-9 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the opening event of the 2006 racing season, anticipation and excitement within the Forsythe Championship Racing Atlantic Team is building rapidly. This week the team concluded a final preseason test on the California Speedway infield road course in Fontana with its four young pilots joining 25 of the other hotshoes competing in the talent-rich field this season as Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

The two-day test opened with a damp track and unseasonably cold Southern California weather as the Atlantic Championship debuted its new chassis and engine combination, the Swift 016.a powered by a 300hp Mazda-Cosworth 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, but the second day warmed up and provided the teams with a range of conditions to evaluate the new package. Combined with high performance Yokohama Advan racing slicks, the car proved to be fast and surprisingly trouble-free as all the teams set about gathering baseline data and learning the mechanical, aerodynamic and functional character of the new car. The consensus was a solid “five thumbs up” from Team Forsythe and its 2006 driver lineup of Canadian James Hinchcliffe, American Leonardo Maia, Frenchman Richard Philippe and German Andreas Wirth.

“The test went very well”, commented Atlantic Team Manager John Brunner. “We expected to run into issues with the new car but the only significant thing we encountered was a harmonic vibration issue that caused a couple of aerodynamic brackets to start giving up at the very end of the second day. Hopefully that can easily be corrected. Swift, Cosworth, Yokohama and Pi (Electronics) all had a lot of people running around helping keep things on track and we can’t thank them enough. We told our guys going in that we weren’t looking for qualifying laps. We wanted long, consistent runs with average fuel loads and tire wear that allowed us to find race setups that work and get a handle on the little preferences that each driver has in everything from control positions and cockpit padding to the fundamental balance of the car. The most important part of learning a new car is gathering as much useful data as possible, and we achieved that. We also continued to solidify our team since this was the first test where we had a complete roster. We’re gathering data on our people and teamwork as much as on the cars!”

James Hinchcliffe (#3 Emexis/INDECK Mazda-Cosworth / Yokohama / Swift 016.a): “It was a good two days. We learned a whole lot and that’s what we were here for. It was unfortunate that we experienced a few little problems here at the end of the second day when it was really time to lay it down, but we ended up with third quickest time and we learned what’s going to break so we’re in a better position for Long Beach. The guys worked so hard over the last weeks getting the new cars prepped and detailed out and then did such a great job here, I can’t thank them enough. You see the operation with all four cars in the top half of the time sheets and that’s what we do; that’s how we roll, so bring on Long Beach!” Hinchcliffe ended the test with the third fastest lap overall - 58.396s/92.164mph, less than a tenth of a second off the quickest time.

The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will launch its 32nd annual event on the weekend of April 7-9. A large grid of fast cars and drivers is expected for the Sunday morning race as Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. The event will be broadcast on a tape-delayed basis by Speed TV at 1pm ET on Sunday, April 16th. For more information, please visit the official Atlantic website at http://www.champcaratlantic.com
 

Forsythe "Track Pack" completes two-day Sebring test
News from Forsythe Championship Racing
SEBRING, Florida (February 24, 2006) – The second gathering of Forsythe Championship Racing’s four-car entry into the 2006 Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda went off smoothly this week as the drivers, crew and transporters returned to the venerable road course at Sebring International Raceway in central Florida for two days of testing and team-building. All four drivers completed numerous laps with their fastest times blanketed by less than a tenth of a second in the soon to be retired Swift 014.a Atlantic chassis.

“We logged 940 miles over two days with all four drivers” commented Team Manager John Brunner, “which was quite a bit more than the previous test. The cars ran flawlessly after the preparation completed by our crew at the shop. Our drivers are very competitive with one another lap time wise, so it should be very interesting throughout the year. The team is coming together very well. We are only short three positions and we’re hoping to fill those next week. We are now focusing on getting ready for the delivery of the new cars and getting down to business.”

The Swift 014.a chassis is being replaced by an entirely new car for 2006 designated the Swift 016.a and powered by a 300-hp Mazda-Cosworth 2.3-liter engine.

The youngest driver of the group, 16-year old Richard Philippe of France, was thankful for the seat time. “I’m coming off my first real formula car season (Philippe won the 2005 Formula BMW USA Championship after a successful karting career) so I really need these laps. Once again this test was more about the team rather than the drivers since we’re all so new to each other, but it went very well. We were all quick and consistent, and even though this car is going to be retired soon it’s very valuable seat time. Now I’m back home and getting ready for testing the new car in Fontana (March 21-22 on the California Speedway road course) and for the first race in Long Beach.”

19-year old Canadian, James Hinchcliffe: "This test was really, really successful on a bunch of levels. First we had some new guys there and nearly a full crew so it was great getting to continue to build the team with all these guys. They are all such hard workers that it really makes the driver’s job easier. And then on top of that we managed to actually get some work done! We had a list of things that we needed to work through, both on the car and on the drivers, and we accomplished it all. We are very pleased and now just cannot wait to get to work on the 016."

Leonardo Maia, a 25-year old American: "It was another productive test for both the team and the drivers. The crew worked very hard and we were able to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. My teammates are very fast and we constantly push each other making everyone that much better. I can't wait for the new car and the first official test in Fontana!"

21-year old German, Andreas Wirth: “First of all I have to thank the whole team for preparing cars so thoroughly. We never had any problems the whole two days. Everything went very well and the team keeps getting closer and working very nicely together. We’re finding out how to use our advantage as a multi-car team and it is nice to see that it is working so well in just our second test together. The mechanics and engineers are just awesome and doing a perfect job. Personally I had two very good test days and was very pleased with what we accomplished; lot of things that we can carry over to the new car which is important. It is always nice to be in a race car and if you can do it with such a team behind you it's even more! We will prove that Forsythe Racing will be there to fight for the Championship. I just can't wait now to drive the new car for the first time!”

The official team debut of the new-era Swift chassis, Mazda-Cosworth engine and high-performance Yokohama Advan tires takes place at California Speedway in Fontana, California on March 21-22. For more information, please visit the official website of the Atlantic Championship at http://www.champcaratlantic.com
 

UNICO Racing Team USA signs CR Crews for 2006 Champ Car Atlantic effort
News from Unico Racing Team USA
DALLAS (January. 24, 2006) ― Mexico City-based UNICO Racing plans to expand its operations and contest the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship presented by Yokohama, and it has signed 17-year-old CR Crews of Dallas as its first driver.

It will join Tommy O'Brien Racing of Dallas for the effort, running under the banner Unico Racing Team USA.

Unico Racing's NEXTEL-sponsored German Quiroga won the Mexican Formula Renault 2000 championship last year. Another one of its drivers, Juan Esteban Jacobo, placed second in the Mexican Formula Renault 1600 drivers' championship in 2005. The team fielded five Formula Renault 2000 cars and two Formula Renault 1600 cars last year in all.

Crews, a standout in America's Star Mazda championship presented by Goodyear, is looking forward to working with the new Unico Racing Team USA and Tommy O'Brien, his highly successful 2004 Star Mazda crew chief.

"This is the opportunity I have waited for," said Crews. "Last year was a rough one, and just going into 2006 knowing that I am going to be competing for the Champ Car Atlantic championship is a great feeling. Things have been so uncertain these past few months, and the stability of having a full ride even before the cars are delivered is a huge boost for me. I cannot even express how much I am looking forward to working with Unico Racing owner Tony Silva and my original crew chief, Tommy O'Brien. Even though this team is a new one there are years of experience here, and I am so happy to have been chosen to drive for them in the Champ Car Atlantic championship."

Unico Racing Team USA will be based in Dallas. It may field up to three drivers in the Atlantic series.

"I am very pleased to join operations with Tommy O'Brien," said Silva. "We met last week at his facility in Dallas, and I was very impressed by the operation and his personnel. With this partnership we have a complete Atlantic team awaiting delivery of our first car.

"CR and his father, Rik Crews, flew to Mexico City a week ago and we found a perfect opportunity to put this all together," Silva continued. 'I believe that CR will do an excellent job in our car. I know that he will be competing for the Champ Car Atlantic championship with the team we have assembled behind him. He has been raised in motorsports to be a champion. I do believe that it will be with Unico Racing Team USA where he finds that success."

Tommy O'Brien has fielded cars as an owner and crew chief in the Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis 500 for many years.

Unico is the premier brand of men and women's undergarments in Latin America.

The Champ Car Atlantic championship is one of the premier open-wheel development series in North America. Beginning its 33rd season in 2006, the championship is noted for its long history of graduating its stars into Champ Car competition. It has helped produce past Champ Car champions Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti and Jacques Villeneuve. 2005 Champ Car competitors Alex Tagliani, Andrew Ranger and Ronnie Bremer are also established Atlantic graduates, along with 2004 Champ Car Rookie of the Year and 2003 Atlantic champ A.J. Allmendinger.

Competing in the newly-designed Swift 016.a chassis powered by a 2.3-liter Cosworth engine on Yokohama ADVAN Racing slicks, 2006 competitors will fight for the 12-race championship and the unique $2 million Champ Car series champion's bonus.
 

Graham Rahal to drive for Mi-Jack Conquest Racing Atlantic Team in 2006
News from the Champ Car Atlantic Series
Photos © Craig Elliott and Champ Car Atlantic Series
INDIANAPOLIS (December 7, 2005) – One of the brightest young American road racing stars is joining the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Presented by Yokohama and Mi-Jack Conquest Racing with today’s announcement that 16-year-old Graham Rahal will compete for the team in the 2006 Atlantic campaign.

The son of former Champ Car champion and distinguished Atlantic series graduate Bobby Rahal will drive an entry sponsored by Norwalk Furniture, Sparco, Robert Bosch, the CAR Group and Renier Corporation next season for the recently-formed Mi-Jack Conquest Racing Atlantic team.

The move into the Atlantic Championship continues a rapid rise for Graham Rahal in the open-wheel development ranks. After entering the world of racing through karting, Graham first showed his burgeoning talent by winning a national Stars of Karting competition in 2003. The following year he joined the inaugural Formula BMW USA series and finished third in the circuit’s rookie standings. In 2005, Graham raced in the Star Mazda Pro Series, posting six podium results on his way to a fourth-place finish in the championship. He also became the youngest winner in the history of the series when he captured the checkered flag at Portland International Raceway in late July.

Continuing his impressive accomplishments this fall, Graham, a junior in high school, became the youngest driver ever to win the SCCA National Championship Runoffs. He established several Formula Atlantic records at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course while dominating the competition that his father won three decades earlier.

“I am excited about taking the next step up the ladder and racing in Atlantics with Mi-Jack Conquest Racing next season,” said Graham Rahal, a native of New Albany, Ohio. “I think we should be very competitive and I hope to rack up some wins and get the championship. (Team owner) Eric (Bachelart) is a great guy, and my dad and I were impressed when we visited the Conquest shop. It’s going to be a very competitive championship, but this will be a good situation for me and I am really looking forward to getting in the new car and going racing.”

A stellar Atlantic series competitor from 1975-78, Bobby Rahal is happy that his son is continuing his racing development in a series that helped serve as a springboard for his legendary career that featured three Champ Car titles and an Indy 500 victory. Rahal is also excited to bring along respected engineer Don Halliday and Graham’s driver coach Mike Zimicki to the Mi-Jack Conquest team next season.

“I have always liked Eric (Bachelart) as a person, and I am impressed with how he goes about his racing,” said Bobby Rahal. “He’s there to win, and I think it’s going to be a very good environment for Graham, with everyone focused on racing and winning. We are fortunate to have Don Halliday and Mike Zimicki in the equation working with Eric, and I think Graham is going to have a good chance to be successful. Graham has always been a bit precocious as far as moving up quickly, but all credit goes to him because he’s the guy standing on the gas and he has matured quickly, so hopefully this will be another strong season for him.”

After the new generation of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship, featuring a new Swift chassis design powered a 2.3-liter, 300-horspower Cosworth engine, was announced this summer, Bachelart and Mi-Jack Conquest Racing were one of the first teams to step up and announce that they were joining the new-look series. A former racer who claimed the 1991 Indy Lights championship, Bachelart and his team just completed their third season competing in the Champ Car World Series, enjoying strong results from Nelson Philippe and 2004 Atlantic Rookie of the Year Andrew Ranger.

”We are excited about having Graham join the team,” said Bachelart. “He is clearly quite talented, and he is very focused on success at the race track so we feel as though we are going to be in a competitive position right from the start next season. We are happy to have this agreement in place and are working to finalize details with our second Atlantic car.”

Legge impressive in first Formula One Test
News from Minardi F1
Photos © www.sutton-images.com
CAMPAGNANO DI ROMA, (November 23, 2005) - British driver, Katherine Legge today successfully completed a 27-lap test for the Minardi F1 Team at the Autodromo Vallelunga. The 25-year-old was on track from mid-morning on Wednesday, and after commencing her scheduled runs on intermediate tyres in deference to the cold and damp conditions, the team's engineers switched her car onto dry tyres as the temperature rose and track conditions improved.

It was then she strung together a series of impressively quick, consistent laps, culminating in a best time of 1 min 21.176 secs around the 4.11-km circuit that nestles in the hills above Rome. Sharing the track with Legge in the course of Wednesday were Minardi tester, Chanoch Nissany, and young Uruguayan driver, Juan Caceres. In addition, the Minardi F1x2 cars were again in action, Patrick Friesacher and Christijan Albers taking a total of 20 VIP guests for high-speed runs around the Roman circuit.

KATHERINE LEGGE

"First of all, I want to say thank you to Paul Stoddart and all the guys at Minardi for their unstinting support over the last two days. It has been a fantastic experience, and they have been just absolutely great the whole time. As for the test, I expected the unexpected, and that's what I got. It was certainly a lot easier today than yesterday, mainly because I was left alone to focus on what I had to do. I did the best job I could, and bearing in mind my relative lack of experience, I'm very pleased with the result. The trouble is, I can't wait to get back in an F1 car again now!"

PAUL STODDART

"On the third day of Minardi's last test, at Vallelunga, it was pleasing to see Katherine complete her test and set one of the fastest times of the past three days, proving that she's definitely got what it takes to be a Formula One driver. Chanoch Nissany, our regular tester, steadily improved throughout the day, and young charger, Juan Aceres, also completed his test with some very impressive times. At the same time, the F1x2 programme provided a group of 30 lucky passengers with the experience of a lifetime, Christijan Albers and Patrick Friesacher handling the driving duties today. We now look forward to a slightly bittersweet day tomorrow, when Minardi will complete its final outing."
 

Katherine Legge's Long Beach Atlantic win nominated as one of the top sports moments of the year in Los Angeles
Photos © Toyota Atlantic Series
INDIANAPOLIS (November 14, 2005) - Not only was rookie racer Katherine Legge's dramatic victory at Long Beach one of the top moments in the 2005 Toyota Atlantic Championship Presented by Yokohama, it has also been recognized as one of the top sports achievements of the year in Southern California. 

Legge re-wrote the history books on April 10 when she rallied from a seventh-place starting spot to claim the lead three laps from the end of the Atlantic season-opening race, before holding on for a nail-biting, half-second victory over her Polestar Racing Group teammate Antoine Bessette. The performance on the streets of Long Beach represented the first-ever win for a woman in a North American major open-wheel race. It also marked the first time in three years that a rookie won in their first race in the Atlantic series. 

Recognizing the historical significance and the brilliance of Legge's drive to Victory Lane, the Los Angeles Sports Council has recognized the win as one of the top sports moments of 2005. The council has nominated Legge's victory as one of three finalists in the Auto Racing category for its upcoming fan voting on the greatest moments of the year in sports for the Los Angeles/Orange County area. 

Voting for the LA sports awards begins online Tuesday, November 15 and concludes on Monday, December 5. Fans are encouraged to log on and cast their votes for the top moments in 16 different sports categories through the council's web site, www.lasports.org at the "Greatest Moments" link. A special link to the web site will also be posted at www.champcaratlantic.com to encourage Atlantic racing fans to cast their ballots. 

The winners of each category will be announced on Sunday, December 11 during the LA Sports Council's star-studded award show from the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel, aired live on KCAL-TV in Los Angeles. A blue-ribbon media panel will rank the top 10 overall sports moments of the year and will select the Sportsman, Sportswoman, and Sports Executive of the Year, which will also be awarded at the celebration.  

Legge, the 25-year-old native of Northampton, England, completed a remarkable first season in Atlantics by placing third in the series championship standings. She scored two other victories on the year after the win at Long Beach and she recently earned Honorable Mention recognition on the prestigious American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) All-American team.

Mathiasen Motorsports Formula Atlantic Team closes its doors
By Kate Shaw
Photos © Jamie Longmuir 2008
BROWNSBURG, Indiana (January 5, 2010) — Mathiasen Motorsports has decided to discontinue its Motorsports racing activities and has listed its entire equipage for sale at its race shop in Brownsburg, a short drive from the Indianapolis airport.

After a successful 2008 run in the Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda with the dynamic Jonathan Bomarito on board, the team was forced by circumstances to withdraw in April from the 2009 championship competition and had hoped to return at some future date. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

“We would like to thank the new ownership of the Atlantic Championship Series for bringing back excitement to this historic series," said Ray and Leslie Mathiasen. “in addition we want to thank the entire Atlantic Series management for its tireless efforts in maintaining the series at a globally professional and high level, all of the competitors for the great racing over the past several seasons and most importantly, all our team members who have given their maximum effort in making this such an enjoyable and successful adventure. We’ll definitely miss the competition and all the friendships we have developed over the last four years.”

In 2008, Mathiasen Motorsports led the most laps, double its nearest competition, won the most races and earned the most poles on their way to a hard fought runner-up position in the 2008 Atlantic championship fight. They will definitely be missed.

Interested parties should contact Mark Giuffre, Team Manager, at 317-205-4271 or e- mail at mgoof74@comcast.net
 

Zach Veach and Jensen MotorSport Join Forces for Historic Season in
2010 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda
ORLANDO, Fla. (December 11, 2009) – With the 23rd annual Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show as the backdrop, Zach Veach and Jensen MotorSport announced today that Veach will compete in the 2010 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. The 15-year-old driver will be the youngest in the 37-year history of the series.

