CLIFF DEMPSEY RACING RETURNS TO RENAULT WITH NORTH AMERICAN DUO
American single-seater champion TJ Fischer and Canadian open-wheel racer Patrick Dussault will each make their international racing debuts in the Protyre Formula Renault Championship this year after being officially confirmed at leading team Cliff Dempsey Racing.
Marking a welcome return to action in the highly competitive UK-based category this season after a year away, the Corby squad is delighted to be fielding a brace of cars for two of North America’s brightest young talents.
“I wanted to be back in Renault this year with two cars, I’m delighted”, said eponymous team owner Cliff Dempsey, “It’s fantastic to have TJ and Patrick on board, it’s going to be a real learning year for them both but we’re looking forward to helping them develop and improve during the season.”
Travis Jordan Fischer, known as ‘TJ’, arrives in Protyre Formula Renault off the back of a sensational year in 2013 where he won no fewer than three championship titles – the Formula Car Challenge National Championship, SCCA Majors Western Championship and Formula Car Challenge Western Conference crown. He also earned a place on the Mazda Development shootout.
The 20-year-old from Vacaville in California, who away from the track is a student and collegiate football player at Pacific Lutheran University, will combine his Protyre Formula Renault campaign with another season of racing in the US-based Formula Car Challenge.
New team-mate Dussault, from Quebec in Canada, will make his ‘slicks and wings’ debut in the UK this year after a season in the Skip Barber Summer Series in the USA where he claimed one victory and six podiums on his way to sixth overall on the standings.
The 22-year-old will be the first Canadian to race in a British-based Formula Renault series since Sean McIntosh became Formula Renault UK Vice-Champion in 2005.
“We’re looking forward to a good year”, said Dempsey, “TJ wants to move up into Pro Mazda in America next year and Protyre Formula Renault is the best and most cost effective championship to get him prepared for that. Patrick needs to make the move into slicks and wings and, again, this is the best value series out there to help take his career forward.
“I don’t know how quickly they’ll learn, and Protyre Formula Renault is always very competitive, but we’ll do the best we can and do as much testing as we can before the season – weather permitting. I think we’ll start testing with both guys at the start of March which will give us plenty of time before the first round.”
Rockingham International Super Sportscar Circuit will host the annual pre-season Media Day and official test on Wednesday, 19th March, with the first three rounds of the Protyre Formula Renault season set to follow at the Northamptonshire venue over the weekend 5th/6th April.
Along with headline sponsor Protyre, Formula Renault is additionally supported by Michelin.