Archives for Mazda Road To Indy PR

Race 2 Report – ROYAL PURPLE SYNTHETIC OIL GRAND PRIX OF INDIANAPOLIS SUPPORTING THE LUPUS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA

Posted by  on Sunday, May 13th 2018     
INDY LIGHTS PRESENTED BY COOPER TIRES
ROYAL PURPLE SYNTHETIC OIL GRAND PRIX OF INDIANAPOLIS SUPPORTING THE LUPUS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
RACE TWO REPORT
05.12.18
The clouds rolled in over Indianapolis Motor Speedway today as Andretti Autosport Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires drivers took to the road course one last time for Race 2 of the Royal Purple Grand Prix of Indianapolis.
The second race of the double-header weekend was an intense battle for position throughout the entire field. Aggressive passing and strategy was seen throughout the entire race, but it was sophomore Indy Lights driver, Colton Herta, who chased the checkered flag all the way to victory.
The Indy Lights stable will now switch their focus to their last race for the month of May – the Freedom 100. The four drivers will take to the iconic oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25 at 12:30 p.m. ET.

No. 98 ANDRETTI-STEINBRENNER RACING /  CURB MAZDA
  • STARTED 2nd // FINISHED 1st
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 3rd (114 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: Made contact with Aaron [Telitz] early in the race falling back to P4. Herta battled back up the field to P2 before passing Santi [Urrutia] with three laps remaining, taking the lead and earning his second win of the season.
“The race today was crazy! We didn’t know what to expect going into it and I knew it was going to be tough starting on the outside [of the grid], so I tried to slot in with Aaron [Telitz] and move my way forward. To come away with the win in the end is amazing and to win twice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is just spectacular.”

No. 48 JOURNEY MAZDA
  • STARTED 5th // FINISHED 5th
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 5th (85 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: Fought for position between Victor [Franzoni] and teammate Dalton [Kellet] before ending the day with a fifth-place finish.
“We’re not very happy with how Race 2 turned out. From the beginning we were just lacking pace and couldn’t get the car under me. We showed good pace in qualifying which is a takeaway today, but overall it just wasn’t our race. We will come back strong for the Freedom 100.”

No. 28 K-LINE INSULATORS, USA MAZDA
  • STARTED 7th // FINISHED 6th
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 7th (72 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: After moving up to P5, Dalton spun out on Lap 3, falling to the back of the field. Kellett ends the weekend from sixth.
“Today was definitely a step up from yesterday. The weekend kind of derailed after testing on Thursday – we didn’t do the best in qualifying and trying to fight from the back is never easy when the field is this close, but I still managed to battle with Aaron [Telitz] and my teammate Ryan [Norman]. I was happy that we had some clean racing and we were able to figure some things out in the second race. Overall it’s not the weekend we were hoping for but I think we learned a lot and it was a valuable weekend for the No. 28 crew moving ahead on the road courses. I’m looking forward to getting on track in a couple weeks for the Freedom 100 – that’s the highlight race of the year.”

No. 27 Riverina CDMX Mexico City MAZDA
  • STARTED 1st // FINISHED 7th
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 1st (130 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: Starting from the pole, Patricio was passed on Lap 2 by Santi [Urrutia]. Catching a flat tire later in the race forced O’Ward to pit and fall to the back of the field ending the weekend from seventh.
“The start of the race was fine and after I fell back to P2, I tried to stay with Santi [Urrutia]. Today wasn’t as bad as yesterday, but we struggled both races. I took the defensive line going into Turn 1 and locked up the front left [tire] and it cut into the core of the tire. Going into Turn 7 I caught a flat tire and came into pit lane to change the tire but I had already fallen to the back and pretty much watched the end of the race from there. It wasn’t our weekend, but I’d much rather take the win in two weeks than to take it this weekend.”
category: Andretti Autosport