Veach formed a two-year partnership of his ADS/Secur-IT-Vault-backed entry with the long-time Atlantic team owned by Canadian Eric Jensen. The team contended for top-three results throughout the 2009 season and Jensen, who also made three starts in the cockpit, earned the prestigious Team Owner of the Year Award at the season-ending awards banquet.

“I’ve indeed been lucky and often privileged to coach upcoming drivers who strive to become tomorrow’s open-wheel stars,” said Jensen. “Every so often, an individual comes along that truly makes you stand up and take notice, with both the raw, God-given talent and desire that simply cannot be taught. From what I’ve already seen in several private tests at both Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Nevada, Zach might very well be one of America’s great next generation drivers.”

Veach has been successful at various levels of karting and participated in an aggressive Formula BMW Americas testing program with an eye toward competing in that series before it was discontinued in August. The youngster then switched his attention to Atlantic competition and has familiarized himself with the Mazda-Cosworth-powered, Cooper Tire-shod Swift 016.a through several days of testing.

“I’m obviously excited about the opportunity to launch my professional racing career with one of the great team owners and instructors in Eric Jensen,” said Veach. “When my father (Roger Veach) and I studied his past accomplishments and the respect he has within motor racing, we agreed that Eric was more than a logical consideration. He was absolutely the right choice. Since the age of five, I’ve dreamed of racing on the great race circuits of the United States – and ultimately winning the Indianapolis 500. With our newly formed team with Eric, this incredible journey is about to begin.”

Veach will make his Atlantic Championship debut on March 19, 2010 at the historic Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla.

Atlantics Continues as Dominant Feeder Series to Major Racing Series
Former drivers strong in 2009 Indianapolis 500 and ALMS Series
By Martha L. Meacham
CINCINNATI Ohio (May 26, 2009) — It may have gone though many guises, a few sponsors, and some shake-ups over the years, but the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda series can brag of its accomplishment in developing the starts of today and tomorrow in open wheel racing. Though a little battered and bruised lately and feeling the economic crunch which has befallen most of the major auto racing series around the world, the Atlantics have produced major talent over the past few years.

Case in point: this year's Indianapolis 500. The 2009 centennial race produced three series graduates finishing inside the top 10 and another taking Rookie of the Year honors...all of whom were Atlantic graduates. Dan Wheldon, the 2005 Indianapolis 500 winner, had a rather quiet month of May at the Brickyard. Nevertheless, he charged from 18th on the grid to finish second in the No. 2 machine for Panther Racing. Danica Patrick finished third in the No. 7 Andretti Green Racing entry..... the first woman to finish third in the Indianapolis 500. Patrick earned “500” Rookie of the Year honors in 2005 with a fourth-place performance and was the first female driver to lead the 500.

And of course....there's “PT”, Canada’s own Paul Tracy. “The Thrill from West Hill”.....the 2003 Champ Car champion...and who was part of the controversial finish to the 2002 Indy 500. Tracy returned to Indy with unfinished business and with perhaps, a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. However, “PT” made a stout comeback in the 15 KV Racing Technology machine. He won back fans with his gregarious nature and his joy at returning to the site of his last Indy triumph....but most importantly, with an impressive ninth place finish in the Indy 500. His tenacity was paid off today when it was announced that he will replace the injured Vitor Meira in the #14 car for the legendary A.J. Foyt this weekend at Milwaukee, WI.

Not to be outdone by his fellow Canadian, Alex Tagliani took the $25,000 Rookie of the Year award, marking the third consecutive year that an Atlantic graduate has won the prestigious award (after Phil Giegler and Ryan Hunter-Reay). Tagliani had a rough time qualifying and on the last day, his #36 Conquest Machine was qualified by Champ Car veteran, Bruno Junqueira. After his sponsors prevailed in persuading Conquest to put him in the car, the Quebec native started in his first 500. After starting 33rd, Tagliani methodically worked his way forward for an 11th-place result in his first “500.

The day was not so kind to two other Atlantic graduates who appeared to be on their way to top finishes in the 500. Raphael Matos, driving the No. 2 Luczo Dragon Racing machine, crashed after contact with Vitor Meira in Turn 1 on Lap 173. The 2007 Atlantic champion wound up 22nd in the final race standings. Graham Rahal started the race in row 2 and spent significant amounts of time inside the top five. Unfortunately, the son the 1986 Indy 500 champ, Bobby Rahal, crashed in Turn 4 on Lap 56 and was credited with 31st place in the No. 02 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing entry. Last year's Rookie of the Year, Ryan Hunter-Reay’s nightmarish month of May race ended with a crash in Turn 4 on Lap 20. He wound up 32nd in the No. 21 Vision Racing machine.

And if that isn't enough, 2006 Atlantic champion Simon Pagenaud has been dominating the ALMS series this season with Gil de Ferran Racing. The duo won from pole at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah last weekend, their second consecutive victory in their Acura ARX-02a. The team founded by the 2003 Indianapolis, de Ferran made its debut 12 months ago at Miller Motorsports Park and last month scored its first ALMS victory at Long Beach in California.

The Atlantic Championship continues this year with new talent. Next up for the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda is the Mazda Formula X doubleheader at New Jersey Motorsports Park on the weekend of June 13-14. “Stars of Tomorrow” include John Edwards who leads the championship standings by five points, 36-31, over Simona De Silvestro....maybe the next female racing phenom on the horizon! For more information, visit www.atlantic-championship.com. RFM Sports will continue to bring coverage at www.rfmsports.com

Former Atlantic Championship Drivers in 2009 Indianapolis 500
Pos. Driver
2nd Dan Wheldon
3rd Danica Patrick
9th Paul Tracy
11th Alex Tagliani
22nd Raphael Matos
31st Graham Rahal
32nd Ryan Hunter-Reay
 

Newman Wachs Racing Hits the Testing Trail
News from Newman Wachs Racing
Photos © Jamie Longmuir 2008
MUNDELEIN, IL (April 27, 2009)- With two months between Rounds one and two of the Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, what better to do than go testing? Coming off a dominant performance at the season-opener in Sebring, Newman Wachs Racing drivers John Edwards and Markus Niemela spent three days during the break to assess various chassis set-ups and run through some changes that weren’t addressed in the off-season.

In early April, the NWR crew and drivers visited the newly renovated Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) in sunny Florida and had a productive one day test. With limited miles on their Mazda- Cosworth engines allocated for testing, both drivers focused on mentally switching gears from the bumpy course that Sebring is known for to the smooth, sweeping turns that PBIR boasts about. The engineering staff considered this test a good representation of the upcoming races at both Miller Motorsports Park and New Jersey Motorsports Park, both smooth, European style road courses.

Last week, April 22-23, the NWR crew made the short drive from the Chicago area to Putnam Park, just west of Indianapolis. While the weather in Indy this time of year is typically pleasant, the drivers were faced with wind gusts up to 50 mph and very cool track temperatures. While the conditions were less than optimal for any relevant testing data, the engineers used these two days as an exercise to improve communication with the drivers.

Up next is the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix May 15-17, 2009 in Toole, Utah with the American Le Mans Series.

John Edwards drives the #36 MAZDASPEED/ Nuclear. Clean Air Energy/ Entergy machine and is currently leading the Championship after his win at the season-opener in Sebring, Florida. John won the coveted MAZDASPEED Motorsports development scholarship after winning the 2008 Star Mazda Championship. Along with teammate Markus Niemela, who drives the #1 Mr. Jones/ Nuclear. Clean Air Energy/ Entergy Swift 016, both are ambassadors of the Nuclear. Clean Air Energy campaign. The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) and Entergy, launched the 2009 Nuclear. Clean Air Energy initiative earlier this year which educates the public about the benefits of nuclear energy and encourages college students to become the nuclear engineers and leaders in one of the largest growth industries in the U.S.

Team Stargate Worlds Completes Strong Series Test
News from US Racetronics
Photo © Team Stargate Worlds
PALM BEACH, FL. (March 13, 2009) — For Team Stargate Worlds the last three weeks have been hectic. With the team announcement and unveiling a couple of weeks ago, a newly redesigned website, the addition of new crew members and a recent test session at Buttonwillow Raceway, the team showed no signs of fatigue as they arrived for the first Atlantic Championship series test at the 2.034 mile Palm Beach International Raceway road course. By the end of the two days Team Stargate Worlds drivers Simona De Silvestro and Frankie Muniz had turned heads and gave notice that Team Stargate Worlds would be a formidable team for the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda season.

The two days for Simona De Silvestro were very productive. Day one saw her put up strong lap times. Working closely with her engineer Burke Harrison, De Silvestro quickly put up very strong times and made great progress learning the track and experimenting with various adjustments. The result was a day best lap of 1:08.823 which put her third quickest of the day. Day two saw Simona continuing to explore new ideas and adjustments, and even though the times were not as quick as other drivers, valuable information was gained and progress was achieved. At the conclusion of the two days the No. 78 Stargate Worlds/Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment/FireSky/Cardinal Technologies machine would end up a strong ninth on the timesheets.

Frankie Muniz’s development continued to shine as the series sophomore left an indelible exclamation mark after his two-day testing performance. Coming off a very long off-season and with only one test session before this, Muniz climbed into the No. 77 Stargate Worlds/Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment/FireSky/Cardinal Technologies car and stormed onto the track and posted the sixth best time of day. Feeling very relaxed and having “the greatest time”, Muniz arrived on day 2 and improved his times with an overall best lap time of 1:07.919, which was enough to catapult him to fourth quickest. This represents Frankie’s career best testing session.

The March 20th Sebring race season-opener is next up for Team Stargate Worlds.

Frankie Muniz - “I am extremely happy with the outcome of these two test days. Being fourth quickest overall was a real accomplishment for me and the team and it just shows how we’re all clicking. This is the first time that I’ve had so much fun during a test. I was very relaxed and had a smile the whole time. My engineer Gerald Tyler has done a great job as has the rest of Team Stargate Worlds. I am looking forward to next week’s race”

Simona De Silvestro - “The first day went very well. We were third fastest and everything came together fairly quickly and on the second day we struggled a bit. My engineer Burke Harrison and I are communicating and working very well. Team Stargate Worlds has been great and I’m very confident going into the first race of the 2009 season.”

Garcia Quickest Again as Atlantic Championship Testing Wraps-Up at Palm Beach
News from The Atlantic Championship
JUPITER, Fla. (March 11, 2009) – After two days of Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda testing at Palm Beach International Raceway, Spanish driver Borja Garcia served notice that he will be a factor in the chase for the $1 million championship prize at the end of the season with a dominating performance in the first Atlantic test session of his career.

The 25-year-old from Valencia, Spain topped the time charts for all four sessions of testing, with a best overall lap at 1:07.286 in the No. 6 machine for Condor Motorsports. With two solid days of testing now under his belt, Garcia will make his way to Sebring International Raceway for the 2009 Atlantic Championship season opener next week. The $50,000-to-win race is scheduled for Friday, March 20.

“We’ll see next week,” Garcia said. “These two days, the team and also I have adapted really good and really quickly with the car to be quickest in all four sessions. We’ll see next week in Sebring. Everything on every track is new for me. We’ll see what happens.”

Second-quickest in the test session was 2008 Star Mazda champion John Edwards in the No. 36 MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development/Nuclear Clean Air Energy/NEI/Entergy machine for Newman Wachs Racing. Edwards posted a best lap at 1:07.556 in Wednesday’s morning session, which turned out to be the session in which every driver at the test turned in their quickest time.

“It seems like we were second all the time, almost every run, even there at the end when the track was hotter,” said Edwards. “Garcia and I both put new tires on and we were timing him, and we were still about a tenth (of a second) off. It was pretty frustrating, but there at the end we were a little closer. Obviously, on the time sheets, you won’t see that because of the way the track was. It was a lot slower. I’m really happy with the test. We got a lot done and we were obviously quick the whole time. Maybe not quickest, but they’re not awarding any points here, so we’re not extremely worried about that, but it would have been nice to top the charts at least once. We’re looking forward to Sebring. It’s completely different than this, very bumpy and very fast, as opposed to sort of medium speed and extremely smooth here. It’s going to be a completely different game there and I’m looking forward to it.”

Defending series champion Markus Niemela made it two Newman Wachs Racing machines in the top-three spots. The Finn logged a best lap at 1:07.881 in the No. 1 Mr. Jones/Nuclear Clean Air Energy/Entergy/NWR entry. Niemela just signed with the team last week and was still adjusting to his new surroundings in the series-sanctioned test.

“I think we were struggling a bit here, in terms of me getting used to the Newman Wachs car,” Niemela said. “We were changing a lot of things and were trying many different setups and stuff. We learned quite a lot, actually, but for some reason it just doesn’t show on the time sheets, which is kind of frustrating. This is quite a different track from Sebring. I think Sebring can be better or worse, whichever, hopefully better.”

Posting an impressive fourth-quickest time was Frankie Muniz in the No. 77 Stargate Worlds/Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment/FireSky/Cardinal Technologies machine for Team Stargate Worlds. Muniz can enter his third season of Atlantic competition next week feeling good about his chances following a best lap at 1:07.919 at Palm Beach.

Latvian rookie Harald Schlegelmilch completed the top five with a lap at 1:08.116 in the No 21 Conquest Racing entry. Schlegelmilch most recently competed in the GP2 Asia Series and has previous experience in Formula 3, Formula BMW and Formula Masters among other European series.

The top-seven drivers in the test turned laps within one second of Garcia’s quickest time. The two days of testing were run under mostly sunny skies and warm temperatures with no major incidents reported.

Next up for the 2009 Atlantic Championship is the season-opener at Sebring on March 25. The teams and drivers will participate in a promoter test day on Tuesday, March 17 before the formal proceedings get underway on Wednesday, March 18.

Mathiasen and Bomarito Re-Set For 2009 Atlantic Chase
News from Mathiasen Motorsport
ENCINO, Calif. (March 4, 2009)-- Last season’s dominant team-driver combination has once again teamed up to chase the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

American Jonathan Bomarito once again joins forces with Ray and Leslie Mathiasen—who won the 2008 Team Owners of the Year Award in the Atlantic Championship—and the Mathiasen Motorsports team that took Bomarito to a series high for race wins, poles and laps led on their way to a close runner-up position in the 2008 championship standings.

The team returns with the full squad intact from last year and race engineer/technical director Alain Clarinval looks forward to getting off to a fast start in the series testing at Palm Beach and Sebring in preparation for the season opener March 20, 2009 at Sebring, Fla. during the 12 Hours of Sebring weekend of racing.

“This is a fantastic chance for us to go back with our well-oiled machine of a team and an outstandingly talented driver that we know how to support and provide for him to be the very best,” stated Clarinval. “It’s like wearing old shoes that are so comfortable but that got polished to a mirror and with new laces to tighten them well.”

"We are extremely grateful to Jonathan that he has agreed to return and drive for us once again in 2009,” said Ray and Leslie Mathiasen. “The team we have assembled for the most part will be identical to the one that came so close to winning the Atlantic Championship in 2008 and now also includes a full time data support engineer to assist Alain Clarinval.”

“We definitely have some unfinished business to take care of and with the added incentive of a substantial improvement in the prize fund structure provided by the Atlantic series; everyone on the team is totally committed to achieving our mission of winning the 2009 Atlantic Championship. It's been a long off season and we can hardly wait for the first race of the season in Sebring this month. This is a great series and we are proud to once again be part of it."

Bomarito shared the other’s enthusiasm for the upcoming season stating, “I am really looking forward to being back with Mathiasen Motorsports. To say we have some unfinished business is an understatement. I want to thank Ray and Leslie Mathiasen for giving me another opportunity to keep racing and further my career in motorsports.”

$1 Million Champion’s Prize Highlights $3 Million in Prize Money for 2009 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda
Photos © Jamie Longmuir 2008
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (February 4, 2009) – The 2009 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda will feature a $1 million prize to the series champion as part of $3 million in prize money, series officials announced today.

The $1 million champion’s prize is the most lucrative championship payout in a North American open-wheel driver development series. The driver who finishes second in the 2009 Atlantic Championship will receive $500,000, with the remaining $1.5 million to be paid out in per-event race purses.

“This is a significant prize package that should attract top drivers from all over the world to the Atlantic Championship this season,” said Atlantic Championship President Ben Johnston. “The $1 million champion’s prize is not a scholarship. This is $1 million in cold hard cash that the champion may use in whatever way he or she sees fit. Likewise, the $500,000 prize for the driver who finishes second in the championship far exceeds what most other driver development series pay out to their champions, while the $1.5 million in per-race purses makes every race an opportunity for the drivers to win big money.”

Last year, the Atlantic Championship offered $1.6 million in prize money, with $300,000 going to series champion Markus Niemela. With nearly double the prize money available in 2009, it is expected that the increased prizes will be a major incentive to help Atlantic teams to recruit drivers.

In addition to the $3 million prize package, bonus and contingency prizes will continue to be offered in the 2009 Atlantic Championship, including the $1,000 Cooper Tire Pole Award for the fastest qualifier at each race. The Cooper Tire Pole Award has been a mainstay in the Atlantic Championship since Cooper joined the series as presenting sponsor and official tire in 2007.

The 12-race 2009 Atlantic Championship will get underway on Friday, March 20 at Sebring International Raceway in support of the prestigious Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh From Florida for the American Le Mans Series. The series will run seven weekends alongside the American Le Mans Series, while “headlining” events at Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, New Jersey Motorsports Park and Autobahn Country Club in suburban Chicago. The Atlantic Championship runs alongside both the American Le Mans Series and the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on the weekend of August 8.

The Atlantic Championship is the longest-running open-wheel driver development series in North America and celebrated its 35th Anniversary season in 2008, with Finnish rookie Markus Niemela taking the series championship in the final race of the season. With a $1 million champion’s prize and a total of $3 million in prize money up for grabs, the 2009 Atlantic Championship offers one of the most lucrative prize packages in North American open-wheel racing.

PRI Show Atlantic Championship Notebook – December 15, 2008
News, Notes & Quotes from the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda
Photos © Jamie Longmuir 2008
EDWARDS RETURNS TO ATLANTIC WITH NEWMAN WACHS RACING
Two years after becoming the youngest driver Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda history, American racer John Edwards will return to Atlantic in 2009 with Newman Wachs Racing. It was announced at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show in Orlando, Fla. that he will drive the No. 36 MAZDASPEED/Nuclear Clean Air Energy/Entergy machine.

