For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
Cell: (317) 201-0729
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE MEDIA UPON REQUEST
RLR/Andersen Firestone Indy Lights Car
Is a Big Hit in Lafarge Booth
At INTEX Expo in Nashville
NASHVILLE, March 30 - Just two weeks after Andersen Racing announced a new
relationship with Lafarge North America, one of its Firestone Indy Lights
drivers and cars were being used to draw attention to the Lafarge booth at a trade
show held last weekend at the Nashville Convention Center.
Lafarge North America, a Lafarge Group company, is the largest diversified
supplier of construction materials in the United States and Canada.
RLR/Andersen Racing driver Mario Romancini, a rookie in the Firestone Indy
Lights series, met show-goers and pointed out features of his race car on
display in the Lafarge booth at the INTEX (Interior Exterior Commercial
Construction) Expo. The INTEX Expo is co-sponsored by the Association of the Wall and
Ceiling Industry (AWCI) and the Ceilings and Interior Systems Construction
Association (CISCA).
Romancini signed autographs and distributed free RLR/Andersen Racing and
Firestone Racing hats while supplies lasted at the industry-only show, which
attracted over 2,500 people. The tire manufacturer, which is based in Nashville,
has a long relationship with both the Indy Racing League and Lafarge.
"The show was a big success for us" said Harry Lubitz, director of marketing
for Lafarge North America's Gypsum Division. "Having Mario and his car in our
booth was a show-stopper. Not only did it tie in with the theme of our booth,
"Faster to a better finish" and our products Rapid Deco and Rapid Coat, it
was a great way to kick off our partnership and show our support for Andersen
Racing."
"The INTEX Expo trade show was a great event for both Andersen Racing and our
new partner, Lafarge North America," said team co-owner John Andersen. "It
gave us the opportunity to bring excitement to the Lafarge booth and to help
promote its new product line. It was also an opportunity to introduce the
Andersen Racing Firestone Indy Lights team to the thousands of show attendees, and
to show the marketability of racing to other building product companies."
"Being at the show was an amazing opportunity," added Romancini. "People
were very interested in our car and the championship, and asked good questions.
In addition, I was able to learn more about Lafarge and its products. I got
to meet executives from different divisions of the company, as well as many
Lafarge customers. It was a very good experience."
Romancini, 21, a native of São Paulo, Brazil now living in Miami, as well as
his teammate, Jonathan Summerton, 20, of Kissimmee, Fla., will be in action
this weekend at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on that Florida city's
street course. Two 40-lap Firestone Indy Lights races will be held as part of
the program, one at 4:45 p.m. Saturday and one at 10 a.m. Sunday. They will be
broadcast on VERSUS on a tape-delayed basis at 6 p.m. Eastern time on Monday,
April 6.
Andersen Racing is the official development team of Rahal Letterman Racing.
The team is based at Andersen RacePark in Palmetto, Fla. It strives to
provide the best training available anywhere for future open-wheel stars, and offers
programs in karting, Formula BMW Americas, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy
Lights. The team's Web site is at andersenracingteam.com.
Lafarge North America's Web site is at lafarge-na.com.
Information on Firestone Indy Lights can be found on-line at indycar.com/pro.
About the Lafarge Group:
The Lafarge Group is the world leader in building materials, with
top-ranking positions in all of its businesses: cement, aggregates and
concrete, and gypsum. With 83,000 employees in 78 countries, the Group posted
sales of 19.0 billion Euros in 2008.
Lafarge North America Inc. ("Lafarge North America" or "Lafarge"), a
Lafarge Group company, is the largest diversified supplier of construction materials
in the United States and Canada.
In 2009 and for the fifth year in a row, the Lafarge Group was listed in the
"Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World." With the world's
leading building materials research facility, the Lafarge Group places
innovation at the heart of its priorities, working for sustainable construction and
architectural creativity.
For more information about Lafarge North America, go to lafarge-na.com or
contact Louise Muth, director of external communications, at (703) 480-3707.
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
andersenracingteam.com and andersenracepark.com.