Bowlin And Ostella Progressing With AIM Autosport

Woodbridge, August 4, 2010: AIM Autosport’s Formula Mazda drivers, Walt Bowlin and David Ostella showed continued improvement in their racing skills last weekend at Autobahn Country Club in rounds eight and nine of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. In both races, Walt finished third in the Masters Class while, in the overall championship, David finished fourth on Saturday, then retired from Sunday’s race with a gear selection issue. AIM is working with these very different individuals to help them achieve the same thing, become faster race drivers.

Walt and David came to AIM with vastly different ambitions: David aspires to a racing career and looks to AIM to provide a progression toward his goal of becoming a full-time racing driver. Walt, on the other hand, is a successful jaw surgeon and is essentially races for pleasure. In AIM’s Formula Mazda program and the Star Mazda series, he found maximum speed and performance for his money.

Keith Willis, AIM Autosport principal and Formula Mazda Chief Engineer, has been closely involved in the process and sees the progress created by his efforts.

In only his second year of racing, Walt lacks experience—particularly as he missed most of this season with an injury. In his first races this year, AIM was helping him with the basics like braking and cornering. Last weekend in Illinois, Keith introduced some techniques and strategy, information that helped Walt become faster are gave him the confidence to make passes. Walt is now able to match the pace of his Masters Class competitors and, on Sunday, even executed some nice passing manoeuvres.

David has plenty of racing experience, but needs to adapt his driving style to suit his current Star Mazda racing machinery. While this refinement takes place, AIM is trading off optimum set up in order to provide a car that suits David’s evolving style. Ultimately, driving style and set up should mesh to yield top results.

AIM Autosport’s Formula Mazda team scored its best result of the year last weekend, and given continued progress of its drivers, hopes to achieve even better results in the final four races of the 2010 season.