March 2004

RED BULL DRIVER SEARCH WINNER MATT JASKOL SIGNS WITH TEAM AUTOTECNICA TO CONTEST FORMULA BMW NORTH AMERICA CHAMPIONSHIP

New York, NY (10 Mar 2004) - 2003 Red Bull Driver Search winner Matt Jaskol of Las Vegas, NV, has signed with Team Autotecnica to contest the 2004 Formula BMW North America Championship this season. Jaskol is one of three drivers to have won backing from Red Bull after emerging as a star in the making after two days of testing in British F3 cars at Estoril in Portugal last October.

Jaskol is the only Red Bull Driver Search winner who will be chasing his Formula One dreams stateside, as his fellow winners, Dominique Claessens, Colin Fleming and Scott Speed, will do battle this season in Europe in the Formula Renault Eurocup.

“For me, starting in this series in the United States is like a home run and it is a great challenge to be among the favorites in this series,” enthused Jaskol, who scored three wins on his way to third place in the Formula Dodge National Championship last season.

Team Autotecnica, based near West Palm Beach, Florida, was selected based on the excellence of their preparation, and the character of the team, which is young spirited and has a history of developing up and coming talent, both of which appealed to Red Bull. The team is looking forward to bringing the young talent on board, and has high expectations for the season.

The inaugural Formula BMW USA season will comprise fourteen races, held on seven race weekends, and will be sanctioned by Champ Car. Race venues will include the Canadian Grand Prix, the United States Grand Prix and four Champ Car events. The series debut will take place at Lime Rock Park, CT, on 31 May, with the series finale slated to place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on 12 September.

In 2004, the Red Bull Driver Search is continuing in its quest to discover and support the "diamond in the rough," lacking the knowledge and contacts needed to embark on a career in racing, as well as talented young drivers already in racing. The long-term goal is to have a steady group of three to six American drivers racing in Europe, groomed to break into Formula 1 and compete for the World Championship.

Source: Maxim Sports Management, Inc.
(http://www.maxim-online.com)