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The 2007 Race Season for Igor Sushko

The Ukrainian made history in 2006 with the first ever Nissan Skyline GT-R road racing program in North America. In 2007 he goes a step up... in Japan.

The AutomotiveForums.com R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R at Laguna Seca in 2006. Photograph © 2007 AutomotiveForums.com

Tokyo, JAPAN. (Feb. 21, 2007) - Last year, Igor Sushko's AutomotiveForums.com race team made history by campaigning an R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R in SCCA's Speed World Challenge GT series. Throughout the year, millions of automotive enthusiasts learned about the extraordinary journey through print, internet, and television outlets including AutoWeek, Automobile Magazine, SpeedTV, ESPN2, AutomotiveForums.com, and IgorSushko.com.

But the 2007 season is sure to bring even more excitement. Sushko will be racing with Shyuji Maejima, a veteran ace driver, in the famous Japanese Super Taikyu Endurance series with a brand new NISMO-built Nissan Fairlady Z (Z33).

Sushko's test with the team brought excitement in itself. Location: Sugo Circuit. Weather: Snow. Visibility: Poor.

The Super Taikyu Endurance race series even features a 24-hour race at Tokachi, Hokkaido. Photograph © 2007 Super Taikyu Organization

Behind the wheel of a car he had never driven at track he had never seen, Sushko quickly impressed the owner and the team in just five hot laps. Immediately, Sushko was named co-driver for the entire '07 season in the Super Taikyu series.

Yet, there is more. Sushko has also been accepted into the prestigious Formula Challenge Japan (FCJ) development program. Organized by Japan Race Promotion, the same entity that promotes the Formula Nippon series, the FCJ program consists of an 18-race season in an open-wheel formula car. The vehicle, weighing in at 490 kg (1080 lbs), features a full carbon composite FIA chassis, a 2.0-liter engine, and a 6-speed sequential gear box. The series is augmented by coaching and advising by some of the best in Japan, including such names as Masanori Sekiya, first-ever Japanese to score an overall win at Le Mans; Tetsuya Tanaka, Group C Prototypes and Super GT driver; and former Formula One and CART driver, Naoki Hattori.

"I am always looking for ways to stretch myself professionally," said Sushko. "Racing in two series as disparate as FCJ and Super Taikyu should prove plenty challenging."

The Formula Challenge Japan race series - the 1080 lbs cars with 200 hp and downforce are faster than the Super GT GT300 class. Photograph © 2007 Japan Race Promotion

Igor Sushko at the Fuji Speedway - a circuit he will revisit many times in 2007. Photograph © 2007 AutomotiveForums.com

Igor Sushko's 2007 Race Schedule

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Launched in November of 2000, AutomotiveForums.com is today a leader in connecting the auto enthusiasts via the Internet. Currently, more than 500,000 members enjoy Automotive Forums, with 200 new users signing up daily.

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Igor Sushko's motorsports career began when he had a pole-and-win in his first ever race at Virginia International Raceway in Skip Barber Formula Dodge series. In 2006, Sushko competed in SCCA Speed World Challenge GT with R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R.

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Contact: Bruce Ashmore / Automotive Network, Inc. / 317-496-9909

Photographs for media use are available at the AutomotiveForums.com Media Gallery

http://files.automotiveforums.com/media/v/MagazineCoverage/photos/

SCCA Speed World Challenge

http://www.world-challenge.com

Super Taikyu

http://www.so-net.ne.jp/s-taikyu

Igor Sushko

http://www.igorsushko.com

Automotive Forums

http://www.automotiveforums.com