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E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
Carl Haas Automobile Imports to Service
USF2000 National Championship Series
PALMETTO, Fla., Jan. 25 - Last Wednesday's announcement that Carl Haas
Automobile Imports, Inc. (CHA) will distribute products manufactured by Élan
Motorsports Technologies (EMT) had an immediate and very positive impact on the
USF2000 National Championship presented by Cooper Racing Tires and powered
by Mazda.
Since complete Van Diemen F2000 cars manufactured by EMT and many other
race car components distributed by CHA will be used by the USF2000 series'
competitors, CHA will provide trackside service at all of the series' races. CHA
will also handle the inventory and distribution of all of EMT's products
from its headquarters in Lincolnshire, Ill.
The most obvious line of interest to the USF2000 competitors is Van Diemen
race cars and parts, which are manufactured by the Van Diemen arm of EMT,
part of the Panoz Motor Sports Group based in Braselton, Ga. The USF2000
series' top class, the Championship class, is composed totally of Van Diemens
manufactured in 2001 or later, including the brand-new 2010 DP08.
Van Diemens that were manufactured in 1999 and 2000 are also eligible for
this class provided that they have been updated to the 2001 model's
specifications. Since 2010 is the first season for the revitalized series, its
officials will allow teams to use non-Van Diemen aero components this year,
provided that they declare the aero package they are using and continue to use it
until they switch to the 2010 Van Diemen package. The 2010 Van Diemen aero
package from CHA will be mandatory for all cars in the Championship class in
2011.
Van Diemen has a long list of championships. Just last September Van
Diemens swept all the podium positions in Formula Continental at the SCCA
National Runoffs at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.
CHA will also be the USF2000 competitors' source for special heavy-duty
Hewland LD200 wide gearsets that will be required of cars competing in the
Championship class after the St. Petersburg, Fla. season-opening doubleheader on
March 27-28. A short stack set-up and a long stack set-up will be
available. All cars in the top class will be required to use a 13:36 ring and
pinion set-up as well.
Founded in 1957, Hewland Engineering invented the bespoke race car gearbox.
Today it supplies 21st century motorsports transmissions to an amazing,
worldwide client list.
Looking ahead, in 2011 the USF2000 series' Championship class will also
require the use of OZ wheels, which will also be available from CHA. Last year
29 of the 33 starters in the Indianapolis 500 used wheels made from the
Italian manufacturer. When Helio Castroneves won the race it marked the 11th
time in 13 years that the winner's Firestone tires where mounted on OZ wheels.
"Carl Haas Automobile Imports has represented the ultimate in service for
race cars and parts for many years now, and to have them in our paddock at
all USF2000 events is an absolute delight," said Dan Andersen, the president
and chief executive officer of Andersen Promotions, which administers the
USF2000 series. "Their list of high-quality manufacturers, including Hewland,
Dynamic Suspensions, OZ and of course Élan/Van Diemen, exemplify what they
do, which is to deliver quality in a totally professional way. They are a
great partner for any series, and we are pleased that they will be ours for
many years to come."
"Everyone at Carl Haas Auto is looking forward to representing Van Diemen,
Hewland and Dynamic Suspensions in the USF2000 series," said Carl Haas,
president and owner of Carl Haas Automobile Imports, Inc. "Our parts department
staff really enjoys the challenge and responsibility of providing spares to
an entire grid of cars, and working with Dan Andersen and all of the
dedicated people of the USF2000 series will be an added bonus!"
For more information on CHA, see its Web site at haasauto.com.
Sanctioned by the Indy Racing League (IRL), the USF2000 National
Championship is one of only two series that are part of both the IRL's Road to Indy
ladder system and the MAZDASPEED Motorsports driver development program. The
series' 2010 season will open with a doubleheader March 27-28 on the street
circuit in St. Petersburg, Fla. in support of an IZOD IndyCar Series
headliner.
For the rest of the schedule and additional information on the series, see
usf2000.com or call (941) 723-3900.
The USF2000 series' National class will accept any cars that meet the
current SCCA Formula Continental rules.
About Mazda:
On any given weekend there are more Mazdas on the road courses of America
than any other brand of vehicle. MX-5 Miata, RX-8, MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-7 and
other vintage Mazda models are all popular race cars because every Mazda has
the soul of a sports car. In fact, the largest road-racing class in the
world is Spec Miata. With more than 2,500 first- and second-generation Miatas
tearing up America's racetracks, it the most-raced production car in the
world. Mazda's involvement in motorsports extends to its relationship with one
of the world's premier road courses, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey,
Calif., and the Skip Barber Schools for driving and racing.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in the United States in 2010, Mazda North
American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. It oversees the
sales, marketing, parts business and customer service of Mazda vehicles in the
United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in
Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario. Operations in
Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.
For more information see mazdausa.com.
About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company:
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is a global company that specializes in the
design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car and light truck
tires and subsidiaries that specialize in medium truck, motorcycle and racing
tires. With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has manufacturing,
sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of
companies located in 10 countries around the world. For more information, visit
Cooper Tire's Web site at coopertire.com.
About Carl Haas Automobile Imports:
Carl Haas started his parts business in 1960, filling a need for quality
race cars and parts in the rapidly growing professional and amateur racing
industry. Since the very beginning the company's goal has been to deliver
nothing but the best for its customers. Haas introduced a revolutionary program
called the Haas FAS-PAC service, which guaranteed delivery of parts in less
than 24 hours anywhere in the United States long before any of the express
delivery companies were in operation. Haas also did the unheard of and started
taking used race cars as trade-ins on new cars. These two programs helped
the racing industry grow immensely in the '60s and '70s. Carl Haas Automobile
Imports still strives to deliver the same quality parts and service, be it
a single part for a club racer or a complete trackside parts program for an
entire series. For more information see haasauto.com.
About Élan Motorsports Technologies:
Élan Motorsports Technologies (EMT), part of the Panoz Motor Sports Group,
manufactures a wide range of world-class race cars and accessories for
competition in the American Le Mans Series, IMSA, Superleague Formula, USF2000
and the SCCA, among others. EMT is comprised of Élan Composites, Élan Power
Products, Élan Precision Engineering and Van Diemen. Its wares have claimed
winners' trophies at the most prestigious races in the world, including the
Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the
Petit Le Mans. The Van Diemen arm of Élan is the sole constructor in the
USF2000 National Championship series' top class, the Championship class. Van
Diemen cars are also eligible to compete in the series' National class, which is
open to cars that meet current SCCA Formula Continental regulations.