Edwards earned the ride by winning the 2008 Star Mazda championship with four victories and four pole positions. Since joining the Atlantic Championship in 2006 as series sponsor and engine supplier, Mazda has identified the Atlantic Championship as the top run on its MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder. The manufacturer ensures that the Star Mazda champion receives a ride in the following season’s Atlantic Championship.

“We’re thrilled for both the Newman Wachs team and for John Edwards,” said Jim Jordan, Alternative Marketing Manager for Mazda North American Operations. “We’ve know John for several years now, and he has impressed us with his on-track skills and his off-track professionalism. It’s easy to forget that he’s only 17. His maturity is well beyond that of a typical teenager. We expect him to have a great season in the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.”

As a 16-year-old, Edwards drove in the 2007 Atlantic Championship with Red Bull/Forsythe Racing, earning a best result of second at Toronto. He will be reunited with engineer Nick Harvey, with whom he worked at Forsythe. Harvey—who engineered Markus Niemela’s Atlantic championship-winning season with Brooks Associates Racing this year—was named engineer for NWR’s No. 36 machine last week.

“I am thrilled that John has decided to join us for next year, and it is our intention to vie for the championship,” said Newman Wachs Racing owner Eddie Wachs. “With his experience with these cars and his relationship with Nick, I think they will be a force to reckon with. We are also pleased to have the support of Mazda and proud to carry their banner this season.”

“I’m pretty excited about this season,” said Edwards. “I had some Atlantic experience before and finished in the top 10 (in the championship) and now I want to finish in the top one. My engineer won the championship this year and the rest of the team hasn’t changed, they just added another winner with Nick Harvey. I have no doubt that we’re going to win races this year, and hopefully we can win a championship as well. I’m really excited about this. I’m excited to be back in the Mazda ladder system.”

BOMARITO AND CAMERON READY FOR ROLEX 24
Also at the PRI show, 2008 Atlantic Championship drivers Jonathan Bomarito and Dane Cameron were announced as drivers of Mazda RX-8s in January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. Bomarito will share the No. 70 SpeedSource Mazda RX-8—which won the GT class in the 2008 Rolex 24—with co-drivers Nick Ham, Sylvain Tremblay and David Haskell, while Cameron will embark on a full-time Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series season alongside co-driver Doug Peterson in the No. 30 Racers Edge Motorsports Mazda RX-8.

Bomarito landed the Rolex 24 ride with SpeedSource following a shootout with other drivers on the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder at a Grand-Am series test at Daytona International Speedway last month. Bomarito is the second Atlantic Championship driver in as many years to join forces with SpeedSource, as 2007 Atlantic champion Raphael Matos combined with Tremblay, Ham and Haskell to take the GT victory in the 2008 twice-around-the-clock event.

“At Daytona Test Days, we ran four really talented drivers from the MAZDASPEED Motorsports ladder and we’re pleased to announce that Jonathan Bomarito will be joining Sylvain, David and Nick for the Rolex 24 At Daytona,” said John Doonan, Manager of Motorsports Team Development for Mazda. “They’re looking to bring a few more Rolexes around the Mazda offices.”

Cameron, meanwhile, continues his Mazda association in his new ride with Racers Edge Motorsports. Cameron won the 2007 Star Mazda title to earn his 2008 ride in the Atlantic Championship for 2008. He finished seventh in the 2008 Atlantic title race with He earned a best result of second in the first race of a doubleheader at Road America in August, a race in which he started from the pole position.

“Atlantic was definitely great preparation for this next step in my career,” Cameron said. “Any driver who has raced in Atlantic has definitely come out of the series a better driver. I feel that I’m a better-rounded driver than I was. Last year was good experience as a one-car team, but this is a new chapter for me. This is the right thing for my career long-term. In a 24-hour race, anything can happen. It’s great to stay with Mazda and I’m really excited to be with this new program.”

ATLANTIC GRADUATES SHINE IN ALL-STAR KARTING CLASSIC
While the PRI Show is the world’s largest motorsports industry trade show, one of the unique features of the annual PRI show is the Stars of Karting Performance Racing Industry All-Stars Karting Classic, which features a “Who’s Who” of racing talent each year. Much of that talent came through the Atlantic Championship and this year’s race was no exception.

The “Masters Division” featured Atlantic experience aplenty, with drivers such as Dan Wheldon, A.J. Allmendinger, Joey Hand, Alex Tagliani, Buddy Rice, Michael Valiante and Ryan Hunter-Reay while the “Karters Division” featured several drivers who will likely move into Atlantic at some point over the next few years as well as one Atlantic veteran, Aaron Justus.

The final featured an exciting battle for second place between Allmendinger, Hand and 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Scott Speed, which was a throwback to similar battles enjoyed by the same threesome earlier this decade. On the final lap, Hand managed to wrestle the second spot away from Allmendinger and Speed also made his way past for third. IndyCar driver Jay Howard won the race.

Max Lefevre Joins Condor Motorsports for 2009 Atlantic Championship
News from Condor Motorsports
Photos © Jamie Longmuir 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Calif. (November 24, 2008) - Following a strong test at Buttonwillow Raceway last week, French driver Max Lefevre has joined Condor Motorsports for the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

The French driver logged approximately 650 miles during his three-day test at Buttonwillow. The team took the opportunity to expose the Lefevre to numerous changes to the car with the idea of familiarizing him with different car setups and, more importantly, to evaluate his feedback. He was able to relate the behavior of the car with precise detail and worked well with the team’s engineers.

“It was pleasure to work with Max,” said Team Owner Carlos Bobeda. “I was not only impressed by his driving ability but also his professional approach. He never put a wheel wrong in all the laps he turned. Max has achieved good results in the European lower formulas so there was no doubt in my mind that he would do well in the test. However, his performance in the more powerful Atlantic car was far superior to the expectations I placed on him.

“He adapted very quickly to the race track and the Atlantic car and was turning competitive times from the onset. The whole team is excited to have Max in our driver lineup for 2009. He is definitely someone to watch in 2009.”

“It was great fun to experience the power and downforce of the Atlantic car,” Lefevre added. “The team chose Buttonwillow Raceway for my first tests. It was a good place to start since it presents many challenges while remaining safe. I also appreciated very much the team’s approach with a new driver.
All the members of Condor Motorsports succeeded in making me feel at home and this helped me build confidence and adapt to the car within the first day. Working on car setups at Condor’s level of professionalism was a real treat. The know how, and the way I was looked after during the whole three days of the test confirmed that Carlos Bobeda was the perfect person for me to make my first steps in American racing. I am very excited with the opportunity to compete in this high-level series and look forward to the start of the Atlantic season.”

The team is planning to run two to three cars in 2009, with interested drivers currently being considered for the remaining available seats.

2008 Atlantic Championship Events to Air on SPEED Beginning This Weekend
Photos © Celesta Montoya 2008
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (November 6, 2008) – The 2008 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda will go down in history as one of the most exciting and entertaining championship battles in the 35-year history of the series, and beginning this weekend, race fans will have the opportunity to relive all of the excitement on SPEED.

As was announced in September, the 2008 Atlantic Championship season-opening Imperial Capital Bank Atlantic Challenge of Long Beach will be televised beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 9, kicking off a run of Sunday afternoon Atlantic telecasts that will air through Sunday, December 28. Bill Stephens will provide the play-by-play alongside color commentator Jon Beekhuis. The telecasts were produced by Mullin Production Group, which has been involved with the series since 1994.

“It was, as always, a privilege to chronicle this dynamic series,” said John B. Mullin, President and Executive Producer of Mullin Production Group. “For 15 years, we’ve told the stories of the young men and women who, in large measure because of their experience in the Atlantic series, have gone onto stardom throughout the world of racing. The 2008 season, as the 35th Anniversary of the series, certainly deserved a legitimate network exposure, and we were delighted to be able to facilitate these presentations on SPEED.”

The Long Beach season-opener will lead off SPEED’s Atlantic coverage this weekend, with coverage from Round 2 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and the first race of July’s doubleheader at Edmonton slated to air on Sunday, November 16. The second half of the Edmonton doubleheader and the first race of an August doubleheader at Road America will be televised on Sunday, December 14, followed by the second race of the Road America doubleheader and the triumphant return of Atlantic to Trois-Rivieres, which is slated to air on Sunday, December 21. The inaugural Atlantic race at Miller Motorsports Park and the thrilling season finale at Road Atlanta complete the SPEED coverage on Sunday, December 28. All of the telecasts will begin at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Television coverage plans for the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, for which the schedule was announced yesterday, will be announced shortly. The full 2008 television schedule follows below:

Date           Events
November 9 Long Beach
November 16 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Edmonton 1
December 14 Edmonton 2, Road America 1
December 21 Road America 2, Trois-Rivieres
December 28 Miller Motorsports Park, Road Atlanta

ALL TELECASTS WILL BEGIN AT 5 P.M. ET

Several Tributes to Atlantic Team Owner Paul Newman at Road Atlanta Season Finale
BRASELTON, Ga. (October 3, 2008) – Throughout the week leading up to this afternoon’s Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda season finale at Road Atlanta, teams and drivers in the series have been paying tribute to Newman Wachs Racing co-owner Paul Newman, who passed away last Friday at the age of 83.

Every car in the Atlantic field is carrying special decals with Newman’s initials, “PLN,” and Newman Wachs Racing drivers Jonathan Summerton and Simona De Silvestro have also been wearing “PLN” patches on their firesuits. Prior to this afternoon’s season finale, a moment of silence will be observed for Newman, and a special remembrance is also planned for this evening’s Awards Banquet at the Chateau Elan Resort & Winery.

“Paul Newman was a racing icon, and we were fortunate to count him as a team owner and friend in the Atlantic Championship,” said Atlantic Championship President Vicki O’Connor. “Our hearts obviously go out to Paul’s partner, Eddie Wachs, the Newman Wachs Racing team, and all of Paul’s many friends and family as they continue to deal with this loss. We hope our tributes will provide some comfort to them.”

A long-time racing driver and team owner, as well as an Academy Award-winning actor, Newman joined forces with Wachs to field an Atlantic Championship team for the first time in 2006. Now in its third season of Atlantic competition, the team celebrated its first series victory with De Silvestro in the 2008 season-opener at Long Beach driving the No. 34 Nuclear Clean Air Energy/NEI/Entergy entry. Summerton has since added two wins—at Edmonton and Road America—and will start this afternoon’s race from the pole position in the No. 36 Nuclear Clean Air Energy/NEI/Entergy machine.

Summerton could bring the team its first Atlantic Championship title, as he enters the race trailing points leader Jonathan Bomarito by just seven points.

Atlantic Championship Drivers Unwind at PBR Event Following Edmonton Doubleheader
INDIANAPOLIS (July 31, 2008) – A few hours after the checkered flag dropped on the second race of last weekend’s Rexall Edmonton Indy doubleheader, several Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda drivers made their way to Rexall Place to take in Saturday’s final round of a two-day Professional Bull Riders (PBR) elite Built Ford Tough Series presented by Wrangler (BFTS) event in Edmonton. The opportunity for the drivers was made possible by series presenting sponsor Cooper Tire, which is also the official tire of the PBR.

“After such an exciting weekend of Atlantic racing in Edmonton, it was great to have our Atlantic Championship drivers experience one of the fastest growing sports, Professional Bull Riding,” said Chris Pantani, Director of UHP Marketing and Motorsports for Cooper Tire. “During our double race weekend, PBR stars Sean Willingham, Mike Lee and Cord McCoy were able to get a behind the scenes look at the premier open-wheel development series.”

Less then a car length away from the dirt and safely protected from the bulls, seven Atlantic Championship drivers attended Saturday Night’s Round 2 of PBR. The drivers in attendance were points leader James Hinchcliffe and his Forsythe/Pettit Racing teammate David Garza, Brooks Associates Racing teammates Markus Niemela and Tom Sutherland, Condor Motorsports/Team Holland teammates Junior Strous and Dominick Muermans and Jensen MotorSport driver Henri Karjalainen.

Once the event got underway, the drivers were introduced individually to the audience while standing on the chute platform, and then were escorted to the “Rocky Boots” lounge to watch a few of their favorite riders in action. Driver Tom Sutherland, whose No. 88 Brooks Associates Racing entry sponsored by the PBR, was allowed to assist rider Cord McCoy prior to his ride by pulling the bull rope, during which, a loud cheer erupted as a photo of Sutherland’s car appeared on the stadium’s JumboTron.

“Attending the PBR Show with Cooper Tire was an amazing experience,” said Hinchcliffe. “Just as I am sure the cowboys that came by the track were shocked by how much went into a race event, I was blown away by how big the event was and what went into it. Being brought up on stage, getting to see the action up close and meeting the riders is something I'll never forget. But I will gladly still take my Mazda's 300 horses over one bull any day!”

Next up for the drivers and teams of the Atlantic Championship is another doubleheader weekend, this time at the picturesque Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. as part of the Road Race Showcase. Round 6 of the 11-race 2008 Atlantic season will be held on Saturday, August 9, with Round 7 slated for Sunday, August 10.

Disappointing 2008 Season Retirement for Andreas Wirth
By Gail Shankland
Photos courtesy Jamie Longmuir 2008
HEIDELBERG, Germany (July 8, 2008) — It is with sadness and deep regret that Andreas Wirth today announces his retirement from the 2008 Atlantic Championship Series with Brooks Associates Racing.

After having competed in only three rounds of competition in the Atlantic Series this season Wirth is now faced with every driver's nightmare - disappearing sponsorship. Having seen his initial 2008 plans to race in Europe evaporate a few short months ago makes this retirement from the Atlantics that much more difficult for this determined young racer.

Commenting on his predicament Andreas said, "I just can't believe this is happening. It's very unfortunate that some of my supporters have had to back out – we've barely gotten started this year. It's a real blow that my season is over, and it's certainly not good. Beyond that though is the effect this has on my team. John and Sue Brooks have been very good to me over the years and they gave me a chance to make a come-back this year – I feel really bad about everything that's happened and worry about the situation that this leaves them in, and all of the guys on my crew. Everyone's worked so hard this year already, and we still had so much to accomplish, it's really upsetting that we won't get to see it through. I have to thank everyone at Brooks Associates Racing for their hard work and understanding, for helping me to develop my skills as a driver, and most of all for making me feel a part of their racing family. I also want to thank my family and the sponsors that have stuck with me; I really appreciate the understanding and caring everyone is showing at this difficult time. This really touches me on a personal level and it's is not easy for me."

Despite this setback, Andreas will not give up - he will do everything to get back on track again.
 

Watch Andreas Wirth in the Atlantic Championship Series – Full Race Coverage Now Available Online!
HEIDELBERG, Germany (June 6, 2008) – Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship was pleased to announce yesterday that the series has arranged to provide fans with on-demand video of the Atlantic Series races this season.

While the television package for the 2008 is still being finalized for the series, Atlantic fans can catch up by enjoying the online video archives found on the official Atlantic Championship web site, www.atlantic-championship.com. Video of the 2008 season opener, the Imperial Capital Bank Atlantic Challenge of Long Beach is now available in the video player located on the front page of the Atlantic site, and last month's Monterey Festival of Speed at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, is currently being processed and will also be available online soon! Videos of subsequent races will be posted on the series' official website as soon after the race weekends as they are available.

"This is awesome news!" exclaimed Wirth. "There's been a lot of extra work for everyone at the Atlantics this year since the Champ Car World Series merged with Indy Car. I know everyone's been really busy trying to pull things together so we can have a fantastic run this year, but it hasn't been easy. Thankfully, Mazda Motorsports has shown their commitment to our success and have been supporting the Atlantics staff in their efforts and things are starting to come together! I want to take this opportunity to thank all of our sponsors and supporters of the Atlantic Series, especially everyone that supports me in the #88 WIRSOL/SUEBA USA entry. Thank you for sticking with us and believing in the long history of the Atlantics – without your help we wouldn't be racing! More than anything, I'm happy that these companies and investors will finally be rewarded with some of the exposure they deserve, and hopefully it'll only get better."

Andreas is also happy to announce that progress is being made elsewhere, and he encourages you to keep an eye out for his new website which is scheduled to be launched prior to his next race at Mont-Tremblant at the end of the month. "I'll be glad when my new site finally goes live! The planning stages and work involved in this total re-build have taken much longer than we'd hoped, but I know all of the long hours and hard work will be worth it!" explained Andreas. "We're going to have a lot of cool new features - downloadable autographs and wallpaper, a gallery full of photos right back to my early days in racing, news and appearance schedules that will be updated regularly – it's going to be awesome! I'm also glad to tell you that more and more of my supporters are getting on board for the Racing Realities Prediction Contest! It's growing so much that we've decided to award more than just one prize this year, including products from HiRev Skincare and UPR Racing Supply. Check out www.RacingRealities.com for all of the details and get your predictions in – it's not too late to win, and I appreciate seeing my fans getting involved!"

Round 3 of Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda takes place on June 29th in beautiful Mont-Tremblant, Quebec – don't miss the action, make plans now to attend! Visit www.lecircuit.com for event information and tickets. We hope to see you there!

Mathiasen Motorsports Signs Jonathan Bomarito for 2008 Atlantic Championship Season
News from  Mathiasen Motorsports
ENCINO, California (APRIL 2, 2008) — Mathiasen Motorsports announced today that they have signed Jonathan Bomarito to drive the #26 Swift for the 2008 Cooper Tires presents the Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda. This partnership comes on the heels of their impressive performance at the final pre-season testing session at MSR Houston, in which the team ran the fastest lap in three of the four sessions and clocked an overall fast lap over a half second quicker than the next competitor.

“From the moment Jonathan and the team met at MSR Houston throughout the test it was obvious that driver and team had great chemistry. Jonathan was able to provide tremendous feedback on the car, which allowed for positive changes throughout the test session. We feel very fortunate that circumstances fell into place that allowed us the opportunity to bring a very talented driver like Jonathan to our team” said team owners Ray and Leslie Mathiasen

“Jonathan is a race car driver whose skills are at a level essential to winning races and championships”, said Technical Director Alain Clarinval. “As a team, we are very excited to be working with him, and will give our best effort to achieve the most competitive results with our newest member.”

