For media information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
Cell: (317) 201-0729
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
 
 
 
 
Two Canadian Karters Are Indoctrinated
Into the World of USF2000  
During Two-Day Tests at Andersen RacePark
 
PALMETTO, Fla., Feb. 5 - Karters Bryson Schutte of Uxbridge, Ontario and 
Taylor Gates of Ajax, Ontario have a much better understanding of what it 
would take to move from karting to the USF2000 National Championship after 
participating in intensive two-days tests at Andersen RacePark here recently.
 
The tests were prizes awarded by Andersen Racing as part of its role as the 
presenting sponsor of the not-for-profit Toronto Racing Association of 
Karters (TRAK) Series in 2009.  TRAK stages many events at Goodwood Kartways in 
Stouffville, Ontario, Canada.
 
Andersen Racing is one of the most progressive development teams in North 
America.  In addition to having its own 1-mile road course test track at its 
headquarters in Palmetto, Fla., it has a regional and a national karting 
team, a multi-car effort in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, 
and a multi-car effort in Firestone Indy Lights, the official development 
series of the IZOD IndyCar Series.  A sister company, Andersen Promotions, is 
the administrator of the USF2000 National Championship, which is presented 
by Cooper Racing Tires and powered by Mazda.  It is one of two series that 
are part of both the MAZDASPEED Motorsports driver development program and the 
Indy Racing League's Road to Indy program.
 
Schutte, 14, a ninth grader at Uxbridge Secondary School, and Gates, 15, a 
10th grader at Ajax High School, won their two-day tests for their karting 
accomplishments last year.  Schutte was the Junior Rotax TRAK champion, while 
Gates was the Senior Rotax TRAK champion.
 
A third, wild-card prize awarded by the team was split between two other 
karters: Dalton Kellet and Andrew Waring.  Their tests will be conducted next 
month.
 
Andersen Racing and Andersen RacePark personnel have worked hard to develop 
a test program that is a true bridge between karting and formula car 
racing.  Unlike other programs, drivers are not just put into a car with little 
supervision or feedback, nor do they simply follow a leader while making laps. 
 Instead, each driver received one-and-one instruction from a professional 
race car engineer and driver coaches. All sorts of off-track instruction was 
included to cover things like seat fittings, track walks and data 
acquisition.
 
"It's a true, one-on-one course that Andersen Racing is making available to 
drivers from karting and other divisions of motorsports," said Remi 
Lanteigne, the director of engineering for Andersen Racing's Star Mazda team and 
the person who spearheaded the team's sponsorship of TRAK. "Driving techniques 
are important of course, but we try to provide an in-depth knowledge of 
what is expected of professional race car drivers.  We cover what team owners, 
engineers and mechanics want as far as a driver's behavior and 
professionalism.  We talk about seat fittings and pedal placements, what to ask during a 
test, what to look for when walking a track, how to look at data, and how to 
debrief.  
 
"When they get into the car they learn braking techniques, how to improve 
their downshifting, how to get into and out of a corner, and how to interact 
with their engineer and their driver coach to lower their lap times," 
Lanteigne continued. "Andersen Racing has developed a whole program that gives a 
thorough introduction from A to Z to help drivers who are serious about 
motorsports to get off on the right foot.
 
"It's OK to go from karting straight to a USF2000 car; people should not be 
afraid to do it," Lanteigne added.  "Andersen RacePark is a perfect place 
to learn.  I was happy with how the tests went and the information we covered 
over the course of the two days. I was impressed with how focused both 
Bryson and Taylor were.  They took in every word, and it really showed that we 
were getting through to them, as both ended up with similar lap times and 
they developed a good degree of skills that will help them build towards the 
future."
 
While Lanteigne was the primary engineer during the tests, both teens were 
coached by Andersen Racing's Anders Krohn and Jonny Baker, who finished 
first and second, respectively, in the F2000 Championship Series in 2008. Krohn 
will compete on the team's Star Mazda squad this year, while Baker is the 
team's director of driver development.  Another Andersen Racing Star Mazda 
driver, Mikael Grenier of Stoneham, Quebec, was also on hand to provide tips 
during Schutte's test, which occurred Jan. 18-19 shortly before Grenier, Krohn 
and Baker participated in a test themselves at Sebring, Fla.  Gates' test 
at Andersen RacePark was a week earlier, on Jan. 11-12.
 
"It was a great experience; I learned so much!" Schutte said.  "It was my 
first time driving a formula car of any type.  I leaned a completely 
different style of driving.  I learned how to shift differently, and I learned how 
important it is that the car is balanced when it goes through the corners.
 
"I think I did around 70 to 100 laps," Schutte added.  "Andersen RacePark 
is quite challenging.  You have to be a lot easier and smoother with your 
steering and getting on the power in a formula car than you do in a kart.  I 
learned how to look over data and how to apply what the data says to how you 
drive the track so you can lower your times.  Sometimes I look over data in 
karting, but not always.  Once I got it, it made a lot of sense."
 
Schutte, who won 11 races and had 11 second-place finishes out of the 28 
races he competed in last year, plans to move into Formula Fords later this 
year.  "This test will definitely help," he said.  'I had three race car 
drivers coaching me when I was on the track: Jonny Baker, Anders Krohn and Mikael 
Grenier.  I didn't know Mikael but I'd read about him.  They were all 
great, and I want to thank Remi and Andersen Racing for organizing the whole 
prize and the test. It was great!"
 
Gates was equally enthusiastic.  "It was incredible!" he said. "Everything 
was so well planned out.  The coaching was insane; it was unlike anything 
you can get anywhere else, because it was all one-on-one feedback.  Driving 
the car itself was incredible too.
 
"I learned a lot of different techniques that will help me in my kart," 
added Gates, who will be racing in the TRAK series as well as at Mosport 
International Raceway and in the Eastern Canadian Rotax Challenge Series this 
year. "I learned different braking techniques and how you go into a corner and 
things like that.  The Pi data acquisition helped me see where I had to 
improve and it helped me understand what the engineer and the coaches were 
saying. I never drove a formula car before, but I would love to have the 
opportunity to drive one in the future.
 
"I thought the track was cool too," Gates continued.  "I liked the little 
hairpins and the long sweepers.  You have to be very smooth.  But mainly the 
coaching with Anders and Jonny and Remi was incredible.  It was beneficial, 
for sure."
 
Drivers who would like to participate in similar tests can contact Baker 
for pricing and schedules via telephone at (941) 723-3900 or by e-mail at 
info@andersenracingteam.com.  Additional information is available on the 
Internet at andersenracingteam.com, andersenkarting.com, andersenracepark.com and 
usf2000.com. 
 
Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products and Lafarge North 
America.
 
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 program utilizing multiple 
entries in three different platforms: karting, Star Mazda and Firestone 
Indy Lights. 
 
A sister company, Andersen Promotions, administers the USF2000 National 
Championship presented by Cooper Tires and powered by Mazda.  It is part of 
both the Indy Racing League's Road to Indy program and the MAZDASPEED 
Motorsports driver development system.
 
Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. and Lafarge 
North America. 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, andersenkarting.com, 
andersenracepark.com and usf2000.com.