Darren Keane Tag

By Road to Indy SPEEDWAY, Ind. – A dramatic overnight temperature change brought significantly cooler conditions as the first green flag fell to commence the Eighth Annual Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Open Test this morning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Yet the action on-track was as hot as ever with almost three dozen drivers representing no fewer than 15 different nations vying for early bragging rights in preparation for the 2019 Road to Indy season. All three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy – Indy LightsRead More

By Road to Indy PALMETTO, Fla. – Less than three weeks after another successful season for the world-renowned Mazda Road to Indy open-wheel development ladder wrapped up in Portland, Ore., teams and drivers are already focused on 2019 as the Eighth Annual Chris Griffis Memorial Open Test takes place this coming weekend, September 22/23, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix road course. Almost three dozen drivers representing 15 different nationalities are already signed up for two days of action on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn track in Speedway, Ind., for allRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS — Thursday has come and gone for the 2018 INDYCAR Grand Prix weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and despite all the on track action being devoted to the Mazda Road to Indy, the Verizon IndyCar Series had some news of its own. Alfonso Celis announced that he would be racing an Indy car for Juncos Racing at Road America. Celis raced at Barber Motorsports Park for Juncos Racing in Indy Lights, finishing seventh and eighth in his two races. Zachary Claman DeRead More

By Road to Indy ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Kyle Kirkwood drove a flawless race this morning to win the Cooper Tires USF2000 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Presented by Allied Building Products for the locally based Cape Motorsports team. Kirkwood, 19, from Jupiter, Fla., the reigning US F4 champion, qualified second behind young Mexican Jose Sierra (DEForce Racing) but took the lead at the first corner and never looked back on his way to an impressive debut victory in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. Sierra finished secondRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer The 2018 season for the Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda begins on the streets of St. Petersburg with a 25 car entry list. This year’s championship looks to be a tough one on paper so let’s look at what will make up the 2018 USF2000 season. First, the tracks. USF2000 has had some venue changes for 2018. Gone is Barber Motorsports Park and Iowa Speedway but returning is the third race at Mid-Ohio, the Carb Night Classic at Lucas Oil Raceway and the doubleheader atRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief Newman Wachs Racing has revealed Darren Keane as their first confirmed pilot for the 2018 season in Cooper Tires USF2000 powered by Mazda. The 18-year-old Floridian competed in a partial schedule in 2017, debuting with Team BENIK in the doubleheader at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course before moving over to Newman Wachs Racing. Although he missed the opening three races, he still managed to finish 11th in the overall standings. His most recent time in the car came at the Chris Griffis Memorial Test atRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer The Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires recently concluded their first official test after the 2017 season at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. The seventh annual Chris Griffis Memorial Test was a chance for several drivers and teams to get acquainted with one another and with their machinery, as well as giving everyone a reason to see cars run at IMS. Here’s some observations about the weekend. Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires Victor Franzoni, Anthony Martin and CarlosRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Pabst Racing’s Rinus VeeKay needed to win the final race of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda in order to win the championship. Win he did, but Cape Motorsports’s Oliver Askew was able to finish second to secure the championship and with it the scholarship that allows him to move up to the Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires. VeeKay got around Askew at the start and would pull away to an early lead. AskewRead More