AGT Inter-Americas Challenge

WESTFIELD CENTER, Ohio (March 16, 2006) – Ryan McManus understands the value of advance planning and academic training. He knows the application of both, along with a little real world experience, can pave a path toward success.

And that is why McManus, a 25-year-old Masters Degree candidate at the University of Akron, is preparing for the next big step in his racing career: The 2006 season opener for the AGT Challenge Series at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina on March 25.

McManus is among the drivers eligible to compete for the coveted AGT Inter-Americas Challenge Rookie of the Year Award.

“We’re looking forward to watching this year’s rookies compete,” said American GT Road Racing Association President Woodson Duncan. “They all have excellent equipment.”

Among the Rookie of the Year candidates are McManus, Edison Lluch Jr. of Puerto Rico and Jordan Bupp of Florida.

McManus has been racing one way or another since he was 16, when he took his first racing school instruction. He competed in the American Sedan class of the Sports Car Club of America at age 18 and raced in the SCCA’s Touring 2 class at 22. Edison Lluch Jr. has been competing in Road Racing and Drag Racing throughout the Caribbean. Jordan Bupp has spent time behind the wheel in the SCCA and Grand Am Cup.

Now they all want to move into a professional series, driving a more powerful car.

“It’s always nice to find different places to drive a new car,” McManus said.

CMP is a 2.235-mile, 14-turn road course located near Kershaw, South Carolina. It has hosted an AGT race every year since the inception of the series. The AGT Challenge Series is open to cars built for the Trans Am Series, the SCCA GT1 class and the AGT class of the Rolex Sports Car Series.

McManus’ car is a Ford Mustang originally built for the Trans Am Series. He’ll compete against Chevrolet Camaros and Corvettes as well as Oldsmobile Cutlasses and other Mustangs.

The Rookie of the Year Award is arguably the toughest achievement in any racing series. A given driver gets only one opportunity to win it and that opportunity comes when the learning curve is pretty steep.

“We’d like to make a really strong run for the Rookie of the Year this season,” McManus said. “We think that is a realistic goal.”

McManus hopes to finish the coursework for his Masters in Business Administration by June of 2007. By then, he plans to be continuing his road course work as well.

More information on the American GT Challenge or the American GT Road Racing Association is available at www.americangt.com.