BONDURANT RACING SCHOOL ENTERS PARTNERSHIP WITH ANDRETTI-STEINBRENNER RACING

Posted by  on Saturday, May 12th 2018     
The high-performance driving school to support No. 98 Indy Lights effort
INDIANAPOLIS (May 11, 2018) – Located in Arizona, the well-known driving school, Bondurant Racing School, owned by world champion driver, Bob Bondurant, has joined forces with Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing to support Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires driver Colton Herta. The sleek Bondurant Racing logo will ride on the side of the nose of the No. 98 Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing Mazda for the duration of the season.
“As a fan of Formula One and IndyCar Racing, I’ve always been interested in following the careers of young American drivers on their quests for reaching the pinnacle of motor racing,”said vice president of Bondurant Racing School Jason Bondurant.

“At such a young age, Colton Herta’s driving talent and professional attitude made quite the impression with me. When the opportunity emerged to become involved with Colton and George Steinbrenner IV of Steinbrenner Racing, it was too good to pass up. I’m very much looking forward to watching Colton Herta and the Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing team compete in Indy Lights this season on their quest for their first championship.”

“We are excited to partner with Bondurant Racing School for the 2018 season,” said Steinbrenner Racing President and Team Principal, George Michael Steinbrenner IV. “As Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing strives to collect results within a competitive Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires field, the Bondurant mission aligns in consistently looking to improve upon race craft with a shared aim of driving results. The Bondurant name is synonymous with racing, driver improvement and coaching, adding a significant partnership for our efforts moving forward.”

The 60-acre facility is home to a 1.6-mile track and equipped with a full line of Dodge SRT vehicles, on-site maintenance and highly qualified instructors – all to help young drivers succeed in reaching their racing goals.

Colton joins teammates Patricio O’Ward, Dalton Kellett and Ryan Norman at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the Indianapolis Grand Prix. Round 1 of the double-header weekend kicks off today at 1:30 p.m ET. Green Flag for Round 2 waves Saturday afternoon.

Keep up to speed with Indy Lights action on the Road To Indy app or racecontrol.indycar.com.
About Bondurant
The Bondurant Racing School has been the premier high-performance driving instruction destination for over 50 years, offering a multitude of different driving programs for drivers of all experience levels. From the driver that wishes to experience high performance driving to the driver that has aspirations to race professionally, Bondurant can make their dreams a reality. The Bondurant alumni list is long of graduates that have made their careers as professionals in every major motorsport discipline, which includes Stock cars, Sports cars and Indy cars.   Located at the Wild Horse Pass Motorports Park (formerly Firebird International Raceway) in Chandler, AZ., Bondurant has access to four different road course tracks (two operated by Bondurant full-time), a shifter kart track and two driving skills pads, all located at its facility. Bondurant utilizes race prepared Dodge SRT vehicles for their HPD road racing programs and Formula Mazda race cars for their grand prix racing programs and racing series. Bondurant is also home of the Mazda Road to Indy Shootout. 

About Andretti Autosport 
Based in Indianapolis and led by racing legend Michael Andretti, Andretti Autosport boasts a wide racing portfolio rooted in tradition and designed for success.

Together with Andretti Formula E and Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross, Andretti Autosport fields multiple entries in the IndyCar Series and Indy Lights, along with entries in the FIA Formula E Championship and Rallycross competition. Additionally, the team competes as Walkinshaw Andretti United in the Australian Supercars category through partnership with Walkinshaw Racing and United Autosports.

The global racing enterprise boasts four IndyCar Series championships (2004, 2005, 2007, 2012), two Indy Lights titles (2008, 2009), one Pro Mazda championship (2013) and one USF2000 championship (2010) and has captured victory five times at the famed Indianapolis 500-Mile Race (2005, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017). Additionally, the team holds two X Games Gold Medals and three Global Rallycross championships (2015, 2016, 2017).

