Archives for Exclusive Autosport

Team release and our notes: Exclusive Autosport Adds Luke Gabin to USF2000 Line-up

Posted by  on Friday, February 24th 2017     

Team Release

Exclusive Autosport Adds Luke Gabin to USF2000 Line-up

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT ADDS LUKE GABIN TO USF2000 LINE-UP

 

New Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires operation bolsters line-up with veteran two-liter driver

SASKATOON, SK (February 24, 2017) – Exclusive Autosport will make their Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda debut in St. Petersburg in two weeks and they’ll hit the ground running with a pair of title contenders under their tent. Last year’s vice-champion Parker Thompson has already been announced in the #90 Exclusive Autosport Open HWY Tatuus USF-17, and the team is now thrilled to release news that they have signed Australian Luke Gabin to campaign the 2017 season behind the wheel of the #91. Gabin, 21, will begin his third season in the series, coming off a run to fifth in the overall driver’s championship on the strength of 10 top-fives and four podium finishes.

“I am very excited that we have been able to secure Luke Gabin as our second driver in the USF2000 Championship for the 2017 season,” enthused Michael Duncalfe, Exclusive Autosport Team Principal. “Luke has been a strong competitor in his past two years of USF2000 competition and he will no doubt be a threat for the title in 2017.  His experience and track knowledge are huge assets to our program.  We had the opportunity to test Luke last fall, and we look forward to reuniting him in his #91 Exclusive Autosport AER USF-17 Tatuus in Homestead next week.”

Gabin, who resides in St. Petersburg, Florida during the racing season, has 32 career USF2000 starts in which he has posted 22 top-10 finishes (69%). He finished sixth overall in 2015, fifth overall last year and will now be gunning for the championship, which would provide him with his second Mazdaspeed Driver Development scholarship.  Luke won the Skip Barber Championship Shootout in 2014 to earn a scholarship to compete in USF2000 in 2015.

“I’m extremely excited to join the team of Exclusive Autosport, operated by Michael Duncalfe with Jay Green as the crew chief,” Gabin offered. “These leaders make me extremely confident about joining the squad.  Having Parker Thompson as a teammate to help me learn from my mistakes is very valuable to me as a driver trying to improve. In 2017, I really hope to capitalize on my successes from 2016, earning more podiums and vying for a championship.”

The team will be back testing at the end of the month at Homestead-Miami Speedway as the USF2000 drivers will take the facility’s road course for official MRTI Spring Training on February 28-March 1.  The opening round of the schedule will take place in Gabin’s adopted home town of St. Petersburg, Florida on March 10-12. Like all of the MRTI events in 2017, the action from St. Petersburg will be streamed live throughout the season on the Mazda Road to Indy app or through the MRTI.TV website (www.roadtoindy.tv).

Exclusive Autosport is also very close to confirming their third and final full-time driver for the season and is expecting to make that announcement on Monday.  The team is also pleased to be working with Aero™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com) for their car’s liveries.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Jim and his staff at Aero™ Advanced Paint Technology,” Duncalfe continued. “Their cutting edge, advanced paint technology is incredible.  Not only does their product look amazing, but it is incredibly light weight.  In an industry where every pound makes a difference, Aero™ was the clear choice. We are proud to have Aero™ Advanced Paint Technology as one of technical partners.”

 

TSO Ladder Notes from Steve:

  • Gabin is the second Exclusive Autosport entry and 14th driver confirmed for the 2017 Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda season, joining: Moises de la Vara (DEForce Racing), Kory Enders (DEForce Racing), Rinus VK (Carlin/Benik), Devin Wojcik (ArmsUp Motorsports), Chandler Horton (RJB Motorsports), Robert Megennis (Team Pelfrey),  Parker Thompson (Exclusive Autosport),  Andre Castro (Newman Sachs Racing), Calvin Ming (Pabst Racing),  Ayla Agren (Team Pelfrey), Lucas Kohl (Pabst Racing) and Rick Donison (Cape Motorsports)
  • Gabin, who has five podiums in 32 career USF2000 starts, will be reunited with Jay Green for the 2017 season. Green, who will be the Exclusive Autosport Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda crew-chief was the team-owner for Gabin’s impressive run to fifth in the 2016 USF2000 title chase. 
  • With a total of 64 USF2000 starts between announced drivers Parker Thompson and Luke Gabin, Exclusive Autosport should be poised to make waves in the first year of Mazda Road To Indy presented by Cooper Tire competition. 
  • You can follow Gabin on the following social media platforms: Twitter – Instagram – Facebook
category: Exclusive Autosport
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EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT SIGNS PARKER THOMPSON FOR USF2000 TITLE BID

Posted by  on Friday, January 20th 2017     

Team Release:

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT SIGNS PARKER THOMPSON FOR USF2000 TITLE BID

Canadian team puts countryman in seat of new USF-17 for Mazda Road to Indy debut

SASKATOON, SK (January 20, 2017) – Exclusive Autosport will make their Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda debut in St. Petersburg when the first rung of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires gets underway in early-March. Team owners Michael and Kimberly Duncalfe are thrilled to announce their first driver for the 2017 season – fellow Canadian Parker Thompson. The team will head into the season with a true shot at the title with the reigning USF2000 Championship points runner-up primed and ready to pilot the team’s #90 Tatuus USF-17. The young Canadian driver is excited to be returning to the series, having enjoyed a successful test with the squad at Sebring last week.

