Atlantic
Daniel Weldon Joins Andres Bordin At PPIM
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA (January 14, 2000) - PPI Motorsports (PPIM) has signed reigning U.S. Formula Ford 2000 champion Daniel Wheldon to join Andrew Bordin this season in defense of its CART Toyota Atlantic Championship title. Wheldon will ...
Edited: Apr 15, 2002, 11:45 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA (January 14, 2000) - PPI Motorsports (PPIM) has signed reigning U.S. Formula Ford 2000 champion Daniel Wheldon to join Andrew Bordin this season in defense of its CART Toyota Atlantic Championship title. Wheldon will contest the series' 12-race schedule in the #3 Jayhard Swift alongside Bordin's #1 MCI WorldCom Swift.
Bordin, 23, of Woodbridge, Ontario (Canada), returns with new sponsor MCI WorldCom after a highly successful 1999 season. In just his second year of Atlantic competition, Bordin earned two wins, his first career pole position and five podium appearances en route to placing third in 1999 championship standings. Bordin has now finished within the top three in championship point standings for two consecutive years, having placed second in 1998 as series Rookie of the Year, and is widely anticipated to be a frontrunner in the 2000 Atlantic title chase.
"I'm really looking forward to returning this season with PPI Motorsports and MCI WorldCom," said Bordin, who will be guided on-track by PPIM's championship-winning engineer Kyle Brannan. "We worked hard together last year and made a lot of progress, both as a team and for me personally. I think that experience, and the chemistry we have built together, will definitely be advantages for us. I feel more comfortable and more prepared for competition than I ever have."
"Andrew was an integral part of our best open-wheel season ever," said Cal Wells III, president and owner of PPI Motorsports. "He's got a ton of talent, and he's concentrated that energy into a very mature and aggressive driving style. We're thrilled that he'll be leading the team as we defend our championship title."
Wheldon, 21, of Buckinghamshire, England, joins PPIM on the Atlantic circuit after a phenomenal rookie year in U.S. Formula Ford 2000 competition. In 14 events, Wheldon claimed six wins, eleven podium finishes and five pole positions (starting within the top four in every event) en route to earning 1999's overall championship title. Wheldon also took home the U.S. Formula Ford 2000 Oval Crown with one win and two seconds on the circuit's three oval tracks - an impressive feat, considering Wheldon had never before competed on an oval.
"This is an excellent opportunity to move into what is known as one of the toughest championships in the U.S.," said Wheldon. "It's an absolute dream. Everyone on the PPI Motorsports team is very professional, and they have the hunger to do very, very well. We have the same goals, so I plan to work hard, stay focused, learn as much as I can and be as consistent as possible for a good finish in the championship."
As the current US FF2000 champion, Wheldon was afforded the opportunity this past December to test a PPI Motorsports Atlantic car as part of the Atlantic series ladder system program. The test, which has been conducted annually for US FF2000 Championship title winners, allowed PPI Motorsports the chance to evaluate Wheldon's driving abilities firsthand.
"Dan handled the car and the pressures of a first-time test situation beautifully," said Nick Harvey, PPIM's Atlantic program manager. "He did more than prove himself on the track, and he provided excellent feedback to the team. Having also watched his career with great interest this past year, I am confident that Dan will make the transition into the Atlantic series without a hitch. We're looking forward to a highly competitive season on both fronts."
Both Bordin and Wheldon are scheduled to begin pre-season testing on the Homestead-Miami Speedway oval this weekend in preparation for the track's season-opening double-header March 25 and 26.
Biographical Information Full Name: Daniel Wheldon Birthdate: June 22, 1978 Residence: Buckinghamshire, England Height: 5'9" Birthplace: Buckinghamshire, England Weight: 142 lbs.
Background Dan Wheldon, a rookie in the 1999 U.S. Formula Ford 2000 series, claimed six wins, eleven podium finishes and five pole positions with Primus Racing en route to clinching the 1999 championship title. Wheldon's phenomenal '99 season also marked his oval debut, in which he took home one first and two second-place finishes to secure the U.S. Formula Ford 2000 Oval Crown.
After eight record-setting years on the British and international karting circuits, Wheldon made the transition to single-seaters in the 1996 British Formula Vauxhall Junior Championship. Wheldon completed his rookie season with three victories and was named a finalist for the prestigious McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award. Wheldon then advanced to Formula Ford in 1997, where he earned seven wins and another McLaren/Autosport Young Driver of the Year nomination through two seasons of competition.
Career Experience U.S. Formula Ford 2000, British Formula Ford, Formula Vauxhall, British Junior Kart Championship
Championships U.S. Formula Ford 2000 (1999) Ayrton Senna Memorial World Championship (1995) British Junior Kart Championships (1988, 1989, 1990 and 1993)
Notable Wins/Honors Only driver to win every round of the British Junior Kart Championship (1989) CIK/FIA Ayrton Senna Memorial World Kart Cup (1997) McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year finalists (1996 and 1997)
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article CHAMPCAR/CART: Long Beach Schedule of Events
Next article Long Beach Lynx Results
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Dan Wheldon
Simpson hoping Sunoco partnership grows into long-standing relationship
IndyCar
IndyCar
Simpson hoping Sunoco partnership grows into long-standing relationship
Gainbridge joins Andretti in supporting Wheldon brothers
IndyCar
IndyCar
Gainbridge joins Andretti in supporting Wheldon brothers
The top Indy 500s ranked: Andretti, Foyt, Mears and more
IndyCar
IndyCar
The top Indy 500s ranked: Andretti, Foyt, Mears and more
Latest news
Max Verstappen on GTWC Europe debut: “We’re here to win”
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 5 h
Max Verstappen on GTWC Europe debut: “We’re here to win”
How to watch NASCAR at Phoenix II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
5 h
How to watch NASCAR at Phoenix II: Weekend schedule, start time, entry list, TV
Ryan Ellis signs multi-year NASCAR O'Reilly deal with Alpha Prime Racing
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Phoenix II
6 h
Ryan Ellis signs multi-year NASCAR O'Reilly deal with Alpha Prime Racing
Ayao Komatsu: Rafael Camara chosen for F1 2027 seat on speed, not Ferrari links
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
12 h
Ayao Komatsu: Rafael Camara chosen for F1 2027 seat on speed, not Ferrari links
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe