Hyper Sport teams with Lotus

Hyper Sport Brings Lotus Back to SPEED World Challenge

BUFORD, Ga. (Jan. 16, 2008) - Hyper Sport Engineering has announced the construction of a Lotus Exige S for competition in the 2008 SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship.

The Lotus Exige S is the newest Lotus model to hit the streets. The Hyper Sport Engineering racecar will utilize the same light weight, forced induction 1.8 liter engine and sophisticated suspension design of the stock Exige. Kirt Wightman, Owner and Director of Hyper Sport Engineering, is convinced the ultra fast and nimble Exige will be right at home in SPEED GT.

"I am excited about the fantastic potential of this new program," Wightman said. "SPEED World Challenge is the right series to showcase the outstanding capabilities of the Lotus chassis."

Lotus' participation in World Challenge dates back to the series' inception in 1990. The marque has recorded eight race wins with the Lotus Espirit Turbo, but has been absent from World Challenge competition since 2000.

"To welcome back a manufacturer with such a renowned motorsports history like Lotus is a real honor for SCCA Pro Racing," SCCA Pro Racing President and CEO Bob Wildberger said. "In fact, I got my own start in SCCA racing a Lotus Europa in the 60's. The addition of the Exige S to SPEED GT gives our diverse grid even more depth and I'm certain the series will provide Lotus and Hyper Sport with a perfect stage for their new car."

Hyper Sport, a sister company to Hyper Sport Engineering, is already an established team in the Koni Challenge and Rolex Series. Team Owner Joe Foster was the GS Class runner-up in last year's Koni Challenge and will jump behind the wheel of the Lotus Exige for the 2008 SPEED GT Championship, sharing driver duties with SPEED Touring Car standout Charles Espenlaub. Wightman will serve as the team's Technical Director and Race Engineer.

"This will be a great honor for me, helping bring Lotus back to World Challenge competition, as well as furthering my relationship with Joe and the mad scientist Kirt," Espenalub said.

Divided into two separate series and races (SCCA SPEED GT and SCCA SPEED Touring Car), the SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships are America's top production car-based series. SCCA SPEED World Challenge events are a maximum of 50 minutes in length, feature standing starts, and regularly have grids of more than 30 cars composed of the world's most popular manufacturers. The 2008 SCCA SPEED World Challenge season begins March 12- 14 at Sebring International Raceway. For more information see www.world-challenge.com.

Hyper Sport Engineering is a race and track car design firm and construction facility specializing in Lotus projects. For more information visit www.hypersportengineering.com. To learn more about the Hyper Sport racing team, visit www.teamhypersport.com.

-credit: hs/scca