“I am absolutely thrilled that Exclusive Autosport will make its series debut in the MRTI in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda,” offered Michael Duncalfe, Exclusive Autosport Team Owner. “It couldn’t come at a better time for EA as we have completed our fourth season as a team, where we have captured 11 team championships and four Rookie of the Year championships. We felt it was the right time to move up to the next level, especially with the introduction of the USF-17 Tatuus chassis. Dan Andersen and the staff at Andersen Promotions run a top shelf program and it is an honour to have my team competing on this platform.

“It has been a long time coming, signing Parker to a full season program with Exclusive Autosport,” Duncalfe continued. “I am especially excited that he will be one of our drivers, a series veteran, leading the EA program in our inaugural season in the USF2000 Championship / MRTI. I have the utmost respect for not only Parker’s racecraft, but also his work ethic on and off the track. I have never seen a driver work as hard as he does off the track on his racing program.”

The team is making a calculated move into the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires this season. With multiple championships on their resume in Canadian and American Formula 1600 racing, including SCCA, Formula Tour and Ontario F1600 competition, winning is expected and is the ultimate target. Exclusive’s USF2000 program will base its operation in Palmetto, Florida and will be managed by 2015 USF2000 Mechanic of the Year Jay Green. In addition to Jay, EA will have their loyal full-time mechanics on the program. The current plan is to run three cars in 2017. After having purchased two cars in the initial buy-in opportunity, Duncalfe has already added a third car to the stable.
“Parker and I both have high expectations for the season,” Duncalfe added. “He just came off his second season in the USF2000 Championship, where had it not been for some unfortunate luck, he very well could have walked away with the 2016 title. I feel that EA can give him a car capable of winning races and battling for the championship on track, but also, Exclusive Management Inc. can give him the support he needs off the track to assist with the growth of his partnership portfolio. We are thrilled to welcome Parker to the EA family and getting to work on his program.”

The 2017 season will not be the first time that Thompson has piloted an Exclusive Autosport entry. The 18-year-old from Red Deer, Alberta raced for the team in their Spectrum FF in the Formula Tour F1600 series in 2015, sweeping a weekend at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Quebec. He proceeded to qualify on the pole at the famed Le Circuit Mt. Tremblant the following week. The previous relationship helped make this new partnership a natural fit, heading into the new year of competition.

“This was easily one of the hardest off seasons I have had in my motorsport career thus far,” Thompson admitted. “I honestly didn’t know if I was going to get behind the wheel of a racecar in 2017, so when the opportunity arose to become a part of the EA organization, I was ecstatic.

“This is a dream team fit for myself, in a number of different ways,” Thompson continued. “I met Michael when I was just 11-years-old racing in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at the Western Canadian Karting Championships. It just goes to show you what relationship building can do for your career down the road! Since then, I actually raced for Michael in his decorated FF1600 program, and claimed my first two formula car wins with him. There’s not many team owners in the paddock who I have had such a great history and relationship with over the years. I think that is going to make me push even harder to make sure I am doing everything on and off the track possible to pursue a championship for this team in 2017. You could definitely say that I have some unfinished business to take care of on the Mazda Road to Indy in 2017, and I couldn’t be prouder to represent EA Autosport while I do it.”

The team will be back testing at the end of the month at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Exclusive Autosport has signed experienced USF2000 pilot Parker Thompson to contest the 2017 championship ((Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

TSO Ladder Notes from Steve:

  • Thompson is the eighth driver confirmed for the 2017 Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda season, joining: Moises de la Vara (DEForce Racing), Kory Enders (DEForce Racing), Rinus VK (Carlin/Benik), Devin Wojcik (ArmsUp Motorsports), Chandler Horton (RJB Motorsports) and Robert Megennis (Team Pelfrey)
  • Thompson, who will turn 19 just before the season opening event on the streets of St. Petersburg, led a number of key statistical categories when the 2016 Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda season ended. The Red Deer, Alberta native led the following categories: podiums (12), laps led (137), and average of quickest race lap (2.3).
  • One of the things that sets Thompson apart is his passion for community service outside of the race car, as evidenced by the Drive To Stay Alive program that he founded.  Over the past two seasons, Thompson has visited over 100 high schools to share his distracted driving message with 100,000 students. 
  • You can follow Thompson on the following social media platforms: Twitter – Instagram – Facebook
  • Thompson is currently competing for a $50,000 scholarship from Champion Spark Plugs… you can vote for him here –> “Search For A Champion Contest”
category: Exclusive Autosport
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EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT TO ENTER USF2000 IN 2017

Posted by  on Thursday, June 30th 2016     

Exclusive Autosport logo

Team commits to purchasing multiple Tatuus USF-17 chassis in preparation for debut in Mazda Road to Indy competition

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – Canadian junior open-wheel formula racing team Exclusive Autosport is joining the ranks of the Mazda Road to Indy in 2017.

