PACIFIC F2000 CHAMP PATRICK BARRETT COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL ATLANTIC TEST WITH PR1 MOTORSPORTS
Indianapolis- January 11, 2008
Team USA Scholarship winner and 2007 Pacific F2000 Champion Patrick Barrett acquitted himself well on Wednesday in testing one of
the Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda race cars from PR1 Motorsports at Buttonwillow
Raceway.
The 18-year-old Barrett earned the test as one of his prizes for taking the Pacific F2000 title and was made possible by Cooper Tire
& Rubber Company and Cosworth, which are partners common to both Champ Car Atlantic and Pacific F2000. Under nearly ideal weather
conditions, Barrett completed 170-180 miles in the test, and used two sets of Cooper Atlantic Racing Slicks. Barrett won his Pacific
F2000 title driving for PR1 Motorsports, and the Los Osos, Calif. resident tested alongside Champ Car Atlantic veteran Mike
Forest.
It was Barrett’s second time in a Champ Car Atlantic machine, as he won an Atlantic test last fall with U.S. RaceTronics as part of
his Team USA Scholarship experience. Oergel pointed out that the previous experience in the car certainly factored into Barrett’s
ability to work up to speed quickly, as did his familiarity with the PR1 Motorsports team.
"I had a great time driving the Champ Car Atlantic car with PR1 Motorsports,” Barrett said. “I really enjoyed seeing and working
with everyone on the team again. The car was a blast to drive. We worked mostly on pushing myself and finding the limits of the car.
There's a lot of grip available in the car because of the downforce it produces. It was great having Mike Forest's help too. He
provided great data and motivation on and off the track. I think it was a successful day and I really learned a lot about driving the
Champ Car Atlantic. I again want to thank Champ Car, Champ Car Atlantic, Cosworth, Cooper Tire, Buttonwillow Raceway, Ric Forest and
especially Bobby and Lisa Oergel at PR1 Motorsports for this opportunity. I enjoyed every second it!"
Patrick Barrett with Bobby Oergel and Andy Garvey
(Photo: John Barrett)
Next up for the Champ Car Atlantic Championship is the first of three open test sessions to be held prior to the start of the 35th
Anniversary season of Atlantic at Long Beach on April 20. The first open test of 2008 will be held at the famed Sebring International
Raceway circuit in Central Florida. Atlantic cars will take to the 1.669-mile “short course” on February 5-6.
The Champ Car Atlantic Championship continues to be the premier open-wheel development series in North America. Celebrating its 35th
season of competition in 2008, the championship is noted for its long history of graduating its stars into Champ Car competition and
has helped produce past Champ Car champions Jimmy Vasser, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti and Jacques Villeneuve, as
well as 2007 Champ Car competitors Alex Tagliani, Katherine Legge, Simon Pagenaud, Graham Rahal, Ryan Dalziel and Alex Figge. All
Atlantic competitors utilize Swift 016.a chassis powered by a 2.3-liter Mazda-Cosworth engine while riding on Cooper Tires. For more
information on the series and its broadcast details, please visit www.champcaratlantic.com.
Patrick Barrett Tests at Buttonwillow
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