Conquest Racing Completes MSR Houston Test

	Matt Lee

Angleton, Texas, 2/10/07 – With their 2007 driver lineup complete, the Conquest Racing Atlantic Team took to the MSR Houston track yesterday and today for the second of three Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda open tests. Conquest drivers, Matt Lee (Pictured right) and Giacomo Ricci ran strong and consistent both days, completing nearly 400 laps combined.

American rookie Matt Lee put in the eighth quickest time of the weekend of the 24 car field. His new teammate, Ricci, who signed on with the team only a couple of days ago, performed well in his first official test, clocking the 11th fastest time of the two days despite having to run with a heavier fuel load due to a fuel pick-up problem. Like the majority of the field both Conquest drivers registered their quickest laps in the Saturday morning session.

Matt Lee
#44 Mazda-Cosworth/Cooper/Swift
Best lap time: 1:19.154 (108.245 mph)
“Our two days of testing went well. I learned a lot of good stuff, but we still need to find a little more speed. I feel much more comfortable in the car than when I first started driving it and I’m consistently learning how to make it better. (About his new teammate) I’m happy to have Giacomo as my teammate. He’s an excellent driver with a lot of experience having raced in Europe. I get along great with him. I think we will work well together and I know that I can learn things from him.”

	Giacoma Ricci

Giacomo Ricci
#18 Mazda-Cosworth/Cooper/Swift
Best lap time: 1:19.352 (107.975 mph)
“I am happy with my first test as a Conquest driver. Not having tested in Sebring I am little bit behind and of course there is still work to be done. If I compare this test to my first one with the team in Moroso in January, I am more comfortable and I have more confidence when driving the car. It’s too bad that I had that fuel pick-up problem because having to drive with a heavier fuel load slowed me down. Now I can’t wait until our next test in Laguna Seca so I can continue my preparation for the first race of the season.”

Eric Bachelart Team Owner
“Both Matt and Giacomo did an excellent job, not only working together but with the engineers. I’m delighted to have paired up two very competitive drivers. The team is progressing nicely and in order to continue the success we had last season, we will continue working on our set-ups at our next test in Laguna Seca. It will be important to be very well prepared for the season opener in Las Vegas, because once again it is a very competitive field.”

Before heading to Las Vegas for the inaugural Vegas Grand Prix which will be disputed April 6-8, the Conquest Atlantic Team will continue their pre-season on-track preparation in less than a month at the famed Laguna Seca track in California March 7 and 8 during the final pre-season open-test.