Doug Smith Travels to Mid-Ohio For Second Round of Championship

PLANTATION, Fla., May 16, 2005 � When Doug Smith debuted his new No. 35 Packers of Indian River LTD/Wirewheel Sportscars/Race-Sport.net Van Diemen at Road Atlanta last month, it marked the first laps the new Van Diemen chassis had turned. Hampered by a late delivery of the new car from England, the Plantation, Florida-based driver had no chance to do pre-season testing before the race weekend. Despite the lack of time in the car, Smith showed well in this first outing with a sixth and 11th place finish in the two Atlanta races. The Cooper Championship now enters its first of two weekends at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the third and fourth rounds of the championship. The track, with its long history of open wheel road racing, is a favorite of Smith's. The facility should prove an ideal setting for the young driver and veteran engineer/ team manager Glenn Phillips (Candia, New Hamp.) to continue to expand their communications skills. With the results from the similarly fast and technical Road Atlanta, and the additional time with the Packers of Indian River/Wirewheel/Race-Sport.net entry, Smith is optimistic about racing at the 2.25-mile, 13-turn facility in Lexington, Oh. “I'm really looking forward to the week in Ohio,” commented Smith. “I always enjoy racing at Mid-O. The track has such a great rhythm and I have had some of the better races in my career there. We where able to do some testing between the two race weekends and learned a lot; as well as just getting me some more seat time. I am looking forward to a strong week and getting some more points.” Smith, is currently sits sixth in the Cooper Championship point standings. For more on the Formula Ford Zetec Cooper Tire Championship, please visit www.cooperseries.com. ###