PR1 Motorsports to offer Atlantic test for Pacific F2000 Champ
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."