April 21, 2003 - Muncie, IN  

Vinay Returns to the US after 2 years to compete in the Skip Barber Racing Series

(Muncie, IN April 21, 2003) After two successful years of racing outside the US, this Hoosier returns to his home country to race in the Skip Barber Series. Vinay, a Muncie native, graduated from Burris, attended Ball State and later went to Rose-Hulman.

This year, Vinay will compete in selected races of the Skip Barber Mid-Western Series. The first race will be at Virginia International Raceway end of this month, April 26 and 27. The Skip Barber Series has been the stepping stone for many famous drives in Formula One and ChampCar, such as, Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Andretti, Bryan Herta, and Helio Castro-Neves.

Two years ago, after graduating form Rose-Hulman with a Mechanical Engineering degree, he decided to race Formula 2000 cars and work as a mechanic at the Bridgestone Firestone Racing Academy (race2000.com) near Toronto, Canada. Winning 10 out of 18 races, stepping up to the podium almost every race and breaking 2 track records, he finished one point away form 2nd in the Championship, and won a scholarship for the world-renowned racing school La Filiere FFSA. After moving to Le Mans France in 2002, he finished 10th out of 24 drivers from around the world, winning podium finishes on the way, and taking the highest place for a driver outside of France in the 16 race French Formula Campus Renault Elf series.

Being one of only a few Americans having raced in Europe, Vinay is now ready to face the competition in the challenging Skip Barber Series. The Formula Dodge R/T 2000 cars are similar to the Formula Campus cars he raced last year. Both travel at speeds above 125 MPH, have sequential gearboxes like their bigger brothers in Formula One. With the aid of future business partners, Vinay aims to be back in Europe racing up to Formula One.

To find out more about Vinay, and stay up to date on his racing progress, visit www.VinMotorsports.com and www.formuladodge.com. And for more information about the Skip Barber racing school, visit www.skipbarber.com.

     
  On the streets of Pau, France, Vinay races to his first Podium Finish in the French Formula Campus Renault Elf Series.  
     
  In his first year racing Formula 2000 cars at the Bridgestone Firestone Racing Academy, he easily wins 10 out of his 18 races, and finishes on the podium almost every time.