US RaceTronics Sizes Up the Competition

US RaceTronics (USRT) headed to Sebring International Raceway last week to participate in the first series-sanctioned open test of 2007. And while the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda season opener in Las Vegas is a full two months away the team used this test as a critical part in preparing for the season. Both USRT drivers David Garza and Carl Skerlong put some serious mileage on the cars during the two day test. As the team continued to gel and the drivers continued to get comfortable with the cars, by the end of the test it was evident that this year’s talent pool was top notch.

Asked about the test USRT Team Owner Shane Seneviratne commented, “Overall I was pleased with the results. With each test we keep making progress. The fact that it rained on the second day really helped us in that it gave Carl and David some valuable experience running in the rain and helped us get familiar with our wet setup with the Cooper tires". “The competition this year is going to be very close so hard work and smart decision making is going to help us greatly", adds Seneviratne.

For David Garza who will be piloting the # 4 Axtel/Madisa/Tecate/US RaceTronics Swift Mazda-Cosworth in 2007 the test confirmed what he knew already, that this year the competition would be fierce. “The test at Sebring went well. We learned a lot about the car’s setup and how to work on the new tires, but most of all we learned how hard it is going to be just to be at the front of the grid. One small mistake can put you back 5 or 6 positions and every tenth is really fought out. This just means we have to work harder and the good results will come", states Garza.

For Carl Skerlong who will pilot the # 24 King Taco/US RaceTronics Swift Mazda-Cosworth entry, the test also solidified the notion that this was going to be a demanding year for all drivers. “This is going to be a super competitive championship this season," reflected Skerlong. “We spent the test working on a lot of different things with both the car and my driving style but you could see by how close the lap times were the level of competition in the Atlantics. It’s good to spend more time with the team and we worked on our communication process as we develop our relationship ahead of the start of the season. We accomplished a lot more than the lap times reflect and we definitely have a good starting point in terms of our car’s set-up prior to the next official test."

US RaceTronics returns to testing mode in a couple of weeks at MSR Houston road circuit in Angleton, Texas. The 2007 season officially gets underway at the inaugural Vegas Grand Prix Fueled by Visa, April 6th – 8th in Las Vegas.