RaceTronics (USRT) continued its off-season testing schedule this week under the fall Arizona sky at Firebird International Raceway.
The team concluded a successful two-day test with Formula BMW standout David Garza, whom had tested last month with USRT at Buttonwillow Raceway. Garza once again impressed the team by completing over 350 trouble free miles. Overall Team Owner Shane Seneviratne was happy with the test. "It was a very good test. The car ran trouble free; we continued to learn more about the car and the new Cooper tires. This was the first test we've done with David on a track other than Buttonwillow and he adjusted and got up to speed fairly quickly." stated Seneviratne. For his part Garza was also happy with the test. "I felt satisfied with how it went; we accomplished a lot of work," commented Garza.
While the team has stepped up its testing schedule it has also stepped up its staffing. The team is proud to announce the recent hiring of veteran engineers Peter Jacobs and Walter Preston. This is another step in the team's quest for a successful 2007 Champ Car Atlantic season. In such a competitive series Seneviratne realized that the level of the team's engineering department needed to be strengthened and these two additions will strengthen the team overall.
Jacobs and Preston will be assisted by junior engineer Morgan Brady who has been with the team since the beginning of the 2006 season. The two-day test was the first time that the team was able to work with Jacobs and Preston. "It was a good opportunity for David to work with the engineers, they were all able to work well together," commented Seneviratne. "Working with Peter and Walter was intense and productive, with good team chemistry," added Garza.
This represents a Dorricott Racing reunion for the threesome of Seneviratne, Jacobs and Preston who were all instrumental in the success at Dorricott Racing. Seneviratne was team manager for the team while Preston was the engineer in 2002 and Jacobs in 2003.
Combined, Peter and Walter have over 45 years experience engineering race cars. Each has been involved in the Champ Car Atlantic series at various points in their careers; Peter working with Brooks Associates Racing in 2004 and 2005, while Walter was part of Team Rahal's 2003 and 2004 Atlantic efforts.
Seneviratne, whose 2007 Champ Car Atlantics plans include a two-car effort, is excited about hiring both engineers. "I am pleased to have both Peter and Walter join us. It's a great pleasure to be able to work with them again. We've worked with each other in the past while at Dorricott and enjoyed a lot of success and got to be good friends. I am looking forward to strengthening our team with their valuable knowledge and experience," commented Seneviratne.
"It will be good to work with Shane again. We had a successful 2002 season and hopefully we can expand on that. Pete and I have never worked together but we've been friends for years so we should be pretty productive from the start," said Preston. As far as coming back to the series after being gone from it for the last two years, where he worked with Finlay Motorsports, Preston, who resides in Ohio stated, "I'm looking forward to seeing how the series has changed with the new package. It will be interesting to see how teams cope with the new tire. Though I haven't spent a lot of time with the team, what I have seen confirms what I have heard back from friends in the paddock - Shane has a good tight tidy team," added Preston.
For his part, Jacobs comes to USRT from Northwest Auto Sports where he was the team's engineer. Prior to that, Jacobs was the team engineer for Brooks Associates Racing. "Shane and I have had a long relationship. I think he's done a wonderful job in building a world-class team, which I'm proud to be a part of for the 2007 season." Jacobs added, "The 2007 season is going to be very competitive with a lot of great teams and drivers. I'm looking forward to the challenge. US RaceTronics has assembled a group of talented people that are a combination of being conscious, talented, hard working and pleasant to work with." Jacobs is eager to work with Preston. "I'm also looking forward to working with Walter Preston who I have known for the past 20 years and have a great deal of admiration and respect for," said Jacobs.