To share in the Andretti story, please visit online at AndrettiAutosport.com and follow along on Twitter via @FollowAndretti.
category: Andretti Autosport

ROYAL PURPLE SYNTHETIC OIL GRAND PRIX OF INDIANAPOLIS SUPPORTING THE LUPUS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA  – RACE ONE REPORT

Posted by  on Friday, May 11th 2018     
INDY LIGHTS PRESENTED BY COOPER TIRES
05.11.18

It was another beautiful day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the Andretti Autosport Indy Lights drivers took to the road course for a full day of qualifying and Race 1 for the Royal Purple Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

After starting at the front of the grid, both Patricio O’Ward and Colton Herta quickly found themselves in the middle of the pack after an incident in Turn 1 caused the duo to fall pack to P4 and P5, respectively. Both drivers battled, with Herta landing on the top step of the podium and O’Ward finishing just outside the top three.

The drivers will compete in Round 6 of Indy Lights competition Saturday. Race 2 qualifying starts at 8:30 a.m. ET and the green flag for Race 2 waves at 1:15 p.m. Fans can follow Indy Lights competition via racecontrol.indycar.com or on the Road To Indy app.

No. 98 ANDRETTI-STEINBRENNER RACING / CURB MAZDA
  • STARTED 2nd // FINISHED 1st
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 3rd (83 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: Earned his third career Indy Lights win today after an incident in Turn 1 forced Herta to fall to the middle of the field. Herta battled back up the grid to solidify the top spot on the podium.
“I’m just ecstatic after that race! It was the most fun I have ever had in an Indy Lights Mazda – and it was a ton of fun to fight through the field after falling back from P2. I think it was very fair racing throughout the entire race, so I’m happy with the result that we got and I can’t wait to see what we can do tomorrow.”

No. 27 Riverina CDMX Mexico City MAZDA
  • STARTED 1nd // FINISHED 4th
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 1st (110 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: After starting on pole, contact on Turn 1 forced O’Ward to fall back to position four causing him to end the day just outside the top three.
“I thought the first corner was going to be fine. I was watching my mirrors closely and I thought we were going to go through there fine but right before the car was about to rotate I just got snowplowed by Victor [Franzoni] behind me which made me go straight. I went all the way back to fifth and made my way up to fourth, but kind of just got stuck. Me and my engineer, Mark [Bryant], took a gamble on the setup and the track surface was way too hot for the conditions that this setup would need – so we know that for tomorrow. I had a lot of fun and I think it was a hard-fought fourth place, honestly. Sometimes the car is really, really hard to drive and you can’t catch anybody, you can’t follow and it’s just downhill after someone hits you.”

No. 48 JOURNEY MAZDA
  • STARTED 6th // FINISHED 5th
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 5th (68 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: Ryan was able to secure a Top-5 finish for his second race on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course.
“I’m a little disappointed in the race we had today. We had a decent start going into Turn 1 and I was caught out in the contact that was made up front which led me to not have a good position in Turn 2. I was able to make a couple passes but then my tires locked up going into Turn 1 on an attempted pass, and I had a huge flat spot for more than half the race. I showed close pace to Colton [Herta], who won the race, and I feel like if I didn’t make a mistake with the flat spot, we would have pushed our way more towards the front. Onwards and upwards to tomorrow’s qualifying and Race 2. We will see what we can give then.”

No. 28 K-LINE INSULATORS, USA MAZDA
  • STARTED 7th // FINISHED 7th
  • CHAMPIONSHIP: 6th (58 pts.)
  • OF NOTE: Kellett now moves onto one final race on the road course circuit before focusing on the Freedom 100, where the Canadian will make his third Indy Lights start on the IMS Oval where he has finished third in each prior start.
“Definitely not the day we were looking for. We’re looking for a bit more pace in the race and need to clean things up for tomorrow. The K-Line guys have been working hard and we’re working to figure things out for Race 2. Today was day to look past and use for motivation moving forward.”
category: Andretti Autosport

Hamilton Jr. Returns to Indy Lights with Team Pelfrey for Freedom 100

Posted by  on Monday, April 30th 2018     

Indianapolis, Ind. (April 30, 2018) – Team Pelfrey announced today Davey Hamilton Jr. will compete with Team Pelfrey Indy Lights at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Freedom 100, on May 25.