Jonathan Bomarito will be one of the most experienced drivers in this year’s Atlantic Championship bringing 31 career Atlantic starts, two victories, one pole position and a total of eight podium finishes to Mathiasen Motorsports. In 2007 he finished fifth in the championship with a victory after starting from the pole in the race at San Jose, California.

With Jonathan’s 2008 racing plans settled, he can now concentrate on preparing to compete at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach during the weekend of April 18-20, 2008, where he finished on the podium last season. “I am very excited to be racing the '08 season with Mathiasen Motorsports. After how successful our first test went I am extremely confident that we are going to be top contenders for the title. I can’t thank Ray and Leslie Mathiasen enough for this tremendous opportunity.” said Jonathan Bomarito.

Skerlong Wraps Pre-Season Testing Up Front, PCM Duo Prepared for Competition
News from Pacific Coast Motorsport
OXNARD, CA (April 3, 2008) — With the 2008 season opener just two weeks away, Pacific Coast Motorsports drivers Carl Skerlong and Frankie Muniz wrapped up their pre-season testing program last week with nearly 700 miles combined at the MSR Houston Motorsports Ranch. The duo have completed nearly 4000 testing miles this winter, on various tracks including Laguna Seca, MSR Houston, Firebird and Buttonwillow Raceway.

Both drivers are entering their sophomore season in the Atlantic series and head into the challenging and diverse 11-race championship with high expectations. Pacific Coast Motorsports will return to Atlantic competition for the first time since 2004 when they won the series title with American driver, Jon Fogarty. “We are proud to return to Atlantic competition with two very talented, young American drivers,” said PCM Team Owner, Tyler Tadevic. “Both Frankie and Carl maximized their pre-season testing opportunities with strong feedback and competitive pace and they’ve developed good working relationships with their new engineers and team-mates. Carl has proven he is going to be very competitive this year and Frankie’s developments are exciting, I am looking forward to a strong season ahead.”

Carl Skerlong, 19, of Mukilteo, WA, is the driver of the #14 King Taco/Mazda/Swift; he scored two podium finishes in his rookie season and finished tenth in the series championship. Skerlong drove for US RaceTronics in 2007 and will enjoy the comforts of a familiar environment as PCM merged with US RaceTronics in January. His most crucial relationship however, is new. Skerlong will be paired with two-time Atlantic championship winning engineer, Burke Harrison. The pairing has proven to be strong in pre-season testing, Skerlong was second quick at the last two tests, “I am so excited to get racing,” said Skerlong. “We have made several gains throughout testing and I am really enjoying working with Burke. I have learned a lot already this year and I think we should be extremely competitive this season. I’d love nothing more than to give PCM their second Atlantic championship and that is what my goal is. It is going to be a lot of hard work, but I think I’ve got the tools to get it done with the King Taco car and I know I have the willpower to win.”

Frankie Muniz, 22 of Wood-Ridge, New Jersey is equally excited for his sophomore season. Competing in a series with the world’s best up and coming drivers, Muniz is entering just his third season of professional racing. While his fellow racers grew-up spending their weekends competing on the racetrack, Muniz was competing for work in the television studios! Best known for his role as “Malcolm” in the Fox hit “Malcolm in the Middle,” Muniz is an Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor with several television and film roles on his resume. “It is amazing the strides Frankie has made this winter, he has very little experience and competing at this level with such little experience is ambitious, but he has the natural talent and we believe he will fight for top-ten finishes this season,” said Tadevic. Muniz, driver of the #41 car joined the PCM squad in January and has jumped up the time charts with each test, “This is really the best possible situation for me,” said Muniz. “For the first time I am working with a big team, who knows how to win championships and has the resources I need at this stage of my racing career. I have a great relationship already with my engineer (Tim Lewis) and he and Lee (Bentham, driver coach) give me pointers that I can apply and benefit from immediately. My driving has improved and I have so much more confidence going into the season opener. I think that has shown through improvement on the time sheets in testing and I plan to prove it this season.”

The PCM Atlantic cars are prepared in partnership with US RaceTronics. The team has returned to the US RaceTronics headquarters in Bakersfield, California for final preparation before round 1 of the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda at the 34th running of the Long Beach Grand Prix, April 18-20, 2008. For more information, visit www.pcmracing.com.



 

Forsythe Racing Inc. Commits to 2008 Atlantic Championship with Entries for James Hinchcliffe and David Garza
News from Forsythe Championship Racing
Photos courtesy Atlantics Championship 2007
INDIANAPOLIS (February 28, 2008) – Officials from Forsythe Racing Inc. confirmed today that popular Canadian racer James Hinchcliffe and Mexican rising star David Garza, who logged the fastest and second-fastest times, respectively, in a recent open test at Sebring International Raceway, will continue in the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

The two-car team will participate in the upcoming open test at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on March 10 and 11, as well as the full 12-race Atlantic season, which begins on April 18-20 at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Hinchcliffe, a 21-year-old native of Toronto, is returning to the same operation with which he competed in his rookie Atlantic season in 2006. That season produced Hinchcliffe’s lone Atlantic victory to date at Portland, a pole position at Montreal and a total of three podium results, placing him 10th in the championship as part of a four-car operation. Last season, Hinchcliffe competed with Sierra Sierra Enterprises, improving greatly from his rookie campaign with three pole positions and five podiums en route to fourth in the championship.

The 19-year-old Garza, from Monterrey, Mexico, competed in his rookie Atlantic season in 2007 with US RaceTronics. He earned career-best results in each of his first six starts, topped by best finishes of eighth at Cleveland and the first race of the doubleheader at Edmonton. He finished 10th in the Rookie of the Year standings and 17th in the overall championship. As was the case in 2007, Garza’s car will carry sponsorship from Monterrey, Mexico-based Axtel, a leading carrier of communications services in Mexico.

Forsythe Racing Inc. owns a total of 27 victories and 27 pole positions in Atlantic competition and claimed the 1998 title with driver Lee Bentham, making it the most successful operation currently competing in the Atlantic Championship.

Forsythe Championship Racing Sweeps Top-Two Spots at Sebring Atlantic Test
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
SEBRING, Fla. (February 6, 2008) – Despite an abbreviated final day of Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda testing at Sebring International Raceway for their team, teammates James Hinchcliffe (#3 Forsythe Championship Racing) and David Garza (#7 Forsythe Championship Racing) found themselves standing atop the time charts at the end of the two-day test session.

For the second consecutive day on the 1.669-mile circuit in Central Florida, Hinchcliffe led the field with a best lap at 57.366 sec. (104.738 mph). The Canadian turned his quick lap within the first hour of the test session and posted several more laps in the 57-second range before running off course at Turn 3 and making contact with the barrier. Hinchcliffe escaped injury but his day came to a premature end.

“It was an interesting day for us,” Hinchcliffe said. “It’s great to end up on top again. We were able to improve our time from yesterday where a few other guys weren’t, so I think we managed to make a good car even better. There are three things you set out to achieve on any test day. The first one is go fast, the second one is to get through your test plan and the third one is to bring the car home in one piece. We did two out of three, because on our first run this morning, we did some quick times and set that fast lap and then had a bit of an incident that sent me into the wall. It was my mistake. It damaged the car a bit, but we could have gotten the car back going if we wanted to, but the weather started to change a bit and we didn’t have many miles left in the motor anyway, so we figured it was probably safe to just pack it up.

“It wasn’t that we thought we were too good to run anymore or anything like that. We accomplished what we needed to do, what we set out to do, and we didn’t see much point in running around any more laps. For us to finish today 1-2—I mean, David was right behind me and I think we had really strong cars today—it’s just such a huge boost for the team. We’ve worked really hard in the preseason and for the first time running with everyone and for it to all come together like this and to end this test 1-2, it’s huge for everyone. David did a great job, both engineers are working really hard and the crew is awesome. Now we’re just looking forward to when it really counts in Long Beach.”

Just a tick behind his teammate was Garza, who posted a best lap at 57.413 sec. (104.652 mph). In light of changing track conditions, the No. 7 team decided to sit out the final afternoon of testing at Sebring and turned its focus toward the next open test for Atlantic during Spring Training at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca next month. Entering his second year of Atlantic competition in 2008, Garza was pleased with his first official outing with Forsythe Championship Racing.

“It went really well today,” Garza said. “We made some improvements on the car, reviewed data overnight and we were there. James put in a very quick lap time and we were just under a tenth behind him. It’s a good step forward for the team and we kept the momentum going from yesterday. You can’t ask for more from the team than to run 1-2 in the first test. I’m extremely happy and really excited to get on with the season.”

The third-quickest driver in the open test was American racer Jonathan Bomarito (#6 Sierra Sierra Enterprises), who could not go quicker on Wednesday than his best time of 57.542 seconds (104.418 mph) from Tuesday’s second session. Bomarito was quick to point out that the track conditions at Sebring presented unique challenges to the drivers and teams.

“The track has a lot of grip and it’s more physical that way, especially with the bumps,” Bomarito said. “It’s definitely more physical, but the cars like it and they’re a lot of fun to drive. A lot of times we come to Sebring to test for street courses, since it is bumpy and there are concrete patches. Now that you’re here and there’s so much grip, it doesn’t really simulate the first day, especially, of a street course. It starts to simulate the second day a little bit, but it’s still a little bit too grippy for that.”

J.R. Hildebrand (#17 Genoa Racing) concluded a successful two days of testing by taking fourth on the final time sheet with a lap at 57.712 seconds (104.110 mph). Finnish rookie Markus Niemela (#8 Brooks Associates Racing) also impressed with a fifth-quickest lap at 57.762 seconds (104.020 mph). The top 14 drivers in the test were covered by less than one second.

Twenty-five drivers turned a total of 4,646 laps (7,754.174 miles) over the two days at Sebring. In addition to Hinchcliffe’s incident, rookie Brett Van Blankers (#13 Jensen MotorSport) twice made contact with the barriers in Wednesday’s sessions, while second-year competitor Simona De Silvestro (#34 Newman Wachs Racing) also had a shunt on Wednesday. None of the drivers were injured.

Up next for the Champ Car Atlantic Championship will be Spring Training at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on March 10 and 11, followed by the third and final preseason open test at MSR Houston on March 25 and 26. The 35th Anniversary season of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship gets underway at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 20.

2004 Series Champions, Pacific Coast Motorsports Return to Atlantic Competition
Drivers Carl Skerlong and Frankie Muniz Announced in Hollywood
News from Pacific Coast Motorsport
HOLLYWOOD, CA (January 30, 2008) — Pacific Coast Motorsports, a two-car team in the Champ Car World Series announced tonight that they will expand their racing team with a two-car entry in the Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Series Powered by Mazda. PCM also announced their all-American driver line-up, Carl Skerlong and Frankie Muniz.

Pacific Coast Motorsports Champ Car driver Alex Figge acquired the Bakersfield-based US RaceTronics Atlantic team. The team will be based at PCM’s Oxnard, California headquarters and will compete under the Pacific Coast Motorsports banner. Former US RaceTronics team owner, Shane Seneviratne will manage the Atlantic program.

PCM team director Tyler Tadevic made the announcement under the famous Hard Rock guitar at a media event at the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal Studios tonight in Hollywood. Attended by a large contingent of entertainment and sports media, Tadevic commented on the team’s desire to return to their racing roots, “We’re really proud to be returning to the series where we won the 2004 championship, and we are looking forward to continuing our winning tradition. As a graduate of the series, Alex is a believer of the product; this is an important program to him. Shane has a history of running championship winning teams and we saw this as a terrific opportunity to return to Atlantic competition.” Tadevic continued, “We feel we’ve got two exceptional young drivers on board. They’re both quick and very professional; we’ve got an exciting season ahead of us.”
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Carl Skerlong, 19 of Mukilteo, Washington will drive the #28 King Taco/Mazda/Swift. Skerlong made an impressive debut in the Atlantic series in 2007 with two podium finishes and a top-ten finish in the series championship. Skerlong will be paired with two-time Atlantic championship winning (2003, 2004) race engineer Burke Harrison, “I am so excited about this opportunity. I am really happy to be able to continue my relationship with Shane, but grateful for the tools and resources racing for Pacific Coast Motorsports will offer. I have one goal this year, and that is to win the Atlantic series title and the $2 million prize in the #28 King Taco car.”

Frankie Muniz, 22 of Los Angeles will drive the #29 PCM/Mazda/Swift in his sophomore season of Atlantic competition. Most people will recognize Frankie as an Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor, but 2008 will mark his third season as a professional racecar driver. “Joining PCM is a huge step forward for me in my racing career,” said Muniz. “In the three tests I have already completed, I have learned so much and really developed my skills as a racing driver. Tim Lewis, my race engineer has a championship winning record behind him and we have gelled really well. I just can’t wait for the season to start in April at the Long Beach Grand Prix and I am thrilled to represent a professional racing team like Pacific Coast Motorsports.”

The Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Series Powered by Mazda features a 12-race championship throughout North America, with races on road courses and street circuits in major metropolitan markets. Known as one of the most challenging racing championships featuring many of the world’s most promising young drivers, the Atlantic series rewards its champion with a $2 million purse to further their career in the Champ Car World Series, North America’s premier open-wheel racing series. Round One of the 2008 Champ Car Atlantic Series kicks off with the 34th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 18, 19 and 20th. For more information, please visit www.champcaratlantic.com  www.frankiemunizracing.com  www.cskerlong.com  or www.pcmracing.com

James Hinchcliffe Reunites with Forsythe Championship Racing for Assault on 2008 Champ Car Atlantic Championship
News from Forsythe Championship Racing
INDIANAPOLIS (January 16, 2008) – The Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda paddock will once again be headquarters for the “Mayor of Hinchtown” in 2008 as popular Canadian racer James Hinchcliffe has rejoined Forsythe Championship Racing for an all-out assault on the series title.

The 21-year-old native of Toronto returns to the same operation with which he competed in his rookie Atlantic season in 2006. That season produced Hinchcliffe’s lone Atlantic victory to date at Portland, a pole position at Montreal and a total of three podium results, placing him 10th in the championship as part of a four-car operation. Last season, Hinchcliffe competed with Sierra Sierra Enterprises, improving greatly from his rookie campaign with three pole positions and five podiums en route to fourth in the championship.

“I'm obviously really excited to be back with Forsythe Championship Racing,” Hinchcliffe said. “When I joined the team in 2006, we always said it would be a two year plan. It has just taken us three years to pull it off! I improved a lot in 2007 with Sierra Sierra Enterprises, and I know that they will be super competitive this season so I am really looking forward to the challenge of fighting with them for the championship. To be back on Forsythe is awesome, the atmosphere is so great and I have already enjoyed working with the team and David on making us as competitive as possible.”

For the 2008 Champ Car Atlantic Championship, Hinchcliffe will be teamed with Mexican rising star David Garza as part of a two-car Atlantic entry for Forsythe Championship Racing. The team is the most successful program currently competing in Atlantic with a total of 27 victories, 27 pole positions and the 1998 series championship with Canadian driver Lee Bentham.

“We are obviously very pleased to have James returning to Forsythe Championship Racing,” said FCR Atlantic team manager John Brunner. “We had success together in 2006 and with his growth as a driver and ours as a team; we feel that we are now ready to make a serious run at the 2008 championship.”

In addition to competing in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship, Hinchcliffe also has provided color commentary for the international broadcast of Champ Car World Series events alongside play-by-play announcer Jeremy Shaw. He also has driven in A1 Grand Prix events for Team Canada in each of the past two years. After beginning his racing career in karting events, Hinchcliffe shifted to race cars in 2003 when he contested the Bridgestone Racing Academy F2000 series in his native Canada. He earned Rookie of the Year honors in the 2004 Formula BMW USA championship before graduating to the Star Mazda Championship in 2005. Hinchcliffe also has a popular web site located at www.hinchtown.com

Next up for the Champ Car Atlantic Championship is the first of three open test sessions to be held prior to the start of the 35th Anniversary season of Atlantic at Long Beach on April 20. The first open test of 2008 will be held at the famed Sebring International Raceway circuit in Central Florida. Atlantic cars will take to the 1.669-mile “short course” on February 5-6.

Johnny Unser Named New Race Director for Champ Car Atlantic Championship
INDIANAPOLIS (January 14, 2008) – A member of the legendary Unser racing family will be a fixture in the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda paddock throughout the 2008 season as series officials today announced that Johnny Unser has been named Atlantic Race Director.

The 49-year-old Unser will be responsible for calling all Champ Car Atlantic races, as well as dealing with procedural issues and judgmental officiating calls. He will work closely with Champ Car World Series Executive Vice President, Operations Tony Cotman, who also serves as the Race Director for all Champ Car events. Unser joins the Champ Car Atlantic Championship in addition to his role as Technical Advisor for Cooper Tire & Rubber Company.

“We are delighted to welcome Johnny Unser as our Champ Car Atlantic Race Director and are thrilled to bring the Unser name back into our paddock once again,” said Champ Car Atlantic managing director Vicki O’Connor. “We have gotten to know Johnny closer over the past year through his association with Cooper Tires and feel strongly that he has exactly the right personality and temperament to be successful in this position. His knowledge of racing is impeccable and he will truly be an asset to our already outstanding group of race officials.”

Johnny Unser is the son of the late Jerry Unser and is the nephew of Champ Car legends Bobby Unser and two-time Champ Car World Series champion Al Unser. He is also the cousin of two-time Champ Car titlist Al Unser Jr. He brings a strong racing résumé of his own, owning five career starts in Champ Car World Series competition, five Indianapolis 500 starts, a total of 16 starts in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, and claimed Rookie of the Year honors in the 1990 American IndyCar Series on the strength of three victories, three pole positions and podium results in every race. He is also an accomplished sports car racer, with a class victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring and a second-place class result in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“I have looked at the Champ Car Atlantic Championship from a distance for many years and have always appreciated how well it was run and the quality of drivers that the series has produced,” Unser said. “It is truly an honor to be asked to represent the series as Race Director, and I am looking forward to working with the very committed and professional people associated with the Champ Car organization. Working with young, aggressive drivers is something I have always enjoyed. I hope to be able to share with them some of the things I have learned over the years and help them succeed with the ups and downs of motor racing.”

