Walker Racing announced the formation of Team
Australia Racing with two Australian business men to campaign a two car team
entry in this years Bridgestone presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by
Ford season opener at Long Beach California on 10th of April 2005. Australian
Marcus Marshall and Canadian Alex Tagliani will drive the team's number 5 and 15
Lola race cars.
Australian businessman Craig Gore of Wright Patton Shakespeare Financial
Group became interested in Champ Car when Walker Racing entered a car for WPS
driver David Besnard in last year's Champ Car Surfers Paradise event. Besnard
finished 7th in that event. Gore, whose company is headquartered in Brisbane,
Queensland, also competes in the V8 Super Car Series.
Said team owner Derrick Walker, "I first approached Craig about the Team
Australia Racing concept as a way he could be involved in the sport by bringing
in sponsorships and also share in some ownership of the race program element
only. This involvement provides sponsorship assets without having to buy into my
race team. Walker Racing is still 100% owned by me and continues to look for
business opportunities. As the months passed the idea began to gain support from
Craig and he introduced another businessman, John Fish, who has major plans to
introduce his Australian wines (Aussie Vineyards) to the US market. From there
the program quickly took shape and we have an exciting fresh race program that
symbolizes the New World order in Champ Car today. "
Walker continues, "Craig and John bring unique business skills to the table
that make this program partnership a win win! That's something we also want to
be doing on the track pretty soon."
The Aussie Vineyards brand will be the primary sponsor identity on both of
the Team Australia Racing entries. Other sponsors will include Bridgestone,
Ford, Cosworth, Bosch, and Roshfrans.
