Archives for Exclusive Autosport

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT SIGNS MANUEL CABRERA FOR HIS RETURN TO USF200

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT SIGNS MANUEL CABRERA FOR HIS RETURN TO USF2000

 19-year-old Mexican back for his sophomore year in Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship

SASKATOON, SK (February 22, 2019) – Exclusive Autosport is pleased to announce that Mexican driver Manuel Cabrera will rejoin the team for the 2019 Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, competing in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship season. The 18-year-old spent the first half the 2018 season running with Exclusive Autosport’s USF2000 program, where he was named the ‘Star of the Race’ at the Royal Purple Grand Prix of Indianapolis by the Road to Indy Insider. During that weekend, Cabrera hard-charged his way from the 22ndposition to finish an impressive ninth in a field stacked full of talent. With that experience now part of his racecraft, Manuel is determined to make his mark on the first rung of America’s top development ladder system.

“It is a real pleasure to welcome Manuel back to the Exclusive Autosport USF2000 program,” enthused Michael Duncalfe, Team Principal. “He showed his speed, racecraft and a lot of promise in the first half of the season last year. He has been training really hard in the off-season and I am looking forward to positive results from Manuel in 2019.”

Cabrera began his racing career in the assorted Mexican karting series in 2010 at the age of 10, running upfront and winning numerous races and championships along the way. Manuel made the move to car racing by attending the Skip Barber Racing School in 2016, and then participated in their Championship Series. Cabrera graduated to the Formula PanAm series in 2017 and earned the championship title, winning a ticket to attend the Mazda Road to Indy $200,000 Scholarship Shootout in the process. In the Formula PanAm program, he scored four wins in the six series races and was on the podium in the other two. He also raced in the Formula Masters Asia series, scoring six top-five finishes, and was awarded the Rookie of the Year honors. In 2018, Manual raced seven races with Exclusive Autosport, racking his highest finish of eighth place at Road America. He has since taken time off to concentrate on his fitness in an effort to prepare for his attack on the 2019 season.

“I feel extremely happy to be back with the Exclusive Autosport team and I’m really anxious to be back behind the wheel and start the season,” commented Cabrera. “Last year was quite tough for me, but I’m really convinced that this year is going to be different. We are preparing ourselves differently and I hope this will show during our on-track performance. I’m really positive that this year is going to be different and great for the whole team. I feel so happy to be part of the team once again and to be able to work again with all the crew members.”

Led by Team Manager Mirl Swan, Cabrera and the entire EA crew are ready and the cars have been prepared for the next official test for the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, which will take Exclusive Autosport back to South Florida for official Spring Training at Homestead on March 1-3, followed immediately by the 2019 season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida on March 8-10.

A number of additional private tests are scheduled for the next couple months, so drivers interested in joining the Exclusive Autosport team are invited to contact Exclusive Autosport at www.exclusiveautosport.ca/contact-us/. The entire Exclusive Autosport staff is motivated to begin their third season of Road to Indy competition to build off their tremendous successes of 2017 and 2018.

Exclusive Autosport is pleased to be able to partner with great companies, such as AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.

 

Source: Team PR

Parker Locke joins Exclusive Autosport for the 2019 Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires season

SASKATOON, Sask. – Exclusive Autosport is pleased to confirm that San Antonio, TX native Parker Locke will compete with the team in the full 2019 season of the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires series, part of the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires.

The program, formally known as the Pro Mazda series, changed its name in the off-season due to Mazda Motorsports’ departure from the ladder program. The impressive Tatuus PM-18 chassis continues as the spec car, and remains powered by the Mazda MZR-PM18 engine.

Coming off a full year in US F4 Championship and a trio of races in the F3 Americas Championship, the 17-year-old Locke is more than ready to get behind the wheel of the Exclusive Autosport PM-18. Parker also competed in this year’s Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand in January and February and was presented with the Most Improved Driver of the Year award. Exclusive Autosport will continue off-season testing, including the series test at Homestead Miami Speedway (March 2-3), to get Parker primed and ready for the season opener at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (March 8-10).

“We are thrilled to welcome Parker Locke to the Exclusive Autosport Indy Pro 2000 program and to be working with him for the 2019 season,” enthused Michael Duncalfe, Team Principal. “Parker has a solid background in open wheel racing and has adapted well to the PM-18 during testing so far. He had an outstanding test with us at the Road To Indy open test at Homestead in December topping the time sheets. We will continue to build from that test and expect solid results from Parker this year.”

