| Admin (Admin) | Monday, March 19, 2001 - 07:42 pm 
MT900 racer headed To Japanese series
West Palm Beach, March 18 -- Morrison/Mosler Motorsports will race its new MT900R sport coupe in Japan next month to support a recently signed Asian distributor.
The Corvette powered mid-engine car is entered by Team Sri Lanka in the GT300 class of the All-Japan Grand Touring Championships. First race of the year will be at Aida April 15.
Dilantha Malagamuwa, president of Sri Lanka's Federation for Automotive Sports, will drive along with Takashi Asami of Japan.
Under an agreement signed Friday, March 16, Mr. Malagamuwa and his principal sponsor, the Japanese manufacturing and trading firm A & S Inc., will distribute both racing and road-going versions of the MT900 in Japan and elsewhere in Asia.
Warren Mosler, who sees racing as a principal means of advancing development of the road car, said entering the Japanese series should heighten international interest in the MT900. "Participating in this series will further demonstrate the capabilities of this advanced composite mid-engine sports car," he said.
The MT900 has been very competitive thus far in the U.S. Grand American Series, qualifying first in the GT class at both Daytona and Homestead. It was sidelined with body damage after four hours of the 24 Hours at Daytona. It finished third at Homestead Miami.
Eight more MT900Rs are under construction at the Morrison/Mosler shop in Riviera Beach FL. Several are expected to make their racing debuts yet this season. The first road car will likely be completed in late 2001, according to Tommy C. Morrison, director of operations.
"The car has been very well received," Morrison said. "The fans seem to like to watch it race and the racers like the fact it is a proven design with proven mechanicals. Ironically, it's the only U.S. manufactured car in Grand Am's GT class and it will be the only U.S. car in the GT class in Japan."
The MT900R's midship-mounted Corvette engine will be fitted with an air restrictor to comply with horsepower requirements in the Japanese series.
Mr. Malagamuwa, who is also president of the Sri Lanka Association of Japan, raced a Chevy-powered Mirage RGS in the All Japan series last year. He saw the MT900R at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and began negotiations that day that resulted in the March 16 distribution agreement. He has also ordered a new MT900R for delivery later in the season.
"It is so much better than the car I drove last year that I can't even begin to compare them," he said. I can't wait for Aida. Everyone connected with Team Sri Lanka is very excited. This is the most popular road racing series in Japan. With this car we think we can win the championship."
The All Japan GT Championship is starting its eighth season. Average attendance last year at tracks such as Aida, Suzuka, Fuji and Motegi was more than 45,000, according to series management. |
| Admin (Admin) | Tuesday, February 27, 2001 - 12:07 pm
Giangrande buys MT900 for 2002
West Palm Beach, February 20, 2001 - Morrison/Mosler Motorsports today announced the sale of another Corvette-powered MT900 race car -- this one to Jeff Giangrande of Spring Lake, Michigan. The car will be ready for the 2002 Grand Am season.
Tommy Morrison, director of operations for the MT900 project, said he expects 10 racing versions of the car to be constructed by the end of the year. The racing program is intended to advance development of street-legal MT900s, the first of which will be built in early 2002, Morrison said. They will share the shape and many Corvette components with the race car.
A mid-engine monocoque design powered by a stock Z06 V8, the MT900 was the only American GT entry at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Fastest GT qualifier, it went out in the fourth hour with bodywork damage. That car was sold to Scott Deware of near Boston, who will campaign it with Jilbritwheels.com sponsorship through the remainder of the 2001 season. The car will have full factory support.
Giangrande is a veteran of the Ferrari Challenge. His Northstar Racing Team (other drivers were Cass Whitehead, Chris Hall and B.J. Zakarias) fielded a Nissan-powered Lola in the 24-Hour. The team finished third in the SRP II class.
"We did very well. But what I really want to do is beat Porsches and BMWs," Giangrande said. "That would be great fun. Unfortunately, they're in the wrong class for the Lola, and I can't run the Ferrari without a lot of expensive development effort. Daytona showed me th |