Next up for the Champ Car Atlantic Championship is the first of three open test sessions to be held prior to the start of the 35th Anniversary season of Atlantic at Long Beach on April 20. The first open test of 2008 will be held at the famed Sebring International Raceway circuit in Central Florida. Atlantic cars will take to the 1.669-mile “short course” on February 5-6.

Pacific F2000 Champ Patrick Barrett Completes Successful Atlantic Test with PR1 Motorsports
News from PR1 Motorsports
INDIANAPOLIS (January 11, 2008) – Team USA Scholarship winner and 2007 Pacific F2000 Champion Patrick Barrett acquitted himself well on Wednesday in testing one of the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda race cars from PR1 Motorsports at Buttonwillow Raceway.

The 18-year-old Barrett earned the test as one of his prizes for taking the Pacific F2000 title and was made possible by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and Cosworth, which are partners common to both Champ Car Atlantic and Pacific F2000. Under nearly ideal weather conditions, Barrett completed 170-180 miles in the test, and used two sets of Cooper Atlantic Racing Slicks. Barrett won his Pacific F2000 title driving for PR1 Motorsports, and the Los Osos, Calif. resident tested alongside Champ Car Atlantic veteran Mike Forest.

“It was really nice to be able to work with Patrick outside of our norm,” said PR1 Motorsports owner Bobby Oergel. “The kid did a great job! He built all day and had some pretty respectable lap times, especially toward the end of the day. Mike also did a great job and—as these things tend to go when you’ve got two cars on track—he and Patrick pushed each other all day. We’re pretty pleased. It really was a great day. I have to thank Cooper, Cosworth and Champ Car, as well as Pacific F2000 and Buttonwillow Raceway for making this test happen for us.”

It was Barrett’s second time in a Champ Car Atlantic machine, as he won an Atlantic test last fall with U.S. RaceTronics as part of his Team USA Scholarship experience. Oergel pointed out that the previous experience in the car certainly factored into Barrett’s ability to work up to speed quickly, as did his familiarity with the PR1 Motorsports team.

"I had a great time driving the Champ Car Atlantic car with PR1 Motorsports,” Barrett said. “I really enjoyed seeing and working with everyone on the team again. The car was a blast to drive. We worked mostly on pushing myself and finding the limits of the car. There's a lot of grip available in the car because of the downforce it produces. It was great having Mike Forest's help too. He provided great data and motivation on and off the track. I think it was a successful day and I really learned a lot about driving the Champ Car Atlantic. I again want to thank Champ Car, Champ Car Atlantic, Cosworth, Cooper Tire, Buttonwillow Raceway, Ric Forest and especially Bobby and Lisa Oergel at PR1 Motorsports for this opportunity. I enjoyed every second it!"

Next up for the Champ Car Atlantic Championship is the first of three open test sessions to be held prior to the start of the 35th Anniversary season of Atlantic at Long Beach on April 20. The first open test of 2008 will be held at the famed Sebring International Raceway circuit in Central Florida. Atlantic cars will take to the 1.669-mile “short course” on February 5-6.

Walker Racing Signs Greg and Leo Mansell for 2008
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (November 14, 2007) — With the 2008 season right around the corner, Walker Racing is pleased to announce that it has completed its driver line up adding two more cars to the stable, as Leo and Greg Mansell will join the team to compete in the 2008 Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

Walker Racing is both flattered and excited to have the Mansell duo, sons of 1993 Champ Car and 1992 Formula One champion Nigel Mansell. After spending two years competing in Europe, the Mansells wanted to give American open-wheel racing a try after completing a very successful test in the Walker Racing machines back in October.

"The decision by Greg, Leo and Nigel is a huge one in making the next step in their racing career by coming to the Atlantic series. The Atlantic series has a lot to offer and sends a positive message that this formula is the place to go. For Walker Racing it's going to be a pleasure and an honor to be working with the Mansells. The whole team is really looking forward to working with all three of them and I think it's going to be a great season," stated Walker Racing owner Derrick Walker.

"What a tremendous challenge and adventure we will all have in 2008. A fantastic series revisiting some wonderful venues which will bring back such fond memories of when I last raced in Champ Cars. This is a fantastic opportunity for Leo and Greg," commented Nigel Mansell.

The two brothers have always competed on the same teams together starting out in go-karts, making their way up the open wheel ladder, competing in the Formula BMW UK championship in 2006 and the British F3 International Series in 2007. The duo wanted to try the Atlantic series due to its international appeal and potential for moving forward in the ranks of professional racing.

Greg, the youngest of the Mansells, finished 10th in the British F3 International Series with three podiums and 16 top-10 finishes. The 19-year-old is ready for the adventure, "As Dad has said, it is an incredible adventure. I can remember a number of things in America but I was only small then. The cars are very demanding to drive, the test at Sebring was a wonderful experience, carrying so much speed in the corners suits my driving style and I am very excited about the forthcoming season. Working with Walker Racing is a major step up in professionalism."

Older brother Leo is ready for the ride in 2008, "For the first time ever I have been shocked at how a good car feels. The brakes, the handling and the aerodynamics of the car and the balance was the best I have ever driven, it gives me so much more confidence and I am extremely excited at the opportunity of competing in the Champ Car Atlantic series with a hundred more horsepower and more aerodynamics. The car is far more challenging than the Formula 3 cars, but because of the balance of the car and the professionalism of the team, I have so much more confidence and a lot more speed in the car. It is as Dad has said a great adventure we are embarking on in 2008."

The Mansell duo will be joined by teammate, Canadian Kevin Lacroix who will pilot the Uni-Select entry for Walker Racing. Lacroix, a native of Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada, got his start competing in various karting series in 1996 winning multiple championships, and continued to move up the ladder finishing second in the 2005 Formula BMW USA championship with four victories and six podiums, finished second in the 2006 Star Mazda championship with five podiums and 10 top-five results and earned the Star Mazda Rookie of the Year title. Last October, the 18-year-old tested with Walker Racing and for 2007 joined the Brooks Associates Racing Champ Car Atlantic program in Portland, scoring his first Champ Car Atlantic victory in just his second career start in the second race of a doubleheader at Portland.

2008 also marks a new era for Walker Racing, which established the Champ Car Atlantic program in 2005 announcing the move at the Champ Car World Series Surfers Paradise race in Australia. The team's first season was a success as it earned the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic championship title with Frenchman Simon Pagenaud. As it enters its third year of competition, Walker Racing will be introducing a new paint scheme. The three Atlantic pilots will fly the new livery of red, white and blue. Mazda is joining the team in is efforts by helping the team unveil its new livery this week at the L.A. Auto Show. The show runs from November 13 through November 24.

Walker Racing looks forward to a new era in 2008 not only for the team, but for the Mazda family, and the Champ Car Atlantic Championship. The team will be out to reclaim the 2008 Atlantic championship and run at the top of the grid with Greg and Leo Mansell and Kevin LaCroix as they resume testing in January. For more updates on the team please visit www.walkerracing.com

Canada’s Hinchcliffe Wins Gilles Villeneuve Award
News from A1 Team Canada
Photos courtesy Jakob Ebray Photography
MONTRÉAL, Canada (August 14, 2007) — Continuing to uphold Canada’s excellence in world class motorsport, Toronto’s James Hinchcliffe was presented with the Gilles Villeneuve Award on Sunday evening as the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic Championship season concluded at Road America, Wisconsin with its traditional end-of-year awards banquet.

Hinchcliffe, who raced for A1 Team Canada in the 2006-07 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, had earlier in the day wrapped up a fourth place finish in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Driver Standings having campaigned the #9 NOCO/ProWorks Swift Mazda-Cosworth throughout the season for the Nevada-based Sierra Sierra Enterprises outfit.

The 20-year-old’s sophomore year included three pole positions from eight top-five starts and five podium visits from a total of nine top-ten finishes through 12 rounds comprising a mixture of temporary street circuits and permanent road courses across the United States and Canada.

Hinchcliffe’s performances were duly noted and on Sunday evening, in-front of team members, sponsors and family, the promising Canadian was duly presented with the Gilles Villeneuve Award. Named after the legendary Canadian Formula One star and 1976 Formula Atlantic Champion, the award is traditionally presented to the driver in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship who posses extraordinary ability, star quality and who has distinguished himself through sportsmanship, dedication and perseverance in the face of disappointment.

“To be honest after the weekend that I had at Road America I was surprised to be leaving Sunday night with any hardware,” Hinchcliffe remarked. “Obviously I’ve known about the award in terms of I’ve always kept track of who’s won it in the past and Gilles Villeneuve has always been one of my racing heroes. To have won an award that bears his name would mean a lot to any driver but I think it means that little bit more when a Canadian wins it. Looking at the names who’ve won it in the past just adds how special it is to be a recipient.

“My season was an improvement over last year’s but still not quite what I was hoping to have had achieved. We certainly had a quick car and were consistently fast but we had a few ‘wrong place, wrong time’ moments. The highlights of the year were my podium finishes in Canada at Mont-Tremblant and Edmonton. It was disappointing I couldn’t make it three for three with my home race in Toronto, having been taken out, but I love racing in Canada, the fans here are second to none!”

The 2007 Champ Car Atlantic Championship was won by Hinchcliffe’s Sierra Sierra Enterprises team-mate, Brazil’s Raphael Matos – a driver who also boasts A1GP experience having raced for A1 Team Brazil last season.

The 2007-08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport kicks off with a two-day official pre-season test at England’s Silverstone Circuit, Tuesday 28th – Wednesday 29th August, with Round 1 of the 11 race nation versus nation series hosted at Circuit Park Zandvoort in The Netherlands, Saturday 29th – Sunday 30th September 2007 – scene of Hinchcliffe’s debut for A1 Team Canada last season.

Ronnie Bremer Returns to Brooks Associates Racing for San José
News from Brooks Associates Racing
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
SAN JOSÉ California (July 27, 2007) — Ronnie Bremer, former Champ Car driver and Champ Car Atlantic Championship driver for Brooks Associates Racing and Polestar Racing Group, will pilot the #10 Wyndham Mazda-Cosworth/Swift/Cooper of Brooks Associates Racing for San José . Bremer last drove for the team in 2004, when he led the championship early in the season. Kevin Lacroix had not planned to run the race due to a conflict but will return for the season finale at Road America.

“With the generosity of several sponsors, including Wyndham Vacation Resorts and Sin City Motorsports, we were ecstatic to offer the ride to Ronnie,” said team owner John Brooks. “We’ve remained good friends since he ran with us years ago and honestly, putting him the car is a very welcome homecoming for us. Ronnie is the epitome of the type of driver our team has dedicated itself to working with, young, very talented drivers with the hunger, if not the budget, to succeed. With our well-respected engineer, Nick Harvey, our crew (Duarte Fidalgo, Randy Bryan and Mike Messner) and Ronnie behind the wheel, the combination will create a challenge for our fellow competitors! Ronnie has the focus and dedication to do very well in Champ Car, but this weekend, we’ll have some fun with him in the #10.”

Bremer joined the Champ Car Atlantic Championship in 2004, beginning the season with the Brooks team. He moved into the Champ Car World Series in 2005, finishing 12th in the series points.

Hinch Takes Top-Ten in Edmonton
News from Hinchtown
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
EDMONTON, Alberta (July 22, 2007) - Toronto's James Hinchcliffe wracked up his ninth top-ten finish of the season on Sunday as he finished tenth in Round 10 of the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, hosted in Edmonton, Alberta.

Having scored his fifth podium of the year on Saturday, placing third overall in the first half of the weekend's double-header race meeting on the 1.973-mile Edmonton City Centre Airport temporary street course, the 20-year-old Sierra Sierra Enterprises driver knew a repeat performance would be a tall order given he would start Sunday's 45-minute race back in 15th - a qualifying penalty forcing James to start outside the top-five for the first time in eight races.

Round 10 kicked off early and cleanly in Edmonton with the 24-strong pack funneling safely through the first turn. Hinchcliffe climbed a couple of spots in the #9 NOCO/ProWorks Swift Mazda-Cosworth before a full-course caution came into play. Eventually cracking the top-ten when the track returned to green, James found himself tenth tailing fellow Canadian Kevin Lacroix and America's Jonathan Edwards. The three-car eighth to tenth-placed train lapped consistently with Lacroix getting the better of Edwards on lap 19 allowing Hinch to draw closer and pressure his rival.

Riding on the American's rear-wing, the gap as low as two tenths of a second for much of the race, the high-speed nature of the Alberta track made passing virtually impossible with James' progress coming to a halt as he shadowed Edwards in tenth through to the checkered on lap 38. At the front Brazil's Raphael Matos collected his sixth win of the year, completing an Edmonton sweep, the series leader heading home America's Jonathan Bomarito and France's Franck Perera.

"I think we had a car that was a little bit better than tenth today but we made it a long day for ourselves by qualifying so badly yesterday," said Hinchcliffe. "Overall the Edmonton weekend's been pretty disappointing. Despite getting on the podium yesterday I was really hoping for more, especially today I thought we'd have a better run up through the field.

"It's probably a weekend to be forgotten but the next tracks we visit I really enjoy. I don't have too much time to dwell on matters here as we're back out next weekend at San Jose. It's a quick turnaround so hopefully we'll go do it right next time!"

Both races from Edmonton will be broadcast on ESPN2 on Monday 23rd July at 5pm EST.

The penultimate round of the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic Championship, Round 11, will be held on the streets of San Jose, Friday 27th - Sunday 29th July, at the San Jose Grand Prix - www.sanjosegrandprix.com

Top-Five Atlantic Drivers R10/12: 1st Matos (BRA) 291pts, 2nd Perera (FRA) 250pts, 3rd HINCHCLIFFE (CAN) 215pts, 4th Wickens (CAN) 211pts, 5th Ricci (ITA) 163pts.
 

Successful Race for Walker Racing in Mont Tremblant
News from Walker Racing
Photos courtesy Jamie Longmuir 2007
MONT TREMBLANT, QC, Canada (July 1, 2007) - It was an action packed race weekend for Walker Racing as they battled the changing weather conditions, still managing to come away with a positive result for the Champ Car Mont Tremblant race.

Persevered
Rookie Simona De Silvestro (#15 Miauton) finished with her career best result of seventh place for today’s race. As the green flag dropped, De Silvestro, had her best start of the season, but had to let up on Robert Wickens, allowing Jonathan Bomarito to pass, but maintained her position throughout the race. “I finally got my start right so I had a good start only Wickens blocked me a little bit and I had to let up and Bomarito passed me,” explained the Swiss Miss. “Apart from that, it was a great a race, we were really consistent the whole race and the car felt great. We made a huge step forward with car and myself. We are definitely headed in the right direction.”

After a tough struggle throughout the weekend, Ryan Lewis (#5 NCPI Solutions/InSport) preserved through the race. The Brit had a strong start and managed to work his way up the grid from nineteenth finishing with a thirteenth place finish. “We found it tough to find the right balance throughout the race and were held up pretty much through the entire race with Sciuto,” complained Lewis. “With this circuit it makes it very hard to pass and unfortunately the only place Allan made a mistake was into our worst corner. The positive thing is we came away with points and that is the whole idea in the end.”

“Just what Simona needed,” said a very pleased Derrick Walker, “the chance to run all throughout the race and have a good start. Unfortunately at this track you can’t overtake easily, but she did everything else that she needed to bring it home. Ryan did a good job of trying to make some places happen earlier on in the race. All in all, we did the best with what we had and it’s a good result for our two drivers and the team.”

Walker Racing now heads to Toronto for Round 8 of the Champ Car Atlantic championship next weekend July 7-8. For more updates on the team please visit www.walkerracing.com and be sure to check out Martha Meacham’s Cleveland interview with Simona here at RFM Sports!

Cleveland Recovery helps Hinchcliffe hold Second in Championship
News from James Hinchcliffe Racing
Photos courtesy DeFord Photo 2007 and Champ Car World Series
CLEVELAND, Ohio (June 24, 2007) - A barnstorming drive from Toronto's James Hinchcliffe saw him fire his #9 NOCO/ProWorks entry from 26th, and last, following an opening lap incident, to sixth place when the checkered fell after 42 laps around the Burke Lakefront Airport road course in Cleveland on Sunday in Round 6 of the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

The Sierra Sierra Enterprises racer had again showed his pace earlier in qualifying at the 2.106-mile track. With a best lap of 1m05.545s (115.670mph), set in Saturday's qualifying session, 'Hinch' was only beaten to his third straight pole position by his team-mate and current series leader, Raphael Matos. The Brazilian captured his third pole of 2007, his advantage over James a mere tenth of a second, the Sierra Sierra duo sharing the front-row of the Atlantic grid for the second time in six races.

Sunday's 50-minute race meeting, the halfway stage of the 12-round series, saw the 26-strong field launch themselves from a standing start into the notorious funneling first turn. Initially dropping down to fourth from second, James clawed back a spot only for disaster to strike two turns later. Having run three wide approaching turn three with J.R. Hildebrand and Franck Perera, it was Hinchcliffe and Hildebrand that held out for the turn but the pair would clash at the next one with the American collecting the right side of the Canadian's car and looping him around while the field darted past.

Having dropped back to dead last the 20-year-old began his charge through the field in one of the drives of the season. Enjoying the fastest car on the track, setting fastest lap of the race along the way, James steadily progressed through the tail-end order, climbing to 13th by lap 16 when the only full-course caution of the day presented itself. This quickly wiped Matos' race lead and when racing resumed a few laps later it was game on as the pack gave chase.

James wasted little time in cracking the top-ten and by lap 26 he was hot on the heels of former Champ Car racer Ronnie Bremer in seventh. Passing the Danish veteran for seventh on the next lap James soon lined up Jonathan Bomarito in sixth. The American fended Hinchcliffe's advances for four laps but succumbed to the #9 entry with James' stunning recovery placing him sixth with 10 laps to go. Fifth on-track was held by fellow-Canadian and Round 4 winner Robert Wickens. While James slashed the rookie's advantage to less than a second in the dying stages of the race the pair held station taking the checkered flag in fifth and sixth respectively - the Toronto natives locked together in the points chase behind Matos, three points the difference between the duo, 143-140 in Hinchcliffe's favor. Matos duly scored his fourth win, the Brazilian joined on the podium by America's J.R. Hildebrand in second and France's Franck Perera in third.

