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View Full Version : Jourdain and Gigante to RuSPORT - Official!



JoeBob
03-31-04, 05:39 PM
http://www.cart.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7608


JOURDAIN & GIGANTE TEAM WITH RÛSPORT FOR THE 2004 CHAMP CAR WORLD SERIES

RuSPORT is pleased to announce the addition of veteran Champ Car driver Michel Jourdain, Jr. to pilot the team’s second Ford-Cosworth/Lola entry. Additionally, RuSPORT will add Mexican retailer Gigante to its portfolio of partners that will see the country’s third largest retailer continuing to back Jourdain in The Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered By Ford for 2004.

Although RuSPORT originally had planned to enter a single car this season, the team seized the opportunity to work with Jourdain, who is fresh from his best Champ Car season by finishing 3rd overall.

“RuSPORT has been focused on bringing a one-car effort to the grid at Long Beach, however, the opportunity to have Michel join our team was too good to pass up,” said Team Owner Carl Russo. “While in the near term this will stress us enormously, I firmly believe that in the not too distant future the pairing of Michel and A.J. will prove to be one of the most formidable in the paddock.”

“RuSPORT was at the top of my list of teams to work with,” explained the 27 year-old Jourdain, who returns for his ninth season in the series. “Although this will be their first year in Champ Car, the organization and Carl have shown they are not only committed to the series and making it successful, but they also know how to win races and championships. You only have to look at last season and their performance and attitude on their way to dominating the Toyota Atlantic Championship. I couldn’t be happier to be here with RuSPORT and I am confident that along with Gigante, I have made the right decision with both the team and the series.”

Impressed with Jourdain and his commitment to remain in Champ Car, RuSPORT is focused on matching that dedication. After the agreement was reached with Jourdain, RuSPORT representatives traveled to Mexico City to meet with Gigante representatives, reaching an agreement to partner for the 2004 season.

“Gigante is very pleased with this agreement,” expressed Javier Sosa Marketing Manager for Gigante. “With RuSPORT we have found what we were looking for, a team with the commitment and professionalism that will allow Gigante and Michel to build on our achievements in Champ Car, especially those of 2003. Gigante is committed to Mexico and the Mexican fans and we are sure that together with RuSPORT and Michel Jordain, we will make a great team that will guarantee success in the 2004 Champ Car World Series.”

Jourdain’s new teammate is equally excited about this latest development.

“I’m extremely happy to have a championship contender like Michel on board at RuSPORT,” said previously confirmed driver, rookie A.J. Allmendinger. “Having a teammate who is as competitive as Michel is going to help a lot as I learn the car and set-ups. Your greatest competition is always your teammate so this is a great boost for me. I’m even more anxious to get on the track and see what we can do.”

Grupo Gigante is one of the world’s biggest retailers in Mexico with more than 270 stores throughout Mexico and currently operates 7 stores in the United States. Gigante’s vast array of offerings range from televisions to groceries. Stores are spread across the Gigante, Super G and Bodega Gigante chains. Grupo Gigante also operates Toks restaurants, Super Precio discount groceries and PriceSmart membership clubs which also market over 1,400 private label products under the Marca Gigante name. Grupo Gigante has joint ventures with Office Depot and Radio Shack. www.gigante.com.mx

JoeBob
03-31-04, 05:43 PM
Teleconference transcript is here: http://www.cart.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7609

Insomniac
03-31-04, 06:02 PM
Now we will have something to guage A.J.'s performace against. Very good move. I like it.

RichK
03-31-04, 06:03 PM
I'll bet that AJ spanks Michel this year.

Firestorm
03-31-04, 06:20 PM
Should be very interesting to see how the AJ vs Michel results turn out.

Ankf00
03-31-04, 06:31 PM
I'll bet that AJ spanks Michel this year.
I think he will once the season gets along and he acclimates

theunions
03-31-04, 07:24 PM
No Tecate as speculated, then? I'm surprised nobody in the telecon queue asked...

Steve99
03-31-04, 07:34 PM
RuSPORT will add Mexican retailer Gigante to its portfolio of partners

Interesting new phrase: "portfolio of partners"

Later in the article it also calls Gigante a partner instead of a sponsor. I wonder if Gigante could be headed the way of Herdez, and end up with their own team someday.

Ankf00
03-31-04, 07:44 PM
would be nice, would help to push for a 3rd Mexican race which would mean 1 more successful event on the calender and $$$

Andrew Longman
03-31-04, 07:44 PM
Excellent!

Nothing against NH, but this is better to share the wealth with the newer, smaller teams

RaceGrrl
04-01-04, 09:19 AM
I have mixed feelings about this. Michel will bring needed experience to the team, but at what cost to his own career? I wonder how well Jourdain could have done with a consistently winning team like NHR. Even though Team Rahal has had wins, I don't think they were ever as solid a Champ Car team as NHR, Penske, Forsythe or Ganassi. It seems that he'll be up against similar challenges with RuSport. Still, he's still with us in ChampCar, so that's something to be happy about. :thumbup:

Warlock!
04-01-04, 09:34 AM
Hopefully Jourdain will be able to give this team a the helping hand it severely needs. I had heard (second hand) that when Rusport was testing at Sebring, the team was a serious fuster-cluck. I think the phrase "they make the Three Stooges look like brain surgeons" was used... Bigger jump than they expected, apparently. I'm sure they'll catch on and be a playa, but how soon will be the question. MJ should help expedite the process.

Warlock!

Andrew Longman
04-01-04, 10:12 AM
Hopefully Jourdain will be able to give this team a the helping hand it severely needs. I had heard (second hand) that when Rusport was testing at Sebring, the team was a serious fuster-cluck. I think the phrase "they make the Three Stooges look like brain surgeons" was used... Bigger jump than they expected, apparently. I'm sure they'll catch on and be a playa, but how soon will be the question. MJ should help expedite the process.

Warlock!
I have nothing to back it up, but I just get the impression that RU will become a top team. Their approach in TA seemed methodical and determined. I'll bet they get it figured out pretty soon.

Madmaxfan2
04-01-04, 10:50 AM
Great news! Some business realized the real situation with the real fans.

Firestorm
04-01-04, 11:52 AM
That is one of the things testing is for, to iron out the kinks, not only in your car/driver but also the rest of the team. I'd be more worried if they had been "perfect" during testing, as then you could be pretty sure they would have major problems when something goes wrong under racing conditions.

Racing Truth
04-01-04, 03:50 PM
Good fit, IMHO.


I'll bet that AJ spanks Michel this year.

I think Michel is better than you give him credit for. AJ has way more upside, but Michel will hold his own this year.