Archives for Mazda Road To Indy PR

Dates Set for Sixth Annual Chris Griffis Memorial Open Test

Posted by  on Wednesday, July 20th 2016     

New Mazda-Powered Tatuus USF-17 to Begin Team Testing

PALMETTO, Fla. (July 20, 2016) – All three levels of the acclaimed Mazda Road to Indy – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda – will converge on Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 8/9 for the sixth annual Chris Griffis Memorial Open Test. The test is named in honor of Chris Griffis, a longtime member of the motorsports community who led the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports w/ Curb-Agajanian Indy Lights organization before passing unexpectedly in September of 2011.

In addition to providing opportunities to “audition” new talent, gain a headstart on 2017 campaigns and earn valuable testing time on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course at the iconic Brickyard, the outing will be of special significance as teams will turn their first laps with the new Mazda-powered Tatuus USF-17.

A highly successful prototype testing program concluded July 1 with rave reviews by development drivers Joel Miller (Mazda sports car talent and USF2000 driver coach) and Matthew Brabham (a graduate of all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy and USF2000/Pro Mazda champion who made his Verizon IndyCar Series debut in May). With a rolling chassis priced at $51,800, the Tatuus USF-17 will serve as the base car for the PM-18 to help control operational costs.

To date, 28 of the initial 30 chassis ordered have been purchased with additional orders pending. The first shipment of 15 cars will be delivered to teams in September. A list of current USF-17 teams can be found at http://usf2000.com/teams-drivers/usf-17-teams.

In addition to the USF-17, the test will be open to current USF2000 Championship and National Class entries.

“We are thrilled to be able to return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for our sixth Chris Griffis test,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. “This is a key round in our regular season schedules and the perfect venue to see our USF-17 make its debut in the hands of our teams. The test is one of my favorite events as we watch our graduates take the next step on the ladder and welcome new talent to experience the Mazda Road to Indy.”

The Chris Griffis Memorial Open Test will also serve as a “rewards” program in USF2000 for two finalists in the Mazda Road to Indy and MAXSpeed Group Driver Advancement Program. Entering its third year, the partnership provides the opportunity for karters to sample the next step in their career. In addition, an alliance with the Australian Formula Ford Series established in 2014 will see its champion participate in the two-day test.

Registration information for the Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Open Test will be available on the respective series’ websites in the coming weeks as well as a detailed schedule. Live Timing and Scoring will be available throughout the test.

category: Andersen Promotions PR

Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. Race Report. Toronto Race 1

Posted by  on Saturday, July 16th 2016     


COOPER TIRES INDY LIGHTS GRAND PRIX OF TORONTO
RACE 1 REPORT

The Andretti Indy Lights trio saw the green flag from the back of the field, but Stoneman, Kellett and Blackstock quickly moved their way through the pack to see the checkered flag in fifth, eighth and ninth positions, respectively.

Tomorrow, the drivers will begin Race 2 from better track position and have the opportunity to cross the finish line in first when the 45-lap race goes green at 11:15 a.m. ET. Follow along with live timing and scoring at racecontrol.indycar.com, watch the live stream on the Verizon IndyCar Series Facebook page, or listen to INDYCAR Radio on Sirius212 and XM209

DEAN STONEMAN
NO. 27 STELLRECHT MAZDA

• The rookie started today’s race from the 11th position and finished in fifth
• Suffered damage to the right rear wishbone after contact on Lap 9; set his fastest lap on Lap 32
• Will start tomorrow’s race from seventh

“We made some drastic changes over the lunch break to see how we could improve the car for the race. We went in a direction that was much better than qualifying and practice sessions, but still not the best it can be. But, in the end of the day we finished the race in the fifth position after starting 11th with a damaged right rear wishbone. Myself and another driver made contact in Turn 3 early in the race, so I think we did well to finish with a bent wishbone. Overall it was a good race and hopefully we can improve the car for tomorrow.”

