STRANA: STRANA selects Elan Motorsports

STRANA selects Elan Motorsports Technologies as exclusive race truck builder.

New Albany, Ohio (March 5, 2003) The Super Truck Racing Association of North America (STRANA) has selected Georgia-based Elan Motorsports Technologies Group to manufacture spec rolling chassis for the Super Truck Racing Championship Series. As part of the exclusive, multi-year agreement, Elan also will provide technical support to the series as well as teams.

The manufacturing of several race trucks will begin immediately and completed by late spring, after which Elan will supervise testing, modifications and set up prior to this summer's Super Truck Celebrity Challenge events. Financial terms of the agreement are not being released.

Teams will purchase the spec rolling chassis from Elan and have the opportunity to use one of several approved engines from a variety of manufacturers, and select cosmetics to replicate a North American class-8 brand of their choice.

"The selection of Elan as our exclusive chassis manufacturer is the culmination of 21-months of work," said STRANA Executive Director Brian Till. "It means teams that have signed letters of interest in racing now have something to purchase.

"Elan is a recognized leader in motorsports, and STRANA is proud to be associated with them. This relationship ultimately assures that STRANA super trucks will be high performing, economically efficient and safe," said Till.

Elan Motorsports Technologies is part of The Panoz Organization, the parent company of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), which is STRANA's sanctioning body. Elan has developed vehicles for the world's foremost motorsports series, including the American Le Mans Series, IRL IndyCar, Formula Star Mazda and other IMSA series.

"We are extremely excited to be part of a unique motorsports property like super truck racing," said David Bowes, president of Elan Motorsports Technologies. "This relationship came to fruition because we share STRANA's vision and belief in its long-term viability."

Elan Motorsports Technologies is turning heads this year with a new Indy Car chassis (the Panoz G Forec) it produced for its parent company. A Panoz G Force driven by Scott Dixon won last week's Toyota Indy 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla. That performance followed the G Force winning the top four finishing spots during IRL winter testing earlier this year.

The selection of Elan Motorsports Technologies by STRANA comes two weeks after Haldex' announced it will be a Primary Truck Sponsor for the Super Truck Celebrity Challenge, adding to its role as the official and exclusive supplier of brake systems for the Super Truck Racing Championship Series through 2005.

Other STRANA sponsors include Alcoa, Continental Tires, Haldex, Shell, www.1800DRIVERS.com, Truckin' Bozo Radio Network and America Trucking On The Road magazine.

Based in suburban Columbus, Ohio, STRANA is the governing body for class-8 super truck racing in North America. Its mission is to promote super truck racing and the trucking and transportation industry.

-www.stranaracing.com