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LEXINGTON, Ohio—RSR Motorsports will have a familiar face in one of its MINI Cooper S entries during this weekend’s EMCO Gears Classic at Mid-Ohio. Sarah Cattaneo returns to drive the No. 198 MINI with Kyle Gimple in the ST class of GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

Cattaneo joined RSR Motorsports in 2010 with less than one season of series competition to her credit. In her first season with RSR Motorsports, Sarah took the pole at Homestead-Miami Speedway and had a best finish of second at Miller Motorsports Park. The 2011 season held even more success, with a win at New Jersey Motorsports Park and the pole at Mid-Ohio.

That kind of driver development is something in which RSR Motorsports takes a great deal of pride. Like Cattaneo, series rookie Corey Fergus is able to see the benefit of working with a team that focuses on developing new talent. He took the pole at New Jersey Motorsports Park before he and co-driver Owen Trinkler went on to win the race in the No. 197 Honda Civic Si.

“The team does a great job by helping us rookies. I have Owen as a mentor, and even when we weren’t co-drivers, I could still go to him and look at data or ask questions. Everyone is helpful even if we’re technically competing against each other,” Fergus says. “Chris Puskar and Jason Hart have also been big helps to me. RSR has great resources to help younger drivers get adapted to the series quickly, and it’s a great program that they have.”

“This team succeeds because we work to get everyone fast,” agrees team manager Trinkler. “Team owner Randall Smalley gives us competitive equipment across the board to make sure everyone succeeds. The young drivers on our team benefit from the knowledge of the veteran drivers and crew.”

Jason Hart, who co-drives the No. 196 US LED Honda Civic Si with Ron Farmer, says, “RSR really promotes everybody sharing their knowledge with the rest of the team: not just in setup and development, but also developing the newer drivers to the series. Owen and I have a long history of working at racing schools around the country and doing coaching, and the drivers we work with can benefit from that experience.”

Fergus, Cattaneo, and the rest of the RSR Motorsports lineup will be putting that knowledge to good use at Mid-Ohio. Cattaneo hopes for some redemption: last year, she and Trinkler both led the race. They were en route to clinching the team championship when a mechanical problem ended their hopes.

“Mid-Ohio just works for me,” says Cattaneo, who raced there just two weeks ago. “I’m excited to get back into an RSR MINI. I love those cars and hope I can pick up right where I left off. The car is so good at Mid-Ohio.”

Fergus is especially excited since Mid-Ohio is his home track. He grew up going to the circuit to see his dad race there. “I love Mid-Ohio,” Fergus says. “I’m excited to go there because I have experience I can bring with me. I’m feeling a lot more comfortable and confident going into this race. A win at Mid-Ohio would mean a lot, especially since it’s been my dad’s home track for 30 years.”

Chris Puskar and Mark Congleton, driving the No. 195 MINI Cooper S, complete the RSR Motorsports four-car line-up at Mid-Ohio. The race gets underway on Saturday, June 9, at 11:00 a.m., followed by the SPEED broadcast on Sunday, June 17, at noon.

Keep up with RSR Motorsports online at www.RSRMotorsports.com.

RSR Motorsports is sponsored by Cruise America, Thor Motor Coach, US LED, MINI USA, Pilot/Flying J Travel Centers, CaseTech, OS Giken Racing Clutches and Limited Slip Differentials, Eibach Springs, Performance Racing Oils/Millers Oils, Midway Ford Truck Sales, DBA USA, MINI North Scottsdale, Team RaceWorks, Performance Speed Tech, and Carbotech Pads.

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