Kaylen Frederick Tag

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer After a 2017 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda that resulted in five podiums and fourth place in the championship standings, Kaylen Frederick will be returning to the championship for a sophomore season in 2018, but with Pabst Racing. Frederick spent 2017 with Team Pelfrey, starting the season with four top five finishes and ending with nine top fives and 12 top 10 finishes out of 14 races. “After testing in the off-season in BRDC F3, Pro Mazda, Formula Atlantic and USF2000, working with PilotRead 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 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 Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer In the course of one year, Oliver Askew went from karting to earning a scholarship to race in the Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires in 2018. Not bad. For the Jupiter, Florida native, the road was a long one. He had to endure the scrutiny of the judges ahead of the Team USA Scholarship panel, the Team USA shootout and then the Formula Ford Festival in England and the Walter Hayes Trophy Race. After Askew finished second in the finalsRead 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

The Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires has been nothing short of spectacular this season, with all three ladders – USF2000, Pro Mazda Championship and Indy Lights – showcasing future talent for the Verizon IndyCar Series while also bringing dynamic title battles. This week’s edition features special guest Rob Howden, who joins the cast to discuss the positives and negatives as the end of the 2017 season looms near. What two drivers should move up in the MRTI other than the series champions? Rob Howden, Road to IndyRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer LEXINGTON, Ohio — Parker Thompson followed up on a Friday podium in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda with a win in Saturday’s race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Thompson led from the start over Rinus VeeKay with Askew falling from third to fourth as Lucas Kohl got around Askew. Kaylen Frederick also got around Askew, dropping the series points leader to fifth after Askew had an issue with his steering rack during the race. Frederick and Askew got aroundRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer Red Deer, Alberta native Parker Thompson had a dream weekend in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda in his home country of Canada. The Exclusive Autosport driver navigated his way through a three car pile-up and held off Pabst Racing’s Rinus VeeKay to score his second win of the season on the streets of Toronto. Starting fourth behind three of the fastest drivers in the 2017 season, Thompson had a mountain to climb. Cape Motorsports’s Oliver Askew was on poleRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer Parker Thompson’s 2017 foray in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda has been a roller coaster but the Red Deer, Alberta native managed to hit a peak in front of his compatriots by winning the first of two USF2000 races of the weekend on the streets of Toronto. Thompson started from pole in his No. 90 Exclusive Autosport car and led from flag-to-flag over Cape Motorsports’s Oliver Askew and Pabst Racing’s Rinus VeeKay. Askew grew his points lead over VeeKayRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer NEWTON, Iowa — For many drivers in the Mazda Road to Indy, ovals are not a type of track that gets regularly tested or raced on. In fact, in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda, there is only one oval on the 14 race schedule: Iowa Speedway. Various teams have tested on the ovals and two drivers new to ovals had a brief taste before heading to Iowa. Cape Motorsports tested series points leader Oliver Askew at Lucas Oil RacewayRead More