Andersen Racing Announces Major Expansion of Its Karting Program; Names Wes Phillips as Its New Director of Competition Karting

PALMETTO, Fla., March 25 - Andersen Racing co-owner Dan Andersen announced today that the Palmetto, Fla.-based team is immediately expanding its karting operations to the national level, including participation in the Snap-on Stars of Karting presented by the IndyCar Series, and has named noted karter Wes Phillips as its new director of competition karting.

Phillips, 28, was the Rotax national champion in 2005, and he's a multiple-time Rotax Max Americas team member. He's also a very respected coach, working with notable drivers such as Brett Smrz, Jacob Neal, Alexander Rossi and J.R. Hildebrand.

Phillips' karting business, The Circuit Group, which is based in American Canyon, Calif., will now come under the Andersen Racing umbrella, which includes karting, Formula BMW Americas, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights teams as well as the operation of Andersen RacePark, a 1-mile road course test track at its headquarters. It is the development team of Rahal Letterman Racing, which competes in the IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series.

"Wes Phillips joins us with an impressive resume as a driver, tuner, mechanic, prep shop operator and manager of his own kart operation," Andersen said.

"It is a natural progression for our race team to expand into the national karting scene, due to our continual search for career-minded, talented young drivers for our Formula BMW Americas, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights pro teams," Andersen said. "With our own test track for training, and now an individual with Wes Phillips' experience, we will be much more in touch with tomorrow's open-wheel stars.

"Wes is a delight to watch as he mentors talented young karters, organizes team operations, and demonstrates, through his own driving skills and experience, how to race and win," Andersen added. "We are very pleased to add him to our team."

Although Phillips plans to compete in a few selected events himself, he said his immediate focus is to build a strong base of karting talent for Andersen Racing that will eventually feed into its formula car program, beginning with Formula BMW Americas.

"Andersen Racing strives to provide the best opportunities for its drivers," Phillips said. "With the support of its current infrastructure and its success in open-wheel competition, I believe Andersen Racing can become a nationally recognized karting team within a reasonable amount of time. We're all delighted to work with MRP Motorsport and Birel, and I hope to have the team at full capacity and running at 100 percent by the Rotax Grand Nationals in Norman, Okla., in August."

Phillips said that he may participate in the later half of this year's Rotax Euro Challenge, including an event in the Czech Republic and one in France.

Andersen Racing competed in this year's Florida Winter Tour, which concluded Sunday at the Ocala Gran Prix in Ocala, Fla. In addition to the Snap-on Stars of Karting presented by the IndyCar Series, it plans to compete in selected World Karting Association and Rotax national events, as well as multiple regional and local series in Florida and California.

Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. and Lafarge North America.

The team's Web site is located at andersenracingteam.com. Information on the team's 1-mile road course test track at its headquarters can be found online at andersenracepark.com.

The 2009 schedule for the Snap-on Stars of Karting presented by the IndyCar Series follows:

March 6-8, Ocala Gran Prix, Ocala, Fla. (East division)
April 24-26, Jim Russell Infineon Raceway Karting Center, Sonoma, Calif. (West division)
May 29-31, New Castle Motorsports Park, New Castle, Ind. (East and West divisions)
June 26-28, F1 New Jersey, Millville, N.J. (East division)
Aug. 7-9, Pacific Grand Prix, Kent, Wash. (West division)
Oct. 9-11, Oklahoma Motorsports Complex, Norman, Okla. (East and West division, Stars of Karting National Finals.
Dec. 10, PRI All-Stars Karting Classic, Orlando, Fla.

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, four-step program utilizing multiple entries in four different platforms: karting, Formula BMW Americas, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights (televised on VERSUS). In 2008 it fielded multiple entries in 42 races in 18 states and provinces at some of the best facilities on the continent, including the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Andersen Racing won the team championship for 2008 for both the F2000 Championship Series presented by Hoosier Racing Tire and the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. Two of its drivers finished first and second in the F2000 driver point standings, while another was sixth. Three of its Star Mazda drivers placed third, fifth and sixth in that series' driver standings. RLR/Andersen Racing finished sixth in the 2008 Firestone Indy Lights team standings, while one of its drivers placed fifth in that series' driver point standings.

Andersen Racing's principals, brothers Dan and John Andersen, have extensive experience in series administration as well as team management. They've worked with many of today's top open-wheel stars, including several Indy 500 winners.

Andersen Racing is sponsored by Allied Building Products Corp. and Lafarge North America. It is the official development team of Rahal Letterman Racing, which competes in the IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series. 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 and andersenracepark.com.