The 21-year-old Idaho-resident returns to Indy Lights after he made his debut in 2016 for the final two races at Laguna Seca. Hamilton’s racing as of late includes the Robby Gordon Stadium Super Truck series, Sprint Carsand USAC Silver Crown series.

“I am extremely happy to join Team Pelfrey and be part of a great operation in my preparation for my first Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said the oval rookie. “We have a rookie test at Kentucky on Monday and I am looking forward toacquaint myself with the car and crew. Huge thank you everyone that is helping me along this journey. ”

“We are really pleased to welcome Davey to the Team Pelfrey Family,” said Gary Neal, team manager of Team Pelfrey Indy Lights. “We have been talking for a couple years and I am happy that we finally put this program together to run the 2018 Freedom 100. We are working on securing more races for 2018 and also the full 2019 campaign.”

Hamilton Jr. will turn his first laps in the Team Pelfrey Mazda this morning at Kentucky Speedway before the series open test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 21. The Freedom 100 takes place on Friday, May 25 at 12:30 p.m. ET live on NBC Sports Network.

category: Team Pelfrey
tags: , , , , , ,

SEVEN CORNERS TO SUPPORT NO. 98 INDY LIGHTS EFFORT WITH ANDRETTI-STEINBRENNER RACING

Posted by  on Thursday, April 26th 2018     

SEVEN CORNERS TO SUPPORT NO. 98 INDY LIGHTS EFFORT WITH ANDRETTI-STEINBRENNER RACING

The international travel insurance and specialty benefit management company will serve as Associate Sponsor for the 2018 season.

INDIANAPOLIS (April 26, 2018) –  Carmel-based travel insurance company, Seven Corners, has joined forces with Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing to support Colton Herta for his second season of Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires competition.

“Seven Corners is thrilled to partner with Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing,” said David Fischer, chief revenue officer of Seven Corners. “We look forward to the upcoming racing season and are proud to support this talented driver and team.”
Founded in 1993, Seven Corners started as a small team with a single travel insurance product that rapidly and successfully outpaced the competition. Today, Seven Corners offers a diverse selection of products and services, including a variety of travel insurance plans, to more than a million members worldwide.
“We are pleased to have Seven Corners come on board for the 2018 Indy Lights season. They have expressed their interest and excitement in joining our program and growing together moving forward, and we share that sentiment as well,” said George Michael Steinbrenner IV, CEO & team principle of Steinbrenner Racing. “We look forward to a long and prosperous partnership.”
Colton Herta will join teammates Patricio O’Ward (No. 27 Riverina CDMX Mexico City Mazda), Dalton Kellett (No. 28 K-Line Insulators, USA Mazda) and Ryan Norman (No. 48 Journey Mazda) for Rounds 5 and 6 of Indy Lights racing action at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.
The four-car team will take to the track for Round 5 Friday, May 11 at 1:30 p.m. ET. The green flag for Round 6 will wave Saturday, May 12 at 1:15 p.m. ET. Fans can catch all of the racing action live through the Road to Indy TV app.
category: Andretti Autosport
tags: , ,

Royal Purple and MRTI join forces to ”Pump Up The Purple” #RaceToEndLupus

Posted by  on Thursday, April 26th 2018     

Royal Purple Synthetic Oil “Pumps Up the Purple”
Will Title all Mazda Road to Indy Rounds at Indianapolis

PALMETTO, Fla, and INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (April 25, 2018) – Royal Purple Synthetic Oil – the Official Oil of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires – will once again headline all six rounds of competition at the hallowed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 11 and 12 as competitors on all three levels of the acclaimed driver development ladder system gather in support of the INDYCAR Grand Prix.