Locke began his racing career in 2015 at a local San Antonio, TX kart track. In 2016, while continuing to run karts in Texas, he stepped up into cars by attending a pair of courses at the Skip Barber Racing School. When 2017 began, Locke jumped fully into the sport to run a full season in the F4 US Championship, where he learned the ways of wheel-to-wheel competition. His best finish was 15th at Circuit of the Americas in the season finale. Last year, Locke competed in five of the six US F4 Championship weekends, where he gained eight top-16 finishes in a field of 32 plus competitors. Locke capped off the season by gaining crucial experience in the F3 Americas Championship, competing in the final three series events, recording three podiums.

“I’m very excited to be joining Exclusive Autosport for the 2019 Indy Pro 2000 season,” Locke enthused. “The Road to Indy series seems to be a very professionally run series with many very competitive and talented drivers. I am looking forward to the competition and to try proving myself in such an accomplished field of drivers. Exclusive Autosport has proven in the past to be top tier team producing great results throughout the season. I can’t wait to see how much I improve over the course of the season under their guidance.”

The team is ready and the cars have been prepared for the next official test for the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, which will take Exclusive Autosport back to South Florida for official Spring Training at Homestead on March 2-3, followed immediately by the 2019 season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida on March 8-10.  A number of additional private tests are scheduled for the next couple months, so drivers interested in joining the Exclusive Autosport team are invited to contact Exclusive Autosport at www.exclusiveautosport.ca/contact-us/. The entire Exclusive Autosport staff is motivated to begin their third season of Road to Indy competition to build off their tremendous successes of 2017 and 2018.

Exclusive Autosport is pleased to be able to partner with great companies, such as AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.

Source: Team PR

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT THRILLED TO WELCOME BACK DANIAL FROST

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT THRILLED TO WELCOME BACK DANIAL FROST
Singapore driver Danial Frost will rejoin the squad for the 2019 Indy Pro 2000 campaign

SASKATOON, SK (February 12, 2019) – Exclusive Autosport is extremely excited to welcome back 17-year-old Danial Frost to the team, as the young driver from Singapore will compete in the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires program. In 2018, Frost participated with Exclusive Autosport in seven rounds over three weekends in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship, racking up an impressive five top-10 finishes in his Road to Indy debut with a top result of fourth in Toronto. With that experience completed, Frost elected to make the calculated jump up to the Indy Pro 2000 series after successfully testing a PM-18 car at the Chris Griffis Memorial test in September. Danial has also completed numerous off-season tests in preparation for an attack on the 2019 series championship. In addition to testing the Indy Pro 2000 car stateside, he also competed in the first two weekends of the MRF Challenge 2018-2019 Formula 2000 Championship. Frost raced the opening events in Dubai and Bahrain, scoring one win and six top-fives.

“We are thrilled to welcome Danial back to the Exclusive Autosport program for 2019,” enthused Michael Duncalfe, Team Principal. “Danial showed very quickly that he has immense talent behind the wheel and has adapted really quickly to the Indy Pro 2000 car. We have been busy over the off season preparing on and off the track for the upcoming Indy Pro 2000 championship. He had his best finish with us on the streets of Toronto last year, so we are anticipating a strong showing in the first outing at St. Petersburg.”

As most drivers do, Frost began his racing career in karting at the age of 15 in his home country of Singapore. After developing his initial racecraft, he moved on to compete in the 2016 F4 South East Asia Championship, winning an impressive nine times. He also scored his first of two titles in the Singapore Karting Championship. In 2017, Danial won in the Formula Masters series and gained his first podium in the MRF Challenge series, all while continuing his karting program with another crown in the Singapore Karting Championship. After competing in USF2000 in 2018, the move up to Indy Pro 2000 was a natural progression, considering the significant amount of seat time that he has logged in cars similar to the PM-18.

“I’m super stoked to have been given the opportunity to be working with Exclusive Autosport for this season,” Frost enthused. “I’ll be working harder than ever to get the results and I’m ready for the next step in Indy Pro 2000!”
The team is ready and the cars have been prepared for the next official test for the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, which will take Exclusive Autosport back to South Florida for official Spring Training at Homestead on March 2-3, followed immediately by the 2019 season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida on March 8-10. The entire Exclusive Autosport staff is motivated to begin their third season of Road to Indy competition to build off their tremendous successes of 2017 and 2018.

Exclusive Autosport is pleased to be able to partner with great companies, such as AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.

 

Exclusive Autosport Confirms Nikia Lastochkin for Pro Mazda Season

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT CONFIRMS NIKITA LASTOCHKIN FOR PRO MAZDA SEASON

Experienced Russian driver signs with Canadian-based team for the 2019 Road To Indy campaign

SASKATOON, SK (November 30, 2019) – Exclusive Autosport has confirmed its first driver of the 2019 Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires season, and are excited to announce that Nikita Lastochkin will be joining the team in the Pro Mazda Presented by Cooper Tires program. This will mark the talented Russian’s third year in the category, and he’ll aim to use his experience to push for his best results ever. Coming off their debut season in Pro Mazda, where they won three races, Exclusive Autosport has not let up and has tested numerous drivers during the off-season with the goal of running three PM-18s for the 2019 season.

