Hasselgren named engine builder for T-Atlantics.

Officials from the Toyota Atlantic Championship Presented by Yokohama confirmed yesterday that Hasselgren Engineering Inc. has been designated as the exclusive engine builder for the series. All teams competing for the overall Toyota Atlantic title must use Hasselgren-prepared Toyota 4AGE engines.

In addition, the series has instituted an engine parity program with Hasselgren in an effort to contain costs and ensure all teams are provided with similar engine performance parts.

Led by founder Paul Hasselgren, Hasselgren Engineering has won the Toyota Racing Development [TRD] Engine Builder of the Year Award every year from 1995-2003, and last year, Hasselgren-built engines powered every race and pole winner in the Toyota Atlantic Championship.

"I have the utmost confidence in the abilities of Paul and the entire team at Hasselgren Engineering," said Vicki O'Connor, Toyota Atlantic president. "With the vast majority of our field using Hasselgren engines last season, it just made sense to go ahead and work with Hasselgren to institute our engine parity programme. I strongly believe that teams will realise a significant cost savings under this new programme, allowing everybody to compete on a level playing field."

Since the 2003 season finale in Miami, Hasselgren Engineering has been working diligently to rebuild all of the engines to the same specification. The company has already rebuilt several engines for the 2004 season, and in dyno testing, all of the engines have performed within parameters. Hasselgren aims to increase mileage between rebuilds, and all competitors will have similar engines when the 2004 season opens on the weekend of April 18 at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

"I appreciate this opportunity to work closely with TRD and the Toyota Atlantic Championship in the upcoming 2004 season," Hasselgren said. "We are optimistic that the new parity programme will add to the appeal and excitement of our growing series. We look forward to continuing success of both the Toyota Atlantic Championship and the teams involved."

While Hasselgren Race Engines will be the exclusive supplier to teams competing for the overall 2004 Toyota Atlantic championship, other series-approved engine builders will be eligible to compete through the recently-announced C2 category. Regardless of the builder, all cars will use Toyota 4A-GE engines.

Toyota Atlantic is North America's premier open-wheel development series. The series is noted for its long history of graduating its stars into Champ Car competition. Among the drivers who have graduated from Atlantic are 2003 Champ Car competitors Jimmy Vasser, Patrick Carpentier, Alex Tagliani, Roberto Moreno, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Rodolfo Lavin, as well as Champ Car champions Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Michael Andretti, Jacques Villeneuve, and Paul Tracy.