For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
Cell: (317) 201-0729
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
Miller Joins Andersen Racing's
Star Mazda Squad,
Effective Immediately
PALMETTO, Fla., July 2 - Andersen Racing's 2009 driver roster, which is
already oozing with some of the most talented young formula car drivers in the
world, garnered another top name today with the announcement that Joel
Miller has joined the Palmetto, Fla.-based team's Star Mazda squad, effective
immediately.
Miller, 21, of Hesperia, Calif., finished second in the 2008 Star Mazda
championship presented by Goodyear. He's currently third in the 2009 driver
point standings with five top-five finishes in the first six races of the
13-race season.
His first race with Andersen Racing, the defending Star Mazda team
champion, will be on Friday, July 10 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.
Miller's Star Mazda campaign is sponsored in part by Fader Higher
Production, eSoles Custom Footbeds, Doug Mockett & Co., Burns Truck & Trailer and
Brazos Bend Energy Services.
"We are thrilled to be able to add another star-quality driver to our
already strong Star Mazda lineup for 2009," said Andersen Racing co-owner Dan Ande
rsen. "Joel has clear talent and experience, and he is someone we have
sought since his days in Skip Barber. We expect him to win races and join our
other drivers in challenging for the championship."
Miller tested with the team on Monday at the Autobahn Chicago circuit in
Joliet, Ill., which will host Rounds 8 and 9 of the series on July 25-26.
That test went extremely well, according to Andersen Racing's team manager,
Michelle Kish.
"My times were very close to both Richard Kent's and Conor Daly's," noted
Miller of two of his new teammates. Daly, of Noblesville, Ind., is currently
seventh in the point standings while Kent, of Clifton Reynes, England, is
ninth. Each has one victory already this season.
Other members of Andersen Racing's Star Mazda squad include Mikael Grenier
of Stoneham, Quebec, who is currently tenth in points, and Denis Navarro of
Sao Paulo, Brazil, who is 13th. They didn't participate in Monday's test.
Miller had a distinguished career in karting before he advanced to formula c
ar racing, and he still lists winning the U.S. National ICA Karting
Championship for Tony Kart as his most memorable racing achievement.
He was awarded the Skip Barber National series full-season scholarship at
the end of the 2006 season by the Stars of Karting series. He didn't
disappoint them, as he won the Skip Barber National championship the following year
with five victories and 10 podium finishes in 14 starts. He also was
selected for the Team USA scholarship in 2007, which gave him a taste of
competition in Europe. With the Skip Barber title, Mazda stepped up to the plate by
naming him to its MAZDASPEED Motorsports driver development program for 2008,
where he finished second in the Star Mazda series.
While doing all of this he also was his high school class's salutatorian
with a 4.0 grade point average upon graduation in 2006. In the fall he'll
continue his studies as a mechanical engineering major at the University of
California, Riverside. He's taking a summer course with that institution now
too.
Monday's session was not Miller's first test with Andersen Racing, as he
tested one of the team's Firestone Indy Lights cars last November at Sebring
International Raceway in Sebring, Fla. That was his first opportunity to
drive a Firestone Indy Lights car, and Andersen Racing's participation in that
series is one of the reasons that Miller wanted to join its unique, four-step
driver development program. The team offers programs in karting, Formula
BMW, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights as it strives to be the group
offering the most comprehensive driver development program available anywhere.
It is the development team of Rahal Letterman Racing, which competes in
selected races in the IndyCar Series as well as full-time in the American Le Mans
Series.
"That Firestone Indy Lights test went very well too," Miller noted. "I
know that Andersen Racing prepares cars that can win, not only in Star Mazda
but also in Firestone Indy Lights. Since my goal is the Indy 500, I need to
be in the Firestone Indy Lights series. In addition to Star Mazda I hope to
do some one-offs in that series this year, and run full-time in it next
season."
Andersen Racing is currently second in the team standings in both Star
Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights. One of its Firestone Indy Lights drivers,
Jonathan Summerton of Kissimmee, Fla., led the Firestone Indy Lights points
standings in May. The team's Mario Romancini is second in the current Firestone
Indy Lights standings. Romancini, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, recorded four
top-five finishes in the last four races, including a victory at Milwaukee.
Other Andersen Racing Firestone Indy Lights drivers include Ireland's Ali
Jackson and Chile's Pablo Donoso.
For more information on Miller, see his Web site at joelmillerracing.com.
Andersen Racing, which is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. and
Lafarge North America, has a presence on the Internet at andersenracingteam.com
and andersenracepark.com. The latter site offers information about the
team's 1-mile road course test track at its headquarters in Palmetto, Fla.
The Star Mazda series' Web site is at starmazda.com.
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
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. 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.