“I am thrilled to welcome Nikita to the Exclusive Autosport Pro Mazda program,” enthused Michael Duncalfe, Team Principal. “Nikita’s experience in the Road to Indy and maturity are great assets to the EA program. Overall, Nikita is a great fit with the Exclusive Autosport team. We are looking forward to a very positive and successful year with him in Pro Mazda.

Lastochkin began his racing career in 2013 in the Skip Barber and SCCA series, scoring many victories, all with his eyes on the Mazda Road to Indy program. In 2015, Nikita began a two-year stint in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, where he earned a combined 24 top-10 finishes. In 2017, he set his sights on Pro Mazda Presented by Cooper Tires and the 28-year-old finished fifth in the championship standing, posting eight top-fives and 11 top-10s with a season-high result of third in both races at Road America.  Last year, Nikita was ninth overall in the championship fight with 10 top-10 finishes.

“I’m extremely excited to come into the season and join Exclusive Autosport,” Lastochkin enthused. “From the testing we’ve completed so far, the car feels very quick and suits my driving style well. Michael (Duncalfe) has been very welcoming and helped me feel at home right away and I think we are going to have a great year ahead of us.”

The team is ready and the cars have been prepared for the upcoming official Road to Indy open test at Homestead-Miami Speedway next week (December 3-4). Following the outing in December, the next official test for the Road to Indy will bring Exclusive Autosport back to South Florida for Spring Training at Homestead on March 2-3, followed immediately by the 2019 season opener in St. Petersburg, Florida on March 8-10.  A number of additional private tests are scheduled for early 2019, drivers interested in joining the Exclusive Autosport team are invited to contact Exclusive Autosport at www.exclusiveautosport.ca/contact-us/. The entire Exclusive Autosport staff is motivated to begin their third season of Road to Indy competition to build off the tremendous successes of 2017 and 2018.

Exclusive Autosport is pleased to be able to partner with great companies, such as AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.

IGOR FRAGA JOINS EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT FOR ROOKIE USF2000 EFFORT

IGOR FRAGA JOINS EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT FOR ROOKIE USF2000 EFFORT

Brazilian driver to graduate from FIA F4 NACAM series to Mazda Road to Indy in 2018

 

SASKATOON, SK (February 24, 2018) – Exclusive Autosport is excited to announce that Igor Fraga will join the team for the 2018 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. The 18-year-old Japanese-born Brazilian will make his Mazda Road to Indy debut this season after starting the year in the FIA Formula 4 NACAM Championship, in which he has already produced two wins. Fraga comes to Exclusive Autosport with an impressive open-wheel resume that includes being crowned the 2017 Brazilian F3 Academy Champion.

“We’ve been able to test with Igor a couple times and he’s provided exceptional feedback and was very quick on-track,” enthused Michael Duncalfe, Team Principal. “He is very calm and methodical in and out of the car.  I feel that he has the speed to be a race winner.  If he can be consistent, I believe that we could quite possibly put a championship run together.”

New driver Igor Fraga and Exclusive Autosport team owner Michael Duncalffe pose in front of the Mazda powered USF17 that the Brazilian will pilot in 2018. (Photo Courtesy of Exclusive Autosport)

Fraga started his competition career at the young age of five, racing karts all over Asia. In 2007, he represented Brazil in the ROK Cup International Final in Italy, where he placed 13th in a field of almost 100 drivers. After a long and successful karting career, Igor graduated into open-wheel cars in 2014, racing the Formula 3 Brazil Light and FIA Formula NACAM Championship, earning an impressive 17 wins. He was eventually crowned the Formula 3 Brazil Light champion in 2017.  In the testing that Fraga has completed with Exclusive Autosport, he has shown great speed and interaction with the crew.  Igor is very focused on quickly learning everything he needs to know about the USF2000 car and the program, and his target will be consistency, race wins, and the championship.

“I am very pleased to be part of Exclusive Autosport,” Fraga enthused. “Since I had my first contact with the team, I felt very comfortable working with them. I’ll do my best to have a great season. The goal is to be champion.”

The team is ready and the cars are prepped for the official MRTI Spring Training test at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend (February 24-25). The season opener for the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires in St. Petersburg is just two weeks away (March 9-11), and the entire Exclusive Autosport staff is motivated to begin their second season of MRTI competition on a positive note.

Exclusive Autosport is pleased to be able to partner with great companies, such as AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.

