Andersen Racing tests Vassmer at VIR

Vassmer Impresses at Andersen Racing's Star Mazda Test

FAIRFIELD, N.J., Nov. 7 - Key members of Andersen Racing were very impressed with Ricardo Vassmer's performance during a two-day test they conducted last week at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.

Vassmer, who finished third in the 2006 NASA Cooper Tires Formula Ford 2000 series, drove one of the Fairfield, N.J.-based team's Star Mazda cars at the test.

The team plans to compete in the Indy Pro Series, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, and the Hankook Tires FF2000 series next year.

"Ricardo did extremely well," said team manager Michelle Kish of Vassmer, a native of Caracas, Venezuela who resides in Coral Springs, Fla., when he's in the States.

During the test the 22-year-old driver worked very closely with noted racing engineer Remi Lanteigne.

"Remi had wonderful things to say about him," Kish elaborated.  "He did
everything Remi wanted him to do, every step of the way.  He was able to respond to
Remi's directions and give good feedback. He was fast.  We were impressed."

Vassmer was very impressed with the team, the car and the track.

Kish said that Vassmer has been invited to another one of the team's tests to drive one of its Star Mazda cars again. That test will be held Nov. 14-15 at Roebling Road Raceway in Bloomingdale, Ga.

Seventeen-year-old Jonathan Goring, who won this year's Skip Barber national championship presented by Racer, will also participate at that test.

With its unique three-tiered approach, Andersen Racing has established a program to take up-and-coming drivers through the formative stages of American open-wheel formula-car racing and train them for careers as IndyCar or Champ Car World Series drivers. For more information on the team, see its Web site at andersenracingteam.com.

For more information on Vassmer, see ricardovassmer.com.

-credit: ar