ROGER FOO JOINS ROBERT BAXTER AT SPEEDSPORT FOR TWO-CAR MAZDA PROTEGE WORLD CHALLENGE TOURING EFFORT
Sugar Hill, GA (February 21, 2003) - SpeedSport team owner Robert Baxter announced today that he will grow his World Challenge Touring team to a two car effort in 2003 with the addition of 2001 Rookie-of-the-Year and fan favorite, Roger Foo. Both drivers will be driving identical Mazda Protege sedans in a quest towards helping Mazda win their first Manufacturers' Championship in Speed World Challenge.
Last year the SpeedSport team started from scratch and with only one Protege it took them a while to get the car sorted out, but Robert still had a couple of top-10 finishes with an eighth at both Lime Rock and Road Atlanta. "At the end of the 2002 season we took a look at our program and decided that if we were going to be consistent front-runners this year, it would be a better to add a teammate. We will learn things twice as fast," said 39 year-old Atlanta resident Robert Baxter. Finding a second driver was made easier because of the friendship Roger and I developed during last season. Over the winter we talked and decided to take it to the next level and become teammates."
With a season best seventh-place finish at Lime Rock last year driving the lone Mazda Protege5 in the series, 37 year-old Foo of Hayward, CA thinks his new sedan will be the ticket to greater success this year. "I had my moments last year and had some pretty good races," said Foo. "I was up towards the front a few times which was a nice surprise and I think it surprised a lot people to do that with the Protege5. Now I'm going to do that with the sedan and plan on going faster."
"I am looking forward to building and growing with Mazda, especially with a new team and teammate, Robert Baxter," added Foo. "Robert has shown himself to be fast and has had one of the best prepared cars out there. So, I saw a great opportunity for us to have a two-car team. With two well-prepared cars and two good drivers, I think we will be able to press towards the front."
A two-day test at Sebring just after the first of the year, overseen by returning crewchief Mike Fine, gave Baxter good reason to expect great results from the team in 2003. The test went extremely well and based on the results there and the strong performance of the Mazda Protege in Touring, SpeedSport expects to win a race this year and consistently finish in the Top-10.
The 2003 SCCA World Challenge season action begins March 14th at Sebring International Raceway in Florida.
Sugar Hill, GA (February 21, 2003) - SpeedSport team owner Robert Baxter announced today that he will grow his World Challenge Touring team to a two car effort in 2003 with the addition of 2001 Rookie-of-the-Year and fan favorite, Roger Foo. Both drivers will be driving identical Mazda Protege sedans in a quest towards helping Mazda win their first Manufacturers' Championship in Speed World Challenge.
Last year the SpeedSport team started from scratch and with only one Protege it took them a while to get the car sorted out, but Robert still had a couple of top-10 finishes with an eighth at both Lime Rock and Road Atlanta. "At the end of the 2002 season we took a look at our program and decided that if we were going to be consistent front-runners this year, it would be a better to add a teammate. We will learn things twice as fast," said 39 year-old Atlanta resident Robert Baxter. Finding a second driver was made easier because of the friendship Roger and I developed during last season. Over the winter we talked and decided to take it to the next level and become teammates."
With a season best seventh-place finish at Lime Rock last year driving the lone Mazda Protege5 in the series, 37 year-old Foo of Hayward, CA thinks his new sedan will be the ticket to greater success this year. "I had my moments last year and had some pretty good races," said Foo. "I was up towards the front a few times which was a nice surprise and I think it surprised a lot people to do that with the Protege5. Now I'm going to do that with the sedan and plan on going faster."
"I am looking forward to building and growing with Mazda, especially with a new team and teammate, Robert Baxter," added Foo. "Robert has shown himself to be fast and has had one of the best prepared cars out there. So, I saw a great opportunity for us to have a two-car team. With two well-prepared cars and two good drivers, I think we will be able to press towards the front."
A two-day test at Sebring just after the first of the year, overseen by returning crewchief Mike Fine, gave Baxter good reason to expect great results from the team in 2003. The test went extremely well and based on the results there and the strong performance of the Mazda Protege in Touring, SpeedSport expects to win a race this year and consistently finish in the Top-10.
The 2003 SCCA World Challenge season action begins March 14th at Sebring International Raceway in Florida.
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