DALTON KELLETT
NO. 28 K-LINE INSULATORS USA, INC. MAZDA

• Saw the green flag from 14th position
• Took the checkered flag at his hometown race in eighth after impressive passing
• Will take the green flag for Race 2 from 14th

“Considering where we were this morning and in practice, coming home P8 from P14 isn’t a bad climb. We stayed out of the incidents and we made a couple passes so it was a decent comeback for the first race of the weekend. We made a lot of changes between qualifying and the race and I think we have the car going in a direction we are a little happier in. Looking forward to seeing where we’re at tonight and where we are going to be tomorrow. It’s great to see so many fans out here this weekend. I have really enjoyed seeing a lot of my hometown friends and family and I really hope we can bring them home a win or podium tomorrow!”

SHELBY BLACKSTOCK 
NO. 51 STARSTRUCK MAZDA

• The American began the 35-lap race from 13th
• Came in on Lap 24 for a tire change for better grip and the chance to clock a faster qualifying lap for tomorrow’s race
• The veteran will see green from 11th

“Still working on the car. We don’t think the car is where it should be yet. We took a gamble to come in and put on newer tires and it definitely helped – we moved up a couple qualifying positions for tomorrow’s race. We’ll take the points we could get from this one. I’m not sure where we will start but it is definitely better than where we started today. I think we went a second faster than our qualifying time today which is improvement by the team, but we’ve got to keep working on it. So, thanks to the crew for all their hard work and commitment. Tomorrow we’ll give it another shot and hope to finish even better.”

category: Andretti Autosport

Serralles battles to second in Toronto

Posted by  on Saturday, July 16th 2016     

The Toronto street circuit provided an exciting opening race of the weekend this afternoon, in the Indy Lights Series presented by Cooper Tires. Felix Serralles recovered from a tricky start to claim a well fought second place at the flag, while Ed Jones retains the championship lead after taking points for sixth. Neil Alberico suffered…

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category: Carlin

Belardi Auto Racing victorious in Indy Lights at Road America

Posted by  on Friday, July 1st 2016     

Belardi Auto Racing logo

BELARDI AUTO RACING VICTORIOUS IN INDY LIGHTS AT ROAD AMERICA

Veach scores win and third place finish, French impressive in Indy Lights debut 

ELKHART LAKE, WI (June 30, 2016) – Belardi Auto Racing returned to the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires victory lane at Road America on Saturday (June 25) when Zach Veach scored his first win of the 2016 season.  The Stockdale, Ohio driver put his #5 Dallara IL-15 on the pole during Friday qualifying and proceeded to dominate the Saturday action, overcoming challenging conditions to cross the line 7.984 seconds ahead of Andretti Autosport’s Dean Stoneman.  Veach backed up the crucial triumph with a third place finish in a wet weather race on Sunday (June 26), advancing him to sixth in the championship standings, just one point out of fifth and only 45 points out of the lead.

Veteran Zach Veach won his first Indy Lights race of the year on Saturday at Road America and followed it up with a podium on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

“It was a huge win for all of us at Belardi Auto Racing; for myself, the crew and for Zach and his dad Roger – we needed this,” offered Team Owner Brian Belardi. “Zach has been on the losing end of luck several times this year, so it’s a positive to see him finally get to show his true potential. He pushed hard to stretch his lead on Saturday, handled the restarts well, and brought us a big win. As we turn the corner for the run to the championship finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, we now have the confidence and momentum we need.”

Wisconsin native James French joined the Belardi Auto Racing crew on his home track, making his Indy Lights debut in the car that was driven by Swedish racer Felix Rosenqvist during the first half of the year. Driving the re-badged #45 entry, French turned in a stellar performance all weekend as he came up to speed, learning the characteristics of the car and how to drive it to its potential.  James was in the mix from the first session of the weekend on and brought home a pair of eighth place finishes in varying conditions.

“We couldn’t have asked for much more from James,” Belardi continued. “He knows that track well, so that variable was not a factor. We just kept asking him to explore the limits of the car, which he did, especially its tremendous braking abilities. He was right in the middle of the fight with veteran drivers, and we were all very impressed with his performance. We’d love to have him back in the car as soon as possible.”

In Friday qualifying, Veach made a late run for the pole position and dropped a 1:52.941 to secure his spot on the inside of the front row for the first race of the weekend. French was focused on pushing his comfort level with the car, and timed in 12th during the short 30-minute session.

