For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
Cell: (317) 201-0729
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
Jackson Joins RLR/Andersen Racing
For Remainder of 2009
Firestone Indy Lights Season
PALMETTO, Fla., May 4 - Irish race car driver Ali Jackson will join the
team currently topping the Firestone Indy Lights entrant point standings,
RLR/Andersen Racing, for the balance of the 2009 season.
Welcoming the 20-year-old from Belfast, Northern Ireland to the team will
be its two other drivers in the official development series of IndyCar:
points leader Jonathan Summerton of Kissimmee, Fla., and Mario Romancini of Sao
Paulo, Brazil, who got his first series podium finish April 26 in his first
oval-track race ever.
Team co-owner Dan Andersen said the agreement with Jackson is effective
immediately. Although Jackson tested with the team in the off-season, his
first day as an official RLR/Andersen Racing driver will be tomorrow at a test
at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind. in preparation for
the Freedom 100 there on Friday, May 22.
"We tested Ali at Sebring [Florida] in the off-season and found him to be
very talented and fast, and we're pleased to be able to add him to our lineup
in Firestone Indy Lights," Andersen said. "Our three drivers will all
benefit from each other's efforts and data. We believe Ali will bring good
feedback and results to the team."
"I'm very excited to be joining RLR/Andersen Racing; they're a great bunch
of guys," Jackson said. "I tested with the team at Sebring last year and I
was very impressed.
"Dan Andersen worked hard with my management to get the deal done, and I
would like to thank him for that," Jackson added. "Hopefully all the hard
work will pay off with race wins! I wish Guthrie Meyer Racing, my former team,
all the best."
Although Jackson has an impressive racing resume, his 2009 season has
gotten off to a rocky start. He has had contact in two of the previous four
races; his best finish was a sixth at Long Beach, Calif., and he currently lies
16th in the point standings.
A rookie in Firestone Indy Lights, he comes to the series from British
Formula 3 and Formula 3 Asia. He posted three victories in the later series in
2006, becoming the youngest winner in that series' history and finishing
third overall.
Jackson's new car number will be No. 6. He is sponsored by the luxurious
Moyvalley Hotel & Golf Resort in Kildare, Ireland (see moyvalley.com).
Allied Interior Products and Lafarge North America sponsor RLR/Andersen
Racing. Andersen Racing offers programs in karting, Formula BMW and Star Mazda
in addition to Firestone Indy Lights, and it won the team championships in
both Star Mazda and the F2000 Championship Series last year. For more
information on the team, the official development team of Rahal Letterman Racing,
see its Web site at andersenracingteam.com.
Information on the team's 1-mile road course test track at its headquarters
in Palmetto, Fla. can be found on line at andersenracepark.com.
Summerton and Romancini are slated to be guests on Don Kay's
Autosportradio.com show at 7 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday after their first day of testing on
IMS's oval. After logging onto that Web site, click on the "current show"
tab. When the guest page opens, touch "click here to watch live."
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 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. 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.