Genoa Racing will miss the season finale of the Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, set for this Sunday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, due to budget constraints, the team announced. It still intends to return to the series in 2010, however.
"Laguna is a particularly expensive event for our team to attend, and unfortunately we just have no budget to do so," said Thomas Knapp, the team manager and chief engineer. "Our highest-placed driver in the championship, Frederic Vervisch, is fourth in the standings and the highest-ranked rookie, and he cannot make or lose any positions by competing in the season finale. We regret not being able to support the series by participating, but this season has taken a particularly heavy toll on our finances. We wish the championship contenders all the best as they head into the finale."
Genoa Racing fielded up to three cars this year in selected Atlantic events for Vervisch, James Winslow, Jonathan
Summerton, Tonis Kasemets, Greg Mansell and Robert Wickens. The team had one victory and six other podium finishes during the season.