RLR/Andersen Racing Signs Prendeville
The 2007 season was the first for both Prendeville and the Palmetto, Fla.-based team in the Indy Pro Series, the official development series of IndyCar.
Prendeville, who moved from New Jersey to Las Vegas over the Christmas holiday, recorded seven top-10 finishes in the Indy Pro Series last year. He ran as high as second in his first race at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, set the fastest lap of that race, and went on to finish fourth. He gave RLR/Andersen Racing its first podium in Indy Pro Series competition by finishing third in the next-to-last race of the season.
RLR/Andersen Racing strives to provide the best possible training for future open-wheel stars and give them one central home during the time they race in support series. It fields multiple entries in the F2000 Championship Series, Star Mazda and the Indy Pro Series, and it is the official development team of Rahal Letterman Racing. Prendeville is a perfect example of the team's work, as he is one of its former F2000 drivers.
"We are thrilled that Andrew has decided to do a second year with us in the Indy Pro Series," said team co-owner Dan Andersen. "Based on his first-year effort, we believe very strongly that he will be a winner in 2008. He has talent, discipline and focus, and he will challenge all year for the title."
"All of us had to learn about the cars and most of the tracks last year, so this year we will be much better out of the box," added John Andersen, team co-owner and its Indy Pro Series team manager.
"Kansas Speedway is the only new venue on the schedule," elaborated Prendeville, 26. "I will have raced at all of the tracks before except for that one. That wasn't the case in 2007, when most of the tracks were new to both the team and me. Not having to learn a new track from scratch on the race weekend will definitely help.
"I feel far better prepared for the 2008 season than I was at this time last year," Prendeville continued. "We did four test days in October which allowed us to solidify a lot of things and answer some questions we hadn't had time to work on during the 2007 season.
"I'm very happy to be working with the Cape brothers again," added Prendeville, referring to engineers Dominic and Nicholas Cape. "I'm also very happy that Will Paul, my lead mechanic, will be back with us. The continuity of working with the Capes and having the same lead mechanic as last year should be very beneficial.
"I think the preparations that we've been making in the last four months will pay off at the season opener at Homestead, and carry through the rest of the season," he predicted.
"We'll again donate signage on my car to the Best Friends Animal Society," added Prendeville, referring to America's largest no-kill animal sanctuary located in Kanab, Utah. "We'll be expanding our Racing Laps for Best Friends program in 2008; details will follow soon.
"I also hope that fans will tune in to 'Dogtown,' a new weekly TV series about Best Friends that will debut on the National Geographic channel tonight, Friday, Jan. 4," added Prendeville. "National Geographic has produced three episodes, which will air at 9 p.m. Eastern on Jan. 4, Jan. 11 and Jan. 18. If the series proves successful, additional episodes will be produced and broadcast."
The 16-race 2008 Indy Pro Series season begins Saturday, March 29 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla. The complete schedule is posted at indycar.com/pro. The races are televised on ESPN2.