Hattori Racing
Enterprises Ready to
Race AISIN AW Camry in
Michigan
Mooresville, NC (06-10-2008) -Hattori Racing Enterprises will compete in the third of an anticipated eight ARCA RE/MAX Series races for the 2008 season when the #01 AISIN AW Camry takes to the track at Michigan International Speedway this weekend.
HRE was organized by owner Shigeaki Hattori and the team's sponsorship group to give young, talented drivers a chance to compete in the best equipment possible. The intention is to build a full season schedule for HRE for 2009. So far in 2008, HRE has competed at Rockingham Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. Driver Sean Caisse, who seemed to be on track for a runner-up finish at the mile-and-a-half Kentucky oval, will drive again for HRE at Michigan in Friday's Racing for Wildlife 200.
"The Hattori Racing Enterprises team did a very good job at Kentucky Speedway in May. The crew and the driver all worked together for a very good race, but our finish was cut short by bad racing luck. We are looking forward to giving our young driver, Sean Caisse, another opportunity to develop his talent and the crew, led by Mike Abner, another chance to show what excellent equipment HRE can put on the race track. We are all really looking forward to racing at Michigan on Friday," said team owner Hattori.
Sean Caisse, a New Hampshire native, has been busy gathering advice on how to attack the 2.0 mile Michigan International Speedway. He says the veterans told him - it's a track where he can run how and where he wants.
"I've never been to Michigan International Speedway - I've never seen the place in person. It will be the biggest track I've ever raced on, so I've been talking to a lot of veterans about the place," said Caisse. "After talking to veterans like Todd Bodine, Ron Hornaday Jr., and Ted Musgrave, they've told me it's a lot of fun and that there's so much room for racing. With the way the HRE Camry handled for us right off the trailer in Kentucky, I'm confident we can to Michigan and be just as competitive, and bring home the AISIN AW Camry with a decent finish
Part of the activities of race week in Michigan involved Hattori introducing Caisse to sponsors at AISIN AW.
"The Michigan race track is close to many of HRE's sponsors, so I will take Sean to meet as many people as we can. He will sign autographs at AISIN AW on Tuesday, and showcase the race car. Hopefully we can get to visit our other sponsors, too," said Hattori, who works with sponsors AISIN, AISIN AW and Advics at HRE.
While Caisse is very pleased to meet his sponsors this week, he's also hoping to put on a great show for his sponsors and bring them a strong finish. He hopes his talks with veteran drivers have prepared him for the challenge.
"I thought it was interesting, when I asked the veteran drivers if there's a secret to racing well at Michigan, and what I learned is, basically, you need to go where you're car is the most comfortable and the fastest. There are a lot of grooves and lines at Michigan and some aren't as quick as others. It should make for an interesting opportunity to adapt to a whole new track in the AISIN AW Camry," said Caisse.
Team owner Shigeaki Hattori, a former IndyCar and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racer, formed Hattori Racing Enterprises, HRE, out of his love for American auto racing. He and his sponsorship base of AISIN, AISIN AW and Advics are working together to develop young racing talent. Germain Racing is working with HRE, sharing with HRE the race team's championship-winning experience and long-standing relationship with Toyota.
HRE has plans which include more ARCA RE/MAX Series races this year. HRE will race at Kentucky, Nashville, DuQuoin, Salem and Talladega. In 2009, HRE plans to run a full season of racing.
For more information on how you can join the sponsor lineup at HRE, contact: driver@vertex-sp.com. For media requests throughout the Michigan race weekend, please contact Lori Smith at lsmith@germain.com.