 

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT COMPLETES PRO MAZDA ROSTER WITH SERRAVALLE

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT COMPLETES PRO MAZDA ROSTER WITH SERRAVALLE

Young Canadian talent to make formula car debut at St. Petersburg

SASKATOON, SK (February 22, 2018) – Exclusive Autosport is pleased to confirm that Canadian Antonio Serravalle has signed with the team to fill their second PM-18 seat in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. The 15-year-old has an extensive karting resume that includes championships in Canada, the United States, and Europe, with wins and titles coming most recently in the top-level KZ shifter kart category. Serravalle will team with MRTI veteran Parker Thompson to form the only all-Canadian squad in the program, and young driver from Unionville, Ontario will certainly look to learn from his race-winning teammate.

“We’re extremely excited to begin our first season in the Pro Mazda Championship, and I’m pleased to bring Antonio into the EA program to present a two-car effort in 2018,” enthused Michael Duncalfe, Team Principal. “It will be good for us to have two streams of data and as a team owner, I’m also very excited to watch Antonio push himself to develop in this competitive landscape. Even though he’s just 15, he’s run high-level international and national karting events and series for many years where the pressure is intense, and I believe that he has the experience necessary to take up this challenge.”

Serravalle has been karting since he was five years old, beginning his career on the storied tracks around the Canadian province of Ontario. He scored Micro Max and Mini Max titles in the ultra-competitive Eastern Canadian Karting Championships and the ASN Canada National Karting Championships. Antonio then had the opportunity to race in Italy, running for one of the major chassis manufacturer’s factory teams, where he quickly developed and began winning races and championships. Serravalle has always pushed to remain challenged and he advanced into the shifter kart categories at the age of 14. This past year, he scored two championships in 2017. He won the F Series title in the KZ class – the international formula for gearbox karting – and was also crowned the Canadian KZ champion.

Stand-out Canadian karter Antonio Serravalle will be joining Exclusive Autosport to form an all-Canadian assault on the 2018 Pro Mazda Presented By Cooper Tire championship (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

“I’m extremely excited about joining Exclusive Autosport in Pro Mazda for the 2018 season,” offered Serravalle. “It’s an all-Canadian team and they seem to be on the way up at a quick rate. It will be a great challenge for me to move up to cars and jump right into Pro Mazda, which is something that my father has made me used to by now as I’m always moving up to a higher class as soon as he sees that I’ve been quick enough to win.  We tested a USF2000 car at Homestead but my karting focus has been the KZ shifter kart class this year, so we felt that the car may be a little slow for my driving style. Michael (Duncalfe) gave me a great opportunity to join his team with Parker as a teammate. The team also has a really good top engineer in Tim Lewis, and I know that he will get the most out of the new PM-18. I’ve tested the car; it’s amazingly stable and quick, so I’m looking forward to St.Pete.”

The official MRTI Spring Training test will get underway tomorrow at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Serravalle will get considerable track time on both Saturday and Sunday. The young Canadian will be back on-track just 12 days later when he makes his Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires debut in St. Petersburg.

Exclusive Autosport is pleased to be able to partner with great companies, such as AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.

 

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT ON TOP AGAIN WITH MID-OHIO USF2000 TRIUMPH

Parker Thompson continued second half surge with dominant race win

LEXINGTON, OHIO (July 29, 2017) – Exclusive Autosport is riding the wave of momentum from their successful weekend in Toronto just two weeks ago, where they won their first races in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. Canadian Parker Thompson showed his tremendous skills in the sweep of the event, and he was ready to take on the next challenge when he arrived at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course last Thursday. Thompson paced the opening practice session and would eventually post a pair of podium finishes, as a strong second in Race 1 on Friday was followed by a dominant race win on Saturday. The results have cemented his third-place position in the championship standings. Thompson’s teammates Dev Gore and Jayson Clunie both enjoyed strong outings as well, advancing forward in both races. Gore logged his second top-10 of the year in Race 1 while Clunie finished both races in the top-15, turning his fastest laps of the weekend in the second race. The team’s trio of drivers all advanced from their starting position in both races, with the successful exception of Thompson’s Race 2 win from the pole. It was Exclusive Autosports’ finest overall outing of the season.

“It was another strong weekend for my Exclusive Autosport team. I can’t say enough about my amazing crew, our drivers, their parents and our sponsors,” offered Michael Duncalfe, team owner, commending his entire operation. “This is truly a team effort and everyone has been continuing to up their game and it’s showing. Parker once again showed what an incredible talent he is and also how quick the Exclusive Autosport USF2000 cars are. Qualifying nearly seven-tenths ahead of the field and coming away with another win and a second – which makes it three wins and four podiums in the last 4 races – is awesome.”

