RuSPORT
Encyclopedia
RuSPORT was an auto racing
team that competed in the Champ Car World Series
. It was founded in September 2002 by Carl Russo.
Russo drove for the team then known as Performance Development and Racing (PDR) based in Fort Collins, Colorado (USA ) which was owned by Steve Wulff. Russo competed in the Toyota Atlantic Series
driving a car prepared by PDR in the 2002 season before he decided that team ownership suited him better than being a driver. Russo acquired the assets of PDR from Wulff in late 2002, which gave rise to RuSPORT. Wulff stayed on Operations Director and Jeremy Dale
, a long time associate of Russo's, was brought on as President of the new operation.
RuSPORT competed in the 2003 Toyota Atlantic Championship Series with drivers Aaron Justus and A. J. Allmendinger
. Allmendinger won the championship with seven victories from 11 starts.
RuSPORT and Allmendinger moved to Champ Car
in 2004 along with a second car driven by Michel Jourdain Jr.. The team quickly grew from a small Atlantic Series team to a two-car Champ Car team with more than 40 employees. The rookie team placed Jourdain and Allmendinger in the top-five numerous time en route to Allmendinger winning Rookie-of-the-Year honors. This was only the second time in the history of the Champ Car Series that a rookie team with a rookie driver accomplished the feat.
In 2005, Justin Wilson was signed as a replacement for 2005 for Jourdain, leading the team to their first wins. Wilson scored two victories (Toronto and Mexico City) and finished third in the championship. Allmendinger came close to victory, with four runner-up finishes during the season. For 2006 they were expected to be challengers to Newman/Haas Racing. Mid-way through the season, the team replaced Allmendinger with 2002 CART champion Cristiano da Matta
who moved over from Dale Coyne Racing
. Cristiano da Matta
was injured in a freak collision with a deer during testing at Road America
on August 3, 2006.
On September 17, 2006, the team announced that it would selected Australian Ryan Briscoe
, to fill in for the final two races of the 2006 season, Surfers Paradise, Australia and Mexico City.
At the conclusion of the 2006 season, Russo's time and energy were being increasingly directed toward his rapidly growing company, Calix
, and he was forced to leave behind the team he created and the sport he loved. In November 2006 PKV Racing
co-owner Dan Pettit purchased the team from Russo.
On January 22, 2007, RuSPORT confirmed the return of Justin Wilson and title sponsor, CDW
. They reportedly signed Wilson to a multi year contract. RuSPORT also formed a technical alliance with the Rocketsports team, and the team was dubbed RSPORTS
. This alliance was ultimately not successful, except for Wilson's lone victory at Assen, and was dissolved before the end of the 2007 season. The RuSPORT team dissolved as of December 31, 2007 and Pettit merged his team ownership with Forsythe Championship Racing
.
(2003–2006) Ryan Briscoe
(2006) Cristiano da Matta
(2006) Michel Jourdain, Jr.
(2004) Aaron Justus (2003) Justin Wilson (2005–2007)
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
team that competed in the Champ Car World Series
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
. It was founded in September 2002 by Carl Russo.
Russo drove for the team then known as Performance Development and Racing (PDR) based in Fort Collins, Colorado (USA ) which was owned by Steve Wulff. Russo competed in the Toyota Atlantic Series
Champ Car Atlantic Championship
The Cooper Tires presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda was a formula race car series with races throughout North America. It is often colloquially referred to as the Atlantic Championship, Champ Car Atlantics , Toyota Atlantics , or just Atlantics or Formula...
driving a car prepared by PDR in the 2002 season before he decided that team ownership suited him better than being a driver. Russo acquired the assets of PDR from Wulff in late 2002, which gave rise to RuSPORT. Wulff stayed on Operations Director and Jeremy Dale
Jeremy Dale
Jeremy Dale is an American comic book artist, best known for his work on G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, and the 2008 Harvey Award-winning Popgun v.1 from Image Comics.-Early life:...
, a long time associate of Russo's, was brought on as President of the new operation.
RuSPORT competed in the 2003 Toyota Atlantic Championship Series with drivers Aaron Justus and A. J. Allmendinger
A. J. Allmendinger
Allmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega...
. Allmendinger won the championship with seven victories from 11 starts.
