ENCINO, Calif. - The Mathiasen Motorsports Champ Car Atlantic team went into Road America for the final round of the 2007 season with high hopes for a top ten overall finish in the driver standings. Justin Sofio, driver of the #26 RLM Investments Swift/Mazda Atlantic, was a solid ten points from his nearest competitor and a good finish would have virtually guaranteed tenth place in the overall standings. That was not to be, however as Sofio was knocked out of the coveted top ten spot he had longed for by finishing a disappointing fifteenth and losing tenth place by a mere 2 points to finish eleventh overall on the season. "Not finishing in the top ten was a disappointment, but we are still very pleased with how #26 performed all season long in only our second year at this level of competition. We want to thank all the members of the Mathiasen Motorsports team for their great contributions and hard work all year. We are very proud of all of them" said team owners Leslie and Ray Mathiasen. The Champ car Atlantic awards banquet following the race brought some surprises that helped lift the teams spirits. The team was awarded $14,000 as the prize for winning the overall Sherwin Williams "It's All In the Finish" award for the 2007 season and also received an original painting of the RLM Investments #26 race car by highly respected motorsports artist Randy Owens. "We will treasure the painting forever. Randy is one of my favorite motorsports artists and he did a fabulous job with this piece. My thanks again to everyone from Sherwin-Willimans for the special recognition they have given my car for the second year in a row" said Mathiasen. Also, at the same awards banquet, Justin Sofio was a very popular winner of the Jovy Marcelo Award. Marcelo, the 1991 Atlantic series champion who hailed from the Philippines, was a great racer, sportsman and friend to many drivers and an award is given in his honor each year to the driver who best embodies Marcelo's spirit. "I was so proud of Justin as he received this much deserved award," said Mathiasen. The entire Mathiasen Motorsports team is now enjoying some well deserved time off while evaluating their options for the Phoenix shoot-out, and the entire 2008 Champ Car Atlantic Championship season.