Eric Freiberg  
#14 Collision Damage Experts World Speed Motorsports Pro Formula Mazda
Hometown: Homer Glen, Illinois
Born: April 23, 1986

Current Team: World Speed Motorsports www.worldspeed.com

Notable Racing References:
Telo Stewart - World Speed Motorsports Team Owner, telo@worldspeed.com
Mike Hernandez – Northwest Autosport Lead Mechanic, Mike@northwestautosport.com
Peter Jacobs – Northwest Autosport Engineer - Champ Car Atlantic/Engineer
Jeff Walker – Pro-One Motorsports, jeff@proonemotorsports.com
Fabio Castellani – Pro-One Motorsports, Driving Instructor, Fabio@proonemotorsports.com
Don Holmboe – CMC Karts, (503) 624-0621 www.cmckarts.com
Jim Perry – CKT Motorports   www.CKTracing.com

2007 Season Review:
2007 was a busy and successful season for Eric as he made his debut in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, driving for Northwest Autosport, and continued to compete in select karting events as well. As a rookie in the competitive open-wheel series Eric showed moments of brilliance, placing his car in the top five several times throughout the year, and by the mid-point of the championship was the team’s number one driver. “2007 was a great learning experience for me, being amongst the top drivers in the U.S. really improved me as a driver and a person,” Eric explained.

“There were so many ups and downs last season that I really learned a lot both as a driver and a person. I enjoyed going to all the different tracks and racing at world class venues during major professional race weekends. It was thrilling to be in the public eye at these events as a driver,” he revealed. “At the same time I learned there was much more to being a professional driver than just trying to be the fastest driver around the track as I participated in the Racing For Kids program throughout the season.”

Racing For Kids is a non-for-profit organization that uses the increasing popularity of motorsports to bring public attention and funding to the needs of sick children across the United States and Canada. Racing For Kids provides those looking to make a donation a different opportunity to help kids in hospitals rather than just donating money to the hospital. Through their visits from the heart program, drivers spend time with each of the children, answer questions about the sport, and take time for pictures, signing autographs and passing out the signature Racing For Kids hats and other memorabilia provided by our sponsors. "I absolutely loved the program and went to as many visits as I could during the year,” Eric commented. “It is amazing how just spending a little bit of time with a child can brighten their day. I think it is something that given chance, every driver should participate in and in 2008 I will be a part of the program again, and hope to help with adding visits to the program.”

While moving up the motorsports ladder Eric continued to remain involved in his local racing scene when time allowed, racing his Standard Formula Mazda in SCCA club races and his 125cc shifter kart in World Karting Association (WKA) and Championship Enduro Series (CES) events. “Racing the Pro Formula Mazda was a lot of fun but it was also cool to get back into the other cars once in a while,” Eric said. “I got to race against my brother and some old friends at the SCCA events and karting is always a blast as I raced with a group of good guys who are very competitive which makes for a fun time.”

Through all the action Eric is thankful for those that allowed the 2007 season to happen. “First and foremost I have to thank my parents for all their support with my racing career. Thanks also go out to my primary sponsor Collision Damage Experts and another special thanks to everyone involved with the Racing For Kids program.”

2006 Season Review:
2006 proved to be a very busy and successful season for the up and coming racing star Eric Freiberg. It had been a very difficult season, with school and traveling the country. Eric had competed in three different race series in 2006. Eric raced full time in two karting championship leagues this season, and in the SCCA National Championship in Formula Mazda. In karting Eric raced his CMC powered Corse Veloce chassis kart in both, (WKA) World Karting Association’s National Road Racing Series, and in the Russel Karting Championship Enduro Series (CES). In Eric’s rookie year, he finished second in the SCCA Central Division with his Enterprise rent-a-car Formula Mazda. Eric has proven to be a very dominant figure in the racing world. From winning the 2006 CIK 125 Shifter Championship in the World Karting Association’s National Road Racing Series, and winning the prestigious 4 mile Road America Pro-Shifter race which hosts 100+ drivers from across the country every year, Eric has numerous wins and track records. In addition to the Karting, Eric also raced in the SCCA National Championships in his Enterprise Rent-a-Car, CDE Collision, Pro-One Motorsports Formula Mazda. In dominating fashion of his rookie year, he captured 4 wins, 8 podiums, and finished the season with a close 2nd place. Everywhere Eric has been, he has been right on the track record or sets his own. “When the competition would see us pull into the race track, they knew that they were going to have a good race on their hands; they were going to have to work hard. It has been a family/team motto – “when we race, we race to win”. Our competitors know this, and this is why they respect us as a racing family.”

Eric also competed in the 2006 Skip Barber Karting Shootout Presented by RACER magazine, placing in the top 20 of 59 of the best Karters from across North America. Throughout the Fall of 2005 and early Spring of 2006, Eric also competed in the Skip Barber Central and Southern Series, winning his first two races in a dominating fashion. His dominance in the series would continue with several more wins and podiums.

Eric’s love for the sport began when he was 14. He didn’t grow up on the racetrack, his father did not race nor did anyone else in the family. He went one summer to watch a high school friend race karts at a local circle track. Liking what he had seen, he bugged his parents to let him try. The following year he started in his first race, and to the astonishment of others, he finished a close second. In his second race, he won; it was at this point that Eric’s parents knew that they were going to be in for the long run. “After this first taste of victory, I wanted more, I needed more, and I continued to get it.” Over the next three years, Eric would win four championships. After finishing his third year in the oval karts, it was time to step up to bigger and better things. That was when Eric Freiberg and Freiberg Racing stepped up to the World Karting Association’s Road Racing Series Sponsored by Dunlop. He made the step up to the CIK 125 shifter class from the Briggs and Yamaha can classes (oval classes) quite quickly, despite the large differences between the two. Eric’s rookie season in the WKA he finished a much respected third. Eric soon became the usual threat for the win at all karting events that he attended, he has become known as the elite of the field.

2005 was a transition year for Eric, although still racing karts full time; the decision was made to make the step from karting to formula cars. He began his transition with Skip Barber in the fall of 2005 completing the 3-day driving school. When attending the school, his instructor, Terry Earwood had said, “Eric is our poster child, the kids got it”. Eric then began to compete in the Skip Barber Racing Series, competing in and being front runner in the Central and Southern Racing division. Eric chose to move up again in the spring of 2006, he stepped up to Formula Mazda in SCCA. Just like every were Eric has been, he has proven to be a front runner and a force to be reckoned with. The 2006 season has opened up some opportunities in 2007 for the up and coming star, ranging from the STAR Mazda Series presented by Goodyear, the IMSA Lite Series presented by Hankook Tires, or the SCCA Formula Atlantic National Championship. Where ever Eric decides to go, it can be a sure bet that he will be at the front, leading to the checkered flag.

When Eric isn’t piloting his racecar to victory, he is furthering his studies at North Central College in Naperville. In his junior year, Eric is going for his degree in Accounting and Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship. While not at school, he spends his time working for the family business, organizing and maintaining his race career, and time in the garage (a.k.a. race shop) wrenching on his kart preparing for the next event. Not all of this can be done alone, “although I do a lot of my own work, I also receive a lot of help, I would be no where with out the constant help from my father on the business end and my brother in the garage, with my school work, it is hard for me to come home at times, with out them, I would not be able to succeed. THANK YOU”