RuSPORT and Allmendinger moved to Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
in 2004 along with a second car driven by Michel Jourdain Jr.. The team quickly grew from a small Atlantic Series team to a two-car Champ Car team with more than 40 employees. The rookie team placed Jourdain and Allmendinger in the top-five numerous time en route to Allmendinger winning Rookie-of-the-Year honors. This was only the second time in the history of the Champ Car Series that a rookie team with a rookie driver accomplished the feat.
In 2005, Justin Wilson was signed as a replacement for 2005 for Jourdain, leading the team to their first wins. Wilson scored two victories (Toronto and Mexico City) and finished third in the championship. Allmendinger came close to victory, with four runner-up finishes during the season. For 2006 they were expected to be challengers to Newman/Haas Racing. Mid-way through the season, the team replaced Allmendinger with 2002 CART champion Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:...
who moved over from Dale Coyne Racing
Dale Coyne Racing
Dale Coyne Racing is a motorsports team in the IndyCar Series owned by former driver Dale Coyne. It was founded in 1986 with Chicago Bears great Walter Payton as Payton/Coyne Racing. The team fields the No. 18 Acorn Stairlifts and No...
. Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:...
was injured in a freak collision with a deer during testing at Road America
Road America
Road America is a road course located near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Wisconsin Highway 67. It has hosted races since the 1950s and currently hosts races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series , American Le Mans , SCCA Speed World Challenge Series, ASRA, and AMA Superbike series.- Current track and...
on August 3, 2006.
On September 17, 2006, the team announced that it would selected Australian Ryan Briscoe
Ryan Briscoe
Ryan Briscoe is an Australian auto racing driver who has raced open wheel and sports cars in Europe and America.In addition to his native English, Briscoe speaks Italian and French...
, to fill in for the final two races of the 2006 season, Surfers Paradise, Australia and Mexico City.
At the conclusion of the 2006 season, Russo's time and energy were being increasingly directed toward his rapidly growing company, Calix
Calix
Calix is a supplier of telecommunications access equipment for service providers. The company was incorporated in 1999.Calix is a North American provider of broadband communications access systems and software for fiber- and copper-based network architectures that enable communications service...
, and he was forced to leave behind the team he created and the sport he loved. In November 2006 PKV Racing
PKV Racing
KV Racing Technology – Lotus is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series. The team was originally formed as PK Racing before the 2003 season by Australian businessman Kevin Kalkhoven and former Formula One team manager Craig Pollock from the remnants of the PacWest team.The team has...
co-owner Dan Pettit purchased the team from Russo.
On January 22, 2007, RuSPORT confirmed the return of Justin Wilson and title sponsor, CDW
CDW
CDW Corporation, headquartered in Vernon Hills, Illinois, is a reseller of computer hardware, software and supplies. Along with its warehouse-attached showroom in Illinois, CDW takes orders from its catalog via mail order, telephone and the Internet....
. They reportedly signed Wilson to a multi year contract. RuSPORT also formed a technical alliance with the Rocketsports team, and the team was dubbed RSPORTS
RSPORTS
RSPORTS was an auto racing team that competed in the Champ Car World Series. It was founded officially in 2007 as a technological partnership, but started out originally as two different teams owned by former race car drivers Carl Russo, who owned RuSPORT, and Paul Gentilozzi who founded...
. This alliance was ultimately not successful, except for Wilson's lone victory at Assen, and was dissolved before the end of the 2007 season. The RuSPORT team dissolved as of December 31, 2007 and Pettit merged his team ownership with Forsythe Championship Racing
Forsythe Championship Racing
Forsythe/Pettit Racing is a racing team that competed in the Champ Car World Series owned by Gerald Forsythe and Dan Pettit. The Champ Car effort ceased operations after the 2008 unification of North American open wheel racing.-History:...
.
Past Drivers
A. J. AllmendingerA. J. Allmendinger
Allmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega...
(2003–2006) Ryan Briscoe
Ryan Briscoe
Ryan Briscoe is an Australian auto racing driver who has raced open wheel and sports cars in Europe and America.In addition to his native English, Briscoe speaks Italian and French...
(2006) Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano da Matta
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta is an auto racing driver, winner of the American CART Championship in 2002, and former Formula One driver with the Toyota team.-Origins and early career:...
(2006) Michel Jourdain, Jr.
Michel Jourdain, Jr.
Michel Jourdain Jr. is an IndyCar driver. Jourdain Jr. started racing cars in the Mexican Formula Junior series at the age of 12. He then moved to the Mexican Formula K and Formula 2 series.-Champ Car:...
(2004) Aaron Justus (2003) Justin Wilson (2005–2007)