Lee Enjoys Being Back Behind the Wheel And Hopes for Future Opportunities

	Matt Lee

SYOSSET, N.Y., March 6

When opportunity knocks, Matt Lee will be ready.

The global economic downturn has affected racing sponsorships, but Lee continues to search for partners to join him in a motorsports marketing program. Since his last race was his impressive debut in the Firestone Indy Lights Series last July, Lee wanted to get back behind the wheel in the new year to make sure he would be ready for any opportunities that should develop in 2009.

The result was added confidence, as the 19-year-old driver from Syosset, N.Y. quickly proved he hasn't lost a thing despite the mini layoff.

First he went back to his roots of karting, a form of the sport that many top racers use as part of their regular training regimen.  Running with PSL Karting based in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, he finished on the podium in both of the pro shifter races he entered Feb. 20-22 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla. The races were part of the very competitive Florida Winter Tour, and Lee drove in the "Formula Kart" categories on the facility's newly repaved, 7/10-mile circuit.

Driving a CRG/Maxter kart in the pro shifter category, Lee finished a solid third that Saturday.

On Sunday Lee had trouble in the prefinal and retired early, so he had to start the main event from 12th place.  Despite that setback, he recorded a thrilling performance and was up to second when time ran out and the checkered waved.

"I knew he was good, but this was the first time I worked with him, and he impressed me a lot," said PSL Karting's Dominic Labrecque of Lee's performance. "Pro shifter is really a tough class; it has pretty good power.

	Matt Lee

"If Matt would have had more time in the car he would have won the race," Labrecque continued. "He was pretty quick right out of the box. Then on Sunday he beat Gary Carson, the national champion and the best shifter kart driver in the United States right now. So if Matt did more races in the future, I'm sure he'd win. He hasn't been in a kart for some time, but he really impressed me."

After that tune-up, Lee was ready for his next opportunity: an Atlantic test with another Canadian team, Jensen MotorSport of Toronto, that was held Feb. 26 at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Fla.  Lee competed in the Atlantic series full-time in 2007 with another team after earning second place in the Formula BMW USA series in 2006.

"That went really well too," Lee said. "I want to thank the team owner, Eric Jensen, for the opportunity.  I hadn't been in a race car since the Firestone Indy Lights doubleheader at Watkins Glen last July, but by the second practice session I was feeling good.  We made some improvements to the car, and then I was right back being as fast as ever.  I got to work with Steve Erickson, who was my engineer in 2007, again, as well as my driver coach, Christian Boudon. The team worked together well and responded well to my set-up suggestions. Everyone was very professional."

Lee will test with that team again at the same facility this coming Tuesday and Wednesday at the series' first official test of the year. He'll be in the No. 22 car.

"I'll do my best, and hopefully we'll be able to put something together for the season," Lee added of the 12-race series, which is officially called the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.

The Atlantic season opener is Friday, March 20 at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla., as part of the prestigious Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh From Florida weekend.