| RYAN HUNTER-REAY TEAMS UP WITH ROCKETSPORTS RACING |
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Champ Car World Series winner, Ryan Hunter-Reay, has teamed up with Rocketsports Racing for 2005. The ambitious American driver was officially announced today (8 March 2005) as he began testing duties for his new team. Both Hunter-Reay and the Rocketsports team are now entering their third year of Champ Car competition and will kick off the new season at Long Beach, California, on 10 April. The most notable of Hunter-Reay's victories is a dominating flag-to-flag win at the Milwaukee Mile in 2004. With that win Ryan surpassed Nigel Mansell's record for the most laps led in a race and became the youngest American to ever win a Champ Car oval race. He is the first American in over 20 years to have won in his rookie season and the only American driver to have won races in the last two seasons. Hunter-Reay is looking forward to the opportunity to work with the Rocketsports organisation, driving the No. 31 Rocketsports Lola. “It's a great opportunity for me and another step forward in my Champ Car career,” said Hunter-Reay. “The potential to win races is there, proven by Alex's (Tagliani) victory last year. Paul (Gentilozzi) has put together an excellent program and I know that I will fit into that program very well and our driver/team learning curve will be short”. Rocketsports became a two-car team in 2004 after a successful 2003 season with two poles, two podiums and 11 Top-10 finishes. Last year Alex Tagliani handed Rocketsports its first victory at Road America in August. Rocketsports owner, Paul Gentilozzi is confident that Hunter-Reay will add to the performance of the team. “Ryan is a great talent behind the wheel,” said Gentilozzi. “There is a reason Ryan was honoured with the Greg Moore Legacy Award last year. He is a well-rounded driver and will bring a lot of knowledge and talent to Rocketsports. Signing Ryan is part of the continuing process to put the right people in place to build on the success we have had. With Ryan joining us for 2005, I expect to be a regular in victory circle this year.” |
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