Three Teams Announce Testing Sessions Beginning September 24th
by Allan Brewer
allan@indyproracer.com
and
Linda K Mansfield
LindaKMansfield@cs.com
The time to test in preparation for the 2008 Indy Pro Series season is upon us.
Beginning next week, on Monday (September 24th), as many as five Indy Pro Series drivers and three teams will take to the track to ready themselves for a run at the 2008 title and the Firestone Firehawk Cup.
The end of the season at Chicagoland on September 9th begins a window of nearly six months for teams to test their machines as much as they like, without restriction.
Former series champion Wade Cunningham and regular driver Brad Jaeger will test the Brian Stewart Racing Dallara's at the Milwaukee Mile on Monday to kick off the post-season testing.
Ken Losch and Mike Potekhen of Apex Racing will rev it up two hours later on the same day at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix.
Andersen Racing Announces Ambitious Off-Season Testing Regimen
Potential Formula 2000, Star Mazda and Indy Pro Series drivers have a golden opportunity to test with one of the top formula car teams in North America, Andersen Racing, in the off-season.
The Fairfield, N.J.-based organization fields multiple cars in all three series to offer one of the most comprehensive driver development programs in motorsports.
Drivers from racing schools, karting or other series can begin with the team's F2000 program and then advance to Star Mazda and then the Indy Pro Series.
Andersen Racing is the official Indy Pro Series team of IndyCar's Rahal Letterman Racing (RLR).
In preparation for the 2008 season Andersen Racing has already scheduled 16 test days at four different tracks in the coming months, and it has set aside time to test potential new drivers for all three series during those test days.
Some of its current drivers will be exploring their next level, as each of Andersen Racing's full-season drivers earns a test at the next-highest level at season's end. For example, two of Andersen Racing's current Star Mazda drivers, Jonathan Goring and Jonny Baker, will be awarded tests in one of the team's Indy Pro Series cars sometime this fall.
Although the Star Mazda season finale isn't until October 20th, Andersen Racing's Star Mazda team will test at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) in Alton, Va. October 9th-10th. The 2007 Team USA Scholarship winners, Patrick Barrett and Joel Miller, are slated to drive one of the Andersen Racing Star Mazda cars on October 9th, while other potential new drivers will get a similar opportunity on October 10th. Andersen Racing's F2000 team will test potential drivers both days.
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RLR/Andersen Racing's Andrew Prendeville.
Photo: AllanBrewer |
The action will switch to the oval at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla., on October 16th-17th. Returning Indy Pro Series driver Andrew Prendeville will test his Best Friends Animal Society No. 5. The team's other Indy Pro Series car will be used for testing his potential teammates as well as being available for drivers wishing to take the Indy Pro Series rookie test that the series requires.
The RLR/Andersen Racing Indy Pro Series team will conduct similar tests at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla. October 22nd-23rd and January 24th-25th, and on Homestead's road course November 1st.
Additional F2000 and Star Mazda test days have been set aside for the team at VIR November 15th-16th and on Sebring's long course on January 7th-8th. The F2000 team will also test potential new drivers at Palmetto, Fla. December 3rd-5th.
Full details on all of the tests and Andersen Racing's complete program may be obtained by calling the team office at (973) 287-5600 or by e-mailing team owner Dan Andersen at dandersen@andersenracingteam.com.
"Andersen Racing has scheduled these testing opportunities to allow potential drivers on all three levels a chance to experience the way we do things," Andersen said. "We're searching for the right drivers for 2008 and hope to finalize our lineups by early December. Engineering personnel from our Indy Pro Series team and occasionally from Rahal Letterman Racing will be in attendance to assist in our driver selection for 2008. We have the cars, technical knowledge and the crews to win races and championships, and we intend to do so.
"Young drivers' families face bewildering choices as they try to find the best opportunities to advance their sons and daughters' careers," Andersen added. "We offer a ladder system based on our many years in the sport and the golden rule. We've assembled experienced, well-respected personnel and we have great equipment. We want to offer rising stars one comprehensive home and give them everything they need to make it to the major leagues."
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