Archives for Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series

$250,000 scholarship in play for Lucas Oil School of Racing 2023 formula car series champ – five event schedule announced

Posted by  on Tuesday, December 13th 2022     
The fleet of identically prepared Lucas Oil School of Racing cars at the Thermal Club (Photo Courtesy of Lucas Oil School of Racing)

By Steve Wittich

The Lucas Oil School of Racing – a popular training ground for professional race car drivers since 2015 – is awarding a $250,000 scholarship to the winner of the five-round, 15-race 2023 Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series.

The quarter-of-a-million-dollar prize, an unheard-of three times the cost of a full-season entry ($75,000), can be utilized in any approved series. Early approved series include USF2000, F4 United States Championship, and TCR.

“Traditional ladder series scholarships normally do not provide a top award that is significantly
more than the full season cost to run the series you are competing in, and the scholarship is
limited to be utilized only in the next step in that series,” said RC Enerson, Lucas Oil School of
Racing Director of Operations and Lead Instructor. “It’s exciting to see a scholarship of this size and this diverse. The champion has the choice of being able to take the scholarship to multiple series, and that really lets the champion driver determine their own future direction within their budget.”

The arrive-and-drive series has produced race winners and championship contenders in North America’s most competitive open-wheel and sports car ladder series. Recent Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series alums include Reece Gold (INDY NXT by Firestone), Myles Rowe (USF Pro 2000), Bryson Morris (F4 United States Championship), and Will Holtz (F1600 Championship Series)

2018 Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series champion celebrates a USF Pro 2000 win at Portland International Raceway in September 2022. Gold will be moving to INDY NXT by Firestone for the upcoming season

The Lucas Oil School of Racing race car is based on the successful Ray Formula Ford/F1600 chassis and utilizes the ultra-reliable MZR engine featuring Lucas Oil lubricants. The equal mechanical platform and coaching from the best instructors in the business ensure a driver-focused championship where skill matters most.

“Most experts agree when aspiring drivers move from karts to cars, they should first obtain a
fundamental education of mechanical grip in a non-aero car before advancing onto cars
with aerodynamic grip,” added NTT INDYCAR SERIES competitor Enerson. “Our 20-car fleet of proprietary purpose-built school cars provides that essential education, as illustrated by so many other drivers that have come through theLucas Oil School of Racing schools and race series, it isn’t just the champion that gets a leg up moving on to the professional ranks. On the back of an unrivaled education in the Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series, many of our drivers, have gone on to compete in a wide array of other series, and we are very proud of that.”

The 2023 Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series calendar includes 15 races at five events spread over five months.

  • June 19-20 – Sebring International (Full Course) – Sebring, Fla.
  • July 18-19 – NCM – Corvette Museum – Bowling Green, Ky. (Full Course)
  • August 2-3 -Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – Lexington, Ohio.
  • September 18-19 – Homestead-Miami International Speedway (Road Course) – Homestead, Fla.
  • October 16-17 – FINALE – Sebring International (Full Course) – Sebring, Fla.

Interested drivers can find full details and qualifications for this opportunity on the Lucas Oil School of Racing website.

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Elysiah Navarro wins 2nd Annual Lucas Oil School Of Racing Scholarship Shootout at Sebring International Racing

Posted by  on Thursday, December 12th 2019     

The participants in the Second Annual Lucas Oil School Of Racing Scholarship Shootout Presented by Cooper Tires (Photo Courtesy of Lucas Oil School of Racing)

After one day of off-track, two days of on-track activity, and some tough deliberation by the judges, 15-year-old karting standout Elysiah Navaro was awarded the first place prize in the Second Annual Lucas Oil School of Racing Scholarship Shootout Presented By Cooper Tires.

The standout karter that hails from Las Vegas, Nev. and lives in Indiana bested a talented pool of 26 other open-wheel hopefuls to grab the scholarship to contest the full 2020 Lucas Oil Formula Race Series.

Gerardo Bonilla, Lucas Oil School of Racing Director of Operations made the announcement. The experienced instructor and coach equated the talent level of this crop of drivers to that of when two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden was coming through the junior formula training levels. That group of drivers includes professionals Ricky Taylor, Conor Daly, Gabby Chaves, Kyle Marcelli, Connor De Phillippi, Joel Miller, Steven McAleer, and Dion von Moltke.

It wasn’t only Navarro that walked away with a prize. The drivers judged in spots two through five were also winners.

Carter Pease, a karting standout from Moline, Ill., celebrates his 23rd birthday by finishing second and earning himself a half-season (three-event) scholarship for the 2020 Lucas Oil Formula Race Series.

Coming in third and earning a two-race event scholarship was Emily Linscott. The 16-year-old native of Essex County in the United Kingdom started her racing career in the Ginetta Junior category and is mentored by 7-time Indianapolis 500 starter Pippa Mann.

