MCATEE
MOTORSPORTS TO
JOIN TOYOTA
ATLANTIC
CHAMPIONSHIP
WITH TWO-CAR
ENTRY IN 2005
INDIANAPOLIS
(March 9, 2005)
-- The Toyota
Atlantic
Championship
Presented by
Yokohama today
announced that
McAtee
Motorsports will
join the
Atlantic series,
fielding a
two-car entry
for the 2005
season.
McAtee
Motorsports,
which competed
in the Star
Mazda series for
the last three
years, will run
both Kyle Kelley
and Brian McAtee
in the Atlantic
series this
season. The team
is owned by
Brian's father,
Dale McAtee -- a
veteran of more
than 30 years in
motorsports.
"McAtee
Motorsports is
pleased to
announce its
entry into the
Toyota Atlantic
Championship for
2005," said Dale
McAtee. "The
Toyota Atlantic
series has a
rich history and
a solid
connection the
Champ Car World
Series,
presenting the
finest
opportunity for
a youthful team
to participate
at world-class
venues."
While the San
Clemente,
California-based
team may be new
to Atlantics in
2005, McAtee
Motorsports does
bring along
continuity and a
track record of
success as it
prepares for its
maiden Atlantic
voyage this
season. The team
produced three
of the top four
championship
finishers last
season in the
Star Mazda West
Coast Redline
Oil
Championship.
Kelley, the
19-year-old
Huntington
Beach,
California
native, captured
the Redline
series title in
2004 with five
wins and seven
pole positions.
After being
named
California's
Sports Car
Driver of the
Year in 2002,
Kelley entered
Star Mazda with
the McAtee team
and continued to
be productive in
SCCA national
and regional
competition as
well. Kelley
also won the
SCCA Southern
Pacific Formula
Mazda title last
season.
Brian McAtee
has competed
with the team
for the last
three seasons in
Star Mazda. The
27-year-old
driver finished
fourth in last
season's West
Coast
Championship,
winning at
Buttonwillow
Raceway Park in
early May.
Both Kelley
and McAtee
turned their
first laps in a
240 HP Atlantic
machine recently
at Buttonwillow
as they began
preparations for
the 2005
Atlantic
schedule. McAtee
Motorsports
plans to compete
in at least six
Atlantic races
this season,
beginning with
the
season-opener
April 8-10 at
the Toyota Grand
Prix of Long
Beach.
Another
motorsports
veteran of more
30 years, Kyle's
father Bob
Kelley, will
serve as team
manager for the
McAtee team.
"The team was
looking for the
best series to
provide exposure
while racing at
good venues,"
said Bob Kelley.
"With the great
spectator and
sponsorship
opportunities
available and
its close ties
to Champ Car, we
felt that the
Toyota Atlantic
series was the
best place to
be."
The Toyota
Atlantic
Championship
Presented by
Yokohama
continues to be
the premier
open-wheel
development
series in North
America. The
championship is
noted for its
long history of
graduating its
stars into Champ
Car competition
and has helped
produce past
Champ Car
champions Paul
Tracy, Jimmy
Vasser, Bobby
Rahal, Danny
Sullivan,
Michael Andretti
and Jacques
Villeneuve.
