During the off-season, its always fun to see what new racers will be coming to the Mazda Road to Indy. Typically, though, deals aren’t done and driver announcements aren’t made until late November or December at the earliest, and are more often finalized just a month if not a couple of couple of weeks before the beginning of the season. JDC MotorSports got a head start on the field with their first official 2012 driver announcement, naming Scott Hargrove as newest driver in the Cooper Tires presents the US F2000 National Championship powered by Mazda.
“After testing with the team in late September, I am ecstatic to be a part of JDC MotorSports for 2012, it really is a dream come true! The team has an extensive history of success, and I know they will provide me with all the best equipment to help continue that success into 2012. It is a very exciting time to join USF2000 and start on the Mazda Road to Indy, as many of my competitors from 2011 in Skip Barber have chosen to peruse rides in USF2000. 2012 will be a year full of learning, and I’m ecstatic that John Church and the team will be there to aid me all along the way.” — Scott Hargrove
Hargrove comes to the Mazda Road to Indy program from the Skip Barber Summer Series in which he won three of the 16 races, scored seven podium finishes, and placed 2nd overall in points in his first season racing cars. Prior to competing in the Skip Barber Series, Scott was a very successful kart racer. He began his racing career in 2008 racing Rotax and Mach 1 karts around his home in Surrey, British Columbia. Showing skill right out of the box, he won the 2008 Costal Kart Club Junior II Champion. In 2009, he would begin a relationship with Italian Motors which in 2010 would result in his becoming the 2010 IKF Region 6 IAME Senior Champion and the 2010 IKF Region 6 Shifter Champion, both in his rookie year of competition in the class. His success in karts earned him an invite to the 2011 Skip Barber Karting Shootout, which he won.
Scott originally planned on competing in the Skip Barber National Series in 2012, but after testing with JDC MotorSports at Blackhawk Farms Raceway near South Belloit, IL in September he will instead compete in the USF2000 National Championship. His next stint in the Mazda-powered Van Diemen will come in about a week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where all of the Mazda Road to Indy series will be testing on the infield road course.
Best of luck to Scott, and all the drivers participating in next week’s testing. Keep checking back here at Open Paddock as we will try to stay on top of the developments in the Mazda Road to Indy program. I have a feeling that we will see big influx of new drivers and teams for 2012! You can follow Scott Hargrove on Twitter (@Scott_Hargrove) and on his Facebook page, Scott Hargrove Motorsports.
Fantastic artical! Thank you!