Chuck West, owner of World Speed Motorsports, today announced that Grant Ryley will drive for the team in the 1999 Star Formula Mazda Pro Series. Ryley will join with 1998 series standout Jeff Bucknum, behind the wheel of the car previously raced by 1998 Star Mazda runner-up and 1997 Rookie-of-the-Year Mike Miller.
Ryley, 25, brings experience from the Skip Barber Formula Dodge Championship Series – West, as well as the highly competitive arena of kart racing. Joining Ryley in his Star Formula Mazda effort is Cupertino Electric and Del Monaco Specialty Foods.
“We’re looking forward to bringing Grant into our family of Star Formula Mazda front-runners,” said West, who captured two Formula Mazda championships as a driver. “He’s demonstrated the ability to get up to speed quickly which is important since this will be his first time at most of the tracks we’ll be racing on. We think he’ll be pretty strong, and we’re definitely here to help him along.”
“Teaming with Chuck West and World Speed is a great opportunity to advance my racing career,” said Ryley, of Saratoga, California. “They’ve literally dominated the Formula Mazda series for years and I can certainly benefit from their expertise. I think we’ll be in a good position to challenge for the Rookie title as well as pick up some podium finishes along the way.”
Ryley’s Skip Barber racing background began in 1997 with a full season of Formula Dodge competition. With a handful of second and third place finishes, he captured seventh in the series championship. Currently in the 1998-1999 season, Ryley has taken three wins in the first five races.
World Speed Motorsports’ dominance of the Formula Mazda series includes six championship and five pro series Rookie-of-the-Year titles since 1991. Most recently, the team captured five wins (Miller – 4, Bucknum – 1) and two poles (Bucknum) en route to second (Miller) and third (Bucknum) in the 1998 Star Formula Mazda Pro Series championship.
Joining Ryley and Bucknum in the World Speed Motorsports Star Mazda stable is rookie Pierre Ehret, as well as returning veterans Bryan Willman, Frank McCormick, Ginni Swanton and Debbie Girdler.