"When incidents like that happen you immediately switch to thinking about points," James stated. "The first lap was gutting but I put my head down and concentrated on making up some space. The corners here make it pretty hard to pass but my engineer, Dave Bushmeyer, gave me such a quick and consistent race car so I was really able to put it where I wanted to without making mistakes. That was probably the most fun I've had in a race car, I felt like I won!"

Round 7 of the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic Championship moves north of the border to Canada, Friday 29th June - Sunday 1st July, and a brand new event held at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec.

Top Five Atlantic Drivers R6/12: 1st Matos (BRA) 173pts, 2nd HINCHCLIFFE (CAN) 143pts, 3rd Wickens (CAN) 140pts, 4th Perera (FRA) 134pts, 5th Bomarito (USA) 93pts.
 

Brian Thienes Joins Condor Motorsports Atlantic Team for 2007
News from Condor Racing
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
March 30, 2007 — Veteran racer Brian Thienes has joined Condor Motorsports and will compete for the team in the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

The Condor team tested with Thienes in January and was impressed by his professionalism on and off the racetrack. Thienes, 44, is an accomplished race car driver who also runs a successful civil engineering and land surveying company, Thienes Engineering.

Although he's is at a different stage in his career than most of the young rising stars in the series, Thienes thrives on the challenges of competing against the young lions in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship. Though he was only able to participate in limited testing in the off-season due to his hectic work schedule, Thienes prepared for the upcoming 2007 Atlantic season through exercise and racing go karts to keep his driving skills sharp and he did compete for the team at the final pre-season test at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He remains committed to improving his racing talent and the Huntington Beach, California native looks forward to driving the #19 Condor Motorsports car this season alongside teammates, speedy French rookie Franck Perera and Dutchman Junior Strous

"Brian is a great addition to the team," said Condor Motorsports owner Carlos Bobeda. "He is very down to earth and extremely dedicated. What impressed me the most about Brian is that although he is not trying to make a career in auto racing, he takes it very seriously. He spends countless hours examining data. He's always looking for ways to improve."

"I am very excited to participate in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship with Condor Motorsports," said Thienes, who raced in Star Mazda and SCCA competition before making two Atlantic starts last season. "Especially having such talented teammates as Franck Perera and Junior Strous, I'm really looking forward to the 2007 season."

Thienes will make his debut for the Condor Team next week, April 6-8, at the Atlantic season-opening Vegas Grand Prix on the streets of Las Vegas.

Newcomer Franck Perera Opens Eyes, Leads First Day of Atlantic Testing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
MONTEREY, California (March 7, 2007) — Much like the fast Frenchmen that have come before him recently in both the Champ Car Atlantic Championship and the Champ Car World Series, it didn’t take rookie Franck Perera long to make an impact on the test track.

The 22-year-old native of Montpellier, France made the most of his first time driving an Atlantic machine as he topped all 23 drivers testing Wednesday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the first day of the final pre-season open test for the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. After just putting together a deal to test for the veteran Condor Motorsports Atlantic squad over the weekend, Perera came out blazing on the 2.238-mile classic road circuit. He led the morning session by more than two-tenths-of-a-second over his closest competitor and he followed that up by unofficially breaking the series track record while pacing the final session of the day.

Perera posted an impressive lap of 1:16.634 (105.133 mph) in the early afternoon, a time that easily surpassed the official track record of 1:16.986 (104.653 mph), established by A.J. Allmendinger during his Atlantic championship-winning season of 2003. The performance harkened back to the dynamic debuts of both three-time reigning Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais and defending Atlantic champion Simon Pagenaud – also both of France – who turned heads while turning remarkable lap times at their first testing performances in their respective series.

“I was a little surprised to be leading in the morning, being that it was my first time in this car and my first time at this track, but I wanted to end the day on top,” said Perera, who’s established himself in Europe racing in Formula Renault, the F3 Euro Series and the GP2 Championship. “Coming from GP2 maybe I have a little more experience than some other rookies but this is a tough jump going from GP2 to an Atlantic car. Today was good, but testing is not finished yet. We still have a lot of work to do tomorrow.”

After finishing second at Monaco in GP2 competition last season, Perera said that one of the things that interests him about Atlantics and racing in America is the challenge of competing on a street circuit. If he’s able to secure a ride for this season with the 2005 series champion Condor Motorsports team, he’ll have plenty of chances to show his street skills. In the meantime, he’ll get another chance to demonstrate his road racing acumen on Thursday at Mazda Raceway.

Only slightly overshadowed by Perera’s performance in the opening day of testing was Raphael Matos of Sierra Sierra Enterprises. The second-year Atlantic standout also showed impressive speed Wednesday and unofficially topped Allmendinger’s track record as well with a quick lap of 1:16.684 (105.065 mph). Matos, who led the first series open test of the season at Sebring, felt good about his performance at the venue where he captured both the 2003 Skip Barber National Championship and the 2005 Star Mazda title.

“It was definitely a good day for us and we can use a lot of the information we’re learning here at the high-speed tracks we race at this season,” said Matos. “We were quickest at Sebring and my teammate James (Hinchcliffe) led the second test at Houston while I was second and now we’re second today. To be one of the quickest cars at every test really builds the team’s confidence heading into the first race of the year in Las Vegas.”

In just his second test for the Conquest Racing team, Italy’s Giacomo Ricci turned it on late in the day to claim the third-fastest time of 1:17.117 (104.475 mph). David Garza of Mexico posted his second straight strong testing effort for the US Racetronics team. Garza, who was fourth overall last month in the series test at MSR Houston, occupied the same position in Wednesday’s combined test times with a mark of 1:17.215 (104.342 mph).

Canadian Robert Wickens rounded out the top-five times of the day with a lap of 1:17.243 (104.305 mph) for Red Bull Team Forsythe, while local Monterey racer Jonathan Bomarito of PR1 Motorsports slotted in sixth on the testing leaderboard at 1:17.244 (104.303 mph).

With a fast time of 1:17.312 (104.212 mph), Great Britain’s Ryan Lewis was seventh for Walker Racing, while American John Edwards was eighth after posting a top lap of 1:17.381 (104.199 mph). A couple of other talented U.S. racers completed the top-10 rundown as Jonathan Summerton, testing for Brooks Associates Racing, was clocked at 1:17.478 (103.988 mph) and Carl Skerlong checked in at 1:17.566 (103.870 mph) for US RaceTronics.

The Atlantics complete the pre-season testing schedule on Thursday with another full-day of track activity at Mazda Raceway. The 2007 season officially takes the green flag April 6-8 at the inaugural Vegas Grand Prix on the downtown streets of Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit www.champcaratlantic.com  to learn more about North America’s top open-wheel development series and to follow all of Thursday’s testing action from Laguna Seca through the Live Timing link.

Atlantic Championship to Run Doubleheader Weekend at Edmonton, Completing 12-Race Schedule For 2007
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (February 20, 2007) — One of the most popular venues on the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda schedule will host a doubleheader weekend in July, completing this season’s 12-race calendar for North America’s top open-wheel development series.

The Grand Prix of Edmonton will host Rounds 9-10 of the Atlantic Championship in ’07, as the 300-horsepower Mazda-Cosworth/Swift/Cooper machines will visit the fast and exciting 1.9-mile road circuit constructed at Edmonton’s City Centre Airport, July 20-22. Practice and qualifying for the first race of the weekend will take place on Friday, July 20 while qualifying for the second event and Round 9 will run on Saturday, July 21. The 10th round of Atlantic action will take the green flag on Sunday, July 22 to close out the action-packed weekend, which will also feature the cars of the Champ Car World Series.

The Edmonton weekend will be the second doubleheader event on this season’s Atlantic docket. The Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland will host Rounds 4-5 of the championship, June 9-10. This marks the first time that the Atlantic series has featured a pair of doubleheaders in the same season since 2005 when Portland and Cleveland hosted back-to-back twin bills. The Atlantic calendar has featured at least one doubleheader weekend for the last four consecutive seasons.

“We’re excited to add a second race to our very popular event in Edmonton,” said Vicki O’Connor, managing director for the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. “Since Champ Car began racing at the Grand Prix of Edmonton airport course in 2005 the Atlantic races there have been extremely exciting and the fans have shown tremendous support for the Atlantic series. We’re looking forward to a great weekend of racing in July.”

The Atlantic series, entering its 34th season in 2007, has a strong tradition in Edmonton. The series raced at the Edmonton International Speedway permanent facility from 1974-77 and again competed at Edmonton in 1981. Atlantics returned to the city to race in ’05 when Champ Car added the Canadian venue to its series calendar.

The second race in Edmonton replaces the Denver event on the original 2007 Atlantic schedule. Champ Car announced recently that it will not compete at Denver in either 2007 or ’08. Now, for the second consecutive season, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin will serve as the final round of competition for the Atlantic Championship, hosting the ’07 finale the weekend of August 10-12.

A revised 2007 Atlantic schedule is detailed below. A complete television broadcast schedule for the upcoming season will be released in the coming weeks.

Genoa Racing Signs 2006 Star Mazda Champion Adrian Carrio
News from Genoa Racing
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 23, 2007) — Genoa Racing announced today that 2006 Star Mazda Champion, Adrian Carrio, will pilot the #17 entry in the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

While most people spend their 18th birthday with friends, enjoying the moment, for Adrian “Ace” Carrio it was a chance to show his commitment to racing. He spent his birthday at the Genoa Racing shop in Indianapolis, touring the facility and meeting team personnel. He signed an agreement that will see him run his rookie Champ Car Atlantic campaign with the newly re-formed team. Carrio comes to Genoa Racing hot on the heels of an impressive sophomore season in the hotly-contested Star Mazda Championship. Driving the Rockford Fosgate Mazda for World Speed Motorsports, “Ace” won two races, claimed six poles, as well as eight podium finishes en route to winning the title.

Prior to competing in the Star Mazda Championship, Carrio was part of the revolutionary “Team 16” effort for the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2005. He was teamed with two other 16-year-old rookie drivers, competing in the GT class. The result was a seventh in class and 17th overall finish in Adrian’s first ever attempt at endurance racing. He earned the nickname “Ace” at a very young age for his impressive passing abilities and consistent fast lap times. The name has followed him throughout his career.

Star Mazda Championship President Gary Rodrigues said, “We are extremely proud to see Ace Carrio follow in the footsteps our 2005 champion Raphael Matos and other Star Mazda success stories like Graham Rahal and James Hinchcliffe, all of whom were successful in the first year of their switch to the Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda. Ace showed not only speed this past year but also a great deal of maturity chasing the Star Mazda Championship. We expect to see him demonstrate those same talents again in 2007 and beyond. We see Ace's move to Champ Car Atlantic for 2007 as gratifying proof that the Mazda ladder system works.”

This talented young driver is looking forward to the 2007 season. “Working with a team that has the depth of knowledge that Genoa Racing has to offer makes me extremely comfortable with my decision. It will allow me to focus on driving the car and performing to the best of my abilities. I feel that Genoa Racing and the outstanding staff that they have assembled will show greatly in my performance and results alike,” told Carrio.

Adrian is up to the task of going into the Champ Car Atlantic series as a rookie. “I am excited for the challenge, as there will be a good many veterans as well as rookies like me,” added Carrio. “I feel proud to be a part of the best support series that North America has to offer. This is one more stepping stone toward my life’s dream, to race in Champ Car.”

Genoa Racing is returning to the Atlantic series after competing in the Championship in the early 90s. Team Owner Angelo Ferro, Team Manager Thomas Knapp, and Team Consultant Jimmy Vasser have assembled together to re-establish Genoa Racing and vie for the 2007 Atlantic Championship.

Knapp, a successful open-wheel driver and engineer, is well-known for managing the 1999 Indy Racing League Championship program with Team Menard, as well as engineering the 2000 Indianapolis 500 pole-winning car. “We are all genuinely excited to have a driver of Adrian’s caliber leading Genoa’s charge in this competitive championship. It is our intent to establish a strong communication link between Adrian and the team in the forthcoming tests to ensure our preparation for the season opener in Vegas,” told Knapp.

Jimmy Vasser is co-owner of Champ Car World Series Team, PKV Racing, but has roots in Atlantics. He finished second in the 1991 Atlantic Championship with the help from both Angelo and Thomas. Jimmy said, “I am very excited that Genoa Racing has returned to the Atlantic Series. I am looking forward to assisting the team in any way possible. I intend to aid the drivers in their development, and do everything I can to help advance their careers.”

The team is looking forward to the first series test at Sebring this weekend, January 27-28. This will be the first of three pre-season testing events before the season opener in Las Vegas, April 8.

Walker Racing signs Ryan Lewis for 2007 Atlantic Line-Up
News from Walker Racing
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 11, 2007) — Walker Racing announced today that they have signed Brit Ryan Lewis to join the team’s line-up for the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. He will partner with Swiss, Simona De Silvestro, who signed with the team in November.

Lewis, a native of Hertfordshire, England will make his comeback to the Atlantic series this season. The 22-year-old came out of a successful 2006 Atlantic rookie year as he competed for the Mi-Jack Conquest team, scoring three podiums and four top-five finishes. Prior to that Lewis competed in the highly competitive British F3 Scholarship Championship where he posted 17 victories, 15 poles and recorded 17 fastest laps winning the British F3 scholarship class before moving up to the British F3 International series.

Walker Racing and Lewis hit the pavement earlier this week as they tested at Moroso Motorsports Park in Jupiter, Florida on January 9th and 10th. Joining the team in the test was De Silvestro, Formula Renault UK standout, Irishman Patrick Hogan, and Walker’s Formula BMW USA squad who tested two hopefuls Felipe Poletto and Giancarlo Vilarinho.

This marks the third series of tests for the team and the first for Lewis, as he demonstrated his on track talent today for the Walker crew. “It’s great to have Ryan on board, obviously coming off of a strong first year in Atlantics last year we are keen to try and get back to back championships. The first test was a success and Ryan showed us he’s got the speed,” stated Walker Racing owner Derrick Walker.

Anticipating a rewarding and challenging year, Lewis looks forward to competing for the reigning championship team. “Obviously I’m very happy to join the winning team and hopefully I can live up to the potential the guys have set,” said Lewis. “We had a good test, but the main thing we achieved is that we learned how to work together. The Walker Racing team is a great group to work with and they push me hard at every step. It’s a great environment for me to be in. I can’t wait for the season to start.”

Walker Racing made the jump to run an Atlantic team last season, announcing the move at the Lexmark Indy 300 in Surfer’s Paradise, Australia. 2006 marked the first year for the team and a very good season at that, as they brought home the 2006 Atlantic Championship title with Frenchman rookie Simon Pagenaud.

Not only was it a beneficial test for Lewis and the Indianapolis based squad, but for all the drivers that participated. Walker Racing got down to business right away making a number of improvements and changes to the car while also giving, De Silvestro, Hogan, Poletto and Vilarinho more seat time.

With the hopes of a second Atlantic Championship crown and a successful third series of tests tucked underneath their belts the team continues to formulate their 2007 line-up. Walker Racing will take part in pre-season testing in Sebring, Florida January 27-29. For more information on Walker Racing, please visit www.walkerracing.com

Champ Car Atlantic Championship produced impressive amount of sponsor exposure through Television Coverage In 2006
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (January 8, 2007) – Champ Car Atlantic Championship series commercial partners enjoyed a impressive amount of television exposure in 2006, according to figures provided by research and analysis industry leader Joyce Julius and Associates

The 2006 year-end Joyce Julius report reveals that Atlantic series and team sponsors reaped an estimated exposure value of $7,184,505 during the course of the ’06 season. This impressive figure represents an increase of nearly 19 percent from the total 2005 sponsor exposure value from the Atlantic Championship. Joyce Julius calculates the exposure value based on total exposure time and sponsor mentions throughout the series’ television race broadcast coverage. Dollar values are assigned based on the sponsor’s exposure, on-screen time and verbal mentions compared to the individual broadcast network’s estimated cost per 30-second commercial rate.

All 12 Champ Car Atlantic Championship races were aired on a tape-delayed basis last season on the SPEED television network. Including race re-broadcasts, a total of 24 Atlantic events were broadcast on SPEED in 2006.

In addition to the increased dollar value for series sponsors, on-air mentions and exposure time for Atlantic partners also increased dramatically last season. Atlantic sponsors were mentioned 1,620 times in ’06, according to the Joyce Julius report. Mentions increased by a remarkable 120 percent from the series’ 2005 figures while exposure time was boosted by a 19 percent increase from the previous season.

“Our series teams and sponsors have known for a long time that Atlantics is one of the best values in all of motorsports and this research certainly supports that belief,” said Vicki O’Connor, managing director of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship. “We will continue to work with our television partners to make sure we’re providing top-notch value and a superior return on investment for all our series partners.”

In its first season as series sponsor and exclusive engine supplier, Mazda enjoyed the greatest amount of exposure on Atlantic broadcasts in 2006. The car company received more than $1,692,000 worth of sponsorship value, according to the report. Last season’s series presenting sponsor and tire supplier, Yokohama, had the second-highest value amount as it totaled more than $1,400,000 in total brand exposure.

The Gehl Company, primary sponsor on series runner-up Graham Rahal’s Mi-Jack Conquest Racing Atlantic entry, topped the list of team sponsors from last season. Gehl received more than $420,000 in mentions and exposure over the course of ’06. Forsythe Championship Racing sponsors ranked second and third in overall team sponsor value as INDECK totaled over $310,000 in exposure and Emexis received over $101,000 in mentions and air time. Sierra Sierra Enterprises longtime sponsor ProWorks topped more than $95,000 in value while Jensen MotorSport sponsor Epson, Western Union of Gelles Racing, Forsythe team partner Layer 7 and Condor Motorsports sponsor The Canary Fund all exceeded the $50,000 value mark. Aussie Vineyards and Location U of Team Australia, PR1 Motorsports sponsor Miracle Sealants, Wirth Solar of Forsythe Racing and Sealy Posturepedic of Polestar Racing Group all received more than $20,000 in exposure.