One of the world’s leading lubricant companies will help to “PUMP UP THE PURPLE” during May’s Lupus Awareness Month to help spread the word on this mysterious disease and raise funds for lupus research and education. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body. It is estimated that 1.5 million Americans – and at least five million people worldwide – suffer from lupus. Diagnosis is difficult and there is no cure.

All cars on the Mazda Road to Indy will display a special decal in support of the Lupus Foundation of America, and the hashtag #RaceToEndLupus will be utilized throughout the event. Fans, drivers and teams can show their support by donating via a special page on the national Lupus Foundation of America website.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Mazda Road to Indy to help fight against lupus while supporting these talented young drivers” said Davey Hamilton, Director of Sponsorships at Royal Purple Synthetic Oil. “Not only is it important for us to raise money to fund lupus research, we also want to help raise awareness for the disease. Working with Mazda Road to Indy at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the perfect opportunity for us to come together and bring attention to this important cause.”

In addition to its race entitlement, Royal Purple Synthetic Oil will also be hosting “Slickest Pour” contests throughout the event pitting drivers and fans in a fun competition.

Many in the Mazda Road to Indy paddock have a connection to someone that has been impacted by lupus. Championship-winning Belardi Auto Racing team principals Brian Belardi, team owner, and John Brunner, team manager, have been steadfast supporters of the Lupus Foundation of America.

“It’s awesome to be able to bring the awareness of lupus to racing,” said Brunner. “That’s how I got involved. The daughter of a friend in racing, Dave Hunt, was diagnosed and I had no idea what it was. From that moment on, I tried to educate myself. Brian (Belardi) has a connection as well and we ran a decal for the Lupus Foundation of America on our cars years ago. To see the relationship between Royal Purple and the Lupus Foundation of America last year was great and we look forward to continuing that and growing.

“We raised over $6,000 last year and I think we can double that this year. Our hope is that this brings awareness and needed funds – it’s a mystery disease, but it’s amazing how many friends I have who have a personal connection, with family members or friends who have been diagnosed with this disease. We’re proud to do what we can to help.”

“My mom has lupus, and it really does impact your life,” said Pro Mazda driver Oliver Askew. “Not many people understand the disease so to use racing to raise awareness by having the Lupus Foundation of America as part of the INDYCAR GP weekend is so important. I’ll be doing my part to help spread the word. Last year was the first year that Royal Purple joined with the Foundation for this weekend to promote what they do and we saw a huge involvement, so if we can build on that and keep spreading the word about this disease, it will really help us fight it.”

The Royal Purple Synthetic Oil Grand Prix of Indianapolis supporting the Lupus Foundation of America will kick off with a test day for all three series – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda – on May 10 followed by a pair of races for each level on May 11 and 12. Guests from Royal Purple and the Lupus Foundation of America’s Indiana Chapter will participate in a variety of activities surrounding the event including waving the green and checkered flags, trophy presentations and pace car rides.

“We are delighted and proud to be involved in supporting such a great effort,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. “A staggering 1.5 million people in the United States live with this disease every day, and we appreciate the opportunity to help the Foundation raise awareness and funds to help those people.”

Royal Purple Synthetic Oil also hosts the annual season-ending “Slickest Pass” Award with a $5,000 cash prize given to competitors in each of the three series who complete the most impressive pass for position during the season.

Coverage of the Royal Purple Synthetic Oil Grand Prix of Indianapolis supporting the Lupus Foundation of America’s Indiana Chapter can be found on a series of platforms including Road to Indy TV, the Road to Indy TV App and dedicated broadcast channels on demand via Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku and, most recently, the Xbox One Official App as well as live streaming and live timing on the series’ respective websites and indycar.com. Indy Lights is also featured on the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts on Sirius 214, XM 209, IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and on the INDYCAR Mobile app.

