Andersen Racing Leads the Way Again By Establishing Unprecedented Testing Program For Qualified Karters and Formula Car Drivers

PALMETTO, April 15, 2009: Career-minded karters poised to advance to race cars and current formula car drivers wishing to hone their skills and display them to one of the leading open-wheel development teams in North America will be excited to learn of Andersen Racing’s new, unprecedented Formula BMW testing program.

Qualified drivers will be able to participate in a customized program under the direction of key team personnel in one-, two- or three-day formats at Andersen RacePark, the team’s 1-mile road course test track in Palmetto, Fla.

The program provides serious young racers with concentrated seat time and professional instruction that will be beneficial regardless of which series in which they decide to compete. It is particularly excellent for those attempting to secure an $80,000 Formula BMW scholarship being offered towards that series in Europe. The team will also use it to evaluate driver talent for its own North American pro karting, Formula BMW Americas, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights teams.

In the recommended three-day program, on Day 1 drivers will learn the proper techniques for upshifts, downshifts, blipping, left-foot braking, brake pedal modulation and stopping distances for a Formula BMW race car while maintaining proper lines and consistency from lap to lap. Day 2 will focus on an introduction to data acquisition, how to outline a track map, how to make the most of in-car camera feedback, and tips on relaying information to engineers and mechanics.

Systematic chassis changes will be undertaken on Day 3 to explain how each change affects the car’s balance. Wing and roll bar sweeps; camber, shock and spring sweeps; and ride height and rake adjustments will be covered. Race weekend sessions will be simulated, and driver-crew communication skills will be developed further with aids like team debriefing sheets, video data feedback and tips on getting the most benefits possible from driver coaches.

Participants will also have the option to add two more days to their testing program as extra lapping days to refine the skills they learned in the first three days. These additional days can occur at either Andersen RacePark or at other Florida facilities. Dates for all the different formats can occur year-round but are determined on an individual basis.

Prices start at $3,000 per day at Andersen RacePark and include the use of a current Formula BMW race car; one set of new tires; fuel; normal wear and tear on the car; an engineer; crew chief and driver coach. All crash damage or damage deemed by the team to be the driver’s fault will be the responsibility of the driver. Current Formula BMW drivers who wish to use their own race car and tires for the test will receive a reduced rate. Prices for the testing sessions at other tracks will be determined on an individual basis.

“As a team whose main goal is driver development, this new program in a current Formula BMW race car is exactly what many young drivers need as they hone their skills and move up racing’s ladder,” said team co-owner Dan Andersen. “We have intentionally kept the costs down to be able to offer this to as many people as possible. Since we have our own test track and our own professional karting, Formula BMW, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights teams, we are in a unique position to provide training and seat time to drivers who could someday become a member of one of our pro teams.”

For more information on the Formula BMW testing program, contact Jonny Baker, the team’s talent scout, at (941) 723-3900, extension 306. Sponsored by Allied Interior Products and Lafarge North America, Andersen Racing is the official development team of Rahal Letterman Racing.

The team’s Web site is located at andersenracingteam.com. Information on the team’s 1-mile road course test track at its headquarters can be found online at andersenracepark.com.

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About Andersen Racing: Andersen Racing strives to provide the best and most comprehensive training possible for future open-wheel superstars while giving its marketing partners media exposure and hospitality opportunities at some of the most prestigious events in North America. It provides a unique, four-step program utilizing multiple entries in four different platforms: karting, Formula BMW Americas, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights (televised on VERSUS). In 2008 it fielded multiple entries in 42 races in 18 states and provinces at some of the best facilities on the continent, including the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Andersen Racing won the team championship for 2008 for both the F2000 Championship Series presented by Hoosier Racing Tire and the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. Two of its drivers finished first and second in the F2000 driver point standings, while another was sixth. Three of its Star Mazda drivers placed third, fifth and sixth in that series' driver standings. RLR/Andersen Racing finished sixth in the 2008 Firestone Indy Lights team standings, while one of its drivers placed fifth in that series' driver point standings.

Andersen Racing's principals, brothers Dan and John Andersen, have extensive experience in series administration as well as team management. They've worked with many of today's top open-wheel stars, including several Indy 500 winners. Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. and Lafarge North America. It is the official development team of Rahal Letterman Racing, which competes in the IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series. The team is headquartered at Andersen RacePark, an 18-acre facility in Palmetto, Fla. that includes a 1-mile road course test track.

For more information see ANDERSEN RACING.