OCONOMOWOC, WI. – Pabst Racing Services announced today it has signed Shannon McIntosh to compete in the 2012 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. McIntosh will pilot the No. 18 TrueCar Mazda.

"After testing Shannon at Autobahn this past October, we were impressed with her intensity and commitment to work with the team to get results,” said Augie Pabst, President, Pabst Racing Services.  “We are thrilled to be working with Shannon and Truecar for the 2012 USF2000 Series season and can't wait to get started!"

McIntosh, a 22-year-old from Miamisburg, Ohio, cut her teeth on dirt and paved ovals in the Midwest through Quarter Midgets, Micro Sprints, Mini Sprints and most recently, Midgets under the guidance of legendary team owner Bob East. Given her past, she made a sharp turn in 2011 competing in the USF2000 series for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing. Despite the fact that McIntosh was taking her first bid at road racing, her best result of the season came on a road course.

"After testing at the end of the 2011 season with Pabst, I couldn't be happier to join their team going into my second year of road racing,” said McIntosh. “The Pabst team understands my background and developmental needs as a driver progressing into open-wheel. I am 100% positive they will give me the best opportunity for success. I have learned that having a team behind you, who supports you and is willing to work towards one common goal is of absolute importance and I couldn’t be more optimistic going into 2012."

McIntosh’s pursuit of INDYCAR began when she started racing at age 5. A career that originally started for fun with her family, continued as she spent time developing her understanding and ability to leverage the business side of motorsports. Given her modest upbringing, she has worked tirelessly to help raise capital to continue to fund her racing career, recently landing a multi-year sponsorship contract with TrueCar, Inc.  

TrueCar, creators of the new car pricing information website TrueCar.com, is leveraging their self-made “Women Empowered” initiative as an extension of the company’s efforts to empower women in the new car buying experience.   With over 80 percent of car buying decisions influenced by women – and 45 percent of all new car purchases made by women– this impactful audience is a significant part of the automotive retail landscape, which will be marketed through associations like the one with McIntosh. 

"Shannon is a fierce competitor with tremendous potential, and a wonderful brand ambassador for TrueCar, our dealer partners, and our key supporters through the 'Women Empowered' initiative,” said Charles Kim, TrueCar’s Director of Motorsports.  “Her decision to join Pabst Racing Services is another great step in her development through the ‘Mazda Road To Indy' ladder system, as Pabst has a long history of winning races and championships. With Shannon, TrueCar, and Pabst working together, we're looking forward to a great USF2000 season in 2012."

In late 2011, Mashable.com, the popular American news site and Internet news blog with over 50 million monthly page views, named McIntosh one of seven “Must-Follow Athletes on Social Media” while SEVENTEEN magazine, the iconic fashion and beauty magazine for 13 million teen girls each month, named McIntosh one of five finalists in the Hearst Publication’s 2011 search for “Pretty Amazing” women, which also included a docu-reality special profiling McIntosh’s youth and unusual occupation in a prime-time special on MTV.

In addition to TrueCar, McIntosh’s effort is also supported by TAG Heuer timepieces, Arai Helmets, Alpinestars, CLEARBook, Mazda North American, Cooper Tires, CrossFit9, Anytime Fitness St. Pete, YogaBlu Studio, and Baker & Daniels.

McIntosh will kick off the 2012 season on March 16 in Sebring, Fla in support of the 12 Hours of Sebring and continue with a 14-race schedule in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda.

Sanctioned by INDYCAR, the USF2000 National Championship, presented by Cooper Racing Tires and powered by Mazda, is one of three series of INDYCAR’s “Mazda Road to Indy” ladder system and the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver program.

For more information, visit www.PabstRacing.com, www.USF2000.com or www.ShannonMcIntosh.com. 

About Shannon McIntosh:
Shannon McIntosh is a 22-year-old TrueCar-sponsored autoracing driver who competes in INDYCAR’s ‘Mazda Road to Indy’ USF2000 National Championship Series, an important open-wheel stepping-stone to a career in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500.  McIntosh began her racing career at age 5, and in 2011, was named as one of SEVENTEEN magazine’s five “Pretty Amazing” cover-girl finalists.  Tech giant, Mashable.com, listed her among a taste-making group of seven “Must-Follow Athletes on Social Media” while TAG Heuer timepieces depicts McIntosh in their “Time for Rebels” campaign.  With over 17 years of racing experience under her belt ranging from USAC midgets to formula cars, McIntosh is the recipient of the 2006 “DARF Asphalt Driver of the Year” in the USAC Ford Focus Midget Series as well being awarded the Kara Hendrick Memorial Scholarship while attending the Lyn St. James Driver Development Program. McIntosh has been a guest or profiled on a variety of platforms including, MTV’s The Seven, MTV News, E! News, SportsIllustrated.com, USA Today, Just Jared, Jr., ESPN.com, AOL.com, Girl’s Life Magazine, and TLC’s Sarah Palin’s Alaska, among others. For more information, please visit, http://www.shannonmcintosh.com, http://www.twitter.com/shannon_mac, or http://www.facebook.com/shannmcintosh. 

About TrueCar, Inc.:
TrueCar, Inc. is an automotive solutions provider focused on changing how cars are sold by providing a significantly better customer experience while helping qualified dealer partners gain incremental market share and reduce costs. TrueCar is a visual publisher of new car transaction data.  TrueCar price reports help both dealers and consumers agree on the parameters of a fair deal by providing an accurate, comprehensive and simple understanding of what others actually paid recently for an identically-equipped vehicle both locally and nationally.  TrueCar works with a national network of dealers that provides a no-hassle car buying experience, and in many cases a highly competitive upfront price, to assist some of the nation’s largest and most well respected membership and service organizations to meet the auto buying needs of their members and customers.  TrueCar is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA and has offices in San Francisco, CA and Austin, TX.  With 131 percent annual growth since 2006, TrueCar has connected hundreds of thousands of consumers with dealers nationwide resulting in the sale of over 400,000 vehicles and is developing a suite of products and services centered on radical clarity through the comprehensive analysis of market data and information. 

You can follow TrueCar on Twitter and become a fan of TrueCar on Facebook.