NBCSN will air the Indy Lights race on May 22 at 6:00 pm EDT.

category: Mazda Road To Indy PR
tags: ,

Belardi Auto Racing Adds Chris Windom To Line-Up For Freedom 100

Posted by  on Tuesday, March 27th 2018     

Brownsburg, IN – Belardi Auto Racing, in partnership with long-time Indy 500 entrant Jonathan Byrd’s Racing and sprint car mainstays Baldwin Brothers Racing, is excited to announce that 2017 USAC National Sprint Car Champion and 2016 USAC Silver Crown Champion, Chris Windom, will be participating in the 2018 Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Windom will be making his first Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires start, piloting the #33 Belardi Auto Racing with Byrd & Baldwin Dallara IL-15 at the famed oval.

Expressing his enthusiasm, Windom said “I’m really excited for the opportunity to race for Belardi Auto Racing with Byrd & Baldwin. The Belardi team has had a ton of success on the Road to Indy, so I know I’ll be in good hands, with great teammates, as I deal with a fairly steep learning curve. Though I’ve run big, high-speed tracks in Silver Crown, ARCA, and NASCAR, this will be my first rear-engine experience, so it’s obviously an entirely different style of racing than anything I’ve ever done, and I’m really looking forward to the challenge and to taking what I hope are solid steps to my goal of racing in the Indy 500.”

Chris Windom, the reigning USAC Sprint Car champion, will make his Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires debut with Belardi Auto Racing / Jonathan Byrd’s Racing / Baldwin Brothers Racing at the 2018 Freedom 100.

While the Jonathan Byrd’s team is no stranger to Indianapolis, with 2018 marking the 33rd anniversary of its first Indianapolis 500 entry, this represents their first foray into Indy Lights. The Baldwin Brothers team, after many years of sprint car racing and the collection of its first USAC championship in 2017 with Windom behind the wheel of their familiar #5 sprint car, will be making its first venture to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Speaking to that, Windom added “I’m very thankful for the opportunity that has been presented to me by the Byrd family, and couldn’t be happier about Kenny Baldwin extending his support to be a part of this new journey. I’m excited to represent Jonathan Byrd’s Racing at Indy and thrilled to bring my relationship with Kenny to this level.”

“We’re quite pleased to have Chris join our team,” offered Brian Belardi, Team Principal for the 2014 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires champions and the 2017 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires team champions. “He’s obviously an extremely talented racer with a championship pedigree that has achieved success across multiple grassroots racing disciplines. I know that we are bringing a seasoned racer to our organization and that we will give him the tools that he needs to succeed.”

David Byrd added: “With two USAC championships under his belt and a bright future ahead of him, Chris has certainly earned himself an opportunity at Indy. His abilities are obvious, but naturally, given his background, he needs the chance to gain experience, and when it comes to driver development, there’s no better team on the Road to Indy than Belardi Auto Racing. Speaking on behalf of my family and for Kenny Baldwin, who has been such a big part of Chris’ career over the last few years, we are tremendously appreciative of the opportunity to partner with Brian Belardi and the fantastic professionals on his team, and can’t wait to see Chris behind the wheel of the Belardi Auto Racing with Byrd & Baldwin machine.”

While running a full racing schedule of nearly 100 races this year in Silver Crown, Sprint Cars, and Midgets, Windom will get his first opportunity behind the wheel of his Indy Lights machine in late April, when he takes to the track to earn his oval license at a location still to be determined. He’ll record his first laps at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Indy Lights open test on May 21st.

