Month: November 2011

USF2000 – SCCA Formula Enterprise Permitted to Run in National Class

Doug Patterson

Good news from the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Champiomnship Powered by Mazda! The National Class will be opened up to the very popular SCCA Formula Enterprise chassis. The FE class was introduced in the SCCA in 2008 as a way to create a cost-effective entry-point for drivers and teams interested in competing in either open-wheel or prototype sports car competition. The Formula Enterprise uses a 2.3L I4 Mazda engine similar in output to the MRZ 2.0L used for the USF2000 Van Diemen chassis for the Championship Class. Unlike…

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Mazda Road to Indy – Veach to Participate in the Formula Car Challenge

Doug Patterson

Zach Veach, veteran USF2000 driver for Andretti Autosport, will compete in the Formula Car Challenge Presented by Goodyear Winter Series in the Pro Formula Mazda class at Infineon Raceway this weekend, November 12th and 13th. In addition to being a great event, this will give Zach even more time behind the wheel of a Star Mazda machine in preparation for his full-season effort in the 2012 Star Mazda Championship for Andretti Autosport. “Coming off a successful test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I’m really looking forward to this opportunity to…

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Episode 111 – OpenPaddock Podcast

Shaun

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun and Doug for this weeks motorsport news. We preview Rally GB and Abu Dhabi for this weekend. We also talk about the Mazda Road to Indy and the fate of the Baltimore Grand Prix. Sit back and enjoy the show and as always thank you for the download!

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F1 – The Lotus Feud Is Over

Doug Patterson

We all knew that the battle between Group Lotus, PLC, and Tony Fernandez had been resolved, but here is the official press release for your enjoyment. JOINT PRESS RELEASE Group Lotus Plc and PROTON Holdings Berhad 1Malaysia Racing Team, Caterham Cars and Tony Fernandes Proton, Group Lotus, 1Malaysia Racing Team and its owner Tony Fernandes are delighted to announce that the legal dispute in the English Courts relating to the “LOTUS” and “TEAM LOTUS” brands has now ended amicably with the parties agreeing settlement terms earlier this month. The terms…

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USF2000 – Belardi Auto Racing Signs Luca Forgeois and Roman Lagudi

Doug Patterson

Belardi Auto Racing is set for competition for the 2012 Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda. On Saturday, the team signed the 2011 USF2000 National Class champion, Luca Forgeois, and today they signed Roman Lagudi. Luca raced with Grand Am stalwarts Stevenson Motorsport and competed in the National Class in 2011 winning eight of the twelve rounds in his class. His best finish was in Race #2 on the Streets of Baltimore where he placed first in class and fifth overall in a 19-car field. “I…

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Mazda Road to Indy – Fall IMS Test Recap: Star Mazda

Doug Patterson

This past weekend, all three series that are part of the Mazda Road to Indy program tested for two days on the infield road circuit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While there were certainly many familiar faces present, including Star Mazda champ Tristan Vautier and USF2000 champ Petri Suvanto, there were also many new-comers testing at all three levels. We’ll break down the test not by day, but by series and look at how things went for the teams and what we can expect looking forward through the off-season and…

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Episode 110 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Shaun

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Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin the Paddock trio as they discuss the Indian Grand Prix! What a fantastic venue for a motor race! We will breeze through some IZOD IndyCar Series news as well. Doug gives a proper run down of the Mazda Road to Indy testing going on at the IMS road course. As always, we appreciate the download and hope you enjoy this week’s show!

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USF2000 – Winterfest Schedule Announced

Doug Patterson

The annual Cooper Tires Presents the US F2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda Winterfest schedule was announced today. The series will return to Sebring International Raceway the first week of February to run three races and then head to the Palm Beach International Raceway the following week for three more races. The six-race series provides teams an opportunity to test drivers in a competitive format and assess not just their pace, but their racecraft. It also serves as an appetizer for us fans after our motorsports fasting over the long…

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Mazda Road to Indy – Fall IMS Test Recap: USF2000

Doug Patterson

This past weekend, all three series that are part of the Mazda Road to Indy program tested for two days on the infield road circuit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While there were certainly many familiar faces present, including Star Mazda champ Tristan Vautier and USF2000 champ Petri Suvanto, there were also many new-comers testing at all three levels. We’ll break down the test not by day, but by series and look at how things went for the teams and what we can expect looking forward through the off-season and…

Read More