In the opening race on Saturday, the temperatures were high and the sun was out, which worked the series’ Cooper tires to their limits.  Veach got out front early and handled a lap eight restart with ease, eventually pulling away to a dominant victory.  His run was not without excitement however; as Zach ran the car on the ragged edge and was forced to manage some precarious oversteer drifts through the challenging downhill off-camber Carousel turn.  French drove a smart and steady race and steered clear of the on-track excitement, bringing home an eighth place finish in his debut.

On Sunday, rain pounded the facility and the Indy Lights drivers started the 20-lap event on the treaded Cooper rain tires.  The track would dry significantly in the latter stages of the race, so those who had track position and remained on the wets needed to tread lightly to preserve their tires. The strong start for both Belardi drivers put them in this situation. Veach ran second in the early going, while French took up station just outside the top-10.  Midway through the race, a spin on the exit of turn five dropped Veach to sixth but he continued to push and then benefitted from an incident involving his competition to advance to third in the final results.  It was the best weekend of the year for the talented young American.  French performed flawlessly in the difficult conditions and he, too, avoided the aggressive driving in the front of the field and scored another eighth place finish.  It was a tremendous debut display from the 24-year-old.

Following their Road America success, the team headed straight for Iowa Speedway for an official series test on Tuesday with Veach behind the wheel.  The Indy Lights series will race on the fast 7/8 mile oval on the July 9-10.

 

BELARDI AUTO RACING – DRIVER RESULTS AND QUOTES

Zach Veach – #5

Qualifying: 1:52.941

Race #1: 1st

Race #2: 3rd

Driver Quote: “After Road America, I feel on top of the world. To be able to go up there, break the track record, grab the pole, win and finish third, I feel like the old ‘Zach Veach’ is back. I’ve matured into this new Indy Lights car and it’s finally starting to make sense to me. Another highlight of this weekend was getting the win for my team owner Brian Belardi at his home track. This win was for them. Belardi Auto Racing has given me a second chance to chase my dream and I expect to see us back towards the top next weekend at Iowa!”

 

James French – #45

Qualifying: 1:55.011

Race #1: 8th

Race #2: 8th

Driver Quote: “I’m very thankful to have had the opportunity to race with Belardi Auto Racing. There was a lot of learning in a very short amount of time, but I think it was all very positive. My coach JJ (Jonatan Jorge) and engineer Len (Paskus) were very good at showing me where I needed work, but they also were encouraging in the sections where we were close. The changing weather and new competition made for two challenging races, but I think we were able to end with two good results. Of course, I’d like to finish more towards the front, but I really wanted to make the best of this opportunity without making any big mistakes.  The Belardi crew was a pleasure to work with, and I can’t thank them all enough for making me feel right at home. It was really amazing to have IndyCar back at Road America, and I think the thousands of fans and all who participated would agree. I’m happy that so many of my friends and family were able to come to the event, and got to enjoy the awesome show put on by Road America and IndyCar. I hope it’s on the calendar for years to come, and that one day I can find a way to be part of it.”

category: Belardi PR
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Pro Mazda Expands Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Schedule

Posted by  on Friday, July 1st 2016     
Pro Mazda Logo
Pro Mazda Expands Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Schedule
Iowa Speedway Round Moves to Mazda Road to Indy Season Finale Weekend
PALMETTO, Fla. – The season finale for the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will become a tripleheader event as Round 10 originally scheduled for Iowa Speedway moves to the northern California venue. A decision to alter the schedule was made between Andersen Promotions and Iowa Speedway after a lower than anticipated field was set to contest the 40-minute race slated for July 10.
“I want to thank [Iowa Speedway President] Jimmy Small for giving us the option to move our race off of next weekend’s schedule,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. “Iowa Speedway produces some great oval racing and it is unfortunate that we didn’t have what we felt was a viable car count to meet not only the track’s expectations but the fans as well. At this stage we will look forward to what is a pivotal round in the Indy Lights championship on July 10 and a return for Pro Mazda in 2017.”
Pro Mazda will next head to the streets of Toronto for a doubleheader event on July 15-17.
The Indy Lights Iowa Challenge Presented by Cooper Tires will take place at 2:15 pm CDT on July 10 leading up to the Verizon IndyCar Series feature race – the Iowa Corn 300 – at 4:35 pm.
category: Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires
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Cape Motorsports Sweeps USF2000 wins at Road America

