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Mazda Road to Indy

Drivers added to Mazda Road to Indy levels

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The Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires, the developmental ladder for drivers and teams aspiring to reach the Verizon IndyCar Series, announced several drivers joining teams for the 2017 season in all three tiers.

In Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires, the top MRTI level, Carlin announced the addition of Matheus Leist and Zachary Claman DeMelo, while Team Pelfrey welcomed back Juan Piedrahita.

In Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires, multi-time expert class champion Bobby Eberle returns to drive for World Speed Motorsports while Max Hanratty moves up from Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda competition to race for Leading Edge Grand Prix. In USF2000, Norway’s Ayla Agren rejoins Team Pelfrey, for whom she won the 2014 F1600 title, while Guyana’s Calvin Ming has joined Pabst Racing.

Leist is the reigning BRDC British F3 champion. The 18 year-old Brazilian is considered a top prospect on the European racing scene after success in both Formula 4 and Formula 3 in the United Kingdom.

“I had quite a few options open to me in 2017, but a combination of things, including the opportunities in the U.S. and on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder, made Indy Lights a great option for me,” Leist said. “I have raced against Carlin before, so I know how hard they push as a team to win. I’m incredibly excited to get out on track in the car and get the season underway.”

Leist’s had two wins and seven podiums in 2015 British Formula 4 competition. He moved up to BRDC British F3 in 2016, winning four races and collecting 11 podiums to claim the 2016 title.

Claman DeMelo joins Carlin in 2017 after competing for Juncos Racing in Indy Lights last season, when he finished ninth in the championship. The Canadian raced with Carlin for selected rounds of the 2015 F3 Cup.

“Carlin, to me, represent one of the most professional teams that strive for only the best and I’ve no doubt that 2017 will be a great experience,” Claman DeMelo said.

Piedrahita, from Colombia, had six top-10 finishes for Team Pelfrey in Indy Lights in 2016. This year will mark the 25-year-old’s fourth season in the series.

“I couldn’t be happier to rejoin Team Pelfrey for the 2017 Indy Lights season. After working with the crew last year, I knew it was the right fit coming into this year,” Piedrahita said. “Gary (Neal, team manager) and Yves (Touron, engineer) have given me a lot of confidence and they always have a very competitive car at every track. We are going be extremely competitive this year and, for sure, we are going to seal the deal in the Freedom 100.”

SOURCE: INDYCAR

Thompson joins Canadian team for USF2000 season

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Parker Thompson will return for another season in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda as part of an all-Canadian effort from first-year entrant Exclusive Autosport in the lowest rung of the Mazda Road to Indy development ladder.

Thompson, who finished second in the USF2000 driver’s championship in 2016, will return to the team that helped launch his racing career in race cars piloting Exclusive Autosport’s No. 30 Mazda-powered Tatuus US-17.

“It has been a long time coming, signing Parker to a full-season program with Exclusive Autosport,” team co-owner Michael Duncalfe said. “I am especially excited that he will be one of our drivers, a series veteran, leading the EA program in our inaugural season in the USF2000 championship/MRTI. I have the utmost respect for not only Parker’s race craft, but also his work ethic on and off the track. I have never seen a driver work as hard as he does off the track on his racing program.”

Thompson, an 18-year-old from Red Deer, Alberta, last raced for the team in Formula Tour F1600 in 2015, sweeping a weekend of racing at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Quebec. Thompson drove in USF2000 for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing in 2016, winning four races and finishing second to teammate Anthony Martin in the championship.

“This was easily one of the hardest offseasons I have had in my motorsport career, thus far,” said Thompson. “I honestly didn’t know if I was going to get behind the wheel of a race car in 2017, so when the opportunity arose to become a part of the EA organization, I was ecstatic.

“This is a dream team fit for myself, in a number of different ways. I met Michael when I was just 11 years old racing in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, at the Western Canadian Karting Championships. It just goes to show you what relationship-building can do for your career down the road.”

SOURCE: INDYCAR

Garth Rickards joins Carlin for 2017 Indy Lights season

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Garth Rickards will move up the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires ladder, joining reigning Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires team champion Carlin for the 2017 season.

Rickards, a 24-year-old native of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, has raced the last two seasons in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda, scoring a career-best finish of third at Mid-Ohio in 2016.

“To say I am excited is an understatement and I can’t thank everyone who was involved enough,” Rickards said. “Carlin has proven that they are one of the best junior open-wheel teams in the world with their track record. Their focus on driver development will really help me grow and move my way up through the field in my rookie season. Trevor (Carlin, owner) and the whole Carlin squad have been extremely supportive and I’m excited to work with them hopefully for many years.”

Rickards, the first driver named for 2017 by Carlin, has tested with the team in an extensive preseason program, which will continue as Rickards prepares to make his series debut on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, in March.

SOURCE: INDYCAR

INDYCAR to sanction Mazda MX-5 Cup series

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Mazda Motorsports and Andersen Promotions announced an agreement for INDYCAR to sanction the Mazda MX-5 Cup series beginning with the 2017 season. The Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires is the signature spec series for the Mazda Road to 24, the sports car counterpart to the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires open-wheel ladder leading to the Verizon IndyCar Series.

In both development programs, series champions earn a Mazda Motorsports scholarship to advance their racing careers. The MX-5 Cup season champion earns a $200,000 scholarship. New for 2017, the MX-5 Cup rookie of the year will earn a $50,000 scholarship. In total, MX-5 Cup pays more than $500,000 in prize money and scholarships.

“This sanctioning agreement with INDYCAR for the Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires is based upon our long and productive relationship with Dan Andersen, Andersen Promotions and INDYCAR,” said John Doonan, director of motorsports at Mazda North American Operations. “We have worked closely with them to grow the Mazda Road to Indy into the finest open-wheel ladder in the world. Now, we are striving to grow this series, which is the first step of our sports car ladder known as the Mazda Road to 24.

