Sperafico joins Wilson at Conquest.

On the heels of Thursday's announcement that Justin Wilson has been signed by Mi-Jack Conquest Racing to drive in the 2004 Champ Car World Series, the team has announced that Brazilian rookie Alex Sperafico will pilot the team's second entry for the season.

Sperafico made two Champ Car starts in 2003 with Dale Coyne Racing, earning a best result of 14th at Miami. He will drive a Ford-Cosworth-powered Reynard machine in his first full season of Champ Car World Series competition in 2004.

"Alex is a talented driver and has a good personality, and we will work with him throughout the year to develop his skills in Champ Car," said team co-owner Eric Bachelart.

"He will be driving a Reynard chassis, which was very good at some tracks last year, including Laguna Seca--where we finished fifth with Mario Haberfeld - and at Mexico City - where Tiago Monteiro qualified on the front row. Of course, the Reynard also won at Surfers Paradise last year. We've learned a lot about the car and continued developing it throughout the off-season. I think he will work very well with Justin, and I expect both drivers to be in contention for Rookie of the Year.

Prior to entering Champ Cars, Sperafico earned five top-five finishes in the 2000 Barber Dodge Pro Series, and earned his first Barber Dodge victory in the 2001 series opener at Sebring. He participated in nine FIA International Formula 3000 Championship events for European Minardi, competing against current Champ Car competitor Sebastien Bourdais. He began his racing career in 1998 with three wins and three pole positions en route to third place in the B Class of the South American F3 Championship final standings.

"When I moved to the U.S. to run Barber Dodge in 1999, I was already looking to race in Champ Car. That was my dream," Sperafico said. "I tested with Eric Bachelart in an Indy Lights car in 2000 and we have always wanted to work together and now we are doing it. They had great success with the Reynard last year and I think I will have some good opportunities with Mi-Jack Conquest Racing."

The Mi-Jack Conquest Racing team ran Reynards last season for Mario Haberfeld and Tiago Monteiro - Monteiro's effort coming as part of a partnership with Fittipaldi-Dingman Racing - and combined for 16 top-10 finishes and three top-fives. The team will campaign two different chassis to start the year, running a Lola for Wilson and the Reynard for Sperafico.

The team will begin testing soon in advance of the April 16-18 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, which opens the Champ Car World Series season.