Posted by  on Friday, July 1st 2016     

Cape Motorsports with /WTR logo

CAPE MOTORSPORTS SWEEPS USF2000 WINS AT ROAD AMERICA

Anthony Martin dominates weekend, Jamin steps up with first podium in Pro Mazda

Anthony Matin, a Cape Motorsports with /WTR sophomore won both races at Road America and tightened up the USF2000 championship title fight against his teammate Parker Thompson (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

ELKHART LAKE, WI (June 30, 2016) – The entire Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing squad turned in impressive performances last weekend (June 24-26) as the Mazda Road to Indy made its return to Road America. The team won both races in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda and returned to the podium in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires.  Australian talent Anthony Martin extended his USF2000 win streak to three with a sweep of the races on the iconic 4.018-mile, 14-turn circuit, pulling into a tie for the point lead with teammate Parker Thompson, who scored a pair of top-five finishes including a podium third in Race 2. Nikita Lastochkin added to the USF2000 results with two finishes inside the top-eight, while team newcomer Jordan Cane bounced back from a Race 1 incident to finish sixth in Race 2.  Cape’s Pro Mazda star Nico Jamin rose to the occasion and challenged for the podium all weekend, finishing a stellar second in the second race of the doubleheader.

Martin got the weekend off to a great start, qualifying his #8 Burgess BLA Van Diemen on pole on Friday, while Thompson timed in third in his #2 Weyburn Energy entry to line-up directly behind his teammate for the opening race on Saturday morning. All four drivers qualified in the top-10, with the rookie Cane sitting sixth (#4 Adidas) and Lastochkin in ninth (#3 Russkaya Mekhanika).

Martin assumed the lead at the green flag for the first race on Saturday, but an incident between two of the Pabst Racing cars brought out the caution before the first lap could be completed.  On the ensuing restart, Martin again handled the proceedings, jetting out to the lead.  Cane spun on lap 7 when his front wing, damaged during a lap four skirmish in Turn 5, finally detached itself from his Van Diemen and wedged itself under the car in Turn 14.  Despite the fact that the field stacked back up behind Martin for the restart, the 21-year-old defended the attack and pulled away to a 0.911-second win over Jordan Lloyd.  Thompson finished fifth and Lastochkin was sixth. Cane was officially classified in 21st.

The second race of the weekend, held later that day, went green to checker with no issues and Martin let it be known that he would not be challenged, inching away to a 2.652-second win.  With his victory on the oval at Lucas Oil Raceway in May, this extends Anthony’s streak to three wins and the team’s run to seven victories on the strength of Thompson’s sweep of Barber Motorsports Park and Anthony and Parker’s split of the wins at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. Thompson improved to third in Race 2 at Road America, getting back on the podium, while Cane rebounded to turn in a strong run to sixth. Lastochkin carded his second top-10 of the day with his eighth place finish.

“What can you say about these guys, they always bring there A-game,” said Dominic and Nicholas Cape, Team Owners. “Week-in and week-out, they’re really hammering it out. The team atmosphere is fantastic, and they’re all really pushing each other hard and results show it. Toronto is next and it’s one of our favorite race weekends on the calendar. It’s an awesome city with great race fans. We can’t wait to get going.’

In Pro Mazda, Mazdaspeed Scholarship backed Nico Jamin continued to show the improved pace the team found at the official Mid-Ohio test earlier in the month, debuting near the very top of the speed charts on Thursday in the #2 Soul Red Mazdaspeed machine.  The reigning USF2000 champion was quick from the get-go at Road America, qualifying third for the opening race.  In the first 40-minute timed event on Saturday morning, Nico pushed hard through the opening corner and narrowly missed his braking marker and made unfortunate contact with Jake Parsons, sending Nico off track with wing damage. He needed to pit for a new front wing, and despite losing a lap and finishing 10th, he turned the fastest lap of the race to earn a valuable bonus point.

In the second race, held on Saturday afternoon, the Frenchman was on his game, pushing the eventual victor all race long.  Nico ran a flawless race and finished second, his first podium finish of the 2016 Pro Mazda season.

