Posted: December 24, 2004

Multisport: Champ Car Racer Justin Wilson Signs With Carmichael Training Systems

RuSPORT Team Member Seeks Gains From Endurance Training

Colorado Springs, CO - Justin Wilson, a Champ Car World Series driver on Carl Russo’s RuSPORT team, has signed on to work with Carmichael Training Systems (CTS) Premier Coach Craig Griffin in an effort to gain an endurance edge on his competitors. The physical demands of auto racing have long been overlooked, yet ambitious drivers and teams have begun to see the benefits endurance training can have on their performance in the car. Justin’s RuSPORT teammate, 2004 Champ Car World Series Rookie of the Year A.J. Allmendinger, was the first of the group to benefit from endurance conditioning with CTS.

Like Allmendinger, Wilson, age 26, is a rising star rookie in the Champ Car circuit, even though he has a wealth of racing experience from other leagues. In 2001, Wilson was the Formula 3000 Champion and in 2003 he raced for top Formula One teams Jaguar and Mindari. Following a year of Formula One racing, Wilson began looking for other racing opportunities and was recruited to Champ Car racing. He joined the Mi-Jack Racing squad in 2004. His season results were impressive - he qualified third in his second Champ Car race in Monterrey, Mexico; second in Cleveland, Ohio; and had three top-six finishes.

In an effort to reach the top of the podium in his second season on the Champ Car circuit, Wilson, a native of England, decided to focus on endurance training so he is better prepared to endure the physical stresses of long races. At a height of 6’3’’, Wilson faces additional challenges from having to squeeze his large frame into the small confines of a racecar cockpit. As a result of the work CTS Coaches have done with other motorsports athletes, Griffin expects Wilson to see improved performance due to greater aerobic endurance, muscular strength, and perhaps most of all, increased mental freshness. Improving Wilson’s aerobic engine and tailoring his nutrition program to the demands of racing will give him the energy reserves racers need for making split-second decisions in the final laps of long races. By following a periodized training schedule, Wilson’s training will be closely integrated into his race schedule to ensure he optimally prepared to reach his goals.

Founded by former Olympian, US Olympic Committee Coach of the Year, and bestselling author, Chris Carmichael in 1999, Carmichael Training Systems (CTS) is a community of athletes and coaches dedicated to improving the lives of active individuals though enhanced fitness and nutrition coaching programs. Providing guidance, education, and programs for individuals of all abilities, CTS has also paved the way for some of the world’s greatest athletes including six-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong, 2000 Olympic Time Trial Silver Medalist and World Champion Mari Holden, Montreal Canadiens Captain Saku Koivu, 2001 Mountain Bike World Champion Alison Dunlap, and Olympic Gold Medalist Swimmer Ed Moses. CTS is also the official coaching authority of the US Postal Service Cycling Team and the official coaching service for the US Paralympic cycling team.
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