Taking home a one event scholarship for finishing the shootout in fourth is 12-year-old Elvis Rankin. The Evergreen, Colo. based driver will get to test out his road racing skills. Rankin has extensive oval track experience in stock cars, midgets, and karts, including winning the 2018 USAC Western Midget Rookie of the Year.

Elliot Budzinski, a 17-year-old from a karting background, ended the three-days in fifth place and walks away with a prize of a two-day advanced Lucas Oil School of Racing program.

2020 Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series Schedule

  • April 3-5 – Homestead-Miami Speedway – Homestead, Fla.
  • May 15-17 – NOLA Motorsports Park – Avondale, La.
  • June 12-14 – National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park – Bowling Green, Ky.
  • July 14-16 – New Jersey Motorsports Park – Millville, N.J.
  • August 28-30 – Autobahn Country Club – Joliet, Ill.
  • September 30 – October 2 – Sebring, Fla.
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Road To Indy bolsters role as top North American ladder series, announcing a long-term partnership with the Lucas Oil School Of Racing

Posted by  on Tuesday, June 25th 2019     

By Steve Wittich

For the second time in four days, Andersen Promotions and the Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires (RTI) have announced a partnership aimed at bolstering the top level open wheel development ladder in North America.

The Lucas Oil School of Racing has entered a long-term partnership with Andersen Promotions to become the Official Driving School of the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires.

The Lucas Oil School of Racing and it’s companion, the Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series, have quickly become the must-attend racing school for young drivers looking to pursue a career as a professional race car driver. The car is a derivative of multi-championship winning Ray Formula Ford/F1600 chassis with a 2.0-liter powerplant that is made by Elite Engines, the same engine builder as USF2000. The hi-tech car features a Sadev five-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shift, an AIM data acquisition system and Cooper Tires, making the jump to a USF2000 that much easier.

“We receive a lot of requests from drivers, particularly in karting, asking how to get started on the Road to Indy and we always direct them to the Lucas School of Racing, so to welcome them as our Official Driving School makes perfect sense. With their scholarship programs, they have a driver development program in place and are a true feeder series to the Road to Indy as witnessed by Reece joining our series this year. Our new alignment will allow us to further expand that message in marketing, live streaming, social media, websites, and beyond.”

“Our partnership is a natural progression of the relationships we already have in place with Neil and his family, Gerardo Bonilla, Director of Operations and former Road to Indy series driver coach, Cooper Tires and Elite Engines,” said Dan Andersen, Owner, and CEO of Andersen Promotions.

Current USF2000 drivers, Darren Keane, Manuel Cabrera, and reigning Lucas Oil Formula Car School champion Reece Gold are all graduates of the school and race series.

Reece Gold on track in a USF2000 race at Road America (Photo Courtesy Of Andersen Promotions)

The winner of the six-event, 18 race, arrive-and-drive Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series will take home a $75,000 scholarship to utilize in USF2000. Also, drivers in the series will be allowed to attend Road To Indy events; learning more about the next step in career advancement while being embedded with USF2000 teams.

The CEO of the Lucas School of Racing is Neil Enerson, a Road To Indy team owner and father of RTI graduate and NTT IndyCar Series RC Enerson.

“A partnership between The Lucas Oil School of Racing and Andersen Promotions is a no-brainer,” said Neil Enerson, Lucas Oil School of Racing Founder and CEO. “It’s an honor to be named the Official Driving School of the Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires and we look forward to cultivating the next crop of Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship drivers.

“As the dad to a successful graduate of the Road To Indy and team owner, I’m in a unique position to understand what it takes to move from karting to a professional race car driver at the top tier. My staff of passionate racers at the Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series have pooled years of experience to create a race series that will teach drivers what is expected of them – both on and off the track – at the next level of their racing careers.”

The Lucas Oil School of Racing and the Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series will travel next to New Jersey Motorsports Park for basic and advanced classes on July 9/10 and the next championship rounds on July 16/17. The series is currently led by 16-year-old Jackson Lee of Avon, Ind.

The Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires will be back in action north of the border in Toronto, Ont., Canada on July 13/14

category: Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda - TSO, Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series
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Lucas Oil School of Racing Launches Inaugural Cooper Tires Karting Scholarship Shoot-out

Posted by  on Tuesday, April 10th 2018     

Lucas Oil School of Racing Launches Inaugural Cooper Tires Karting Scholarship Shoot-out

Demonstrating its commitment to train and develop the next generation of racing champions, the Lucas Oil School of Racing today announces the inaugural Cooper Tires Karting Scholarship Shoot-out, to be held December 12-14, 2018 at Sebring International Raceway.

Thirty karters from around the world will participate in three days of on- and off-track activities and training to determine who is the best of the best, with seat time in Lucas Oil School of Racing programs up for grabs. The grand prize is a fully funded season in the 2019 Lucas Oil Formula Car Championship, valued at $75,000.

