Team Release

Lastochkin Secures Team Pelfrey’s Final Pro Mazda Seat for the 2017 season

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (February 28, 2017) – Team Pelfrey is excited to announce that Nikita Lastochkin will fill the final Pro Mazda seat in the team’s signature black and yellow garage. The Russian will have his first opportunity to pilot the No. 80 Pro Mazda in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires for the 2017 season at the upcoming series test at Homestead Miami Speedway Road Course.

“To be back with Team Pelfrey means being back with the same people that I started my career with and I am very excited,” said Lastochkin. “The goal would be to focus on our strengths, keep working on the areas we can improve and let the results take care of themselves. Overall, I’m just happy to be back on the Mazda Road to Indy and looking forward to the year ahead.”

The 26-year-old is familiar with the structure of the team as he began his racing career in 2014 with the #PelfreyPower crew where he competed in the F1600 Championship, followed by the USF2000 Championship Series in 2015. Lastochkin competed strongly in the USF2000 Championship in 2016, securing 11 top 10 finishes.

“This is fantastic news for Team Pelfrey,” commented general manager Jonathan Baker. “Nikita has been with us before in F1600 and USF2000, and being able to welcome him back to our Pro Mazda team is just so cool. He has shown us over the past few years that on his day, he is one of the quickest drivers out there, and we are looking forward to helping him achieve top results in Pro Mazda. On top of everything, he is simply a great guy. We are proud to have him back.”

Follow Lastochkin’s on-track progress @nikitagoesracin on Twitter and Instagram. You can also receive updates via @TeamPelfrey on all social media platforms by using the hashtag #PelfreyPower or visit www.pelfreypower.com. The USF2000, Pro Mazda, and Indy Lights teams will be in action for the first race of the season on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla on March 10-12.

Nikita Lastochkin will be starting his third Mazda Road To Indy presented by Cooper Tire season with Team Pelfrey’s championship winning Pro Mazda presented by Cooper Tire team ((Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography – Chris Owens)

TSO Ladder Notes from Steve:

  • Lastochkin is is the third confirmed Team Pelfrey entry and eighth confirmed full-time Pro Mazda presented by Cooper Tire driver for the 2017 season, joining Sting Ray Robb (World Speed Motorsports), TJ Fischer (Team Pelfrey), Max Hanratty (Leading Edge Grand Prix), Bobby Eberle (World Speed Motorsports), Charles Finelli (Fat Boy Racing), Brandon Puderbach, (Fat Boy Racing), and Carlos Cunha (Team Pelfrey)
  • Lastochkin who just started his racing career as a 22 year-old in 2013,  has accumulated 23 top 10’s in 30 Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda starts and has finished seventh and eighth in the previous two seasons. 
  • Lastochkin recently spent six weeks in New Zealand collecting valuable seat time while taking part in the Toyota Racing Series with fellow Mazda Road To Indy presented by Cooper Tire drivers Shelby Blackstock, and Kory Enders. 
  • TSO is hearing that the Pro Mazda presented by Cooper Tire grid is expected to be in double digits (or at least very close) at the first event on the streets of St. Petersburg. 
  • You can follow Cunha on the following social media platforms: Twitter – Instagram – Facebook