 Cresson, TX (March 10, 2010) Multi-championship winning Team MER is joining forces with DAMG Racing and adding a development Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge program to their already strong Playboy MX-5 Cup effort. The team will compete with five cars in the full Playboy MX-5 Cup series. With a strong lineup of drivers, led by 2009 Rookie sensation Justin Piscitell, the Team hopes to recapture the driver's championship. In only his second year of racing, Justin scored multiple podiums on the way to third in the championship. Justin got his shot in last year's series thanks to winning the MAZDASPEED shootout, gaining the full support of Mazda for the 2009 season. Alongside Justin will be 2010 Ladder award winner Nick Evans.
Nick Evans joins the team as an award for winning the 2009 SCCA Runoffs in the FE class, and making the most of his invitation to MAZDASPEED's shootout late last year. The unprecedented Driver Development Ladder fosters young talent by providing funding for a full ride with whichever team the driver decides to join. With Piscitell being the 2008 shootout winner, a convergence of ladder drivers will showcase Mazda's commitment to supporting the best and brightest emerging talent. No less than four ladder winners will be present in the MER paddock, with Evans and Pisctitell being coached by the 2007 and 2008 series champions and ladder winners Jason Saini and Eric Foss. Returning with Team MER will be Jeff Mosing, who scored several top-ten finishes on his way to 11thin the championship while improving steadily throughout the year. Also joining the team will be David Walker, whose son has been a standout in the Star Mazda series in recent years. The team's fifth driver will be announced shortly. In addition to making a charge at a fourth Playboy MX-5 Cup title, the team will field entries in select Grand Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge ST races. Making his return with the team will be 2007 MX-5 Cup championship winner Jason Saini, who will drive with his own team again after two very successful seasons in a Tri Point Engineering MAZDA6 in the World Challenge Touring Car series. Sharing driving duties with Saini in select events in a freshly built MAZDASPEED3 will be MX-5 Cup featured driver Justin Piscitell. This will create a unique pairing of past MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder winners in the same car, sure to be a potent force on thegrid. Team co-owner, Shannon McMasters is optimistic for a good result in the Playboy MX-5 Cup. “We have agreat group of drivers, and of course an excellent, proven crew. Having a track at our disposal for testing, and Jason [Saini] and Eric [Foss] to help with engineering and driver coaching, we have all the tools we need to fight at the front of every race.” Preparations are underway at Team MER's Fort Worth, TX based facilities, with a Grand Am debut scheduled for Barber Motorsports Park. The Playboy MX-5 Cup season kicks off a couple weeks later at Virginia International Raceway. The partnership between DAMG and MER is a long term commitment of collaboration with a shared vision of continuing the growth of the team. For 2011 and beyond, plans area full season multi-car effort in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. “We are fairly new at the business of Motorsports,”said Joe Piscitell, President and CEO of DAMG Worldwide. “We knew that we wanted to invest in a motorsports business, but had no expertise. Team MER has a successful racing team, and we felt it best to partner with them. The combination of our business acumen with their knowledge of the racing industry will make a potent combination” A longtime goal of Team MER has been competing in the Grand Am Continental Tire Sports Car Championship, and this new partnership will signal the beginning of that transition. “We are very excited to join the Mazda teams in this strong series, where the 2010 MAZDASPEED3 is being showcased.” said Saini. “I'm looking forward to applying the Front-wheel-drive knowledge I've gained over the past two seasons (thanks to the Mazda Ladder in World Challenge,) to our Grand Am program. We want to join the fight for the Manufacturer's title inthe ST class. Justin is a great talent, and I'm excited to work withhim in both MX-5 Cup and ST!” The move to Team MER for Justin Piscitell is part of a plan for a long future in motorsports. “In only my second season in racing, Ken Murillo did a great job for us in every way, and I learned a bunch. Making the move to Team MER allows us to expand to the Grand Am series and become partners in aracing team where we can have future growth. Working with the guys at MER is going to be great, as is racing with Jason [Saini]. I'm definitely gunning for the MX-5 Cup title this year as well, having learned most of the tracks last year.” The Grand Am Continental TireSports Car Championship is already underway, but Team MER will join the series at the Barber Motorsports Park round April 10-12th.The team will continue with the VIR, Lime Rock, Watkins Glen and Miller Motorsports Park rounds as well. The Playboy MX-5 Cup seasonkicks off it's 8-weekend, 11-round championship April 24-26that VIR. Watch GoTeamMER.com for updates, with series updates available at Grand-Am.com and MX-5cup.com. Info Based at the motorsportranch.com racetrack, Team MER is a leader in Mazda performance combining a racing team, modification and enhancement shop, research and development facilities and full PR/Media solutions. DAMG Racing is new to the sport, but already making all the right moves. Partners: DAMG Worldwide, MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development, Sparco, Staubli, Miatacage.com, Saferacer, The Autobarn Mazda and Cobalt Friction. |
