Archives for USF2000 News/Results

Pro Mazda and USF2000 testing recap from day #1 at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Posted by  on Saturday, February 24th 2018     

The first official test of any racing season is sort of like the first day of school for a number of reasons.

As much as you might have done some school reading (or not) during the summer (non-official testing), the first day back at school (the first official day of testing) is all about knocking the rust off your reading and writing (braking and feedback) skills.

The day is also about getting to know your new teachers (crew), and classmates (other drivers), and getting comfortable with your new situation before buckling down to really get to work.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget that the first day of the school year, is not the time to get into trouble with the principals and deans (race control).

And the absolute worst thing you can do? Damage your new car while showing off for your friends and dealing with the wrath of angry parents (team owners).

For the most part, the 36 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda and Pro Mazda Presented By Cooper Tire drivers entered in the first open test of the year had successful “first days of school.”

The first two rungs of the Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires were both afforded three hours of track time on the 2.1-Mile, 14-Turn Homestead-Miami Speedway road course.

But, it wasn’t all about track time. The drivers also took part in an information session explaining the benefits of being a regular participant in the  #TeamCooperTire and #MRTI hashtag programs. You can read more about that in our article here: #TeamCooperTire and #MRTI, a program to amplify the social media reach of MRTI drivers and teams, returns for a fifth season.

Rookie Rasmus Lindh was the quickest of the four Pabst Racing drivers, who were all in the top five on the morning timesheet, with a lap of 1 minute 23.924 seconds. Lucas Kohl, Kaylen Frederick, and Calvin Ming were all within a half-of-a-second of their freshman teammate.

Sophomore Kory Enders from the three-car DEForce Racing USF2000 stable was the only driver to break up the Pabst Racing top five party.

The second 60-minute Saturday test session saw a familiar name find their way to the top of the timesheet. The driver, Kyle Kirkwood was new, but the team, Cape Motorsports wasn’t. When the 2017 season ended the Cape Brothers told us that they didn’t think that they would be back to try and win their eighth straight USF2000 drivers championship, but when the reigning F4 United States Championship champion became available at the last minute, the St. Petersburg, Fla. based team jumped at the opportunity.

The top-five drivers in the session all represented different teams with BENIK (Michael D’Orlando), DEForce Racing (Kory Enders), Newman Wachs Racing (Darren Keane) and Team Pelfrey (Kyle Dupell) joining Cape Motorsports and Kirkwood. Of note, the Pabst Racing foursome that was at the top of the first timesheet did not run any laps in anger.

The quickest lap in the third Saturday test session was a scorcher 1 minute 23.772-second last-minute scorcher by Kirkwood. That lap bested Oliver Askew’s best lap during last year’s test by two-tenths of a second.

A new driver, Kyle Kirkwood, with a familiar team, Cape Motorsports, led the first day of Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda spring training at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography – Joe Skibinski)

“It was good, explained the 19 year-old to TSOLadder after getting out of his No. 8.  “We had a run plan to get through. I hadn’t run with Cape Motorsports yet. I’m trying to get familiar with the car and the team and how they operate with this car.

“The first session, we knew we weren’t going to be quick in the session. We went out for the second session and we ran new Cooper Tires right of the bat. We were quick right away, and then we started testing certain things to see what was better with degraded tires. Something similar to a race situation. That last session, we ran the same tires that we did that we did for the entire session and tested a bunch of things. We put new tires on at the end to go fast, and it worked perfectly.

“We got a bunch of testing things done and we’re really happy with the outcome today.”

Following Cape Motorsports and Kirkwood were a trio of Pabst Racing drivers (Lindh, Kohl, and Frederick).

The fifth quickest drier of the final 60-minute test session was Enders, who was the only driver to finish in the top five in each of Saturday’s sessions.

Sophomore Kory Enders was the only driver in the top five in each USF2000 session during the first day of official 2018 testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography – Joe Skibinski)

Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda – Saturday combined timesheet

RANK CAR NO. DRIVER TEAM QUICK LAP GAP TOTAL LAPS
1 8 Kyle Kirkwood Cape Motorsports 1:23.772 ———— 66
2 23 Rasmus Lindh Pabst Racing 1:23.924 -0.152 52
3 22 Lucas Kohl Pabst Racing 1:24.068 -0.296 53
4 24 Kaylen Frederick Pabst Racing 1:24.095 -0.323 51
5 11 Kory Enders DEForce Racing 1:24.250 -0.478 72
6 21 Calvin Ming Pabst Racing 1:24.476 -0.704 51
7 81 Kyle Dupell Team Pelfrey 1:24.484 -0.712 70
8 12 Jose Sierra DEForce Racing 1:24.566 -0.794 76
9 36 Darren Keane Newman Wachs Racing 1:24.655 -0.883 57
10 28 Zach Holden BN Racing 1:24.857 -1.085 74
11 80 Julian Van der Watt Team Pelfrey 1:24.871 -1.099 48
12 31 Michael D’Orlando Team Benik 1:24.919 -1.147 71
13 5 Mathias Soler-Obel Sol.O Racing 1:25.161 -1.389 73
14 82 Bruna Tomaselli Team Pelfrey 1:25.162 -1.390 57
15 30 Keith Donegan ArmsUp Motorsports 1:25.344 -1.572 24
16 37 Max Peichel Newman Wachs Racing 1:25.583 -1.811 78
17 27 Colin Kaminsky DE Force Racing 1:25.609 -1.837 75
18 90 Manuel Cabrera Exclusive Autosport 1:25.803 -2.031 45
19 38 Oscar DeLuzuriaga Newman Wachs Racing 1:26.921 -3.149 85
20 93 Jason Clunie Exclusive Autosport 1:27.143 -3.371 79
21 9 Sabre Cook ArmsUp Motorsports 1:27.330 -3.558 81

It took all of one lap for the brand new PM1-18 to turn a lap quicker then it’s Pro Mazda Presented By Cooper Tire predecessor, and when the day ended the 275 horsepower 2.0L Mazda developed MZR-PM18A powered Tatuus was over four seconds a lap quicker over the Homestead-Miami Speedway 2.1-Mile road course.

