Exclusive Autosport Makes Debut This Weekend
April 9, 2014 (Braselton, GA): Exclusive Autosport (EA), the defending Canadian Toyo Tires F1600 Champions and the Canadian Formula Tour F1600 Pro, Masters and Rookie of the Year Champions are looking to make an impact this weekend at their series debut in the F1600 and F2000 Championship Series’ at Road Atlanta Race Track. EA, the North American Spectrum-factory team based out of Canada, bring with them a six car entry - five Spectrum Honda 014 Formula 1600’s and one Spectrum-Ford 014z Formula 2000. With a strong line-up the team is anticipating to be in podium contention right away.
Jayson Clunie (44, Saskatchewan, Canada), a long time Exclusive Management Inc. (EM Inc., who owns and operates Exclusive Autosport and is the North American importer and distributor of Spectrum race cars) driver will be behind the wheel of the #90 Exclusive Autosport / Spectrum / Sparco / Exclusive Management Inc. / Honda Racing HPD Formula 1600. This year Clunie is making the transition from a 3000 pound front-wheel drive CTSCC ST car to an 1100 pound formula car. He has extensive history with numerous wins and podiums and a 2012 ST team championship in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge in the Street Tuner class. Clunie has had two outings in 2014 in the Spectrum Honda F1600 where he captured two solid top five finishes. He continues to learn and his confidence behind the wheel of the lighter car improves each lap turned. Clunie is expected to be a podium contender in the masters class and a top 10 driver overall.
The #91 Juniper Networks / Exclusive Autosport / Spectrum / Sparco / Exclusive Management Inc. / Honda Racing HPD Formula 1600 is once again driven by Max Hanratty (20, Hartland, Wisconsin). Hanratty returns to the team after an impressive rookie F1600 season in 2013. The 2013 season was Hanratty’s first full year in racing. He finished 4th overall in the Canadian Toyo Tires F1600 Championship. Hanratty’s elusive first win has escaped him thus far. He came extremely close in the final race of the Toyo Tires F1600 championship where he led the majority of the race. He was taken out (from behind) by another competitor. He has been training very hard off the track over the off season and is more hungry now than ever for that first win.
Reigning Formula Tour 1600 Pro Champion Thomas McGregor (22, Saskatchewan, Canada) returns to the team in his #93 Exclusive Autosport / Spectrum / Dairy Queen / Sparco / Exclusive Management Inc. / Honda Racing HPD Formula 1600. McGregor scored an unprecedented five consecutive wins, five poles, ten podium finishes in the Formula Tour Championship. He will be pulling double duty this weekend, also competing in the Formula 2000 class where he will race the #93 Exclusive Autosport / Spectrum / Dairy Queen / Sparco / Exclusive Management Inc. 014z Formula 2000. McGregor is coming into the weekend hot off the heels of back-to-back Formula Continental wins at Road Atlanta during the March SCCA Majors event.
Rounding out the Exclusive Autosport entries is the reigning 2013 Toyo Tires F1600 Champion, Jack Mitchell (18, Clarendon Hills, Illinois) who returns to Exclusive Autosport. In 2013 he had four wins, three pole positions and ten podium finishes. He also captured the 2012 Toyo Tires F1600 Championship rookie-of-the-year title. Jack is looking to add a US F1600 Championship to his resume.
The Road Atlanta weekend opens up with a series run test day Thursday, April 10th with official practice Friday and Qualifying and racing Saturday and Sunday.