Thompson led the USF2000 time sheets in the one and only official practice of the weekend, using his track experience to fully leverage the car set-up provided by the Exclusive Autosport engineering staff. Gore and Clunie were setting their own baselines, preparing for a weekend of constant improvement. Qualifying for Race 1 on Friday morning was a mess, halted on several occasions for drivers going off-course. The track was damp and extremely slick. Thompson ended the run in fourth overall, but a penalty on Rinus VeeKay moved him to the inside of row two for the start of the opening race of the doubleheader. Both Gore and Clunie improved their positions from practice, slotting in 16th and 17th.

The opening lap of Race 1 was hard-fought, as Thompson took control of third ahead of an aggressive VeeKay.  Parker then went to work on Lucas Kohl for second, taking the position quickly after reaching his gearbox on lap three.  Over the remainder of the run, he continued to push Askew through to a late-race caution, and then just wasn’t able to muster up enough front grip to get past the leader on the restart. Despite battling with aero push in his advances for the lead, Parker brought home an impressive second place finish. Gore was on the move throughout the race, advancing at the start to begin picking off positions. He also displayed calculated aggression during the restart to move further ahead. The rookie driver moved up eight positions to finish 10th in the final tally. Clunie also enjoyed a strong run, as the Canadian ran clean through the entire race while others were losing their cool.  The final result was a 15th place finish, and improved pace from qualifying.

The second race of the weekend was all Parker Thompson. The team had saved a set of sticker Cooper tires for the race, and after qualifying on pole, the Red Deer, Alberta phenom managed the race lead through a lap 16 restart to score a 1.171-second lead.  Parker took all 33 of the available points by sweeping the action, qualifying on pole, leading all the laps, and turning the fast lap in the process. The remainder of the driver squad was on their respective games as well. Gore made impressive advances at the start, and the restart as well, and would have finished even better than the 12th he recorded had he not run over debris that damaged the performance of his right rear. Clunie’s speed development continued throughout the entire weekend, as he turned his fastest laps of the weekend in Race 2 on his way to a 15th place finish.

“Dev has done an unbelievable job making the transition from karts to cars this year,” Duncalfe added. “Not only has he had to learn and adapt to the new Tatuus USF-17, he has also had to learn eight new tracks along the way. Dev has a strong work ethic both on and off the track, which has allowed him to make major strides in his development every weekend and his results are reflecting that. Due to Jayson’s commitments off track as a business owner, he hasn’t had the time to test with us throughout the season. However, he works hard with our engineering staff throughout the race weekend and continues to showcase his raw talent in challenging for top-10’s the past two weekends. His on-track performance improves session after session with him posting his fastest times of the weekend towards the end of Race 2.”

The season finale for the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda is now a month away, set for Labor Day weekend (September 1-3) at Watkins Glen International in New York.  Thompson has secured the third position in the point standings, so he and the team will be aiming to make yet another statement by capping the season with a win, which would be their fourth victory in the last five races.

Exclusive Autosport is pleased to be able to partner with great companies, such as AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.

DRIVER PERFORMANCE / QUOTES

COOPER TIRES USF2000 CHAMPIONSHIP POWERED BY MAZDA

EVENT #7 – JULY 27-29, 2017

MID-OHIO INDY – LEXINGTON, OH

 

PARKER THOMPSON – USF2000 #90

Qualifying 1: 4th – 1:25.115

Qualifying 2: 1st – 1:22.611

Race 1: Start – 3rd / Finish – 2nd

Race 2: Start – 1st / Finish – 1st

Driver Quote: “”There’s no better feeling in motorsports than coming to the checkered flag with your whole team on the pit wall celebrating with you! It’s a term not used much in racing, but for Race 2, I had the ‘perfect racecar’. It felt great to showcase to the field what Exclusive Autosport and I are capable of. We were pole by seven tenths of a second, and delivered a dominant race victory. All the blood, sweat and tears every member of this team has given was demonstrated by this weekend’s performance. I couldn’t be prouder of the #90 Openhwy team in Ohio.”

 

DEV GORE – USF2000 #92

Qualifying 1: 16th – 1:27.670

Qualifying 2: 19th – 1:26.625

Race 1: Start – 16th / Finish – 10th

Race 2: Start – 18th / Finish – 12th

Driver Quote: “This weekend was a positive one, as the team seems to have hit a stride and sorted out the issues with the cars. It was the first time this year that I was able to really race and show what we could do and although we didn’t make it as high up on the running order as I would have liked, I feel that we did a good job given the starting positions of the races and the difficulty of passing around Mid-Ohio. I had two of my weaker qualifying performances this year and I apologize to the team for that, but would like to thank them for the hard work on giving us a great car to race with.”

