Indy Pro 2000 Category

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer Mark Twain popularized the phrase “There are three kinds of falsehoods; lies, damned lies and statistics,” which he attributed to British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Statistics was how this writer looked at Team Pelfrey in a recent roundtable discussion.  In it, this writer said that the team had been disappointing because “I did not expect a large organization like Pelfrey to have only one win this season.” Motorsports Tribune sat down at Watkins Glen with Jonathan Baker to speak about the team’sRead More

By Road to Indy A little more than a month after the conclusion of a hard-fought 2017 season, teams and drivers from all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires will officially begin preparations for the 2018 campaign this weekend. At least 40 drivers representing more than 16 nations and 11 different teams will grasp an opportunity to drive on the 2.439-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix road course located in Speedway, Ind., during the seventh annual Chris Griffis Memorial Test on October 21/22. TheRead More

By Road to Indy 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 – willRead More

By Road to Indy As the only squad currently to field teams on all three rungs of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires ladder, Team Pelfrey has the ability to mirror the ladder series’ progression through the ranks. Dale Pelfrey first fielded a team in the IRL in the late 1990s, and today focuses on nurturing young racers, hoping to one day take a driver from karting to the Verizon IndyCar Series – all under the Team Pelfrey banner. Former MRTI racer Jonny Baker handles the team’sRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer A week before the 2017 Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires was set to begin, Victor Franzoni was working as a go-kart mechanic during the SuperKarts! USA WinterNationals at NOLA Motorsports Park. During that weekend, a deal was put together that would affect his future in motorsports. Jeff Green bought the two Pro Mazda cars that Ricardo Juncos owned and tested at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After that test, Green wanted a teammate for the 2017 season and Franzoni was the top choice.Read More

By Road to Indy The Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires – the most effective driver development platform in the world – concluded its best season to date this month with thrilling championship battles punctuated by thriving off-track initiatives that firmly position the INDYCAR-sanctioned ladder series for future growth and global presence. The relevance of the Mazda Road to Indy in assisting drivers to the pinnacle of the sport was highlighted in the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 where 24 of the 33 starters were graduates ofRead More

By Road to Indy One day after the championship titles for all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires open-wheel driver development program were decided at the famed Watkins Glen International road course, 250 drivers, families, teams and sponsors gathered on Monday evening at the nearby Harbor Hotel for the traditional Championship Celebration banquet. A total of more than $2.6 million in Mazda Scholarships and other awards was distributed at the upscale venue on the shores of Seneca Lake. The major winners included Kyle Kaiser,Read More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — After a racing season that started with Victor Franzoni not knowing what he would be driving, the Brazilian took his second win of the weekend at Watkins Glen International and his seventh of the season on his way to winning the 2017 Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires. Franzoni led from the start over Team Pelfrey’s Carlos Cunha while Anthony Martin’s Cape Motorsports car went from fifth to third. Franzoni pulled away by a large margin inRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Victor Franzoni got closer to the 2017 Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires trophy and the Mazdaspeed scholarship by winning the first of two Pro Mazda races this weekend at Watkins Glen International for Juncos Racing. The race began with Franzoni leading from the pole but Cape Motorsports’s Anthony Martin would take over the lead heading to the inner loop on the first lap. Martin would lead the first two laps but unfortunately  the green flag wouldn’tRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Ahead of the Soul Red Finale weekend at Watkins Glen, New York for the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires are two championship battles that are very close between two drivers and one that is close to being clinched. Let’s take a look at all three battles ahead of the four races this weekend. Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires Juncos Racing’s Kyle Kaiser has the easiest championship position this weekend for Indy Lights. Kaiser simplyRead More