For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
Cell: (317) 201-0729
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
 
 
 
 
Andersen Racing Completes Nearly 2,000 Miles
In Two-Day Test at Sebring
In Preparation for Star Mazda Season Opener
 
PALMETTO, Fla., Jan. 16 - Andersen Racing, the reigning team champion of the 
Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, recorded nearly 2,000 total 
miles in a two-day test of four of its Star Mazda cars last week at Sebring 
International Raceway.  
 
The 2009 season opener will be held at that road course in Sebring, Fla., on 
March 20 as part of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring program.
 
Piloting the four cars on Sebring's long course were Conor Daly of 
Noblesville, Ind., the 2008 Skip Barber National champion; Richard Kent of Clifton 
Reynes, England, who won the 2008 Star Mazda season finale; Gabby Chaves of Bogota, 
Columbia, who excelled in Skip Barber and in selected Formula BMW events last 
year; and Adam Christodoulou of Litchfield, England, who won the highly 
competitive British Formula Renault Championship last year. 
 
"None of the drivers had any incidents whatsoever, and we got a lot 
accomplished," said Dan Andersen, co-owner of the Palmetto, Fla.-based team.  "The 
drivers were able to become familiar with the track.  We worked on a number of 
set-up changes for all of the cars, and did qualifying and race-simulation runs.  
The team worked very well together, and our engineering staff gathered quite 
a lot of data for analysis prior to the next test, which is scheduled for Jan. 
27-28 at Sebring."
 
Daly and Kent are already signed with the team for the 2009 season.  Chaves 
isn't old enough to compete in Star Mazda this year, but he may join Andersen 
Racing's new Formula BMW team this season and may also do some selected Star 
Mazda races later in the year after he turns 16. Christodoulou's plans are 
uncertain, but he thoroughly enjoyed his first taste of American racing.
 
For more information on joining the team, contact Andersen at 
dandersen@andersenracingteam.com or (201) 532-9630.
 
Andersen Racing offers one of the most comprehensive driver development 
programs in open-wheel racing. In 2009 it plans to field multiple entries in 
karting, Formula BMW, Star Mazda and the Firestone Indy Lights Series.  The team, 
which is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp., is the official 
development team of Rahal Letterman Racing, which competes in the IndyCar Series and the 
American Le Mans Series.
 
The team's Web site is at andersenracingteam.com. Information on the team's 
1-mile road course test track at its headquarters can be found online at 
andersenracepark.com. 
 
Driver quotes follow:
 
Conor Daly: ""I think my first test as officially part of Andersen Racing 
went very well! 
 
"After lunch on the first day we started having a bit of brake troubles.  It 
was a strange problem, but Dave [DeMarchi, a lead mechanic] and the whole crew 
worked really hard to identify and fix it!  Once we had the brakes sorted out 
it took me a little while to regain my confidence under braking because I 
hadn't had sufficient stopping power for quite some time.  
 
"Late in the day on Tuesday we really started to make great set-up changes 
and the car started working very well. I was pleased at the end of the day with 
some quick laps and a very good-handling car.  This test provided a wealth of 
information that will undoubtedly help the team throughout the season."
 
Richard Kent: "It was a great way to start the year! We learned a lot 
throughout the test, and what a fantastic circuit to make my debut as an official 
Andersen Racing driver. I'm really looking forward to being back in the car for 
the first official tests at the end of the month."
 
Gabby Chaves: "I knew that this was a test worth doing. It was with a great 
car, one of the best teams in the series and three other great drivers. 
 
"The first time I got in the car I couldn't believe the power and grip on the 
really fast corners; it was simply amazing!
 
"After getting used to the car I focused on working with the team to improve 
the car and my technique for the car. I really liked the way the entire team 
actually worked together. There was no hidden information between the drivers 
and no secrets. 
 
"After the two-day test I came to my own conclusion that I will try to run 
with Andersen Racing for the FBMW 2009 season."
 
Adam Christodoulou: "Wow! What an impression America has given me on my first 
trip over! 
 
"When I saw the car for the first time it was a little bit more compact than 
I expected, but when I was eventually let loose in it, it definitely made me 
hold on tight. It gives you a nice kick down the straights, and it's pretty 
stuck to the track on the high-speed corners. 
 
"When I got to the track I realized how much bigger everything was in 
America. The track seemed endless, especially when it takes just over 2 minutes to 
get back to the first corner after leaving the pits. The straights on the track 
seemed never ending, as well as the first and last corners. It's definitely 
not the easiest of tracks to drive. Some of the corners have some harsh bumps so 
you have to be ready for them when you're racing on the edge. 
  
"I knew the test was going to be challenging. I had to learn the car, the 
track and how the team works. I felt even though it was quite a steep learning 
curve, I coped with it well. I'd like to think I left a good impression.
 
"The team set up was very professional. I looked through the data and the 
video footage with the engineers and the driver coach, and by the end of the 
first day I was on the pace with the other drivers. 
 
"One major difference to what I'm used to is that Star Mazda races are 45 
minutes long, so for my last stint of the two-day test we did a race simulation 
that went smoothly. 
  
"My thoughts of the few days that I have spent out here are the team is 
extremely passionate about their racing, the team and their drivers. They're out 
there to do a job, which is to win races, and as everyone's seen they've proven 
they can do that.
 
"Nothing has been confirmed at the moment, but if I was to race in America, 
then Andersen Racing would be the team to be with."
 
 
 
About Allied Building Products Corp.:
 
Allied Building Products Corp., headquartered in East Rutherford, N.J., is 
one of the largest roofing and siding distributors in the United States. Founded 
in 1950 with five employees and two trucks, today it is a $1.8 billion 
building material distribution company with over 3,500 employees, more than 200 
branches in 30 states, well over one million square feet of office and warehouse 
space, and an inventory of approximately 85,000 products, from residential 
roofing and siding to doors, windows, waterproofing, manufactured stone, interior 
products and commercial roofing systems. For more information see 
alliedbuilding.com.
 
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, Star Mazda 
(televised on SPEED) 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/Ander
sen 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, brother 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. 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 andersenracingteam.com and 
andersenracepark.com.