A fleet of brand new PM18s on pit road during spring training at Homestead-Miami Speedway The Mazda powered Tatuus shod with Cooper Tire rubber had a successful first day of Pro Mazda Presented By Cooper Tire testing (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography – Joe Skibinski)

The first session of the day saw MRTI veteran, but Pro Mazda newcomer Parker Thompson lead the way with a lap of 1 minute 20.067 seconds. Within one-tenth of a second of the Exclusive, Autosport pilot was Sting Ray Robb (Team Pelfrey) and David Malukas (BN Racing). Rounding out the top five were Robb’s Team Pelfrey teammates Andres Gutierrez and Rafael Martins.

When the second 60-minute Pro Mazda test session ended, the top of the timesheet looked like a late 2017 USF2000 practice session with reigning USF2000 champion Oliver Askew (Cape Motorsports), Rinus VeeKay (Juncos Racing), Thompson and Malukas holding down the top four slots. Rounding out the top five was sophomore Carlos Cunha (Juncos Racing).

After spending the first two sessions of the day in the middle of the Pro Mazda pack, reigning championship team Juncos Racing jumped to the top of the charts. Sophomore Cunha ended the day with the fastest lap of the day at 1 minute, 19.498 seconds.

“It’s really good to start the season like this,” said the 18 year-old Brazilan to TSOLadder. “We still need to improve the set-up of the car a lot. It’s really difficult to drive. It’s really difficult to find good grip in the front, but we’ll figure it out.”

ICarlos Cunha led the first day of Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires testing on road corse at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography Joe Skibinski)

Only eight-hundredths behind Cunha was BN Racing’s Malukas.

Cunha’s teammates Robert Megennis, and Rinus VeeKay followed Malukas and were only three and four tenths behind their more experienced teammate.

Team Pelfrey’s Robb was the final driver in the top five.

The RP Motorsport twosome of Harrison Scott and Lodovico Laurini do not show up on the time-sheet due to an issue with their transponders, but both drivers did turn laps. The experience Italian team who is working out of the Newman Wachs Racing shop were still preparing their cars yesterday, so the gremlins are not a shock.

Pro Mazda Presented By Cooper Tire – Saturday combined timesheet

RANK CAR NO. DRIVER TEAM QUICK LAP GAP TOTAL LAPS
1 1 Carlos Cunha Juncos Racing 1:19.498 –.—- 62
2 79 David Malukas BN Racing 1:19.579 -0.080 46
3 9 Robert Megennis Juncos Racing 1:19.884 -0.386 62
4 2 Rinus VeeKay Juncos Racing 1:19.914 -0.416 80
5 82 Sting Ray Robb Team Pelfrey 1:19.969 -0.471 75
6 80 Rafael Martins Team Pelfrey 1:19.970 -0.472 66
7 3 Oliver Askew Cape Motorsports 1:20.006 -0.508 74
8 90 Parker Thompson Exclusive Autosport 1:20.067 -0.569 63
9 12 James Raven DE Force Racing 1:20.087 -0.589 75
10 78 Kris Wright BN Racing 1:20.150 -0.652 51
11 81 Andres Gutierrez Team Pelfrey 1:20.249 -0.751 75
12 8 Nikita Lastochkin Cape Motorsports 1:21.024 -1.526 63
13 91 Antonio Seravalle Exclusive Autosport 1:21.850 -2.352 87
14 10 Harrison Scott RP Motorsport Non- Working Transponder
15 27 Lodovico Laurini RP Motorsport Non- Working Transponder

Don’t miss any of the action:

We’ll be back with a lot more tomorrow.

category: Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda - TSO, Pro Mazda News/Results, Pro Mazda presented by Cooper Tire - TSO, USF2000 News/Results
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#TeamCooperTire and #MRTI, a program to amplify the social media reach of MRTI drivers and teams, returns for a fifth season

Posted by  on Saturday, February 24th 2018     

For the fifth season, Team Cooper Tire and Mazda Motorsports have joined forces to help the drivers of the Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires amplify their social media voices.

In 2014, Cooper Tire rolled out the #TeamCooperTire program and garnered 60 million impressions, and by the end of the 2017 season, that number had grown 363% to 218 million impressions.

The following racing season, Mazda Motorsports and the #MRTI hashtag joined the party and in the past three years, the number of unique Twitter users that have been connected with has grown 400%, from 6 million in 2015 to 24 million in 2017.

There is little doubt that the motorsports landscape has changed significantly over the past few decades. Gone are the days that a driver has to only bring their helmet to the track. They still need to be quick to move to the pinnacle of the sport. But, they also need much more than a proficient right foot in their toolbox.

Sponsors are now looking for results AND a driver that is engaged and represents their brand effectively. With the amount of money and brand goodwill involved with sponsoring a race car driver, it’s not surprising that engaged drivers like James Hinchcliffe and Pippa Mann are popular with fans and sponsors.

With that last point in mind, the goal of the #MRTI and #TeamCooperTire hashtag program is for Cooper Tires and Mazda to provide a series of guideposts that will help Mazda Road To Indy drivers tell their story (branding) and connect with, and increase social media followers. Both of those functions are key to attracting a personal fan base and also gives a driver a chance to show off their personality to potential sponsors.

