Neil Alberico Tag

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer The final step on the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires might have the smallest field, but top to bottom the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires has an extremely stacked field going for a one million dollar scholarship package to move to the Verizon IndyCar Series. First, let’s look at the schedule. The 2018 schedule is identical in layout to 2017 except for two changes. The final race weekend is now at Portland International Raceway and it’s also a doubleheader weekend instead ofRead More

Indianapolis, Ind. (March 5, 2018) – Team Pelfrey announced today that 25-year-old Indy Lights driver Neil Alberico will drive the No. 2 Team Pelfrey Indy Lights Mazda for the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Weekend. “I would like to thank Rising Star Racing (RSR) and Team Pelfrey for granting me this opportunity. I have been working hard over the course of the offseason, both in the United States and in the Philippines to generate support and awareness for my career and the sport of open-wheel racing,” Alberico said. “The GrandRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer A thrilling final three lap shootout nearly allowed Juan Piedrahita to earn his first win in the Mazda Road to Indy but it was Santiago Urrutia who walked away from Gateway Motorsports Park with another victory in his sophomore Indy Lights season. The race began with a first lap yellow flag after Belardi Auto Racing teammates Aaron Telitz and Shelby Blackstock had contact resulting in Telitz’s retirement from the event. Soon after the green flag came out for the restart there wasRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer Colton Herta captured his second Indy Lights win of the season and with it, the milestone 400th race dating back to 1986, on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park. After a start which saw an opening lap collision between Pato O’Ward and Zachary Claman De Melo that led to both drivers retiring from the race, Herta caught Kaiser napping on the restart and drove away to extend his points lead. Behind Herta and Kaiser, Belardi Auto Racing driver Santiago Urrutia saw his badRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — After a hectic start to the first race of the weekend for the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires at Barber Motorsports Park, Nico Jamin picked up his first Indy Lights win for Andretti Autosport. In an aborted start, Colton Herta, Santi Urrutia and Pato O’Ward all suffered damage that severely hampered their race performances as they started second, fourth and sixth. When the green flag came out, Jamin started second behind polesitter Kyle Kaiser. Jamin was able toRead More

PALMETTO, Fla. (March 8) – Cooper Tire and Mazda today announced the renewal of the MRTI Hashtag Program that encourages drivers and teams to utilize the #MRTI and #TeamCooperTire hashtags through their social messaging on Twitter and Instagram. The social media program originated in 2014 as an initiative by Cooper Tire in cooperation with the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, and was designed to encourage drivers and teams to give their fans an inside look at the life of an up-and-coming race car driver, bringing out theRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer Carlin has expanded again in the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires.  After competing in 2015 with two cars and 2016 with three cars, the team has expanded to a fourth car and has brought back Neil Alberico to drive one of them alongside Zachary Claman DeMelo, Matheus Leist and Garth Rickards. Alberico had a less than ideal 2016 Indy Lights season with only one top 5 finish at Watkins Glen to carry him to 11th in points.  However, Alberico has aRead More

MONTEREY, Calif. – Kyle Kaiser shrugged off any additional pressure from competing at his home track to score a convincing victory in this afternoon’s Mazda Indy Lights Grand Prix of Monterey Presented by Cooper Tires. The 20-year-old from Santa Clara, Calif., qualified on pole position earlier today at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, then led throughout the 30-lap race to claim his second victory of the season for Juncos Racing and his first since the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires series last ventured anywhere near the West Coast – onRead More

Two Rookies Head the Timesheets at Homestead-Miami Speedway  HOMESTEAD, Fla. – The first official Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires test of 2016 is in the books with Felix Rosenqvist turning some heads by setting the pace for Belardi Auto Racing. The Swedish newcomer posted the fastest time overall on the Homestead-Miami Speedway road course with a lap of 1:14.4371 (106.882 mph) set in this morning’s three-hour session. The reigning FIA F3 European champion also set the second-quickest time in testing yesterday. “We went through a basic program the pastRead More

This afternoon’s thrilling Cooper Tires Freedom 90, Round Nine of the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, provided a rousing climax to the traditional 70th “Day (Night) Before the 500” at Lucas Oil Raceway. Malaysian Weiron Tan led every inch of the 90-lap race around the 0.686-mile oval in front of an appreciative crowd in perfect weather conditions, but his eventual margin of victory was a mere 0.4261 seconds over American Will Owen (Juncos Racing). It was the third win in succession at Lucas Oil Raceway for Andretti Autosport.Read More