 

JAYSON CLUNIE – USF2000 #93

Qualifying 1: 17th – 1:28.491

Qualifying 2: 19th – 1:27.069

Race 1: Start – 17th / Finish – 14th

Race 2: Start – 19th / Finish – 15th

Driver Quote: “The weekend started out really good, and having a bit more track time than Toronto was great.  I was pretty quick off the trailer, but we were looking for a bit more and ended up making the car a bit nervous. Q1 was real slick. It was shortened by cars going off and I only ended up with about four quick laps. I was still pretty happy where we started R1, which was good fun. I raced hard and clean with my fellow competitors and came home with a pretty strong 14th place finish. In Q2, I just struggled with the session. The second race of the weekend was good fun again and had some good racing. The restart went well and I was picking up spots, but contact in Turn 4 near the end of the race put me off track, but I was able to return to the track and continue. All in all, Mid-Ohio was challenging but rewarding. I set my quick laps of the weekend late in Race 2, so again I continued to improve right until the end. Mid-Ohio has been, and still is, my favourite track!!! Thanks Michael, Kimberly, my teammates Dev and Parker, as well as the entire crew for a great weekend. Congrats to them and Parker for another win!”

 

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EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT FIRST MRTI TEAM TO PURCHASE NEW PM-18

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT FIRST MRTI TEAM TO PURCHASE NEW PM-18
Canadian team makes firm commitment to expand to Pro Mazda Championship in 2018

SASKATOON, SK (July 25, 2017) – Saskatoon, SK’s Exclusive Autosport has confirmed its intentions of continued expansion within the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires ladder system. The Canadian team, which just won its first USF2000 races in Toronto, has become the first operation to purchase a new Tatuus PM-18 car for the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires.  Team owner Michael Duncalfe remains focused on the growth and development of his team and is planning to run a two-car effort in Pro Mazda next year, further expanding his foundation that already include winning programs in F1600 and USF2000 competition.

“We are thrilled to announce that with the addition of the new Tatuus PM-18, Exclusive Autosport will be expanding our program in the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires with our entry into the 2018 Pro Mazda Championship,” Duncalfe confirmed. “I have been very happy with the quality of the Tatuus USF-17, and have no doubt that the PM-18 will be equally as solid. With the additional aero package and the added horsepower in the 275hp Elite Engines-prepared Mazda powerplant, the Pro Mazda series is the perfect next step for drivers on the MRTI.  Adding this next step to the Exclusive Autosport lineup will mean that drivers who enter our program can progress, in house, from our F1600 program to USF2000 and then on to Pro Mazda, providing a consistent environment for driver growth and development.”

Exclusive Autosport is a leading team in the Canadian F1600 programs, having won the Canadian F1600 Super Series and the Quebec-based Formula Tour 1600 championship in 2016 with Texan Trenton Estep and both the Formula Tour 1600 and Toyo Tires F1600 series in Ontario in 2014 with Missouri’s Tristan DeGrand. They swept both F1600 programs in 2013 as well, winning in Quebec with Thomas McGregor and in Ontario with Jack Mitchell Jr. In addition, they won the American F1600 Championship Series in 2015 with Scott Andrews.

This year, the team expanded its platform and made its debut in the Mazda Road to Indy with a three-car effort in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda.  Canadian Parker Thompson delivered their first wins on the streets of Toronto just over a week ago, while teammates Jayson Clunie and Dev Gore added in three more top-10s for a total of five. Thompson currently sits third in the point standings. Likewise, Exclusive Autosport has accrued 167 points in the Team Championship standings and is positioned in fourth, the highest ranking of the teams that are new to the MRTI in 2017.

Once the team’s new PM-18 arrives, Exclusive Autosport will again put to work their partnership with AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.  Exclusive Autosport welcomes all inquires for the team’s Pro Mazda Championship seats in 2018.  Testing will begin in September and will continue at the Chris Griffis Memorial Test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in October. Drivers interested in the Pro Mazda Championship, or any of Exclusive Autosports race programs, should contact Michael Duncalfe directly at 306-242-8294.

 

Exclusive Autosport Completes First Mazda Road to Indy Weekend

Team logs three top-5 finishes and gains valuable experience to begin new USF2000 season

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (March 15, 2017) – Exclusive Autosport made their long-awaited debut in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda this past weekend at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in southwestern Florida following a focused off-season testing program. The team enjoyed a strong outing on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit, recording three top-5 finishes at the hands of veterans Parker Thompson and Luke Gabin.  Series rookie Dev Gore accomplished his goal of running every race lap, avoiding the carnage that sent a dozen rookies back to the paddock with damaged race cars. The highlights of the weekend were turned in by Thompson for Race #2, where he qualified on the pole. After a spirited battle, Thompson brought the team their first podium in Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tire competition with an impressive third place finish. Gabin added to the Race #2 success with a strong fourth place effort.