The #TeamCooperTire and #MRTI hashtags are displayed prominently on the IL-15 of 2017 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires champion Kyle Kaiser (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

The career benefits should be more than enough to make a driver and team want to participate in the program, but Cooper Tires and Mazda have gone a step further and will be providing significant prizes to the teams and drivers.

The MRTI season has been divided into seven different contest periods and depending on how many of the established social media goals are met by the drivers and teams, they can earn between one and five entries into each drawing.

Unlike previous years when only one driver/team was drawn in each contest period, the entries of three drivers/teams will be randomly selected to choose from a group of prizes that can directly impact their racing career. Included are a set of race or street tires from Team Cooper Tire, a $500 certificate from Mazda to be used to purchase race gear, a one-on-one meeting with Verizon IndyCar Series race stewards Arie Luyendyk or Max Papis, a interview on IndyCar Radio during an IndyCar practice or qualifying session, a one-on-one with the IndyCar Race Director during an IndyCar Practice Session, race weekend pass packages with hospitality to be used with sponsors, family or friends, a one-on-one during the Road To Indy TV Race Recap.

Having a central place to find MRTI content is a huge benefit for racing fans. Searching the two hashtags on Twitter and Instagram will guide you to content created by drivers, teams, the series, media and other partners. Drivers are encouraged to post behind-the-scenes action, so that you, as a fan will have a fun way to follow along with the stories and lives of the drivers as they strive to reach the Verizon IndyCar Series.

Don’t forget to follow Team Cooper Tire on Twitter and Instagram.

Don’t forget to follow Mazda Racing on Twitter and Instagram.

category: Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda - TSO, Indy Lights News/Results, Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tire - TSO, Pro Mazda News/Results, Pro Mazda presented by Cooper Tire - TSO, USF2000 News/Results
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Mazda Road To Indy presented by Cooper Tire Team Spotlight – John Cummiskey Racing

Posted by  on Thursday, January 18th 2018     

Note from TSO Ladder (Steve) – At some point during the 2018 Mazda Road To Indy presented by Cooper Tire (MRTI) pre-season and season, TSO Ladder will be putting a spotlight on the teams that train the next Verizon IndyCar Series drivers. First up is John Cummiskey Racing. 

By Steve Wittich

If the old proverb that traces itself back to the great Roman leader Julius Caesar that states,“experience is the best teacher,” is true then there is no better USF2000 team than John Cummiskey Racing to teach the next generation of racers as they begin their racing careers.

A total of 70+ Indy car wins, a number Indianapolis 500 wins, and some top-level American Open Wheel Championships have been won by hands-on team owner John Cummiskey, and experienced engineer Eric Zeto.

With stints at Team Penske, Newman Haas Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing, and Team Green, Cummiskey has had the opportunity to learn from the creme de la creme of team owners.

A full year of focusing on his burgeoning Indy car restoration business followed Cummiskey’s final full-time stint working with Graham Rahal at Chip Ganassi Racing in 2013. But, Cummiskey quickly felt that something was missing from his life.

“You miss the competition, you miss working with the guys, you miss being at the race track, said Cummiskey to TSO Ladder. “It’s (the restoration business) a different world. It’s not as intense and I thought it would be fun to work with kids and give back to the sport. Plus, I’ve always wanted to have my own team.”

Engineer Zeto echoes team owner Cummiskey in wanting to be able to pass his knowledge onto the next generation of IndyCar drivers before they reach the big leagues.

“The Mazda Road to Indy has a very compressed learning curve and education experience,” explained engineer and Toronto, Ontario native Zeto. “The big thing that I always teach these drivers, whether it was Jack Harvey (with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in Indy Lights) or Aaron Telitz (with ArmsUp Motorsports in USF2000), I always talk to them about what it takes to be a professional at the Indy car level. If it was simply about being quick, the field would look quite different.”

Sophomore driver Colin Kaminsky will be returning to Brownsburg, Ind. based team for a full season of USF2000 competition after getting his feet wet with a partial campaign in 2017.

The 18-year-old Kaminsky first met team owner Cummiskey while he was helping to prepare the Pro Mazda program of Colin’s dad Bob, and the father, son and team owner immediately hit it off. When the Kaminsky family decided to enter Colin in a partial USF2000 season in 2017, John Cummiskey Racing was the first place they looked, and it was the team’s professionalism and preparation that has brought the Trine University student back for a full season in 2018.

I tested with JCR at the Chris Griffiths Memorial test in October of 2016, said the Homer Glen, Ill. resident. “I liked working with John and his crew. They were helpful and informative right from the start and I knew I was where I needed to be. I learned a tremendous amount about the new car and about me as a driver after competing in a partial season with JCR during the 2017 season. The insights I gained from each mechanic and engineer was like nothing I had experienced before. This made the decision to come back to JCR in 2018 much easier. John holds his team to a very high standard which ultimately improved everybody’s efforts throughout the year.

“To be driving for a team that is operating under someone who has had success in Indy car is always comforting. To know that John brings tons of years of experience working with top-notch drivers while working under Team Penske reassures me that he can steer me in the right direction whether it be as a driver or as a young man. The same thing goes for Eric. Having all of those years working with top drivers as an engineer is reassuring knowing that I’m working with a guy who knows what is needed after a debriefing session. Once again, the level of professionalism that both John and Eric bring to the table is one of the more comforting aspects about being apart of JCR. I know I am going to have success and help the team have success when I’m at the track working with the both of them.”

Second generation driver Colin Kaminsky will return in 2018 for a second season with John Cummiskey Racing (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

After growing up on a farm in Sandwich, Ill., Cummiskey attended Lewis University for Aviation Maintenance, but working on Carl Haas’ airplane and often seeing Mario Andretti at the DuPage airport captured his attention, and his racing career began at Team Penske with a part-time role in 1988. The newbie worked on the cars of Rick Mears and eventual champion Danny Sullivan, and the following season began an eleven year run with the winningest Indy car team in history where Cummiskey worked on the cars of Rick Mears, Emerson Fittipaldi, Paul Tracy, Al Unser, Sr. and Al Unser, Jr.

