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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LAPOINT PILOTS MICHAEL SHANK RACING’s NEW SWIFT 014.A

FAIRFIELD, NJ. (December 21, 2001) – Every season, the reigning Formula Ford
2000 Zetec Champion receives a CART Toyota Atlantic Championship Series
sponsored test with an Atlantic team. This season’s test however was
special, as the 2001 Champion, Jason LaPoint, not only got to test an
Atlantic car, but he became one of the first drivers to take the new Swift
014.a out onto a track for official testing.

LaPoint spent Wednesday with veteran Atlantic team, Michael Shank
Racing, on the 2.02-mile Roebling Road Raceway, located 20 miles from
Savannah, Ga. The first part of the day was spent shaking down the new Swift
014.a as it made its first appearance on the track.  In the afternoon MSR
turned LaPoint loose to see what he could do with the new car, and he
continued to show why he will be an Atlantic driver to be reckoned with in
the future. LaPoint, who drove three races in the CART Toyota Atlantic
Championship with Lynx Racing last year, produced instant results.

"Jason came out and set the fastest time at Roebling Road since we have been
coming here," said team owner Michael Shank. "Needless to say, I’m impressed
with the speed, but more so with the feedback he was able to give back to
our engineers. The guy really deserves a shot in this series."

"You could have not asked for a better day to be outside racing in a
car," said LaPoint. "Personally, I had wanted to test with Michael [Shank]
all year because they have always been real supportive of me. It’s great
that the series, Toyota, and Michael Shank Racing made all of this happen."

The test was also the first day on track for Michael Shank Racing’s new
Swift 014.a which will replace the Swift 008.a that the CART Toyota Atlantic
Championship has used since 1998.

"The car really exceeded our expectations," said Shank. "For the first time
out, the car ran virtually flawless.  It really looks
like Swift did their homework on this car. The improvements we asked
for as team owners are there and we’re pretty excited to dig into the car
further in the upcoming months."

"Like any new car, there were some little problems," said LaPoint at the
conclusion of the day. "The changes we made to the chassis during the day
were minor and car was very predictable; what a blast to drive."

Joining LaPoint at the Wednesday test was Matt Green, of Jacksonville, Fla.
The 17 year-old Green dove Michael Shank Racing’s Swift 008. that Martin
Basso drove last year. Green, who is set to take over LaPoint’s Zetec
Championship seat with Richard Morgan Racing this upcoming season, got his
first taste of a CART Toyota Atlantic car, and by the end of the day was
turning laps equal to Shank’s past drivers that had tested at Roebling Road.

"I was really surprised with Matt [Green]," said Shank. "The thought
that a 17-year old with only one year of experience in full size cars could
come in and perform like this is amazing to me. Needless to say, we will be
following Matt’s season in the Formula Ford 2000 Zetec Championship this
year very closely."

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Allan Craighead
Director of Public Relations
Formula Ford 2000 Zetec Championship
P.O Box 11024
87 Fairfield Rd.
Fairfield, NJ  07004
(973) 575-2626
(303) 883-8521 Cell
www.usf2000.com