The next round of the Pro Mazda Championship was originally scheduled for July 9-10 weekend at Iowa Speedway, but series officials elected to cancel the event at the 7/8 mile oval due to insufficient entry numbers. To replace the event, they will add a third race at the #SoulRedFinale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in September. As a result, the team will now look forward to travelling north of the border to the Honda Indy Toronto, the popular street circuit event in the capital city of Ontario.  The race will take place on July 15-17 and will see the participation of all three rungs of the Mazda Road to Indy.

For more information on the team, please visit www.capemotorsports.com.

DRIVER PERFORMANCE / QUOTES

ROAD AMERICA – ELKHART LAKE, IW

JUNE 24-26, 2016

 

NICO JAMIN – PRO MAZDA #2

Qualifying: 3rd – 2:05.921

Race 1: 10th

Race 2: 2nd

Driver Quote: “Overall, it was a very good weekend for me. It’s great to see that we are back at the front, fighting for wins. We had a great test at Mid-Ohio where we were the fastest for two days. That gave us a great momentum heading into Road America. The track was amazing, it was one of the fastest circuits I’ve been to and I had a blast driving it. I’m very proud of the whole team, and it feels good to step back on the podium with a second place finish.  ”

 

PARKER THOMPSON – USF2000 #2

Qualifying: 3rd – 2:11.312

Race 1: 5th

Race 2: 3rd

Driver Quote: “I’m proud of myself and my team for keeping our heads in the right frame of mind this weekend. With the intensity of racing on track, we could have easily thrown away a championship this weekend. Instead, we pulled off two solid results and came out very much in the game headed to three of my strongest tracks. Time to get ready for my home Grand Prix, and the summer leg of the USF2000 Championship.

 

ANTHONY MARTIN – USF2000 #8

Qualifying: 1st – 2:10.779

Race 1: 1st

Race 2: 1st

Driver Quote: “What a great weekend for the Burgess BLA car. Being able to finish the mid-season races off with two poles and two wins was just what I needed to challenge Parker for the championship. The Cape Motorsport boys gave me an awesome car all weekend and I can’t thank them enough for everything they have done. Going into Toronto now even for the lead in the championship, I will be fighting harder than ever to get some more wins and more crucial championship points.

 

NIKITA LASTOCHKIN – USF2000 #3

Qualifying: 9th – 2:12.099

Race 1: 6th

Race 2: 8th

Driver Quote: “”It was a good weekend at a great track that I was looking forward to drive at all year. We had a good start in practice, a bit unfortunate in qualification where between the red flag, drive through penalty and traffic I just did not manage to put a good lap together. Race one was a lot of fun, where it was a lot of action from the start. Looking at how the race unfolded in the end, it could have been a better result by a couple of positions if it wasn’t for some defensive driving that forced me off the road a few times. All good fun though. The second race was much more processional than that. I had some problems with the brakes halfway thought that made a bit of a gap to the pack up front, but once I got on top of it with the tools we have in the car as much as I could, I just closed back up on the cars in front at the very end so there wasn’t much action in that race.

 

JORDAN CANE – USF2000 #4

Qualifying: 6th – 2:11.635

Race 1: 21st

Race 2: 6th

Driver Quote: “The weekend from the get-go was going to be a big learning curve with the new team/car, a new track and very minimal track time. In practice one, we ended up P6 which wasn’t bad for our first time at the track, but in the following session, we had an engine sensor issue which caused us to miss the whole of the second session. On the day of qualifying, only doing four flying laps, we ended up P6. In Race 1, I just made a mistake four laps into the race causing us to retire three laps after the incident. After resetting my thoughts for Race 2, we started seventh and finished sixth with an early move at the start and with a suspension failure two laps into the 14-lap race. All in all, it was an up-and-down weekend, but I felt that I learnt a lot and came away from the weekend happy and feeling confident for the following round at Toronto.

category: Cape Motorsports

EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT TO ENTER USF2000 IN 2017

Posted by  on Thursday, June 30th 2016     

Exclusive Autosport logo

Team commits to purchasing multiple Tatuus USF-17 chassis in preparation for debut in Mazda Road to Indy competition

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – Canadian junior open-wheel formula racing team Exclusive Autosport is joining the ranks of the Mazda Road to Indy in 2017.