A four-season stint at Team Green was highlight by three years as Michael Andretti’s crew chief, and being part of his final two wins at Toronto in 2001, and Long Beach in 2002.

A three-year stint managing the Indianapolis 500 program for the legendary Newman Haas Racing team from 2004 through 2006 also included Cummiskey’s first foray into restoration when the Indianapolis ship was tasked with restoring the Mario Andretti’s 1984 Lola, Michael Andretti’s 1991 Lola, and Nigel Mansell’s 1993 Lola. All cars that won the Championship Auto Racing Teams title.

In 2008, Cummiskey once again went to work for Penske, but this time, it was Roger’s son Jay and Luczo Dragon Racing that came calling. Cummiskey spent the next four seasons as team manager for the new team, before leaving to join Chip Ganassi Racing.

In 2014, John Cummiskey Racing got their feet wet with a four-race USF2000 race program for Canadian Nathan Blok. The brand new team and rookie driver showed well, scoring one top 10 in a deep field that included five current Indy Lights drivers.

The team’s first full-time season of USF2000 competition in 2015 included five podiums and 16 top-five finishes. Driver Anthony Martin won the Rookie Of The Year chase, and finished the year in fourth place, behind only three very experienced drivers and teams.

John Cummiskey and Anthony Martin won the USF2000 rookie of the year title together in their first full years of Mazda Road To Indy presented by Cooper Tire competition (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

In 78 total USF2000 starts, John Cummiskey Racing prepared cars have only failed to finish only one time due to a mechanical issue, a stat that can be traced back to Cummiskey’s fastidious focus on preparation.

“That (preparation) is so important all the way around,” explained Cummiskey. “One of the biggest things is having a nice clean tidy car. When you are cleaning the car, it’s amazing the stuff that you’ll find. That’s one of those things. Every night, or even after every session, you clean the car and find all sorts of stuff.  It’s amazing what you find when you are washing parts in the parts washer or when you are waxing the car or polishing wheels”

Cummiskey credits three things for his meticulous car preparation: an upbringing on Sandwich, Ill. farm where they washed and waxed the combines and tractors, an early career working on private aircraft at in DuPage, Ill., where having your eyes open and paying attention to detail was important and ‘Penske’s Maestro’, Karl Kainhoffer, Roger Penske’s first employee, and the architect of effort equals results.

The level of preparation is something that attracted Zeto to John Cummiskey Racing. The pair had worked together at Dragon Racing and quickly became friends; both subscribing to the old school ethic that to race at a high level there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it.

“I like the idea that John has that ultra professional mentality,” explained Zeto. “The standard of preparation is very high, and what he expects out of his team matches that.”

Zeto is an experienced University Of Waterloo grad began that began his racing career at chassis designer Reynard before he moved to the powerhouse Forsythe Racing team where he won a total of 20 races with drivers Patrick Carpentier, Tracy and A.J. Allmendinger. His seven seasons with the Gerald Forsythe owned team included the 2003 Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford, where Zeto engineered Tracy to seven victories, six poles, and the season-long championship.

Zeto’s other experience includes stints as part of the Conquest Racing & Dragon IndyCar programs, the ArmsUp Motorsports USF2000 program, and the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Indy Lights program.

The team will be testing in Florida in February, and if you are a driver that is looking for a team that has the experience of over 70 Indy car wins, multiple Indianapolis 500 victories, a number Indy car championships, and a USF2000 rookie of year title, you can get in touch with John  Cummiskey at jc@johncummiskeyracing.com.

category: Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda - TSO, USF2000 News/Results
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Donegan Wins Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Mazda Scholarship 

Posted by  on Monday, December 11th 2017     
Irishman Triumphs Over 16 Other Finalists to Claim Coveted Open-Wheel Prize
CHANDLER, Ariz. – Keith Donegan, 20, from Dublin, Ireland, this afternoon was announced as the winner of the second annual Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout following two days of evaluations at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. A total of 17 young drivers representing nine different nations and drawn from a variety of feeder series from around the world were put through their paces aboard the Bondurant Racing School Formula Mazda cars.
Their relative strengths were assessed by a panel of judges including former IndyCar driver and current ABC/ESPN analyst Scott Goodyear, Mazda factory sports car drivers Jonathan Bomarito, Andrew Carbonell and Tom Long, and current Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires champions Oliver Askew (Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda) and Victor Franzoni (Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires).
After commencing his career in karts at age 10, Donegan made the move into cars in the 2013 Ginetta Junior Championship in the UK, finishing eighth in the points chase and then placing second in 2014 before spending two years away from the sport while he concentrated on his academic studies. He immediately turned heads this year during his initial campaign in open-wheel cars and earned his position at the Shootout as an At-Large Nomination after finishing a close second at the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch to cap an impressive debut season in the BRSCC British Formula Ford 1600 Championship.
“It really hasn’t hit me yet to be honest,” said Donegan, who earned a check for $200,000 to assist in his graduation into USF2000, the first rung of the Mazda Road to Indy, in 2018. “The weekend was really good and I really enjoyed it. I have to say a huge thanks to Mazda and Cooper Tires and everyone at the Mazda Road to Indy. I enjoyed every moment. Throughout the weekend we were consistent and I kept the small things in check. I didn’t make any stupid mistakes and kept my head cool and that really paid off in the end.
“You see all these champions here today that will go on to great things in the future and I’m sure the names you see here today aren’t going to disappear. They will be back up there and I’m sure I will be racing them again some day. It is an unbelievable opportunity to be given and for Mazda to provide that for any young driver, it just gives them that bit of motivation that you need because the States is where you need to go to become a professional these days. It is such a boost to my career.”