“I am proud of the entire Exclusive Autosport team,” offered Michael Duncalfe, EA Team Owner. “Our staff worked tirelessly for months preparing for this event in St Pete. I feel our crew gave our drivers great cars and our drivers did a great job keeping their noses clean and finishing strong. To come away with one pole position, one podium and three top-fives is something to be proud of. That said, we are hungrier than ever for a win and to put all three of our drivers in the top-five. I can’t thank the entire EA team, our drivers, their parents and all of our supporters enough. We had a great opening weekend and we cannot wait to get to Barber Motorsports Park in April.”

After a Thursday afternoon practice session afforded the drivers with their first opportunity to get on-track in St. Petersburg, the team’s pilots headed into qualifying for Race #1 on Friday morning.  The track was still very green, which made it tough to find grip and balance on the cars’ setups. Thompson led the way for Exclusive by laying down the sixth quickest time of the session to secure a position on the third row for the first race of the doubleheader. Gabin was just inside the top-10 in 9th, while Gore knocked almost three seconds of his practice time to begin the official weekend, improving greatly his pace to finish up 21th.

Both USF2000 races were held on Saturday, so the drivers needed to balance the aggression of racing for the win and making sure they avoid damage that could take them out of Race #2. In the opening race, Thompson battled in the lead group and eventually topped a spirited battle between three drivers to take fifth to begin the season. Gabin fought for a position inside the top-10 and ended up 11th while Gore took another step forward with his on-track pace to finish 17th.

Qualifying for the second race had taken place on Friday afternoon, and Thompson put it all together during the 30-minute session, earning Exclusive Autosport their first MRTI pole position. Gabin lost a bit of pace, getting caught in traffic on his sticker tire laps, and was 11th in the timed run.  Gore dropped over a half-second from Qualifying #1 to Qualifying #2 and advanced up the order to 19th.

Thompson paced the field to the Race #2 green flag early Saturday afternoon where he led 10 out of the 21 race laps.  At the midpoint upon a restart (after a long full-course caution), Parker misjudged the grip slightly and pushed past the apex of turn 1, dropping to fifth in the running order. The result was an early-race battle with Kaylen Frederick.  Thompson was able to manage the competition and power to a third place finish, giving the team their first podium in USF2000 action. The crew dialed in Gabin’s USF-17 as well, allowing him to storm from his 11th place starting position to fourth at the end of the 30-minute race. It was an impressive performance that will give the Aussie the momentum he needs heading to Alabama in April.  Like Gabin, Gore saved his best for the final race of the weekend, finishing 16th.

The next event on the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda is set for the beautiful Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama on April 21-23.

Exclusive Autosport is thrilled to be able to partner with great companies, such as AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.

DRIVER PERFORMANCE / QUOTES
COOPER TIRES USF2000 CHAMPIONSHIP POWERED BY MAZDA
ROUND #1 – MARCH 10-12, 2017
GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG – ST. PETERSBURG, FL

 

PARKER THOMPSON – USF2000 #90
Qualifying 1: 6th – 1:15.8117
Qualifying 2: 1st – 1:15.3708
Race 1: 5th
Race 2: 3rd

 

Driver Quote: “I can’t express enough what an honor it is to be driving for Exclusive Autosport this year. The entire crew at EA is beyond dedicated to the program. In their very first race weekend in the USF2000 Series, they put a car on pole, and they put together a car capable of winning the race. I can’t recall any new team on the Mazda Road to Indy taking a podium finish in their first race weekend. And if it wasn’t for my miscalculation on the restart, these boys would have their first win in the bag. The Openhwy #90 was a rocket ship this week, taking a fifth place and a third place in the two races. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of making this season happen for me. Big or small, I’m so grateful to have another shot at taking home this Championship.”

 
LUKE GABIN – USF2000 #91
Qualifying 1: 9th – 1:16.0225
Qualifying 2: 11th – 1:16.3506
Race 1: 11th
Race 2: 4th
Driver Quote: “This past weekend was a very emotional roller coaster for me. I struggled a bit with the track during the first couple days and in qualifying as well, but I was very happy to have the car hooked up in Race 2 to bring home a fourth with the second fastest lap of the race.  So I’m definitely thinking we’ll be right at the top end for Barber in the coming weeks!”

 
DEV GORE – USF2000 #92
Qualifying 1: 21st – 1:19.5348
Qualifying 2: 19th – 1:18.9292
Race 1: 17th
Race 2: 16th

Driver Quote: “My weekend was frustrating to say the least. I wasn’t able to deliver the results that the team deserved. However, we have proved that as a team we are fast and that we are here to win.”

