Ben Who?

[NismoZ]

Ben Johnston, founder, president and CEO of MBI Media was introduced in Atlanta last weekend (to thunderous applause!) as the new owner of the Formula Atlantic Series! Full '09 schedule to be announced soon. I hope this is a good thing. Looking forward to their "winter" series on SPEED.:D (although the on-line video there without narration is kind of interesting. Sure get to notice the sound better!)

[opinionated ow]

This is great news. Here's hoping he drops the pretentious names this series has been dogged with in recent years and just goes back to calling it Formula Atlantic....

[Gnam]

Same guy who bought (20) DP01 chassis.

http://www.deepthrottle.com/Donath/alternate_solution.shtml

:confused:

edit: is this an AR1! rumor? Can't find confirmation elsewhere.

[extramundane]

I believe he bought up Lola and/or Reynard chassis, not the Panozes.

[Steve99]

I think he bought the DP-01's that were sold as part of CC's assets.

[Sean Malone]

"It's a sad event," said Ben Johnston, a collector from Atlanta. "I hate to see the demise of Champ Car, but I think there's definitely more interest in open wheel racing than there's been in recent years."

The money went to creditors of the bankrupt racing series. Among the items for sale were five Champ Car chassis, four of which Johnston bought. He purchased the first for $47,000 -- he said he paid too much for it -- but he wants to use them in a series starting in 2010. After his purchases, he now has 20 chassis.

Link (http://www.motorsportforums.com/forums//archive/index.php/t-127539.html)

The article referenced in this thread doesn't specify what chassis Ben purchased, but it reads like he bought four older cars from the auction, not DP01's because he already had 20 other chassis'. Anyone have the auction list?

[extramundane]

I think he bought the DP-01's that were sold as part of CC's assets.

Several folks have mentioned that he had a stock pile of Lolas and Reynards. Mr. Easy's statement from the auction thread (http://www.offcamber.net/forums/showpost.php?p=233544&postcount=154) is the closest corroboration I can find right now.


Ben Johnston's potential "Reynard CART Series" as it was referred to at one point by an idiot seems to be getting closer to reality. He bought a few of the cars yesterday. I'd guess he now has about 16 champ car chassis' of varying make and vintage.

[Gnam]

Auction pics: http://www.njgallivan.com/auction_detail.php?ID=383972&v=g
Auction catalog: http://www.blueridgedigital.net/applications/auction_calendar/files/383972/attach/Champ_Car_Photo_Catalog_060208.pdf

Lot# 220: 2000 REYNARD COSWORTH SHOW CAR, CHASSIS # 2KI03
Lot# 221: LOLA RACE CAR, RED (HANGING IN LOBBY NO ENGINE)
Conquest's car driven by Nelson and Heylen
Lot# 222 OPEN WHEEL RACE CAR, PANOZ DP01, CHASSIS #004
Minardi USA's cars driven by Dan Clarke and Doornbos
Lot# 223 OPEN WHEEL RACE CAR, PANOZ DP01, CHASSIS #019
Lot# 224 OPEN WHEEL RACE CAR, PANOZ DP01, CHASSIS #011

There's also the DP01 show car, but it's not listed in the catalog

Did Walker ever sell his two?: http://www.walkerracing.com/media/display.php?id=428&lang=en

[Sean Malone]

So potentially Ben Johnston owns 24 DP01's? Wild.

[Gnam]

from Autosport via CW:
OLD CHAMP CARS SET FOR NEW SERIES
The fleet of Panoz Champ Cars could become part of a new series set up by the likely buy-out of the Atlantic Championship.

Atlanta-based Ben Johnston, who raced in a handful of Atlantic races as an amateur in 2005, has a handshake agreement to buy the Atlantic series from Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerry Forsythe. He also revealed that he planned a new single-seater series around the Panoz DP01 and the final Reynard Champ Car.

Johnston, whose fortune is founded in a media-buying company, explained that he already had 17 of the final-generation Reynard Champ Cars and was in the process of buying as many of the DP01s as possible. These will be comibined in a two-class series dubbed 'Green Prix' that he intends to get off the ground next year.

Johnston, who plans to use Cosworth engines in both types of car, said: "I intend to create an arrive-and-drive type schedule where I own and prepare all the cars. The plan is to tune the engines in the Panoz down to 650bhp and the Reynards down to 500bhp."

The first round is scheduled to take place next March in Savannah, Georgia.

Also, from a second source: http://www.openwheelworld.net/us/news/6438/Atlantics_look_forward_to_2009_and_beyond/?PHPSESSID=a3b8ac9a1566b8da52074e8b8e5efb6a

Ben Johnston, President/CEO of Media Brokers International (MBI), a company specializing in advertising, sports marketing and media, was officially announced as the new owner of the Cooper Tires Atlantic Championship series. A familiar face at many of the Atlantic events in 2008, Johnston will take over the ownership of the series from co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerry Forsythe.

The series will remain under the sanctioning body of IMSA, and will apparently run as a support race for many of the IMSA events on the 2009 schedule, which is rumored to be released in the coming week along with the formal announcement of Johnston coming on board.

thread link (http://www.champcarfanatics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53452)

[NismoZ]

So, 3 races? One for 300 hp Atlantics, another for 500hp and a 3rd for 650 hp "Green Prix" cars? (Lord, please don't let it be ethanol!) Or would the latter 2 open wheel groups run together to ensure "excitement.?" I wouldn't recommend it." See, this guy has it figured out. Don't pay the drivers, make them pay you!

[NismoZ]

PS-How'd that " GP Masters" series in Europe work out? Weren't they also '99 Reynards? Mansell and Emmo had a couple of pretty good races, easily the best in the group. I sure hope there is some attention paid to who gets to drive these things. Experience level? 16 year olds? Septuagenarians? Hope it's more than just "show me the money." Doesn't sound much like a training series idea to me. I hope Atlantics will still prepare the youngins for armed conflict.