Noah Bystrom thinks Andersen Racing’s three-tiered open-wheel development program makes a lot of sense. That’s why the rising star from Chanhassen, Minn., will become one of the Fairfield, N.J. -based team’s drivers in this year’s Hankook Tires F2000 Championship Series.
Bystrom, 23, hopes his 2007 season will be just the start of a multi-year association with the team, which uses the F2000 series plus the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and the Indy Pro Series to train young stars for careers at the top levels of open-wheel racing.
“The partnership they announced last week at Homestead with Rahal Letterman Racing for the Indy Pro Series is great, ” Bystrom said. “Andersen Racing is steps above the other F2000 and Star Mazda teams. “
Bystrom finished sixth last year in the Cooper Tires Formula Ford 2000 National Championship. He had three fourth-place finishes last year: two at the doubleheader at Exhibition Place in Toronto, and one in the season finale at Road America. He had two fourth-place finishes in the same series in 2005, when he also participated in selected SCCA Central Division Formula Atlantic and Formula SCCA events. He won two races in each of the latter series that year.
Bystrom’s car will be sponsored by APEX Universal Joints, COOPER Power Tools, HOFF-HILK Auction Services and TOP DOG Foundation.
Joining Bystrom under the Andersen Racing tent in the F2000 paddock this year will be drivers Terrick Mansur, Juliana Gonzalez and Scott Willard. Three-time SCCA National Champion Mike Andersen will assist the team and may even drive in a few events himself if his business schedule permits.
“Noah has a lot of talent, ” said team owner Dan Andersen. “With this driver line-up, we believe our team will be competing for the F2000 championship. We’re very excited about the coming season, which begins with two different two-day tests in March at Road Atlanta and VIR. Noah will be in the No. 10 car. “
Bystrom got off to a great start in the sport, winning the first race he ever entered, a Formula Mazda regional race at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2003.