After each of the 17 candidates was assessed during three sessions yesterday and one more this morning, each time at the wheel of a different car, Donegan was selected along with Jake Craig, 20, from Mission Viejo, Calif., Olin Galli, 21, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aaron Jeansonne, 19, from Sulphur, La. and Liam Lawson, 15, from Pukekohe, New Zealand, to participate in a final qualifying session and 30-minute race simulation this afternoon. The final decision was made following well over 90 minutes of consideration among the accomplished panel of judges.

“This was really difficult,” said Kyle Kimball, manager of operations for Mazda Motorsports. “We took almost two hours deliberating over razor-thin margins on the track, razor-thin margins off the track – it was incredibly difficult for the six judges to come to a decision. But, at the end of the day, we feel really confident with our pick of Keith Donegan. He is going to be a wonderful representative for the Mazda brand, for the Cooper brand and the entirety of the Mazda Road to Indy in USF2000 next year.”
“This is my second year (as a judge),” added Goodyear, “and the first year I was a little nervous because you feel the weight of making the right decision. For me overall, it was a very enriching experience. With that said, this year, doing the background on all of the drivers leading up to it, I knew that it was going to be very difficult again but I had no idea today was not only going to be a difficult decision but a heart wrenching decision because there were five guys that I wish we had five scholarships to apply.”
category: USF2000 News/Results

Irishman Keith Donegan bests a stellar international field of champions to claim the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout

Posted by  on Sunday, December 10th 2017     

The final five contestants left in the fight for the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout were so evenly matched that it took the six person judging panel almost two hours to determine a winner. (We’ll have a story on the extensive judging process later this week.)

After being announced as the five finalists Jake Craig, Keith Donegan, Olin Galli, Aaron Jeansonne, and Liam Lawson had only fifteen minutes to compose themselves before strapping back into one of the Bondurant School Formula Mazdas.

The final five Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout contestants wait intently for Mazda Motorsport’s Kyle Kimball to announce the winner (Photo Courtesy of Mazda Motorsports)

While no qualifying times were shared publicly, TSO Ladder can confirm that the final quintet were separated by the slimmest of margins.

An hour break followed the mock qualifying session, allowing the attentive Bondurant School crew the time necessary to get the cars turned around, while also giving the opportunity for the drivers to grab lunch.

The drivers were told the rules of the mock race, and also what the judges were looking for during a drivers meeting with Shootout Director Scot Elkins.

The car assignments for the 30 minute session were determined randomly, and the drivers were sent out on track in ten second intervals, with the driver drawing the lowest car number going first. The Bondurant School track at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park is designed to train drivers in each kind of corner (off camber, late apex, double apex, etc.) that they will experience at other race tracks, but unfortunately does not have an safe passing zone for a shootout, so on track passing was not allowed.

However, drivers were able to move forward. If a driver was caught by a trailing driver, they were shown the blue flag, and had to immediately pull over and let his competitor by.

The drivers were informed before the mock race that one of the big points of emphasis for the judges would be watching for was consistent race pace, so passing really wouldn’t be your primary goal. Putting together a long run of mistake free laps was what the judges were watching for.

TSO Ladder had full access to the lap times throughout the half-hour race (no we won’t share), but we can confirm that the average race pace was VERY close, making the judges job extra tough.

Winner Donegan, who we’ll have more on later, is a 20 year-old who returned to racing this season after taking a four year break to concentrate on his academic studies. The Dublin, Ireland native built and ran a Formula Ford with his dad this year, and won his ticket to the shootout by finishing second in the prestigious Formula Ford Festival just a few short weeks ago.

Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout winner Keith Donegan celebrates with his family and supporters (Photo Courtesy of Mazda Motorsports)

We’ll be back with much more tomorrow and later this week.

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Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout field narrowed down to five

Posted by  on Sunday, December 10th 2017     

After four practice sessions the group of six judges narrowed down the original 17 contestants to five who will take part in a pair of mock qualifying sessions and a mock race.

The five who made the cut were:

  1. Jake Craig, a 20 year-0ld from Mission Viejo, California who is an at large bid from eKartingNews.
  2. Keith Donegan, a 20 year-old from Dublin, Ireland who is representing the Formula Ford Festival.
  3. Olin Galli, a 21 year-old from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil who is representing Selectiva de Kart Petrobras
  4. Aaron Jeansonne, a 19 year-old from Sulfer, Louisiana who is representing Team USA Scholarship
  5. Liam Lawson, a 15 year-old from Pukekohe, New Zealand and is representing the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship

category: Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda - TSO, USF2000 News/Results
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Saturday (Day 1) at the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout

Posted by  on Sunday, December 10th 2017     

The 17 drivers invited to the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout (Photo Courtesy of Mazda Motorsports)

Welcome to TSO Ladder’s coverage of the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout. Before we get started, we have to send a huge thank you to Mazda Motorsports and the Mazda Road To Indy presented by Cooper Tire for inviting me to cover this one-of-a-kind career making event.

After an uneventful flight from Indianapolis to Phoenix that arrived 45 minutes early on Friday evening, it was a quick shuttle trip to my hotel, the DoubleTree in Tempe, Arizona. After checking in, I hit the lounge for a quick bite to eat and a lone beverage.

As is often the case when I travel out west, I woke-up at my normal time, which equated to a way too early 3:30 a.m. I was able to fall back asleep until 4:30 a.m., at which point I got up and got ready for the 6 a.m. shuttle to the track.

Once arriving at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park after a quick 10 minute ride, the drivers signed the appropriate waivers and made their way to the Bondurant Museum for breakfast. After some coffee, fruit and pastries the 17 drivers received a tour of the Bondurant School Formula Mazda machines they would be piloting for the weekend.