The team has already purchased two Tatuus USF-17 chassis and intends to add another at a later date, setting the stage for a three-car effort in the Championship Class of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda when the Tatuus becomes the competition standard at the beginning of next season.

As the North American factory team for Spectrum racing chassis, Exclusive Autosport will also enter its Spectrum 014Z F2000 in the National Class.

Building on the team’s extraordinary record of success, which includes nine major Formula 1600 championships across North America in its first three years of competition, Exclusive Autosport expects to be competitive immediately by applying its core values of professionalism, teamwork, and excellence within this new venue.

Below, team principal Michael Duncalfe discusses Exclusive Autosport’s intentions and motivations as he leads preparations for his team’s Mazda Road to Indy debut in 2017.

Why has Exclusive Autosport made the decision to expand into USF2000 and become part of the Mazda Road to Indy?

Michael Duncalfe: We have a number of reasons. First, the timing is right for us as an organization. We have been highly successful in Formula 1600 competition over the last three and a half years, winning nine championships, four Rookie of the Year championships, and two Masters championships. Using this positive momentum as a base is important in making a seamless transition.

We also want to provide opportunities for our drivers to continue their open-wheel development within the Exclusive Autosport organization. Moving into USF2000 allows us to form our own internal ladder system, which we believe is a crucial component of a well-rounded open-wheel program.

Lastly, the introduction of the Tatuus USF-17 spec chassis is also a vital part of the decision.

What role did the introduction of the new Tatuus USF-17 spec chassis to the series play in Exclusive Autosport’s decision?

MD: It was a major decision point for us in this expansion into the Mazda Road to Indy. We knew that the Van Diemen’s life span in the series was limited, and since the Tatuus USF-17 will be a new car for everyone it will allow us to enter the series on a level playing field.

The Van Diemen chassis was also in direct conflict with our Spectrum 014Z F2000. We‘re thrilled that the introduction of the new car has allowed us to expand our program while still being loyal to the Spectrum F1600 and F2000 brand that we’ve been distributing in North America since our team’s inception.

How many Tatuus USF-17 chassis has the team already purchased, and how many cars does the team intend to run in USF2000 in 2017?

MD: We have purchased two Tatuus USF-17s, which will be arriving with the first container shipment in September. Our intention is to purchase one more and run a three-car operation in the Championship Class as well as one entry in the National Class with our Spectrum 014z F2000.

Will Exclusive Autosport continue to dedicate effort and resources into its other junior formula programs as it prepares to enter USF2000?

MD: Absolutely. In my opinion, Formula 1600 racing is a valuable training ground for drivers, whether they are new to racing entirely or making the jump from karts to open-wheel competition. We will continue to run our championship-winning Formula 1600 program as we have for the past three and a half years. The only change for us is the in-house ladder system that adding the USF2000 program creates under the Exclusive Autosport umbrella. This gives Exclusive Autosport drivers, Spectrum drivers worldwide, and drivers who are new to our program an opportunity to continue their development under one roof while fostering relationships with our coaches, engineers, and crew. These unique relationship-building experiences are among the many skills our drivers learn in their time with us and carry with them throughout their racing careers.

Exclusive Autosport is North America’s factory team for Spectrum, a formula car chassis builder based in Australia. How will the team carry its relationship with Spectrum into USF2000?

MD: We firmly believe that Spectrum has the superior Formula 1600 product, and incredible drivers continue to pilot Spectrum chassis to race wins and championships around the the world. Our goal is to make the transition into the Mazda Road to Indy seamless not only for Exclusive Autosport drivers but also Spectrum drivers worldwide. We will work with the factory to create opportunities for drivers to advance their careers.

The USF2000 Championship introduced the National Class in 2016 that allows a variety of manufacturers to compete. This creates a perfect opportunity for Exclusive Autosport to put our Spectrum 014Z F2000 on display in the Mazda Road to Indy alongside the spec Tatuus USF-17s that will race in the Championship Class.

