Orsi on AARWBA Second Team

CART Toyota Atlantic Series Champion Orsi Places On Second Team In AARWBA Voting

Highland Park, Ill. (December 10, 2001) -- Reigning CART Toyota Atlantic Series champion, Hoover Orsi, earned a place on the Second Team in the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) in the "At Large" category for its 2001 Auto Racing All-Star team.

Orsi, who captured the series title in his second Atlantic season, earned his first ever place on the AARWBA All-Star team following his outstanding 2001 campaign. The Brazilian native not only won his first Atlantic Championship, but helped win a first for his team, Hylton Motorsports. Orsi won five of the season's 12 races including an impressive four race winning streak which eventually propelled him to the 2001 Championship. In addition to his wins, Orsi won a series high four poles and finished on the podium in all but one event; a feat only accomplished by Patrick Carpentier during his 1996 Championship season. Orsi completed the season with a total of 187 points, 56 ahead of Canada's David Rutledge who drove for Lynx Racing.

The AARWBA All-America Team annually recognizes the top 12 drivers in North American motorsports. The team is split into six categories: Open-Wheel Racing, Road Racing, Short Track, Stock Car Racing, Drag Racing and At Large. Votes are collected from the AARWBA membership to determine first-team, second-team, third-team, fourth-team and honorable-mention (those receiving at least five percent of the vote) selections. The leading vote-getter receives the Jerry Titus Award as the All-America Team's driver of the year. The AARWBA All-America Team honorees will be announced at the annual All-America Team Banquet on January 12th in Pomona, California.

The CART Toyota Atlantic Championship is one of the world's premier open-wheel development series and the top rung on CART's "ladder system". It is also noted for its long history of graduating its stars into CART competition. Among the drivers who have graduated from the Atlantic Series are CART Champ Car stars Michael Andretti, Jimmy Vasser, Alex Barron, Memo Gidley, Patrick Carpentier, Alex Tagliani as well as former series champions Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan and Jacques Villeneuve.

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