After a quick seat fit, the drivers made their way to the classroom where school instructor Andy Lee conducted a “track walk” on a white board. The experienced instructor told the drivers where to expect bumps, pavement changes and more aggressive curbing.

The Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout contestants see the Bondurant Circuit at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park for the first time (Photo Courtesy of Mazda Motorsports)

Next up, was a ride around the track in a pair of vans to give the drivers their first in person look at the 1.65 mile, 15-Turn Bondurant Road Course.

When the two vans full of drivers arrived back at the classroom, they were greeted by Scot Elkins, the event’s race director. The experienced official, who is currently the FIA Formula E race director, went over the schedule for the day while also highlighting a few of the shootout’s rules. The drivers were then dismissed to get ready for their first session.

The 17 drivers were broken up into four groups (three groups of four, and one group of five) for their four practice sessions.

The first three of the 20 minutes sessions were run on Saturday, with the final session taking place on Sunday morning.

The six judges, Oliver Askew, Jonathan Bomarito, Andrew Carbonell, Victor Franzoni, Scott Goodyear, and Tom Long, placed themselves at various points around the circuit and took notes on each driver’s efforts through their particular portion of the track.

The judges and drivers convened after each of the sessions with judges giving each driver feedback on where they were losing time, and what they can do to rectify that.

A quintet of scholarship hopefuls line up to receive feedback from judge and Indy car race winner Scott Goodyear (Photo Courtesy of Mazda Motorsports)

Immediately following the first session, the judges and drivers convened back in the Bondurant Museum for lunch, and were given a pep talk by a special guest. School owner Bob Bondurant and his wife Pat welcomed the international field, and regaled them with the story of Bob’s incredible career.

The two afternoon sessions were completed just as the sun started to dive behind the South Mountains. The tired hopefuls took part in one last debrief session with the half-dozen judges before getting on the shuttles for the 10 minute journey to the hotel where after cleaning up, they joined the judges for a group diner.

 

A Bondurant School Formula Mazda against the backdrop of the South Mountains (Photo Courtesy of Mazda Motorsports)

Lap times are not distributed to the drivers, so we won’t share here, but TSO can confirm that the competition is very, very close.

The drivers have one more practice session on Sunday morning before the judges make their cutdown and the finalist take part in two mock qualifying sessions and a mock race.

We’ll be back with much more later.

category: Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda - TSO, USF2000 News/Results
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Combined time-sheets from the first day of the MRTI Chris Griffis Memorial Test

Posted by  on Sunday, October 22nd 2017     

 

Here are your combined time-sheets from the first day of the seventh annual Chris Griffis Memorial Test being held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Chris Griffis Memorial Test USF2000 Combined Day #1 Timesheet

Andrés Gutierrez led the first day of USF2000 testing at the Chris Griffis Memorial Test (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

RANK CAR NO. TEAM DRIVER FAST LAP DIFFERENCE TOTAL LAPS
1 22 Andres Gutierrez Pabst Racing 1:25.562 —- 89
2 27 Callan O’Keeffe BN Racing 1:25.629 -0.067 73
3 36 Darren Keane Newman Wachs Racing 1:25.688 -0.126 86
4 90 Parker Thompson Exclusive Autosport 1:25.874 -0.312 71
5 23 Lucas Kohl Pabst Racing 1:26.076 -0.514 84
6 21 Hunter McElrea Pabst Racing 1:26.143 -0.581 82
7 37 Jake Craig Newman Wachs Racing 1:26.245 -0.683 91
8 80 Michael D’Orlando Team Pelfrey 1:26.275 -0.653 76
9 31 Rasmus Lindh Team BENIK 1:26.319 -0.757 75
10 20 Aaron Tetliz RJB Motorsports 1:26.435 -0.873 68
11 32 Jaden Conwright Team BENIK 1:26.456 -0.894 80
12 38 Max Peichel Newman Wachs Racing 1:26.506 -0.944 86
13 82 David Osborne Team Pelfrey 1:26.682 -1.120 75
14 25 Elliott Finlayson BN Racing 1:26.822 -1.260 40
15 33 Myles Rowe John Cummiskey Racing 1:27.062 -1.500 84
16 34 Sabre Cook John Cummiskey Racing 1:27.176 -1.614 79
17 92 Justin Gordon Exclusive Autosport 1:28.104 -2.542 81
18 24 Zoey Edenholm BN Racing 1:28.673 -3.111 70

 

Chris Griffis Memorial Test Pro Mazda Combined Day #1 Timesheet

Oliver Askew, a familier name to MRTI fans and the 2017 Cooper Tires USF2000 Powered by Mazda champ, led the first day of Pro Mazda testing for the seventh annual Chris Griffis Memorial Test (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

RANK CAR NO. TEAM DRIVER FAST LAP DIFFERENCE TOTAL LAPS
1 8 Oliver Askew Cape Motorsports 1:19.892 ——- 72
2 1 Carlos Cunha Juncos Racing 1:20.024 -0.132 62
3 3 Robert Megennis Juncos Racing 1:20.127 -0.235 62
4 81 Kaylen Frederick Team Pelfrey 1:20.225 -0.333 83
5 79 David Malukas BN Racing 1:20.246 -0.354 59
6 91 Nikita Lastochkin Exclusive Autosport 1:20.700 -0.808 88
7 18 Calvin Ming Pabst Racing 1:20.737 -0.845 79
8 80 Kris Wright Team Pelfrey 1:20.993 -1.101 75
9 2 Sting Ray Robb Juncos Racing 1:21.125 -1.233 35
10 90 Parker Thompson Exclusive Autosport 1:21.442 -1.550 27
11 78 Leonard Hoogenboom BN Racing 1:23.045 -3.153 12

Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tire

Nico Jamin, who made his Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tire debut at the Chris Griffis Memorial Test last year, led the time sheets in the top rung of the MRTI ladder (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

Nico Jamin led two of the four Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tire test sessions and topped the time sheet during the first day of the two day Chris Griffis Memorial Test. After the session Jamin, who is testing with Belardi Auto Racing, told us:

“I like the way the team is working so far. It’s a small family team, but they are very professional.