“One of my goals, when I started the Lucas Oil School of Racing, was to provide karters a proper place to go to learn and race when they make their first step from karting to cars,” said Lucas Oil School of Racing Founder and CEO Neil Enerson. “The Karting Scholarship Shoot-out is the next step in that process. With the winner of the Lucas Oil Formula Car Championship Series now earning a $100,000 Driver Development Award to use in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship, the progression from karting to professional motorsports begins with the Lucas Oil School of Racing.”

Prizes for top-ranking karters participating in the Shoot-out include:

  • Winner – Full season in 2019 Lucas Oil Championship Series*
  • Runner-up – Half season in 2019 Lucas Oil Championship Series *
  • 3rd Place – Participation in two Race Events *
  • 4th Place – Participation in one Race Event*
  • 5th Place – Participation in two 2-Day Advanced Lapping programs

* Including Pre-Race Lapping

“Cooper Tires is proud to be a sponsor of the Lucas Oil School of Racing and this scholarship event which provides an exceptional opportunity for talented drivers to gain open wheel experience and exposure through karting,” said Chris Pantani, Cooper Tire’s Director of Motorsports. “Supporting driver development is important to the future of racing, and Cooper is thrilled to be part of programs such as this that help drivers build a foundation of skills.”

To be considered for the Cooper Tires Karting Scholarship Shoot-out, karters must be currently competing in a recognized karting organization, have no prior competitive auto racing experience and must successfully complete a Basic 2-Day program. Karters must submit an online application and karting resume by August 31, 2018 for consideration. If accepted, as submitting an application and completing the requisite program does not guarantee a spot in the event, a seat in the Karting Scholarship Shoot-out is $4,999.

For more details on the Shoot-out, including eligibility requirements, pricing, and to apply online, please visit https://lucasraceschool.com/karting-scholarship-shootout/.

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Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series finalizes schedule and announces generous prize package

Posted by  on Friday, March 17th 2017     

After a successful four event, eight-race championship taking place during the final third of calendar year 2016, the Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series (LOFCRS) kicks off their second title fight in only two weeks.  The opening round of the seven event, 14 race  championship takes place on Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2 at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Fla.

In 2016, the series champion – Mathias Soler, received a test day in his choice of Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda (USF2000), or F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda (F4) equipment. That test day remains an important part of the significantly upgraded prize package for the driver who claims the 2017 LOFCRS Championship.

The LOFCRS Champion that is crowned at the November finale on the 2.75-mile, 16-Turn road course at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, La., will still receive a USF2000 or F4 test, but, in addition to that, will also receive a generous $40,000 sponsorship package to be used towards a full season ride in USF2000 or F4. The 2017 LOFCRS Champion also has the option to return for the 2018 LOFCRS race season at no cost.

In addition to the career advancement prizes, the 2017 Champion will also receive a LOFCRS Nomex undershirt, a Champion’s trophy, and their name on the LOFCRS perpetual plaque. The LOFCRS also announced to be on the lookout for even more enhancements to that prize package as the season progresses.

The 2017 LOFCRS Vice-Champion will be the recipient of a Second Place trophy, LOFCRS Nomex undershirt, and a one-day test in an F4 car.

The driver that finishes thrid will receive a Third Place trophy, and a LOFCRS Nomex undershirt

The Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series goes green on their new races season on April 1, 2017 at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Fla. (Photo courtesy of Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series)

The newly formed race series that was born from the Lucas Oil School of Racing, has already proven it’s worth to the American open wheel ladder, providing the 2017 F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda with it’s top two drivers from the 2016 LOFCRS Championship.

Solar, who won five times and stood on the podium six times on the way to the title will be contesting the 2017 F4 Championship with Cape Motorsports.

Race winner and 2016 Vice Champion, Chris Archinaco recently announced that he will be joining Indy Motorsport Group, to have a run at the six event, 18 race championship.

The school’s 2.0L Elite Engine powered Ray Formula Cars GR11 also received rave reviews as the platform used to help choose the Team U.S.A. Scholarship winners, and as the car that the 20 entrants for the MRTI $200K Scholarship Shootout piloted at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in December.

The complete schedule is below. If you want more details, and costs (including a pre-pay option that will save you 25%) check out this link. —> Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series 

Date # of races Circuit Location
April 1-2 2 Palm Beach International Raceway Jupiter, Fla.
May 2-3 2 Road Atlanta Braselton, Ga.
June 16-17 2 Atlanta Motorsports Park Dawsonville, Ga.
July 17-18 2 National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park Bowling Green, Ky.
August 21-22 2 Autobahn Country Club Joliet, Ill.
October 3-4 2 Lime Rock Park Lakeville, Conn.
November 11-12 2 NOLA Motorsports Park Avondale, La.

 

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