WPS/WOW Racing sign Caruso for enduro events

WPS/WOW RACING SIGNS MICHAEL CARUSO FOR 2007 V8 SUPERCAR ENDURANCE CAMPAIGN

WPS/WOW Racing today announced that it has signed young star Michael Caruso for its 2007 endurance campaign in the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Caruso, who celebrated his 24th birthday last Friday, will join existing drivers Max Wilson and Jason Bargwanna in the team's four driver line-up for the Sandown 500 on September 14-16 and the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 on October 4-7.

The fourth and final driver and complete line-up combinations for WPS/WOW Racing's attack on the 2007 V8 Supercar endurance races will be announced at a later date.

Caruso will test with WPS/WOW Racing at Queensland Raceway on May 31, along with #8 WOW Racing pilot Max Wilson and #10 WPS Racing driver and former Bathurst winner Jason Bargwanna.

WPS/WOW Racing showed strong endurance race form last season, qualifying fourth and fifth for the Sandown 500 before going to bring its cars home seventh and 11th, backing up that strong performance with 10th and 14th at Mount Panorama, Bathurst.

Caruso, who hails from Collaroy in Sydney's northeast, currently sits second in the 2007 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series standings after three rounds. Caruso won the opening round of this year's development series in dominating fashion around the demanding Adelaide street circuit at the Clipsal 500.

After an unlucky second round to the championship at Wakefield Park, Caruso again exhibited his speed and potential at Winton Motor Raceway in Round 3 two weeks ago, driving from the back of the grid to finish sixth in wet conditions in Race 2 after a differential failure while running third in Race 1. Caruso ended the round in seventh overall after finishing fifth in the final race of the weekend.

Caruso has one previous start at the Bathurst 1000, driving with Dale Brede for Team BOC last year. The pair's race ended on lap 59 when Brede crashed at Griffin's Bend. Last season was also Caruso's first-ever Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series start at Mount Panorama, the likeable New South Welshman finishing eighth overall for the round. This season will be Caruso's Sandown 500 debut.

Caruso finished in the top 10 in six of the seven rounds of the 2006 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series on his way to fourth place in the championship. His season was highlighted by a spectacular second place at the first round of the championship at the 2006 Clipsal 500 behind eventual championship winner Adam Macrow.

The Sydneysider was the 2003 Australian Formula 3 Champion, that title coming after a distinguished career in karting saw him win the Australian and North American CIK Championship crowns in 1997 as a junior before going on to win the prestigious Ford Max Challenge in 2000 as a senior.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY --

Michael Caruso -- WPS/WOW Racing Endurance Driver

"This is certainly one of the best birthday presents I have ever had," said Caruso.

"It is a fantastic opportunity for a young driver like myself to get the chance to drive with a team like WPS/WOW Racing at two of the biggest races of the year.

"I've really got the thank Craig Gore and his entire team for giving me this opportunity. WPS/WOW Racing showed some really strong speed in the endurance races last year and with the development work that the team has been putting in, this year should be even better.

"This is my second full season in V8 Supercars and I'm confident that I have the experience in these cars to do the job and contribute to a good result for WPS/WOW Racing in the endurance events.

"The win in Adelaide in March was my first victory in V8 Supercars and my next aim was to get a competitive drive for the endurance races, so I am really excited to have achieved that."

Craig Gore -- WPS/WOW Racing Team Owner

"Michael is without doubt one of the best young drivers in the country," said Gore.

"His results and performances speak for themselves and he is definitely one of the standout drivers in this year's Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

"We are very pleased to get a young driver of his talent onboard with WPS/WOW Racing for this year's endurance races. We will be giving these events a really big effort this year and we are excited to have Michael as a part of that.

"As it stands we have three very strong drivers in our stable for the endurance races. Our cars and team have never been stronger and we continue to improve."

-credit: wps/wow