BUSCH: New team, Angela's Motorsports debuts at Phoenix

Mike McLaughlin in 2003 WiredFlyer Ford For Angela's Motorsports
Jay Sauter to drive this season at Phoenix and Homestead

HAMPTON, Ga. - Angela's Motorsports, a new NASCAR Busch Series team assembled by racing enthusiast Angela Harkness and business partner Gary Jones, announced plans Saturday for the balance of 2002 and the 2003 racing season. Mike McLaughlin will drive the WiredFlyer sponsored Ford Taurus for the complete 2003 racing season while Jay Sauter will make the team's debut at Phoenix and Homestead later this year.

"We're excited to begin our racing history here today," said Ms. Harkness. "We have a great driver, a strong engine program with Robert Yates Racing, a relationship with Ford Motor Company and have a strong sponsorship package in place. This is very exciting for all of us."

McLaughlin, 46, is a mainstay on the NASCAR Busch Series with 285-career starts. He started full-time in the series in 1994 and has six victories. McLaughlin is currently fifth in the point standings with 16 top-10 finishes in 30 starts this season.

"I'm very excited about joining Angela's Motorsports next year," said McLaughlin. "It's impressive what has been put together in such a short period of time. We look forward to building a competitive team next season."

While McLaughlin finishes the season with his Joe Gibbs Racing team, Jay Sauter will drive later this year in Phoenix and Homestead. Veteran crew chief Richard Lasater will serve as crew chief for the two races later this season.

Sauter, 40, is the oldest of 11 children in the famous racing Sauter family from Wisconsin. After success in the Midwest, he moved to North Carolina in 1996 to pursuit a NASCAR career. His first stop was the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series where since 1996 he has scored four wins, two poles and 50 top-10 finishes in 86 races.

The team has primary sponsorship from WiredFlyer. WiredFlyer is a web site created by travel agents for travel agents. Visitors to www.wiredflyer.com can be connected to a travel agency or request a price quote for vacations packages.

"We're thrilled that WiredFlyer is Angela's Motorsports first official sponsor," said Christine Mifsud, Director of Marketing for WiredFlyer. "As a vacation agency network, our company thrives on quality, speed and excellence; three ingredients for success on the Web and on the racetrack. We are very pleased to be a part of this exciting venture with Angela's Motorsports."

The team also has associate sponsorship from Autostrada, sellers of new and pre-owned specialty and rare sports cars.

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