About Exclusive Autosport
Formed in 2013 and based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Exclusive Autosport has quickly forged a reputation as being among North America’s premier junior formula outfits. Success came quickly under Michael Duncalfe’s leadership with notable achievements including the 2015 F1600 Formula F Championship and back-to-back driver titles in 2013 and 2014 in the Canadian Toyo Tires F1600 A-Class Championship (Ontario) and the Formula Tour 1600 Championship (Quebec). Exclusive Management Inc. is the official North American Importer and Distributor for Spectrum Chassis, designed and produced by Borland Racing Developments in Australia.

category: Exclusive Autosport
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Tatuus USF-17 Prototype Road Course Testing Concludes

Posted by  on Wednesday, June 29th 2016     

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – The road course portion of the rigorous Tatuus USF-17 prototype development program wrapped up yesterday at Road America with accolades for the state-of-the-art next-generation chassis that will form the backbone for the first two steps on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system – the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by…

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category: Andersen Promotions PR

Telitz Doubles Up for Team Pelfrey in Home-State Pro Mazda Romp

Posted by  on Saturday, June 25th 2016     

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Aaron Telitz, from Birchwood, Wis., bounced back into contention for the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires – and the chase for a Mazda Scholarship to graduate to Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the next level of the Mazda Road to Indy, in 2017 – following an impressive double…

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category: Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires

MAZDA INDY LIGHTS GRAND PRIX OF ROAD AMERICA RACE 1 REPORT

Posted by  on Saturday, June 25th 2016     

The Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires championship resumed under beautiful racing conditions this afternoon as the Andretti trio lined up on the starting grid for Race 1 of the Mazda Indy Lights Grand Prix of Road America. On the opening two laps of the 14-turn track, Dean Stoneman had already jumped to second position from his fifth place start. Shelby Blackstock saw the green flag from the 11th position and made the ultimate pass to run as high as sixth. Dalton Kellett began the race from 14th and had jumped up to 12th position before having to retire early.

The fun is not over yet! Tomorrow holds a whole new round of racing as the drivers take the track for Race 2 of the Mazda Indy Lights Grand Prix of Road America. The green flag will be in the air at 9:45 a.m. ET and you can follow along live on the Road to Indy TV app or atindylights.com/results/live-timing. Be sure to tune in to NBC Sports Network at 3:30 p.m. ETtomorrow for coverage of the weekend.

DEAN STONEMAN
NO. 27 STELLRECHT MAZDA

• Collected fifth consecutive podium with today’s second place finish
• Remains second in championship point standings; narrowing the gap to only 22 points behind leader, Ed Jones
• Will start tomorrow’s race from the fifth position

“We knew it was going to be difficult at the beginning of the race. The Carlin cars are fast and we knew we needed to get around them to be able to go for the win, so I used my push-to-pass quite early in the race to try to take the lead. We had a good restart after the yellow flag and I knew I had a five-second penalty, so I had to make up some time. But, it was a great race. I used the tools we had in the car and we were able to roll the car into second.”

SHELBY BLACKSTOCK 
NO. 51 STARSTRUCK MAZDA

• After an unfortunate spin off track, saw the double checkers in 13th
• Will see the green flag from 11th for tomorrow’s 20-lap race

 “Today was an up-and-down race. The team worked really hard over night to make the car better for qualifying. The car has been a handful all weekend long- not really doing one thing at a time. The car was very good in the race. We went from 11th to sixth and with the penalties given out, I think we would’ve been in fifth. Still moving forward, had the car underneath me and the confidence to drive through the field. Our car was a lot better race-wise than most of our competitors. It could’ve turned into a good day and we may have finished right behind our teammate. Unfortunately after making a pass in Turn 3, the car snapped loose and I bottomed the tub out on the exit curb which sent it into a spin that I couldn’t recover. Very happy with the team and very happy with the car, so I am ready to get the car out there tomorrow.”

DALTON KELLETT
NO. 28 K-LINE INSULATORS USA, INC. MAZDA

• Spun off course on Lap 7 retiring in 14th
• The Canadian will grid in 14th for Round 10

“I got a little loose coming out of Turn 6 while battling with Garrett Grist and unfortunately backed it into the wall. This is a pretty tough track, but it’s a lot of fun. The good thing is you have a mix of high speed and low speed corners, so you’ve got to be pretty varied in your techniques. I would’ve liked to finish the whole race because we missed a lot of practice yesterday, but we still managed to get some good laps in on the K-Line Insulators car and I’m glad I was able to get some experience under my belt today for tomorrow’s race.”

category: Andretti Autosport
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