“We had a good day today. We topped two sessions this morning, and came close tonight (Session 4). That’s a little frustrating, but that’s the way it is. I’m new in the team, so I need to start working with the engineer, and figure out how we can go a little bit quicker. I feel there is very good potential. We’ll work on it tonight and be stronger tomorrow.”

USF2000 vice-champion Rinus VeeKay (Belardi Auto Racing) led the third session, and ended up with the 4th quickest time overall.

Colton Herta, who is expected to run a sophomore season of Indy Lights with Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing, topped the final session, and ended up with the second quickest Saturday time.

Championship winning team Juncos Racing didn’t lead any sessions but Pro Mazda Champion Victor Franzoni (3rd) and sophomore Nicolas Dapero (5th) were both quick.

Chris Griffis Memorial Test Indy Lights Combined Day #1 Timesheet

RANK CAR NO. TEAM DRIVER FAST LAP DIFFERENCE TOTAL LAPS
1 5 Nico Jamin Belardi Auto Racing 1:15.717 —— 74
2 98 Colton Herta Andretti Steinbrenner Racing 1:15.825 -0.108 76
3 23 Victor Franzoni Juncos Racing 1:15.987 -0.270 65
4 4 Rinus Veekay Belardi Auto Racing 1:16.207 -0.490 82
5 31 Nicolas Dapero Juncos Racing 1:16.249 -0.532 61
6 3 Pato O’Ward Team Pelfrey 1:16.256 -0.539 63
7 48 Ryan Norman Andretti Autosport 1:16.329 -0.612 77
8 27 Anthony Martin Andretti Autosport 1:16.519 -0.802 65
9 2 TJ Fischer Team Pelfrey 1:17.103 -1.386 74
10 21 Heamin Choi Juncos Racing 1:18.518 -2.801 75
category: Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda - TSO, Indy Lights News/Results, Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tire - TSO, Pro Mazda News/Results, Pro Mazda presented by Cooper Tire - TSO, USF2000 News/Results
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Jake Craig Awarded eKartingNews.com Karting Entry Ticket

Posted by  on Friday, October 20th 2017     

 

Jack Craig is the first receipient of the eKartingNews ticket to the 200K MRTI Scholarship Shootout (photo by David Cole/eKartingNews)

PALMETTO, Fla. (October 20, 2017) – After a comprehensive review process by karting industry authority eKartingNews.com’s Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Rob Howden and Managing Editor David Cole, Mission Viejo, Calif., native Jake Craig, 19, emerged from a list of six finalists to earn a coveted ticket to the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout. Howden and Cole were tasked with the difficult decision to select one up-and-coming karter to contest the Shootout at the Bondurant Racing School near Phoenix, Ariz., on December 9/10, which will see the champions of 17 series around the globe and three at-large entries vie for a Mazda Scholarship into the 2018 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda.

Craig has become one of American karting’s most visible and well-known stars since sitting in a kart for the first time at the age of 5. He holds 12 national championships and has been the #1 ranked driver on eKartingNews.com’s prestigious TaG driver list in 2014 and 2015. He currently holds that position again heading into the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals in Las Vegas next month where he won from a field of over 80 drivers worldwide last year.

Recently adding the graduation to cars to his resume, Craig tasted the waters in the USF2000 series in a test with Newman Wachs Racing last month and will return to the team this weekend to participate in the seventh annual Chris Griffis Memorial Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“We’re honored to have been asked to offer a selection for the 2018 Mazda $200,000 Scholarship Shootout and we have no doubt that Jake will be impressive in Arizona,” offered Howden and Cole. “Jake’s an incredible talent and a class act; a young man who displays maturity and poise both on track and off. He’s been at the top of our driver rankings for years, spending a majority of that time at #1. When we looked at all the talented karters in our sport, Jake stood out as the driver who has truly earned this opportunity and carries the skill set needed to challenge for the top prize at the Shootout. We know that he’ll represent EKN and the sport of karting well.”

Honorable mention goes to the five other talented karters on eKartingNews.com’s short list which included Jake French, Brandon Jarsocrak, Braden Eves, Ryan Norberg and Billy Musgrave.

“Grassroots racing is very important to Mazda, and karting represents such a critical opening step on the racing ladder,” said Kyle Kimball, Operations Manager for Mazda Motorsports. “It was important for us to make sure we had a proper representative from that world, and who better than Rob [Howden] and David [Cole] to select the best candidate? We’re looking forward to seeing Jake Craig in action at the Bondurant Racing School for the Mazda Road to Indy Shootout.”

Craig is among 12 drivers to date that have confirmed entry tickets with additional tickets to follow as racing seasons draw to a close. The most recent was Elliot Finlayson, 21, of Yorkville, Ill., who earned his ticket by winning at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Indianapolis in a flag-to-flag victory in his FE (Formula Enterprises) Mazda.

“I am so honored to have been selected for the MRTI Shootout!,” said Craig. “Karting has been such a big part of my life and it’s humbling to be selected by EKN. I can’t wait to get to the Shootout and compete for a career changing opportunity. Big thank you to everyone at eKartingNews.com and Mazda!”

The next winners to be announced will follow the completion of the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch, England, this weekend and the Walter Hayes Trophy on November 4/5 at Silverstone – the Home of British Motor Racing.