Dutchman Junior Strous to Compete with Condor Motorsports Atlantic Team in 2007
News and photo from Condor Motorsports
BLOOMINGTON, CA (December 5, 2006) —Condor Motorsports is proud to announce that it's signed talented driver Junior Strous, from The Netherlands, to compete for the team in the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

During three successful test days at Buttonwillow, California recently, Strous proved his ability and the decision was made to secure the young Dutchman for the upcoming season.

“Junior did a great job while testing and made huge progress over the two test days,” said Carlos Bobeda, Condor Motorsports team owner. “I am certain that he will be a main championship contender in 2007.”

Strous, the new Atlantic rookie, commented “In the recent tests I have driven more than 300 laps at Buttonwillow Raceway. I would like to thank Carlos Bobeda for his advice and my engineer Martin Tremblay and also the Condor technical crew for all their help.”

The 20-year-old racer has excelled in challenging open-wheel series over the past several seasons. After racing in Formula Ford and Formula BMW competition in 2002, Strous drove in Fran-Am and Formula Renault in his native Netherlands in 2003. He also captured the Formula Renault 2000 Winter Invitational in 2004 and raced in the Formula Renault Eurocup in both 2005 and ‘06.

Strous was introduced to Bobeda in August 2005 by the team owner’s good friend Pieter Slinger. Unfortunately, Strous was not able to race in the USA last season due to a lack of sponsorship. Slinger clearly has an eye for talent since he also introduced current Champ Car driver Charles Zwolsman to Bobeda and Zwolsman went on to win the 2005 Atlantic Championship while driving for Condor Motorsports.

Jacques Kremer, president of WWA management, which now represents Strous, contacted Condor and renewed the talks about bringing Junior into the team in 2007. After long negotiations with sponsors and the full support of the team, a program is now in place for Strous to compete for the full 2007 Atlantic season.

The backing for the program comes from renowned international companies and a formal sponsorship announcement will follow in the coming weeks.
 

Walker Racing signs Simona De Silvestro for Atlantics
News from Walker Racing
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (November 17, 2006) — Walker Racing announced today that it has signed a multi-year contract with Formula BMW USA driver, Simona De Silvestro, who will join the team’s three car line up for the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

De Silvestro, a native of Lausanne, Switzerland, is the second woman to race for the team and joins a list of drivers that have competed for Walker Racing, which includes Sarah Fisher. The young woman really made an impression on the team. “We are very happy to have Simona on board with us for next season. I was able to watch her compete in the Formula BMW races this year and was very impressed with her talent and then we tested Simona at MSR in Houston where she did very well. We are looking forward to having her on board for the 2007 season,” Walker Racing owner Derrick Walker.

The 18-year-old Swiss, joins the Champ Car Atlantic Series from the competitive Formula BMW USA championship, where she won at Lime Rock, earned six podiums and scored 11 top-ten finishes in 14 races, finishing fourth in the overall championship. She also made history as she was the first woman to ever get on the podium in Indianapolis Motor Speedway, at the USGP back in June. Prior to that De Silvestro participated in the Italian Formula Renault 2000 championship where she won the Super Course of the Italian Racing Federation “Young Drivers”.

“I’m very excited about the chance to race in the Atlantic Series and to join Walker Racing for next season. They are a great team to work with and we will be pushing hard to run up front next season and to win rookie of the year,” exclaimed De Silvestro.

Walker Racing made the jump to run an Atlantic team last season, announcing the move at the Lexmark Indy 300 in Surfer’s Paradise Australia. 2006 marked the first year for the team and a very good season at that, as they brought home the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship title with Frenchman rookie Simon Pagenaud.

De Silvestro participated in the first series of tests that Walker Racing held back in October and marks the first driver to fill one of the spots for the 2007 lineup.

Committed to help young talent grow, Walker Racing will continue preparing for the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic season with another series of tests as they search for interested drivers to complete the lineup for next season. For more updates on the team visit www.walkerracing.com

US RaceTronics Expands to Two-Car Atlantic Team for 2007 with David Garza and Carl Skerlong
News from US RaceTronics
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (November 11, 2006) – With the 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship season behind and 2007 on the horizon, US RaceTronics (USRT) is happy to announce Monterrey, Mexico native David Garza and Mukilteo, Washington driver Carl Skerlong will drive for USRT in the ’07 Champ Car Atlantic Championship. USRT Team Owner Shane Seneviratne made the announcement alongside former USRT driver David Martinez and new driver David Garza at the Gran Premio Telmex Presented by Banamex, where Martinez is competing with the Forsythe Championship Racing Champ Car team. “2007 will open up a new chapter for the team in which we will expand to a two-car team. I am looking forward to the challenge. It will be a good opportunity to bring in additional quality people and keep on building the solid foundation that we’ve been building. Most of the 2006 crew will remain in place and we will add to what is already a strong team,” commented Seneviratne.

Both Skerlong and Garza are accomplished young racers who have won championships in their careers prior to joining USRT and are ready to make the leap into Atlantics. “Carl and David are looking to further their careers and USRT is happy to be a part of that. They are very mature and focused and I know that they will succeed,” added Seneviratne, who now enters his third year as Team Owner in the Champ Car Atlantic series after a successful tenure at Dorricott Racing where he led that team to three championships as Team Manager.

Skerlong, who is currently racing in the Formula Renault UK with Michelin Winter Championship, will pilot the # 24 USRT entry in 2007. His most recent accomplishment is winning the 2006 Formula TR Pro Series 2000 Championship and doing so in dominating fashion. Skerlong went on to win 16 of the 19 races with 16 starts from the pole. In 2005 Skerlong was the Formula TR 1600 champion, with 14 wins in 16 starts, 13 of those were from the pole. He was also awarded the Rookie of the Year honor for that year. Skerlong got his start in racing in the Rotax Max karting circuit. “I’m very excited to have finalized my plans for 2007 with USRT so soon after winning the 2006 Formula TR 2000 Championship,” declared Skerlong. “It’s great to join a team with the pedigree and track record of success that USRT has. The Champ Car Atlantic series is undoubtedly one of the best proving grounds in open-wheel racing in North America. I’m looking forward to furthering my relationship with Shane and the rest of the team as we begin our preparations for next season.” The Champ Car World Series has been the peak for many careers that started with the Champ Car Atlantic Championship, for such drivers as Bobby Rahal, Jacques Villeneuve, Jimmy Vasser, and A.J. Allmendinger. Skerlong hopes to follow that group. “Running in a series as prestigious as Champ Car I feel there is no better place to showcase my potential as a young American driver,” stated Skerlong.

Piloting the # 4 entry, Garza will join USRT in 2007 after a successful 2006 Formula BMW season that saw him earn two pole positions, two podium finishes, and seven top-10 results out of 11 races. Garza was awarded the Formula BMW Scholarship for 2006. For his efforts in 2006, David, who is also a friend of former USRT driver David Martinez, was fourth in the rookie championship and ninth in the overall Formula BMW championship standings. Garza won numerous awards and championships in karting before his Formula BMW season. The 18- year-old is elated about joining USRT and the Champ Car Atlantic series. An excited Garza stated, "Joining USRT for the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic season is extremely exciting. I have been working with the team for the past few tests and am surprised and delighted to have the opportunity to become part of this team.” Garza went on to say, “I am looking forward to next year. I’m hoping to place top-10 in points next year and fight for the Rookie of the Year Championship. My goals are optimistic for my first year in the series and I firmly believe in the team and trust that they will give me a competitive car next year. I will work my heart out at every race and give 100% every time I am behind the steering wheel," said Garza.

USRT will continue its testing program with both Garza and Skerlong, upon Skerlong’s return from Europe. Sponsorship announcements for 2007 are forthcoming and will be announced prior to the start of the season.

New Champ Car Atlantic Series logo to be unveiled and Atlantic Drivers to be featured at SEMA Show in Las Vegas
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (October 24, 2006) – The site of the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda season opener and one of the world’s leading automotive trade shows will be the stage for the unveiling of the new look and feel of the Atlantic Championship.

The new Atlantic series logo and the details of the new relationship with series presenting sponsor and exclusive tire supplier Cooper Tire will be unveiled next week at the world-renowned SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cooper Tire, one of the most recognized and well-respected brands in the automotive industry, will host a press conference at SEMA addressing its vision for the future and focusing on its new partnership with the Atlantic Championship, North America’s premier open-wheel development series. The press conference is scheduled for Tuesday, October 31 shortly after 3 p.m. PT at the Cooper Tire SEMA display area, located at booth #40341 in the lower south hall of the convention center.

The SEMA Show, held October 31-November 3 in Las Vegas, is the leading automotive specialty products trade event in the world. Some of the brightest minds and hottest products in the automotive community will be featured at the show that’s expected to attract over 100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries across the globe. The high-profile international event is an ideal place for both Cooper Tire and Atlantic officials to discuss plans for the 2007 season and beyond. Las Vegas will also serve as the perfect backdrop to reveal the new Atlantic theme for ’07 as the city’s downtown streets will host next year’s season-opening race at the much-anticipated Vegas Grand Prix on April 8.

Joining Atlantic series representatives at the press conference and the week-long show will be some of the top competitors from the recently-completed 2006 Champ Car Atlantic Championship. Series champion Simon Pagenaud of Team Australia, who claimed the title along with the unprecedented $2 million bonus to help fund a ride in the Champ Car World Series next season, will be in attendance throughout the week. Atlantic 2006 Portland race winner James Hinchcliffe of Forsythe Championship Racing will also be appearing at the show along with this season’s Road America winner Jonathan Bomarito and his PR1 Motorsports teammate Mike Forest. All four drivers will be making appearances on behalf of Atlantic series sponsors Cooper Tire and Mazda throughout the course of the show and each driver will participate in an autograph session on Thursday, November 2 at the Cooper Tire display area.

The new 2007 Atlantic racing package will also be prominently displayed in Vegas during the week of the show. The Swift 016.a Atlantic chassis, featuring the 300-horsepower Mazda-Cosworth engine, and equipped with the new Cooper Atlantic racing slick tires will be featured at four separate locations throughout the week. The Cooper Tire display will feature Forest’s #32 Atlantic entry from this past season while the #37 Forsythe Racing car piloted by Andreas Wirth in ’06 will be included at the Champ Car World Series display area at the SEMA show. Bomarito’s #23 PR1 Motorsports machine will be featured at a special function hosted by both Mazda and Cooper Tire at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Thursday night while a unique carbon Atlantic car, designed by Swift Engineering, will be included at the Mazda display at the show.

Just prior to the start of the SEMA Show, the Atlantic team and car deemed to have the most attractive design and paint scheme this season will also be featured at two special functions for Mazda. The #26 Mathiasen Motorsports car driven by Justin Sofio this season won the Sherwin-Williams “It’s All In The Finish” award in ’06 after the car was voted to have the best livery design among all Atlantic entries. The beautiful machine will be featured at the Mazda Motorsports employee day, designed specifically for Mazda company employees, on October 27. The following day, the Atlantic ride and its driver will participate in the company's Sevenstock vehicle showcase, open to the public. Both events will take place at Mazda headquarters in Irvine, California. Each day’s activities are designed to promote and recognize the wide range of racing cars that carry the Mazda banner and the Atlantic series will be well-represented with both Sofio and the Mathiasen Motorsport car in attendance.
 

$2 million incentive bonus to return to Atlantics in 2007
Photos courtesy Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (September 27, 2006) – There was no price that could be put on the smile that adorned the face of French racer Simon Pagenaud (#15 Team Australia/Location U/Cons. Gen. Vienne) after he captured the Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda title last Sunday in the season finale at Road America.

Secure in the knowledge that he had just won the championship in one of the most challenging series in all of motorsports, Pagenaud was ecstatic because he was that much closer to his dream of competing in the Champ Car World Series. Thanks to the unprecedented $2 million Atlantic champion’s bonus put in place this season to help the series title-winner secure a ride in Champ Car in ’07, the French racer will get the opportunity to fulfill his dream next year.

Another talented young Atlantic racer will get a chance to experience that same kind of joy in 2007 with the announcement that the $2 million Champ Car incentive bonus will return next season for the Atlantic series champion.

At the annual post-season Atlantic Awards Banquet and Celebration last Sunday evening Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven congratulated all of this season’s competitors and informed the packed house that the $2 million prize would be in effect again in 2007.

“We’re happy to announce that once again the Atlantic series champion will earn a bonus of $2 million to be used toward competing in the Champ Car World Series in 2008,” said Kalkhoven, whose staunch support of the Atlantic Championship, along with the rest of Champ Car management, keyed a strong resurgence by the series this season. “The Atlantic Championship is crucial to the overall development and growth of Champ Car. Atlantics cultivates the next generation of great Champ Car racers and it’s important that we make sure that the door is wide open for the top Atlantic drivers to graduate to Champ Car. The champion’s bonus was put in place to make sure that the top Atlantic racer will have every opportunity to succeed at the next level. Simon certainly earned that opportunity with his performance this season and we want to continue to provide that incentive as we move forward.”

With the impressive championship prize and a dynamic new competition package featuring the new Swift 016.a Atlantic car powered by the new 300-horsepower Mazda-Cosworth racing engine, the Atlantic Championship experienced an influx of new talent from across the globe in 2006. New teams joined existing Atlantic squads and 45 drivers from 14 different countries worldwide competed in series action this season.

“The revitalized Atlantic series attracted some of the top teams and drivers from around the world,” added Kalkhoven. “The result was an extremely exciting and competitive championship. With the series champion’s bonus in place again next season and another talented crop of young rising stars looking to make their mark on their way to Champ Car, Atlantics will continue to be the best destination for developing open-wheel racers
 

Champ Car Atlantic competitor Gelles Racing announces entry In 2007 Champ Car World Series
News from Gelles Racing
INDIANAPOLIS (July 29, 2006) — The entry list for the 2007 Champ Car World Series season gets its first new name today as Champ Car Atlantic Championship race-winning team Gelles Racing announced its intentions to move up to Champ Car competition beginning next season.

The announcement was made Friday night at the VIP launch party for the 2007 Panoz DP01 Champ Car, where the future of the open-wheel racing was unveiled to the public for the first time. The team, which scored its first Champ Car Atlantic victory earlier this year with Robbie Pecorari at the wheel, becomes the first Atlantic team to move up to Champ Car competition since RuSPORT made the climb after winning the 2003 Atlantic title.

“I’m very ecstatic to be a part of the CCWS for 2007, it’s something I’ve truly dreamed about and been working on for five years and it’s nice to see it come true,” said Gelles. “Everyone has had rave reviews over what Kevin Kalkhoven, Gerry Forsythe and Paul Gentilozzi have created and it’s the best open-wheel racing series in the world.”

The Virginia-based team has been involved in the open-wheel developmental system since 2002 when former SCCA National Driver of the Year Bob Gelles formed Gelles Racing. Starting in Fran-Am, the Gelles team competed in Formula Renault, Formula BMW and Champ Car Atlantic series in recent seasons running six cars in the FBMW series in 2006.

“We are excited about welcoming Gelles Racing to Champ Car in 2007,” said Champ Car President Steve Johnson. “The team has long demonstrated its passion for open-wheel racing, and we look forward to seeing them on the grid for many years to come.”

The announcement coincided with the launch of the new 2007 Panoz DP01 Champ Car Friday night as the racing community saw the new chassis for the first time. The new chassis is lighter, quicker and is specially-designed to provide closer racing. The DP01 is also more affordable for the teams, which is part of the strategy to encourage Atlantic teams as well as teams from throughout motorsports to the Champ Car World Series.

"We set off on a strategy to rebuild the Champ Car World Series from the ground up," said series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven. "The first step of that strategy was the rebuilding of the Atlantic Championship Series. The second step was the introduction of the 2007 chassis, which will allow Atlantic teams to move up to Champ Car. We welcome Gelles Racing as proof of the success of this strategy."

The 2007 Champ Car World Series season will begin April 8, kicking off with the newly-announced street event in Las Vegas. The race will be immediately followed by the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach April 15, with the second running of the Grand Prix of Houston coming April 22.

Robbie Pecorari shines in Toronto
News from Gelles Racing
Photos courtesy Jamie Longmuir
TORONTO, Canada (July 10th, 2006) — Robbie Pecorari escaped with minor damages during first lap in Toronto and motored onward to his first Champ Car Atlantic victory, a 38-lap affair around the twisty Toronto Exhibition Place facility. The 19-year old Aston, Pennsylvania native started in 5th place and capitalized on a great start heading to the inside of turn 1, then was hit hard by another car at the apex but was able to continue only to find himself in the lead after turn 3 heading down the Lakeshore Boulevard straight at the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto. His Western Union/USA Today/Gelles Racing car was still in racing trim and he kept pushing for the remaining 37 laps to capture his first Atlantic win.

“For the first lap, I wanted to stay out of trouble," said Pecorari, "because I had a first lap mishap this year at Houston. Then I was hit hard in the back and saw the rear wing damage and had concerns for the right rear suspension. I drove the next corners expecting something would let go, but the car held together just fine and the handling had not changed much. I asked my engineer Geoff (Bushor) to see if something was wrong when I came by slowly next to the pit wall under the 1st full course yellow, I told him the car felt strong and I was going to take it as far as it would after the full course yellow. And that was until the checkered flag. At one point, it seemed like Jonathan (Bomarito) got a little closer but I just concentrated on banging out good laps and won by a fair margin (2.5 seconds). I want to cheer my crew for working so hard since Portland to give me a good car; they deserve a lot of credit for this win. I want to thank Bob (Gelles) for restructuring the team after Mexico, we have been strong the past three races so it proves to be a good plan, the recent results validate the successful change.”

“This is one of the highlights in my team owner’s career,” claimed a joyful Bob Gelles. “We’re a rookie team in this league with a rookie driver and we have proved in the last four races we can mix with anybody. We knew back in Long Beach Robbie was an outstanding driver capable of winning against such a competitive field. This victory here in Canada is our payback for a lot of work from Robbie and our team, a true example for the young drivers we have in our ladder system. Experts will now have to consider this fine young man as a contender for the remaining rounds.”

