SASKATOON, Sask. – The 2018 racing season will once again provide a platform for growth at Exclusive Autosport, as the race-winning Mazda Road to Indy operation will make its debut in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. The team scored USF2000 wins in their 2017 debut with Canadian star Parker Thompson, and will be aiming for similar success on the development ladder’s second level.
The team’s planned expansion coordinates well with the debut of the brand new Tatuus PM-18 for the Pro Mazda category and team owner Michael Duncalfe is pleased to announce the hiring of 20-year veteran Tim Lewis to lead his engineering team throughout the 2018 campaign. Lewis’s resume is packed with diverse experience, including many years of engineering work in Star Mazda, Pro Mazda, the Atlantic Championship and Champ Car. Most recently, Tim has worked with top sports car teams such as TRG Motorsports, Starworks Motorsports, TruSpeed Motorsports and Extreme Speed Motorsports in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship, IMSA Prototype Lites and the Pirelli World Challenge.
“I’m honoured to have Tim Lewis join my Exclusive Autosport Pro Mazda effort in the Mazda Road To Indy,” EA owner Michael Duncalfe enthused. “Tim is an incredibly accomplished engineer and will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our program. He is a great leader, a mentor and, overall, is a really great fit for our program. We look forward to a successful campaign this year.”
Lewis joined the team for the Chris Griffis Memorial Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last October, and he has played a key role in the operation’s off-season testing program.
“Michael has put together a tremendous program in USF200, and this is a great opportunity to help a strong, young team expand into Pro Mazda,” Lewis offered. “It’s always fun to develop a new car and the PM-18 is an exciting new step in the open-wheel ladder. I’m looking forward to building upon the success the team was able to achieve in 2017 to help make 2018 a breakout year for Exclusive.”
With the opening round of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires just two months away, at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Florida on March 9-11, pre-season testing will continue. Exclusive Autosport intends to run at least three cars in the USF2000 program this year, and will field a pair of cars in Pro Mazda. Two of the team’s USF2000 drivers are expected to be announced soon, as will the initial pilot for the Pro Mazda squad.
Exclusive Autosport is pleased to be able to partner with great companies, such as AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.