A final list of all participants will be announced in the near future as well as the panel of judges and a detailed schedule.

category: Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda - TSO, USF2000 News/Results
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MRTI schedules include Portland, increased points and prizes for Indianapolis oval races

Posted by  on Tuesday, October 17th 2017     
  • Portland International Raceway, Increased Points/Prize Money in Mix

PALMETTO, Fla. – The Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires today unveiled its 2018 calendar of events. The most effective driver development program in the world with over $3.5M in scholarships and awards on offer will continue its momentum at premier road course, street circuit and oval venues in support of the Verizon IndyCar Series.

The highly acclaimed platform – comprised of Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda – will enter the new season with a trio of state-of-the-art chassis on display including the much anticipated debut of the new Pro Mazda PM-18 which completes the revitalization of the entire ladder system.

On deck for 2018 is a return to the Pacific Northwest and Portland International Raceway (PIR) in Portland, Ore. The 1.967-mile, 12-turn permanent road course will host the season finale for all three series. Indy Lights last raced at PIR in 2001, and Pro Mazda and USF2000 in 2006. The last IndyCar race took place in 2007.

The month of May will bring several new additions. Pro Mazda and USF2000 will return to Lucas Oil Raceway for the Carb Night Classic “The Race Before the 500” after a year’s hiatus. Mere hours after the conclusion of Carb Day activities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in preparation for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 – including the Freedom 100, the crown jewel on the Indy Lights schedule – the two series will make their appearance on the .686-mile oval.

Additionally, the three Indianapolis oval races will see an increase in points for all series for the first time, and an increase in prize money.

In Pro Mazda, the National Class will be replaced by the Pro Mazda Classic (PMC) Series – a six-weekend, 12-race championship within the Pro Mazda Championship utilizing the older Pro Mazda rotary-powered cars from 2002 to 2017. The series will see a separate points chart, prize money and year-end awards.

While there is no limitation on PMC Series testing, Indy Lights, Pro Mazda and USF2000 will see amended testing rules. Indy Lights in-season testing is restricted to two days per team with two additional days available for use with current Pro Mazda and USF2000 drivers. Pro Mazda and USF2000 teams are permitted four days of in-season testing per driver but not at tracks yet to hold an event. Each series will continue with open tests at select venues.

The annual Mazda Road to Indy Spring Training will take place at Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 23-26. Indy Lights will test on the 1.5-mile oval on February 23 and the 2.21-mile road course on February 26. Pro Mazda and USF2000 will run on the weekend – February 24 and 25 – to assist young drivers juggling their schedules alongside school commitments.

The Mazda Road to Indy Summit program – providing valuable education on a variety of topics including marketing/business, media training, career growth and development, fitness, social media and a comprehensive oval clinic – will continue to be in place next season.

“We’ve put a lot of thought into our schedule and I am pleased with the balance we have in place to properly train drivers to move up the ladder,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. “We are excited to have Portland on the schedule, which will be a great circuit for our season finales in the three series, and to return to Lucas Oil Raceway on Carb Day for a great night of racing. The Freedom 100 is obviously the biggest race on our calendar and to be able to bring Pro Mazda and USF2000 back into the excitement surrounding the Indianapolis 500 was key. Increasing both the points awarded and the prize money gives these events the weight they deserve.

“The Mazda Road to Indy will take on new life next year with the competition debut of the PM-18. This completes the process we began several years ago to provide the best for our competitors with state-of-the-art race cars. We have a great program in place and it’s working. As always, I am looking forward to seeing many of our drivers take their next steps up the ladder including our recently crowned champions.”

Indy Lights will feature a 17-race schedule at 10 venues comprised of three oval, five road course and two street circuit events. In addition to hour-long race broadcasts on NBCSN, Indy Lights will also be featured on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Xbox One as well as Road To Indy TV and on the Road To Indy TV App. Worldwide live streaming and live timing is also available on indylights.com and indycar.com.

Coverage of all Indy Lights sessions is available on the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network with broadcasts on Sirius 214, XM 209, IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and on the INDYCAR Mobile app.

Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires 2018 Schedule

Open tests are scheduled at Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 23 (oval) and 26 (road course), Barber Motorsports Park on March 5, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 10 (road course) and 21 (oval), Road America on June 11/12 and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 17/18 for a total of nine test days.

Pro Mazda will expand to a nine-event, 16-race schedule which includes two ovals, five road course and two street course venues. Pro Mazda will be featured on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Xbox One as well as Road To Indy TV and on the Road To Indy TV App. Worldwide live streaming and live timing is also available on promazda.com and indycar.com.

Pro Mazda Presented by Cooper Tires 2018 Schedule

A total of 10 open test days are scheduled at Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 24/25, Barber Motorsports Park on March 3/4, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 10, Lucas Oil Raceway on May 24, Road America on June 11/12 and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 17/18.

The USF2000 series will continue with a 14-race format held at seven venues featuring one oval, four road course and two street circuit events. Coverage will be available on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Xbox One as well as Road To Indy TV and on the Road To Indy TV App. Worldwide live streaming and live timing is also available on usf2000.com and indycar.com.

Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda 2018 Schedule

 

Open tests are schedule at Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 24/25, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 10, Lucas Oil Raceway on May 24, Road America on June 11/12 and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 17/18 for a total of eight test days.

Two events still remain on the 2017 calendar – the seventh annual Chris Griffis Memorial Open Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 21/22 and the Mazda Road to Indy $200K Scholarship Shootout on December 9/10 at the Bondurant Racing School near Phoenix, Ariz.

category: Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda - TSO, Indy Lights News/Results, Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tire - TSO, Pro Mazda News/Results, Pro Mazda presented by Cooper Tire - TSO, USF2000 News/Results
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