“In only one year, we have sold more than 120 of the newest generation of MX-5 Cup cars and have seen starting fields of up to 40 cars,” continued Doonan. “By teaming with INDYCAR, we believe the series will thrive.”

In 2017, the MX-5 Cup will consist of a 12-race schedule held on a total of six event weekends, plus the second annual Global MX-5 Cup Invitational, a non-points-paying event for Mazda racers from around the world. Four of those event weekends will be held during Verizon IndyCar Series events – Barber Motorsports Park (April 20-23), Road America (June 23-25), Toronto (July 14-16) and Watkins Glen International (September 1-3). The series will also compete on the road course of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the SVRA event (June 15-17) and twice at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (Sept. 22-24 and the Global Invitational, Oct. 13-15).

The MX-5 Cup series is considered the best value in sports car racing. The cars are sold as a ready-to-race, turnkey package for $58,900. Because of the parity of the cars, the racing is always close, hard-fought and great fun for fans. The series is entering its 12th season.

“When Mazda approached us regarding MX-5 Cup, we felt it would be a great opportunity for INDYCAR to expand upon what we’re already doing with our involvement in the Mazda Road to Indy,” said Jay Frye, INDYCAR president of competition and operations. “This agreement also allows us to enhance our overall platform with Mazda Motorsports and Andersen Promotions, who have been great partners of INDYCAR.”

The Mazda Road to Indy consists of three levels of open-wheel racing – Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires, the Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda – providing the ultimate training ground for drivers and teams aspiring to reach the Verizon IndyCar Series.

SOURCE: INDYCAR

Mazda Road to Indy Recap (July 31, 2016)

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Mazda_Road_to_Indy_RGBSantiago Urrutia (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports with Curb-Agajanian) completed a weekend sweep of wins in Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires races at Mid-Ohio to wrestle the points lead away from Ed Jones (Carlin), who finished 11th. Urrutia holds a 16-point lead with three races remaining.

Anthony Martin (Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing) made it a tripleheader weekend sweep in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda to take a 21-point lead over teammate Parker Thompson with two races go to.

In the Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires, Nico Jamin (Cape Taylor with Wayne Taylor Racing) won both weekend races, but Team Pelfrey’s Aaron Telitz finished on the podium twice to pull 14 points ahead of teammate Pato O’Ward for the championship lead with three races left.

SOURCE: INDYCAR

Pro Mazda Championship Replaces Star Mazda Championship

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INDYCAR, sanctioning body of the Mazda Road to Indy development series, announced the creation of the Pro Mazda Championship. The series will be owned and operated by Andersen Promotions – administrator of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda – and will fill the opening vacated by the Star Mazda Championship.

A key level on the Mazda Road to Indy bridging the gap between USF2000 and Firestone Indy Lights, Star Mazda operated under the leadership of founder Gary Rodrigues, who recently announced that the series would conclude following a 22-year run. Graduates of Star Mazda include IZOD IndyCar Series drivers Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe, Raphael Matos and Graham Rahal, and rising stars Conor Daly and Tristan Vautier amongst many others.

“Everyone at INDYCAR is excited about Dan Andersen and his team taking over as the Pro Mazda Championship,” said Jason Penix, Director of Grassroots Initiatives for INDYCAR. “Andersen Promotions has a proven track record of success in junior formula racing, whether it be as a team or as a series owner. All you need to do is look at the success of the USF2000 Championship to know that the former Star Mazda series will be in very capable hands. INDYCAR would also like to thank Gary Rodrigues and his family for all their efforts over the last 22 years. We look forward to watching Dan build upon the success that Gary was able to have and we are confident that this puts the Mazda Road to Indy program in a great position to continue its unparalleled growth in the years to come.”

The Pro Mazda Championship will utilize the same equipment as the former Star Mazda Series including the 260-horsepower Mazda “Renesis” rotary engine. The full 2013 schedule will be unveiled next week. The tradition of awarding a scholarship from Mazda for the series’ champion to advance to Firestone Indy Lights competition the following year will remain in place, and a full prize money and award summary will be available in the coming days. Bill Van De Sandt, INDYCAR’s Director of Operations, will remain as race director for the series.

“Everyone with the Mazda Motorsports team is thrilled that Andersen Promotions is taking over with the Pro Mazda Championship,” said John Doonan, Director Mazda Motorsports, Mazda North American Operations. “Dan [Andersen] and his family-run organization are former Star Mazda team owners and have done an amazing job in developing the USF2000 Championship. They are the ideal team to further advance the two decades of hard work and success of Gary Rodrigues and his family. We expect a seamless transition in 2013.”

Andersen Promotions is led by Dan Andersen, Owner and Chief Executive Officer, who founded and led the original USF2000 Championship from 1991 to 2001, turning it into one of the top open-wheel development series in the world. After an eight-year absence, Andersen revived the series in 2010 as part of the Mazda Road to Indy. He has also been a successful team owner in USF2000, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights and currently owns and operates an extensive karting venture and test track in Palmetto, Fla.

“I would like to say thank you to Gary and the entire Rodrigues family for all of the effort they put into this series over the years,” said Andersen. “As a former multi-car team owner in the series, I am well-acquainted with the program and the value that it has for racers climbing the ladder. I am delighted to have the opportunity to add this development level to the Andersen Promotions’ family. We will do our best to continue to help the careers of young drivers as they climb the Mazda Road to Indy ladder. I would also like to thank Mazda and INDYCAR for working this out quickly and allowing the series to continue at the high level it has been operating.”

Source: INDYCAR