Category: Pro Mazda

news and commentary on the Pro Mazda Championship racing series in the Mazda Road to Indy

Pro Mazda – Jose Gutierrez Joins Juncos Racing

Doug Patterson

Juncos Racing continues it’s tradition of recruiting and developing young South and Central American talent, bringing them to the US open-wheel racing scene. The team continues to build it’s 2014 Pro Mazda Championship roster with their signing of Jose Gutierrez from Monterrey, Mexico will be joining the team for the full 2014 season. Like his new teammate Julia Ballario, Jose had raced for the team at Mid-Ohio in 2013. This will be his first full season in the Mazda Road to Indy. Last season, in addition to his occasional outings…

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Pro Mazda – Juncos Racing Signs Argentina’s Julia Ballario

Doug Patterson

As we approach the Mazda Road to Indy Winterfest, the driver announcements are starting to come in! Juncos Racing, a stalwart in the Pro Mazda Championship, has announced the first member their 2014 team. Julia Ballario will join the team beginning in March on the Streets of St. Petersburg. Ms. Ballario is be the first Argentinian woman to race in the US, and comes to the Pro Mazda Championship with a significant amount of experience in both open-wheel formula cars and in touring cars, and competed with Juncos in Pro…

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Episode 213 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadMike, Mike, and Doug make one last appearance in 2013 and talk about the few bits of motorsport news that’s around. Formula E seems to have a lot more traction that we expected, Ganassi and Briscoe are reunited, as is Paul Page and IMS radio. Fan Force United returns to Indy Lights, Sutil safe at Sauber, and Kubica confirmed at M-Sport. In each category, we also look back at the best and worst from each segment we cover. It’s been another great year, and…

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Episode 212 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIn our penultimate show of 2013, Mike, Doug, and Mike continue to be stunned at the enthusiasm shown for the new Formula E all-electric racing series, Panoz sues Nissan (who didn’t see that coming?), and TUSCAR has aero and tire issues with the prototypes. Whitesell leads us through the news in IndyCar and Formula 1, Patterson brings us up to speed on Indy Light’s new chassis and engine for 2015, and Shaw shakes his head at the T&S errors in the WRC and takes…

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Episode 211 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadDoug, Mike, and Mike debate who should fill the #10 seat at TCGR, and review a bevey of driver signings and tests. Doug gives us a MRTI silly season summary, Whitesell leads us through a recap of the USGP, and Shaw brings us up to speed on Rally GB. OpenPaddock.net Podcast – Episode 211, Tuesday, November 19th, 2013 IndyCar IndyCar legend Dario Franchitti retires from racing who replaces him? #10 or #8 car? Penske, Sam Hornish part ways after decade together IndyCar Series outlines…

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Episode 210 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWhitesell, Shaw, and Patterson are at it again! Not much news this week in IndyCar, but we talk about some driver announcements in MRTI and announce that OpenPaddock and Belardi Auto Racing will continue their partnership in 2014. Max is back in the news while the new 2014 F1 regulations result in a near obscene nosecone. Kimi is out and Alonso is in for the support race to the Longhorns football game. In rally, Shaw previews Rally GB, gives Gymkhana 6 a “meh” rating,…

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Inside the Helmet – Jason Penix Looking Ahead to Mazda Road to Indy in 2014

Doug Patterson

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe chat with Jason “King of the Mazda Road to Indy” Penix, Director of Grassroots Initiatives at INDYCAR about the progress made in the MRTI program in 2013 and where USF2000, Pro Mazda, and the newly retitled IndyLights Presented by Cooper Tires are headed in 2014.

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MRTI – 2014 Event Schedules Are Here!

Doug Patterson

The 2014 schedules are out for the entire Mazda Road to Indy: USF2000, Pro Mazda, and Indy Lights. This will be the fifth year for the Mazda Road to Indy Program and for the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda, the second year of operation under Andersen Promotions for the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, and will be the first year for the newly retitled Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. Firestone, who had been a long-standing supporter and title sponsor of the Indy…

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Episode 207 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadOpenPaddock.net Podcast: Episode 207 – Tuesday, October 7th, 2013 IndyCar Houston Review Standings Local viewer video of Grand Prix of Houston crash Franchitti ruled out of Fontana race Fontana Preview 2014 IndyCar schedule set to be revealed Penske confirms Allmendinger for Fontana Alex Tagliani tabbed to replace Dario Franchitti in IndyCar season finale National Guard switches IndyCar allegiance to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing from 2014 – Racer.com Chip Ganassi Racing confirms Kanaan and Chevrolet engines for 2014 Honda: IndyCar needs third supplier MRTI Lights…

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Episode 206 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadKevin Neely and Mike Shaw are joined by special guests John Olsakovsky, regular Op-Ed contributor to OpenPaddock.net, and USF2000 pilot for Belardi Auto Racing and friend of OpenPaddock.net Peter Portante. The boys hash out all the news in IndyCar as everyone including all of the MRTI head to Houston, the details of the Indianapolis GP opening the Month of May, and the driver swaps and additions in Indy Lights. Formula 1 heads to Korea as the WRC heads to France, and Shaw wraps things…

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