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT – SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS:

Website: www.exclusiveautosport.ca

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Exclusive-Autosport

Twitter: @ExclAutosport

Instagram: @ exclusiveautosport

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About Exclusive Autosport:

Exclusive Autosport (EA) is a professional racing team dedicated to the success of its drivers in open wheel formula car competition in North America.  EA operate teams in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in the United States and the Formula Tour 1600 series in Canada.  Exclusive’s drivers have secured numerous race wins, podium finishes and pole positions, as well as Rookie of the Year championships, a Team USA Scholarship and nominations for Team Canada F1600. Exclusive’s drivers are on the podium in over 80% of the races they enter.  Exclusive Management Inc., the team’s parent company, has enjoyed great success in both open wheel and sports car racing and has worked with standout drivers like Thomas McGregor, Jack Mitchell Jr., Shelby Blackstock, Gregory Liefooghe, Jayson Clunie, David Levine and Trenton Estep.  EM Inc. drivers are highly sought after in the motorsports industry.

Team release and our notes: Dev Gore Joins Exclusive Autosport USF2000 Squad

Team Release:

DEV GORE JOINS EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT USF2000 SQUAD

Canadian team expands to three-car line-up with addition of Florida rookie

SASKATOON, SK (February 27, 2017) – Exclusive Autosport has expanded their full line-up for the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda season, and is pleased to confirm that Atlanta, Georgia’s Dev Gore will drive for the team in 2017.  The 19-year-old will pilot the #92 Exclusive Autosport / AER Apartments entry, kicking off the season in just over a week at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Gore is an accomplished kart racer who won two American Rotax DD2 championships in 2016, taking home the US Open and US Rotax Grand National titles. Gore joins USF2000 veterans Parker Thompson and Luke Gabin to form a strong team of drivers under the Exclusive Autosport tent, as all three will be gunning for the series championship. Gore is also fully focused on winning the Rookie of the Year crown.

“I am very excited about working with Dev,” commented Michael Duncalfe, President and CEO of Exclusive Management, Inc. “He has an impressive karting resume and immense racecraft. He is a welcomed addition to our team. He will no doubt be a contender for Rookie of the Year and challenging upfront.  We are thrilled to welcome Dev to our program and look forward to kicking off the season in St. Petersburg in a couple of weeks.”

Gore launched his karting career at Carolina Motorsports Park and Lamar County Speedway (Barnesville), and was a quick study, and won the club championships in his first year of competition. Dev has worked with a list of talented coaches and teams during his development in karting, and spent three summers at Le Circuit Mont Tremblant under the tutelage of world champion kart racer Ben Cooper and noted Canadian karter Zach Robichon. He’s also been part of the powerhouse Andersen Karting Team, winning races and championships for the Florida-based operation. Gore was also selected as one of two winners in the MRTI Maxspeed Driver Advancement program last year, which provided him with the opportunity to drive a USF2000 car in October at the Chris Griffis Memorial Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“2017 is going to be an interesting year in USF2000,” Gore commented. “This was such a last minute deal, so I am happy to be able to get onboard with a team as stacked as Exclusive Autosport. I believe that I will have the best support between my two teammates and crew. Michael Duncalfe has pulled out all the stops in securing the best mechanics, engineers and crew chief. I also have two of the strongest teammates that I could ask for working together for the benefit of our program. I am extremely confident in both Parker and Luke to work together with Jay Green, the engineers and myself in order to come home with race wins and strong results for the three of us.  I am looking forward to a very strong year.

The team is currently setting up shop at Homestead-Miami Speedway, prepping for the official MRTI Spring Training outing for USF2000 drivers on Tuesday and Wednesday.  The opening round of the series is just two weeks away, as the season will kick off at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 10-12. The on-track action from St. Petersburg will be streamed live on the Mazda Road to Indy app or through the MRTI.TV website (www.roadtoindy.tv), as will the entire USF2000 season.

Exclusive Autosport anxiously awaits the start to the new season and is thrilled to tackle this new challenge with the support of fantastic partners, such as Aero™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.

After a standout career in karting, Dev Gore will make the move to the Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda series with Exclusive Autosport (Photo courtesy of Exclusive Autosport)

TSO Ladder Notes from Steve:

  • Gore is the third Exclusive Autosport entry and 15th 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 (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), Rick Donison (Cape Motorsports), and Luke Gabin (Exclusive Autosport)
  • Gore will join Oliver Askew, and Rinus Van Kalmthout as 2017 USF2000 drivers who got their first taste of the Mazda Road To Indy presented by Cooper Tire as winners of the MAXSpeed/Andersen Promotions Mazda Road to Indy Driver Advancement Program. 
  • With a total of 64 USF2000 starts between his Exclusive Autosport drivers Parker Thompson and Luke Gabin, Gore should be in maximum learning mode from the drop of the green flag in St. Petersburg. 
  • You can follow Gore on the following social media platforms: Twitter – Instagram – Facebook
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