American Honda, The Craig Company Lend Support to Team USA

Dec 20, 2001
Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. – One of this country’s premier automobile corporations, American Honda, and The Craig Company LLC, an emerging international sports representation and consulting business, have joined the bandwagon in support of the Team USA Scholarship.
Now in its 12th year, the Team USA Scholarship will fund the entry of two talented young American drivers, A.J. Allmendinger and Bryan Sellers, in the upcoming Talley’s New Zealand International Formula Ford Championship. The series begins with the prestigious New Zealand Grand Prix at the world’s most southerly race track, Teretonga Park, near Invercargill, on January 6.

“The Team USA program has proven itself to be a valuable contribution to the careers of many young American racers, including Champ Car drivers Bryan Herta, Memo Gidley and Jimmy Vasser,” affirmed American Honda Executive Vice President Thomas G. Elliott. “Honda is proud to contribute to this effort and looks forward to following the careers of A.J. Allmendinger and Bryan Sellers as they progress.”

Added The Craig Company LLC principal Andrew Craig, “American drivers have all the potential in the world, so it behooves everybody who’s involved in, and cares about, motorsports in the U.S. to support initiatives that give young American drivers new experiences and increases their international exposure. It’s a real pleasure to support the Team USA Scholarship and I wish both drivers every success.”

Allmendinger, 20, from Hollister, Calif., and Sellers, 19, from Centerville, Ohio, will travel to New Zealand next week to begin preparations for their assault on the championship, which will comprise two races at each of four race meetings spread over four weekends in January and February.

American Honda began operations in 1959 as a motorcycle sales company and today markets a wide range of automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment. Honda has sold over 14 million cars since commencing auto sales in 1970. Since entering CART in 1994 it has won 60 races, four CART Manufacturers Championships (’96, ’98, ’00 and ’01) and six consecutive drivers’ titles.

The Craig Company LLC, based in Birmingham, Mich., focuses on servicing European based companies and sports entities that wish to build greater presence in the U.S. sports marketplace. Clients include the Swiss-based Sauber Petronas Formula One team; the Bentley Le Mans team; Symah Vision, a French-based provider of virtual advertising solutions for sports; and the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh, the world governing body for bobsleigh and skeleton racing.

Scholarship supporters include CART, Steve and Christine Horne, Klein Tools, Las Vegas Karting Center, Road Racing Drivers Club, Sparco, Skip Barber Racing, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School and Racer.