09 July 2017 Rocketeer appoint USA distributor
Following a superb four days exhibiting at the Goodwood Festival of Speed at the end of June, we are thrilled to announce that we have appointed a distributor for Rocketeer products in the USA.
Rocketworks Sports Cars in Eugene, Oregon USA, is a new venture run by equal partners Blair Winter and Eric Jones, of Eric Jones Motorsports. The new company is extremely well placed to offer the Rocketeer MXV6 engine conversions for the Mazda Miata / MX-5, operating from the Eric Jones Motorsports facilities, a fully equipped automotive repair and restoration shop, specialising in Porsche and Ferrari road cars, as well as competition cars of all types.
We are delighted to be working with Blair and Eric who both share our passion for machines and motorsport, and have been firm supporters of the Rocketeer proposition since we went public with our plans last November. Eric currently races a Mazda Miata in the extremely competitive SCCA Northwest Region Spec Miata series, whilst Blair has driven his modified vintage BMW to a class championship in the local sports car club's autocross series. Whats more, their respective expertise reflect many years of experience and success in specialist automotive and engineering sectors.
In addition to the home-based operations, Eric Jones Motorsports currently provides a range of track-based customer support, including engineering, set-up, race support, and driver coaching. All of this goes to further enhance the offering of Rocketworks Sports Cars, making them the perfect candidate as the USA distributor for Rocketeer products.
Rocketeer Ltd still expect to receive enquiries from the USA, however we will refer these to Eric and Blair, who will be establishing a clear presence with the Rocketeer brand over the coming weeks and months, including running a demonstrator MXV6. Please do not hesitate to contact them with your enquiries, they are extremely knowledgeable and very excited to be representing Rocketeer in the USA.
Eric can be reached at +1.541.726.4773, and via email: eric@ericjonesmotorsports.com
Blair can be reached at +1.541.556.3143, and via email: blair@rocketworkscars.com
If you want to keep up to date on their progress as it happens, follow Rocketworks Sports Cars and Eric Jones Racing on Instagram (@rocketworkscars / @gogglespisano).
For more detailed information on Blair's and Eric's respective backgrounds, and how they started Rocket Works Sports Cars, see the full bio below:
Eric Jones and Blair Winter met in the early ‘80s while they were students at Sheldon High School in Eugene, Oregon. They each showed more than the usual interest in cars. Eric could be found modifying and tuning his mk.1 Scirocco while Blair was rebuilding the 289 V8 in his 1967 Fastback Mustang.
After school, Eric’s plans were set. He was determined to become a professional racing driver. The economic realities of motor racing soon taught Eric that we would need to work in the racing industry while hoping for opportunity to show his employers that he should be driving, not wrenching.
Since the late 1980s Eric has worked as a race mechanic, crew chief, and junior engineer in sports cars, Indy cars and stock cars. Many of the diverse group of drivers Eric has worked with over the years may be found at the top tier of formula car and stock car racing today. Cars during this part of Eric’s professional career range from IndyCar and Indy Lights [F3000], as well as lesser open wheel cars to Porsches, Ferraris, Maseratis, and Corvette production-based cars. During this time Eric was fortunate enough to test and race many of the cars he looked after, competing regionally, and at SCCA national championship events.
Today, Eric owns and operates Eric Jones Motorsports, an automotive repair and restoration shop in Eugene, Oregon, specializing in Porsche and Ferrari road cars, and competition cars of all types. In addition to home-based operations, EJM provides a range of track-based customer support, including engineering, set-up, race support, and driver coaching. Eric also actively campaigns a Mazda Miata in the very competitive SCCA Northwest Region Spec Miata series.
Blair’s career took a slightly different trajectory. A lifelong cycling enthusiast and bicycle racer during his younger days, Blair entered the bicycle industry soon after school, staying there for more than 30 years. Beginning in sales, and quickly moving to product development and project management, Blair has worked for Specialized and Trek, as well as smaller companies such as Burley Design. It was at Burley that Blair discovered the allure of working for himself – Burley was a worker-owned cooperative. Blair left Burley to help form a specialist racing wheel company, which he helped manage until the business was sold after seven years.
Having started out in bicycle shops as a student, Blair’s bicycle industry career came around to where it all began – he owned a speciality bicycle shop for more than six years, eventually selling it to an employee.
The two-wheel career did nothing to diminish his love for all things four-wheeled and gasoline powered, speed, and competition. Nearly all of the special interest cars Blair has owned over the years were enhanced in some manner in his home garage. Blair has driven his modified vintage BMW to a class championship in the local sports car club’s autocross series. He is also competitive sailor, as crew for others and skipper with his own boat, albeit at somewhat lower speeds.
After a brief stint as an apprentice mechanic at the Blackhawk Collection in California many years ago, Blair has long harbored a desire to get back to the automotive industry.
Blair works for Eric as a mechanic today at EJM. Together, they have launched a parallel venture in which they are equal partners. Rocketworks Sports Cars operates from the EJM facility and is being enthusiastically organized to introduce and distribute Rocketeer Cars products in the United States.
