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©2002 SpeedCenter Publishing TORONTO, Ontario, Canada - Derrick Walker today confirmed the formation of Walker Racing L.L.C., which has acquired the property of and intellectual rights to Reynard North America, and has become the exclusive supplier of Reynard parts to the CART FedEx Championship Series for 2003 and beyond. In the new agreement, Walker Racing L.L.C. is continuing to supply parts to each of the competitors that run Reynards in the CART Champ Car series, while ensuring further development of the chassis and related parts. "We completed the sale two weeks ago and started trading and selling the parts to the teams that are running Reynards," Walker said. "The first major parts that have been developed were on some of the cars last weekend at Chicago. The basic platform of the Reynard is a good one and we realize that CART needs another strong manufacturer in the series. We feel that we can fill that need." The owner of the team that currently campaigns the #5 Pioneer/Denso Toyota/Reynard/Bridgestone of Tora Takagi, Walker also bought the cache of developmental tools for the Reynards, including the jigs, molds and fixtures that are needed to build and develop parts for the cars in the areas where the rules allow. He has also enlisted the aid of a cadre of former Reynard Motorsports engineers to help in the development not only of pieces for the current cars, but also for what Walker hopes will be a brand-new car for the new CART rules of 2005. His effort is aided by the chassis freeze that was enacted by CART for the next season, which not only keeps the Reynards on the track for the next two years, it also gives Walker the time to develop an entirely new piece for the 2005 rules. "Adrian Reynard was a big help in getting through, what for him was a difficult situation I'm sure," Walker said. "This could not have happened, so I owe him and thank him for his support." Reynard cars have been among the minority this season in the CART series with three teams currently running the chassis, but Walker believes that the new engine rules for 2003-04 will level the playing field - and perhaps tip it a bit more in favor of the Reynards. "A future reduction in horsepower for 2003 will, in certain conditions, help make the Reynard cars possibly more competitive," Walker said. "So consideration for the new teams joining CART to look at the Reynard car makes a lot of sense. It's a simpler, more reliable and cheaper competitive option. We bought a company that was in bankruptcy so we didn't have the overhead costs to deal with," Walker said. "I believe that this will allow us to offer a competitive package to teams that might be considering joining the series, but are worried about costs." Walker will join CART Vice-President of Racing Operations John Lopes along with Director of Technology and Competition Lee Dykstra to further discuss Reynard and CART's chassis regulations for 2003 in the weekly CART media teleconference Presented by WorldCom this Tuesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time. An additional media alert will be distributed Monday.
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