Belardi Auto Racing is an organization comprised of experienced individuals in the racing industry with an aggressive growth strategy and a strong commitment to finishing up front. No stranger to winning, team members have been achieving success in both the amateur and pro ranks for over a decade, winning numerous junior formula car races and championships. Based in Brownsburg, IN, Belardi Auto Racing won the 2014 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires championship and has scored multiple races wins in both Indy Lights and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered By Mazda, including the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis and prestigious races like the Long Beach Grand Prix, the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and the Toronto Indy and events at tracks such as the Milwaukee Mile, Pocono, Road America, Watkins Glen and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Source: Team PR

category: Belardi PR
tags: , , , , ,

INDY LIGHTS PRESENTED BY COOPER TIRES GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG QUALIFYING

Posted by  on Friday, March 9th 2018     
INDY LIGHTS PRESENTED BY COOPER TIRES GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG QUALIFYING
03.09.18

The sunshine was out for Opening Day of the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season. The four drivers that make up the Andretti Autosport team hit the pavement of the streets of St. Petersburg early this morning for a quick practice before turning laps to qualify this afternoon.

Qualifying for Race 2 will begin tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. ET before the drivers grid for the first time in 2018. Race 1 will go green at 1:05 p.m. ET. Follow along with live timing and scoring at racecontrol.indycar.com.

No. 27 CDMX MEXICO CITY MAZDA
  • STARTING POSITION: 2nd
  • QUALIFYING TIME: 1:05.2857
  • OF NOTE: Earned a front-row start for his full-time debut in the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires series
“I think [qualifying] went pretty good. Usually on a street course, every lap gets fast and faster, but the fine line between pushing the limit of what you and the car can do and hitting the wall is very small. It’s really hard to get that last tenth. Overall, I’m satisfied. I think we’re going to have a good race car for tomorrow, we just have to finalize the details to make the car last an hour for the race. I’m not disappointed. I’m pretty happy with the performance. The field isn’t very big, but I feel the driver quality is stacked and very competitive. I think it’s going to be a really good race tomorrow.”

No. 98 ANDRETTI-STEINBRENNER RACAING/CURB MAZDA
  • STARTING POSITION: 3rd
  • QUALIFYING TIME: 1:05.3525
“I’m happy with P3, I think it’s a good spot to start for the race. I think we had a good car, we didn’t really max it out though. There are a few things we can work on, we’ll look back at everything tonight and then go and get them tomorrowmorning. I think some of the cooler weather will help, so naturally the car may be better for us in the morning.”

No. 48 JOURNEY MAZDA
  • STARTING POSITION: 6th
  • QUALIFYING TIME: 1:05.8856
“Qualifying went alright – we ran into an issue on the first tire run with my HANS device, so that took away some of my energy and concentration. We came in and fixed that and went to a new tire run. The car felt pretty good. There are still some things I’d like to tweak, but overall, I feel a lot better than last year. If we keep moving in this same direction and keep improving, we’ll be in a good position toward the end of the weekend. We’ll move forward the best we can and hopefully grab a podium.”

No. 28 K-LINE INSULATORS USA MAZDA
  • STARTING POSITION: 9th
  • QUALIFYING TIME: 1:06.7570
“Bit of a tough day for us here at St. Pete. The first session we had a few electrical PC issues and that was out of our hands, and that session spiraled down from that. That forty-five minute session is pretty crucial when you only have one session before qualifying. At least we got somewhat back in the ballpark for qualifying session, but obviously we’re pretty disappointed with where we’re starting tomorrow. We really need to dig into the data and see what we can do differently to get the most out of tomorrow’s qualifying session. I think we know the car can be quick. We’ve been quick here last year. Not lacking from confidence just need to figure out what we need to tweak to be a little quicker.”

 

category: Andretti Autosport

Road to Indy Veteran Blackstock Ready for New Challenge with Team Pelfrey.