Top 5 all weekend

Pecorari stayed on top of the charts in every session Friday and Saturday. “We had a good setup Friday right out of the blocks, he said. We kept trying a few things to improve and even expected at one point the car would not be as fast. This was not to be, we were always in the Top 5. The car was exactly what I expected for the race and I knew I could fight for a podium. We have now proven our 3rd place qualification at Cleveland was not a fluke, the Gelles Team must be taken seriously.”

Now setting eyes on Grand Prix of Edmonton

With Pecorari moving up in the point standings, Gelles Racing will now focus on the next event less than two weeks away, the Grand Prix of Edmonton. “We know this is a great event with a sellout crowd, added Gelles, and another race track similar to Cleveland where Robbie was so quick. We will also have another well experienced driver joining our team in the Western Union #14 car.

Cooper Tire to join Champ Car Atlantic Championship as official series tire supplier and presenting sponsor beginning in 2007
Photos © LAT/Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS (May 31, 2006) — Champ Car Atlantic Championship officials announced today that the series will enter into an exclusive partnership with the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company in 2007. Under the terms of the three-year agreement, Cooper Tire will become the Official Tire of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship beginning next season and the company will also serve as the presenting sponsor of North America’s premier open-wheel development series.

Well-established as one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers, as well as a top marketing and promotional partner across many levels of motorsports, Cooper Tire will help bolster a dynamic competition package for the Atlantic Championship in ’07. Working closely with exclusive series chassis manufacturer Swift Engineering and engine partners Mazda North America and Cosworth, Inc., Cooper Tire will produce and supply the exclusive high-performance racing slicks and rain tires that will equip all Champ Car Atlantic Championship cars beginning next season.

“We’re very excited to welcome Cooper Tire to both the Atlantic and Champ Car family,” said Vicki O’Connor, Managing Director of the Champ Car Atlantic Championship. “We’re certainly proud of the legacy and the high level of competition that has become a staple of Atlantic racing over the last 33 years and the Atlantic Championship is looking forward to beginning a new partnership with Cooper Tire in 2007. With Cooper’s experience and knowledge in motorsports, we know that the racing will be as exciting as ever and we’re looking forward to growing the series even further next season with Cooper Tire as a series sponsor and a proactive marketing partner.”

Based in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire will support the Champ Car Atlantic Championship both on and off the track through its new partnership with the series, in addition to supplying all series teams with racing rubber designed specifically for Atlantic competition. More details on the Cooper Tires/Atlantic partnership will be unveiled in the coming months.

”The Champ Car Atlantic Championship series is well known throughout the world,” said Tom Dattilo, Cooper Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “This new strategic partnership positions Cooper squarely at the forefront of the motorsport world. It provides an excellent platform to showcase our ultra-high performance racing products and technological capabilities to enthusiasts around the world.

We are thrilled at the prospects this relationship provides for Cooper and are obviously pleased about joining forces with one of the premier organizations in motorsport racing. Together with Cooper’s rich racing heritage, this partnership will create an all-new competition portfolio that will allow drivers to compete at even higher levels of racing.”

“Cooper Tire has demonstrated a tireless commitment to racing over the years and Champ Car is happy to team up with such a well-established industry leader for the future,” said Steve Johnson, Champ Car President. “We look forward to developing this partnership as both companies continue to grow and move forward.”

Testing for the 2007 Cooper Atlantic tires will begin this week. The Team Australia Atlantic squad will be putting the new rubber through its paces during a private test session at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida on Thursday (see attached Team Australia photos). Several more series tire tests are also planned over the next few months.

Champ Car Atlantic Championship and Yokohama to part ways after 2006 season
Series to name new tire partner and sponsor later this week
Photos © Andra Read
INDIANAPOLIS (May 30, 2006) – The Yokohama Tire Corporation and the Champ Car Atlantic Championship have mutually agreed to end their partnership after the completion of the 2006 Atlantic season.

Yokohama will continue to serve as the Official Tire and presenting sponsor of the Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda throughout the 2006 campaign, but the two entities have decided to part company after the season, bringing to an end a relationship that has lasted for the past 18 years.

The Champ Car Atlantic Championship will feature a new exclusive tire supplier and series sponsor beginning in 2007. The series is expected to announce this new partnership within the next few days.

“The Atlantic series thanks Yokohama for their unwavering support and dedication over the years,” said Vicki O’Connor, Managing Director of the Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. “Yokohama has been a valued partner of the series for over 18 years and throughout the changes in Atlantic competition over that period, Yokohama tires have remained reliable and have certainly helped raise the level of racing to where it is today. The relationship will continue through the end of the 2006 season and we wish Yokohama nothing but the best of luck for the future.”

The Atlantic series and Yokohama first began their association in 1989 when Yokohama signed on as an official sponsor and tire supplier for North America’s top open-wheel development series. While the two companies have agreed to part ways after this season, both remain committed to one another for 2006. Yokohama will continue to support its Atlantic partnership this season through its series tire contingency program, its presence at all events and series test sessions with its at-track partner, Trackside Performance, and its Yokohama Dealer Challenge.

“Over our 18 years of partnership with the Atlantic Championship, we have been privileged to witness the birth of so many great careers, whether it was drivers, mechanics, owners or marketing personnel,” said Robert Dole, Product Promotions Manager for Yokohama. “We are very proud to have been part of the series, through all its phases, and now to see it grow to the level it is today. While 2006 will mark the end of our run, we intend to make it our best season yet, including the tire contingency program and our innovative dealer activation program. In fact, we look forward to the season-ending celebration when one of Yokohama’s independent dealers will actually be part of the winning Champ Car Atlantic Championship team.”

Created this season, the unique dealer activation program offers eight top Yokohama dealers from across the country an opportunity to support and follow 24 of the current Atlantic drivers in their pursuit of the elusive series championship by carrying the dealer’s name and logo on the select Atlantic machines in 2006.

“We express our thanks and gratitude to everyone at the Atlantic Championship and Champ Car for such a great relationship, especially Vicki O’Connor,” added Dole. “The heart and drive of Vicki and her staff is the key reason Atlantics is the top driver development series in the world and we will miss everyone.”

Tough day for Gelles boys at Houston
Photos © Champ Car Atlantics
HOUSTON (May 13, 2006) — Robbie Pecorari and Stephen Simpson had a tough day on the street race track around Reliant Center in Houston as race incidents marred their race in the second round of the Atlantic Champ Car series. Staring from 6th row, Simpson's day was cut short in the first corner when the funneling effect saw a car push him over the wheel of the car in front of him. He became a passenger until his Western Union machine hit the wall and ended his day. A few laps later, Robbie Pecorari came charging hard in the same corner, braked deep in the corner and was side by side with another car when it suddenly turned early in the corner and cars made contact. Pecorari had to pit for a flat tire and nose cone repair. He resumed racing and finished in 18th place.

"I'm very disappointed,” declared South African Simpson. “I saw the cars stopping and I felt a wave coming to me: I tried to go left where I had some room and I was hit from behind by another car and my front right tire rolled over the left rear of the car in front of me. I could save the Western Union 14 car and I hit the wall to end my day. It's too bad because I wanted to be patient and open up after a full lap. The car was much better in the morning warm-up and I felt we could have done very well."

"I feel I had made myself pretty visible coming into the corner,” claimed Pecorari. “I knew space was limited and I stayed very close to the wall. But the other car turned sharply into my car and spun in front of me. With the contact, I had to pit on account of a flat tire and wing repairs. But I came back dead last and wound up 18th overall. I have to admit my car was very good in the first laps and kept improving after I had my tire changed. Me and Stephen will have to forget this one and concentrate on the next round next week in Monterrey."

Steadily improving

From practice to qualifying sessions, both Simpson and Pecorari improved their times and their positions on Thursday and Friday. "We worked hard with our engineers Dave Conti and Alan Langridge, both said. Our W-U cars got better every time we took to the track." "But I had to sit on session, added Simpson, when my gearbox was locked. Otherwise my car ran very well."

Next round South of the Border

Gelles Racing enters six cars in the Formula BMW USA Championship and two in the new Atlantic Champ Car Championship. Western Union, BMW of Sterling, Diamon Fusion and Road Block, USA TODAY, Hebert & LeBleu sponsor the team.
 

Debut on Pause: Atlantic Racer Mike Forest recovers before re-focusing on racing
Photos © Champ Car Atlantics
EDMONTON, Canada (April 29, 2006) — It just wasn't supposed to happen like this. Young Canadian racer Mike Forest wasn't supposed to be visiting doctors and looking at MRI results. It's the end of April and Forest is supposed to be huddling with his PR1 Motorsports team planning strategy for the next event on the 2006 Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda schedule at Houston, not just beginning a long, slow rehabilitation process. He's supposed to be poring over data from the season opener at Long Beach, not looking at the calendar trying to circle the day weeks from now when he hopes he'll be able to strap back into his 300-horsepower Atlantic machine.

But here he sits. On the sidelines, as a result of one of those things that just sometimes happen in racing. Forest suffered compression fractures of the 11th and 12th thoracic vertebrae, according to Champ Car Director of Medical Affairs Dr. Chris Pinderski, when his car made hard contact with a tire wall during the opening round of qualifying at Long Beach on Friday, April 7.

Forest, the 24-year-old native of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, was off to a solid start in his rookie Champ Car Atlantic season. He logged more miles than anyone in his #32 Miracle Sealants/The Spirit of Edmonton car during pre-season testing at California Speedway and he ran well in the first practice session of the opening weekend in Long Beach, clocking the 17th-fastest lap.

Things were even going well for him in first-round qualifying until something happened out of his control as the final few minutes of the session ticked away. "I was coming out of the fountain turn and was going into third gear. I went to brake and realized the car wasn't slowing down," Forest recalled. "I remember thinking 'am I getting pushed here, or iis there something wrong with the brakes?'"

Forest's car had a problem with its throttle and from there things happened pretty quickly. The tire wall did its job and stopped Forest's machine. But in the process the impact also stopped his season, or at least put it on pause.

"I knew it was a pretty sizeable hit when it happened," said Forest, who admitted that it was probably the biggest accident of his racing career. "It knocked the wind out of me when it happened and I my first thought was, 'well, this sucks' but I figured we might miss Saturday to repair the car and come back for the race on Sunday."

An MRI the morning following the crash revealed the damage in his back and the soreness Forest felt left no doubt that what was supposed to be his debut weekend in Atlantic was now over and he would miss even more time in his rookie season.

After completion of the race, won ironically by Andreas Wirth who suffered a similar injury at the end of last season that forced him to miss the final two races of '05, Forest flew to Indianapolis for further evaluation. Dr. Terry Trammell, Champ Car's Chief Orthopedic Consultant, examined Forest and determined that he needed to let the fractures heal properly before getting back in a race car. Dr. Trammell estimated that Forest would be out of action for approximately 12 weeks while he recovered. That meant the determined Canadian would miss at least the first six rounds of competition in the 12-race Atlantic Championship.

"I was quite upset at first and tried to not get totally discouraged," said Forest, recalling his feelings when he heard the news. "I was just starting to get past that when I watched the race on TV a week later and then I felt those feelings all over again."

But after coming to grips with the fact that he won't be racing for a few weeks, Forest realized that he's got to make the best of a bad situation and he's now focused on getting healthy and doing all that he can from outside the car to help his PR1 Motorsports team.

"Unfortunately it was a situation that I couldn't do anything about," said Forest. "I was looking at this season as a great opportunity to learn and improve and I'll be losing out on a lot of that learning time and that's the most disappointing thing. But this is only going to make me stronger. Unfortunately my off-season is going to be a little longer now, but I'm going to keep training, keep working with the team and keep my focus. When I do get back in the car it will be like the season's starting right now."

Forest said he plans to attend all of the Atlantic events until he's healthy enough to return to racing and he'll "try to learn what I can and help out the team however I can" until he gets the green light.

He's started doing some limited therapy sessions, working on range of motion exercises for his back. After Round 3 of the Atlantic season - May 19-21 in Monterrey, Mexico - he plans to return to Indianapolis to visit Dr. Trammell when he hopes he'll be cleared for more intense physical training prior to getting back in the car.

If there's one silver lining in Forest's plight it's the fact that the accident happened early in the season when he still has a chance to come back and make a strong run in the second half of '06. He also hopes to be able to recover in time to compete at his three home country races in Canada (Toronto, Edmonton and Montreal). In fact, if he has his way, Forest hopes to return to action in time for Round 7 on the streets of Toronto, July 7-9. If not there, then definitely by the time Champ Car and the Atlantic series return to his hometown of Edmonton in Round 8, July 21-23.

"I'm hoping I'll be back by then because that's a pretty important race for me," said Forest. "Every day (the injury) is feeling a lot better. It's mostly just stiffness in the back now. I've got a ways to go, but I'll be back."

Former Atlantic Champion Lee Bentham rejoins Forsythe Racing as Driver Development Coach
Photos © Champ Car Atlantics
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (April 20, 2006) — Forsythe Championship Racing is proud to announce that former Champ Car Atlantic Champion Lee Bentham has rejoined the team as driver development coach for its four-car entry in the 2006 Atlantic Championship. Bentham, who won his 1998 championship driving the #33 Players-Forsythe Atlantic car, has spent the last years working as a professional driver and spokesperson in the realm of corporate events and marketing as well as color commentary work for radio coverage of the Molson Grand Prix of Toronto.

“I was honored to get the call from John Brunner (Forsythe Atlantic Team Manager) about coaching the Atlantic team this year,” said Bentham. “Not only do I have a successful and winning past with Forsythe having won the championship in 1998, but I’ve gained many good friends because of it. I am proud of our history together and am excited for that relationship to continue in this new capacity. After coming to Long Beach and meeting the drivers for the first time, as well as seeing what a great job they have done assembling the crew for an impressive four-car team, I am confident we have the tools we need to accomplish the goals we’ve set our sights on. I’m impressed at all of our drivers for the short time I have known them so far, and look forward to a great season. There is definitely a grid full of talent this season, but the challenges lying ahead will only make our drivers stronger in the end.”

Forsythe Atlantic team manager John Brunner is very happy to be working with Bentham again.” I was Assistant Team Manager back when he won his Championship,” he said, “and I believe his experience will be very beneficial to our four drivers, engineers and entire team. I’m looking forward to winning another championship with him!”

And all the ‘Track Pack’ added their kudos. "Having a driver coach at the race track is very important,” said Leo Maia. “As a driver, you don't always know what you're doing right or wrong all the time. Lee Bentham is the best around and he has a history of success not only in Atlantic, but with Forsythe as well. He was only able to make it to Long Beach on Sunday but he helped me break into the top ten for the first time all weekend. Lee is a champion and will be an invaluable asset to me and my teammates."

And Richard Philippe added, “I'm really excited to have Lee jump on board for this season! He will definitely help all of us with his experience in racing in general. We all met him in Long Beach and he seems like a really cool guy, I can't wait for him to get on the radio and ask me to push more in certain corners! Once again Forsythe provides the best of the best!”

The Forsythe Championship Racing Atlantic Team next heads to Houston, Texas in early May for a week of testing and racing. On Sunday and Monday, May 7-8, the team will join other Atlantic teams for two days of testing at MSR Houston Raceway south of town (not open to the public). Following that test, the team will pack up the two Forsythe Atlantic transporters and move to the grounds of Reliant Stadium and the Astrodome for the Grand Prix of Houston, May 11-13. This new event marks Round 2 of the Series as Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Presented by Mazda, with the Atlantic “Fast Trac 100” race scheduled for 5:15pm local/CT (6:15 ET, 22:15 UTC). The race can be seen live on the Internet by visiting the official website of Atlantic at www.champcaratlantic.com, and tape-delayed on Speed TV Saturday, May 20th at 1pm ET.
 

Atlantic Open Test concludes at California Speedway
Jonathan Bomarito leading deep and fast field
Photos © Champ Car Atlantics
FONTANA, California (March 22, 2006)  — The last two days offered the first opportunity for the teams of the Yokohama Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda to test the brand-new 2006 Atlantic cars. But after viewing the results of Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s test sessions at the California Speedway infield road course, it seemed as if American rising star Jonathan Bomarito had been driving the new Atlantic since his feet could reach the pedals.

Testing under sunny skies and 70-degree temperatures Wednesday on the 1.495-mile road circuit, Atlantic competitors continued to log the miles while they tested the limits of the new Mazda-Cosworth/Swift 016.a/Yokohama machine. With the 2006 season opener fast approaching, Atlantic teams took full advantage of the perfect testing conditions to make final preparations on their cars before the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 7-9.

Bomarito and the PR1 Motorsports team seemed to dial in quickly on the setup of the new car as the Monterey, California native posted the top lap in three of the four timed sessions over the course of the two-day test. Overall, Bomarito’s quick time of 58.311 (92.298 mph), established in Wednesday’s morning session, surfaced as the top mark among all 29 drivers that recorded times at the open test.

“I’m a little surprised because I thought we’d have more development on the car throughout the test because it is so new and we’re still figuring it out, but we were fast from the word ‘go’ and that just shows how good the team is,” said Bomarito, the 2003 U.S. Formula Ford Zetec champion. The 24-year-old had the distinction of leading a very competitive field of testers that saw the top 19 lap times separated by less than a second. “This Atlantic field is going to be unbelievable,” added Bomarito. “I’ve never seen anything like it. There’s got to be 20 guys out there that can win a race this year.”

Another one of those talented racers is South African Stephen Simpson. The Gelles Racing pilot emerged with the second-fastest time of the test as he clocked a lap of 58.389 (92.175 mph), also in the Wednesday morning session. “It’s been a very good first two days in Champ Car Atlantic,” said the 22-year-old Simpson, who’s been racing for his native country over the last few months in the A1 Grand Prix series. “I got to know the team and I got to develop the car as best as possible before Long Beach. Overall the car was great to drive, very enjoyable. It was a good day for us today. I can’t wait for Long Beach in two weeks time.”

After finishing with the third-fastest lap on the scoring chart Tuesday, James Hinchcliffe of Canada finished in