Matt Champagne signs with Rightstuf Racing Formula Ford team

Canadian Karting star Matt Champagne is awarded Canadian Formula Ford ride.

ST. CATHARINES - Fonthill, Ontario's, Matt Champagne, will take a big step forward in his respective racing career thanks to a recent announcement that will put him in a seat in one of Rightstuf Racing's Formula Ford 1600 cars in 2002.

Rightstuf Racing Team Principle, Ed Galick, was impressed with Matt Champagne's total abilities and has signed him to race one of his cars in the 2002 Canadian Formula Ford Championship, including Formula Ford's return to the CART Toronto Molson Indy in July and the Formula One race in Montreal.

For Champagne, a multi-time U.S. and Canadian karting champion, this will be the first year of racing open-wheel cars.

"I am very excited to get this opportunity," said the seventeen-year-old French Canadian. "The goal of any young driver is to move up the racing ladder and Rightstuf Racing is giving me the opportunity to make that next step. I am looking forward to getting into the car soon."

Rightstuf campaigned two cars in last year's Canadian Championship with drivers Brett Osler and Gerry Cavanaugh both logging top ten championship results and competitive race runs in the team's first year. For 2002, Rightstuf Racing will be the sole importer for the Australian-built Spectrum chassis and will be developing the car throughout the season.

Osler will be on hand for Champagne's initial test to offer a smoother transition from karts to cars and expects Champagne to be competitive right from the start.

"The cars and the knowledge are there and with Matt's natural abilities we should be right up at the front," said Osler. "We currently have VanDiemen chassis' that are already sorted until the new model Spectrums come in. We know these cars so we should be able to help Matt get up to speed quickly."

Rightstuf Racing will begin testing the Spectrum cars before mid-season and have them ready to begin campaigning by the Grand Prix of Trois Rivieres on August 2-4. Until then, the current VanDiemen chassis will be utilized.

Champagne will begin testing for the 2002 racing season next week at Mosport. The first round of the Canadian Formula Ford Championship will be at Mosport International Raceway on May 18-19 during the annual Trans-Am Weekend. Champagne will also continue to campaign in the top level of the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) ProMoto Tour for Canadian based Hurricane Racing.

-mc/mm-