Third generation Andretti earns Atlantic test.

The Andretti family has a had a rich tradition of racing in the Toyota Atlantic Championship and another generation will get an opportunity to show what he can do behind the wheel of an Atlantic machine at the end of the month when Marco Andretti will test at California's Buttonwillow Raceway road course on 26/27 January.

The 17-year-old son of 1991 Champ Car Champion Michael Andretti, and grandson of legendary racer Mario Andretti, earned the two-day Atlantic test session, made possible through an agreement with the RuSPORT racing team and the Skip Barber Racing School, after capturing the 2004 Skip Barber National Championship

RuSPORT will work with the Sierra Sierra Enterprises team to host next the test, with Andretti piloting one of the Toyota-powered Swift 014.a Atlantic cars that the Sierra Sierra team guided to a second and fourth place finish in last season's championship with Ryan Dalziel and Andrew Ranger behind the wheel.

"I'm really excited about the opportunity to drive a Toyota Atlantic car," Andretti said. "This test is one of the great things that comes with being the 2004 Skip Barber National Champion and I'm really looking forward to learning about the car and working with the engineers. I want to thank Skip Barber, RuSPORT and the Sierra Sierra team and if everything my dad tells me is true about driving an Atlantic car, I'm going to have a lot of fun over the two days of the test."

Andretti won't have to look far to get some advice on taming the Atlantic beast, with both his father and his uncle experiencing their share of success in the Toyota Atlantic series, which starts its 32nd year of competition in 2005. Michael Andretti captured the 1983 Atlantic crown while his younger brother Jeff Andretti finished sixth in the series in 1989.

"The year that I spent driving in the Atlantic series was honestly one of my most enjoyable seasons ever in racing," Michael Andretti said. "The competition package from the power to the driveability to the tyres is tremendous in the Atlantic cars and we're really looking forward to Marco's test. It should be a real challenge for him at this stage of his career."

Vicki O'Connor, managing director of the Toyota Atlantic championship, said she was delighted that Andretti would be running in the car.

"We're certainly excited to have another generation of Andretti run in a Toyota Atlantic car," she said. "We were fortunate enough to have both Michael and Jeff run with our series as they were developing their racing careers and Mario has always been a big supporter of the Toyota Atlantic Championship. We want to thank RuSPORT for continuing this important testing program with Skip Barber and we know Marco will be in good hands with the Sierra Sierra team. We wish him the best of luck."

RuSPORT compiled seven victories, nine poles and 12 podium finishes in its lone season of Atlantic competition. In its rookie Champ Car season in 2004, the team earned four podium results as AJ Allmendinger claimed the 'Rookie of the Year' title.

"RuSPORT is really pleased to continue being a part of this testing program with Skip Barber and the Toyota Atlantic Championship," team president Jeremy Dale said. "These steps clearly helped AJ and RuSPORT to develop and gain experience to compete at the highest level of motorsport in Champ Cars. I think Marco is going to have a great experience and do well in his Toyota Atlantic debut."