Posted by  on Tuesday, March 6th 2018     

Indianapolis, Ind. (March 6, 2018) – Team Pelfrey announced today Shelby Blackstock will
compete in the signature yellow No. 3 Team Pelfrey Indy Lights Mazda to begin the 2018 Indy
Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season.
The 28-year- old Nashville, Tenn. resident will enter his seventh season on the Road to Indy
alongside his new teammate, Neil Alberico. Lasts season, Blackstock finished a career-best
third-place at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. His highest finish on the Streets of St. Petersburg
came last year when he finished fourth in Race One.
“I’m really looking forward to this weekend at St. Petersburg. This was a last-minute deal and
I’m very grateful for everybody who helped out in the process of putting it together,” said
Blackstock. “I’m looking forward to working with Team Pelfrey for the first time and hopefully
we come out of the weekend with exceptional results.”
With the announcement of Blackstock, Team Pelfrey will now enter their third season in Indy
Lights fielding a two-car operation at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
“The offseason for us has been interesting but adding Neil and Shelby to the team here in the
last week has our team very excited and motivated,” said Gary Neal, team manager of Team
Pelfrey Indy Lights. “Experience anywhere in racing is important, but knowledge and experience
around the street circuit at St. Pete is vital. We’re grateful to have two drivers with exceptional
experience and talent in our cars.”
Blackstock will turn his first laps since the final weekend of the season in September of 2017
when practice for the Mazda Indy Lights Grand Prix of St. Petersburg begins on Friday at 8:50
a.m. ET. The first race takes place on Saturday, March 10 at 1:05 p.m. ET. You can watch all of
the sessions live on RoadtoIndy.TV.

category: Team Pelfrey
tags: , , , ,

JAMIE CAROLINE JOINS BN RACING FOR COOPER TIRES USF2000 CHAMPIONSHIP POWERED BY MAZDA

Posted by  on Tuesday, March 6th 2018     
JAMIE CAROLINE JOINS BN RACING FOR
COOPER TIRES USF2000 CHAMPIONSHIP POWERED BY MAZDA
“British F4 champion transfers to Mazda Road to Indy program”
March 5, 2018 – British racing driver Jamie Caroline will join BN Racing for the 2018 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. With the first event this coming weekend on the Streets of St. Petersburg, the reigning British F4 champion sets his sights on the Mazda Road to Indy and the exciting scholarship program.
“I have always had my eye on the racing scene in the United States and look forward to getting on track next week,” explained Caroline. “The competition always seems to be very good in the U.S. and I am up to the challenge. BN Racing has shown well in last year’s hand full of events they competed at in 2017 and they have been well on pace in 2018 testing.”
Jamie Caroline will join BN Racing’s talented squad for 
the 2018 season (Photo: BN Racing)
Caroline enters the 2018 season with experience in single-seater competition as well as a solid resume of results. Moving to open-wheel competition in 2014, Caroline competed in both the Ginetta Junior Winter Series and the Ginetta Junior Championship claiming titles in both. In 2016, the multi-time race winner and champion split his time between British F4 and the British Formula 3 Autumn Trophy before focusing on the British F4 program in 2017. Amassing ten victories, six pole positions, and an astounding sixteen podium results, the 19-year-old went onto claim another championship.
Caroline added, “The Mazda Road to Indy offers something that not many other series do and that is why I am making the switch to racing in the United States. To have the opportunity to gain scholarship money with championships and move up the ladder is unprecedented, and I am excited for the challenge. Also, to compete alongside the Verizon IndyCar Series at many events is something that I am looking forward to.”
Caroline has an impressive resume and is excited for the Mazda Road to Indy program (Photo: BN Racing)
“Jamie’s resume speaks for itself,” expressed BN Racing’s, Bryn Nuttall. “He has had success with multiple teams in many different programs, ultimately topping the end of the year points battles in many of them. A quick study off the track and even faster on it, Caroline will be the final piece to a powerful BN Racing program for 2018.”
BN Racing and its full stable of drivers will kick off the 2018 season at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, March 9-11 in both Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda and the Pro Mazda Presented by Cooper Tires.
Source: Team PR
category: BN Racing
tags: , , , , ,
Page 7 of 33:« First« 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 »Last »