FATL/US-FF2000: SCCA Pro Fax V.3, N.20 (Atlantic and FF2000)

• "Greg Rubenstein" <102354.2056@CompuServe.COM>
• MNI - Motorsport News International
• Sun Sep 15 13:48:52 EDT 1996

SCCA PRO FAX - Volume 3, Number 20 - September 13, 1996

LEMOND TO RACE U.S. FF2000 IN '97: World Cycling Champion and Tour
de France winner Greg LeMond has joined Miller Brothers Racing and
will contest the 1997 United States Formula Ford 2000 Championship,
joining team owner John Miller driving Van Diemen Fords. It's clear I'm
hooked on racing, said LeMond. To compete with a championship caliber
team, in arguably the top ride available, in the highly competitive
U.S. FF2000 Pro Series, exceeds my greatest expectations. LeMond was
impressive in his professional motorsports debut earlier this season,
as he finished 12th in the rain soaked SCCA Spec Racer Ford Pro Series
race at the Children's Grand Prix of Minnesota. Impressed, the Miller
Brothers Racing Team offered LeMond a test session at Blackhawk Farms
Raceway under the guidance of veteran FF2000 driver Steve Knapp.
LeMond was offered the opportunity to join the team following the
test. Greg is truly a class act, said Miller. His obvious talent and
competitive desire, coupled with his strong belief in giving back to
the community through his charitable activities, are a wonderful asset
to the team. Greg's extensive sports marketing background and insight
will be invaluable to the team. This strategic alliance between one
of the true legends of the sports world and one of the top, up and
coming motorsports teams foretells great things for the future. The
Minneapolis-based Miller Milling Company, one of the largest U.S.
millers of wheat for the pasta industry, will continue its long-standing
involvement with the team.

CARPENTIER CLOSES OUT ATLANTIC SEASON IN STYLE: Player's/Toyota Atlantic
Champion Patrick Carpentier capped his dream season with a flourish,
posting his record eighth-straight victory from the pole at the Laguna
Seca season finale on Saturday, Sept. 7. Carpentier's ninth victory of
the 1996 season tied him with the legendary Gilles Villeneuve for most
Atlantic victories in a single season. Also, by earning the $22,000
winner's share, Carpentier also broke the single-season record for
earnings with $226,500, eclipsing the record set in 1993 of $214,863
by David Empringham. The 25-year-old French Canadian, who clinched
the title two races ago, had little difficulty in round 12, as he
averaged 84.502 miles-per-hour to beat runner-up Case Montgomery by 2.3
seconds. Paul Jasper, the Lake Forest, Illinois, driver finished seventh
to close out a fine year in which he won Player's/ Toyota Atlantic
Rookie-of-the-Year honors. ESPN2 will broadcast the final round of the
1996 Player's/Toyota Atlantic Championship on Sunday, Sept. 15, from
6:00-7:00 p.m. (Eastern).

SWIFT ENGINEERING SELECTED TO BUILD NEW ATLANTIC CHASSIS: Swift
Engineering, of San Clemente, California has been awarded the contract
to build the next generation Player's/ Toyota Atlantic chassis. The
decision to award the contract to Swift was based both on its past
accomplishments in Atlantic with the very successful DB-4, as well as
its North American location, commented Vicki O'Connor, president of
Pro-Motion Agency, Ltd. Our decision was extremely difficult due to the
quality of all the proposals received from the various manufacturers.
Swift was one of eight manufacturers to present proposals. The overall
approach to the 1998 chassis is to update current Atlantic design
with new safety ideas and use the latest technology available, while
utilizing the 1600cc Toyota A-GE engine which generates 240 horsepower
in race trim.

U.S. FF2000 RULES: The U.S. Formula Ford 2000 National Championship
series promoter Formula Motorsports has announced a package of series
rules revisions designed to control cost escalation. The new rules
package includes a limit on testing and restricts development of Formula
One-style raised-nose aerodynamics and third spring technology that
assists in ride height control.