The team has already purchased two Tatuus USF-17 chassis and intends to add another at a later date, setting the stage for a three-car effort in the Championship Class of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda when the Tatuus becomes the competition standard at the beginning of next season.

As the North American factory team for Spectrum racing chassis, Exclusive Autosport will also enter its Spectrum 014Z F2000 in the National Class.

Building on the team’s extraordinary record of success, which includes nine major Formula 1600 championships across North America in its first three years of competition, Exclusive Autosport expects to be competitive immediately by applying its core values of professionalism, teamwork, and excellence within this new venue.

Below, team principal Michael Duncalfe discusses Exclusive Autosport’s intentions and motivations as he leads preparations for his team’s Mazda Road to Indy debut in 2017.

Why has Exclusive Autosport made the decision to expand into USF2000 and become part of the Mazda Road to Indy?

Michael Duncalfe: We have a number of reasons. First, the timing is right for us as an organization. We have been highly successful in Formula 1600 competition over the last three and a half years, winning nine championships, four Rookie of the Year championships, and two Masters championships. Using this positive momentum as a base is important in making a seamless transition.

We also want to provide opportunities for our drivers to continue their open-wheel development within the Exclusive Autosport organization. Moving into USF2000 allows us to form our own internal ladder system, which we believe is a crucial component of a well-rounded open-wheel program.

Lastly, the introduction of the Tatuus USF-17 spec chassis is also a vital part of the decision.

What role did the introduction of the new Tatuus USF-17 spec chassis to the series play in Exclusive Autosport’s decision?

MD: It was a major decision point for us in this expansion into the Mazda Road to Indy. We knew that the Van Diemen’s life span in the series was limited, and since the Tatuus USF-17 will be a new car for everyone it will allow us to enter the series on a level playing field.

The Van Diemen chassis was also in direct conflict with our Spectrum 014Z F2000. We‘re thrilled that the introduction of the new car has allowed us to expand our program while still being loyal to the Spectrum F1600 and F2000 brand that we’ve been distributing in North America since our team’s inception.

How many Tatuus USF-17 chassis has the team already purchased, and how many cars does the team intend to run in USF2000 in 2017?

MD: We have purchased two Tatuus USF-17s, which will be arriving with the first container shipment in September. Our intention is to purchase one more and run a three-car operation in the Championship Class as well as one entry in the National Class with our Spectrum 014z F2000.

Will Exclusive Autosport continue to dedicate effort and resources into its other junior formula programs as it prepares to enter USF2000?

MD: Absolutely. In my opinion, Formula 1600 racing is a valuable training ground for drivers, whether they are new to racing entirely or making the jump from karts to open-wheel competition. We will continue to run our championship-winning Formula 1600 program as we have for the past three and a half years. The only change for us is the in-house ladder system that adding the USF2000 program creates under the Exclusive Autosport umbrella. This gives Exclusive Autosport drivers, Spectrum drivers worldwide, and drivers who are new to our program an opportunity to continue their development under one roof while fostering relationships with our coaches, engineers, and crew. These unique relationship-building experiences are among the many skills our drivers learn in their time with us and carry with them throughout their racing careers.

Exclusive Autosport is North America’s factory team for Spectrum, a formula car chassis builder based in Australia. How will the team carry its relationship with Spectrum into USF2000?

MD: We firmly believe that Spectrum has the superior Formula 1600 product, and incredible drivers continue to pilot Spectrum chassis to race wins and championships around the the world. Our goal is to make the transition into the Mazda Road to Indy seamless not only for Exclusive Autosport drivers but also Spectrum drivers worldwide. We will work with the factory to create opportunities for drivers to advance their careers.

The USF2000 Championship introduced the National Class in 2016 that allows a variety of manufacturers to compete. This creates a perfect opportunity for Exclusive Autosport to put our Spectrum 014Z F2000 on display in the Mazda Road to Indy alongside the spec Tatuus USF-17s that will race in the Championship Class.

About Exclusive Autosport
Formed in 2013 and based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Exclusive Autosport has quickly forged a reputation as being among North America’s premier junior formula outfits. Success came quickly under Michael Duncalfe’s leadership with notable achievements including the 2015 F1600 Formula F Championship and back-to-back driver titles in 2013 and 2014 in the Canadian Toyo Tires F1600 A-Class Championship (Ontario) and the Formula Tour 1600 Championship (Quebec). Exclusive Management Inc. is the official North American Importer and Distributor for Spectrum Chassis, designed and produced by Borland Racing Developments in Australia.

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