Category: Featured

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Op-Ed – A Pro Mazda Carol: Part I, History of Star Mazda

Doug Patterson
Star Mazda at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course -- Photo by Eric McCombs, Star Mazda

Ok, I know the new Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires is barely a week old, but given who has taken over the old Star Mazda series, I’m willing to offer some speculation on how the new series will evolve over the next few seasons. All of my speculation hinges upon observations of how Dan Andersen and his company Andersen Promotions have managed the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda over the past few seasons. This is a long article, so bear with me as I…

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Pro Mazda – Cooper Tire Replaces Goodyear for 2013

Doug Patterson

Dan Andersen’s influence is already being felt in the new Pro Mazda Championship as Cooper Tire replaces Goodyear as the official tire and presenting sponsor for the second step on the Mazda Road to Indy. Cooper Tire has been the official tire and presenting sponsor for the USF2000 National Championship since its return in 2010, and Andersen Promotions’ recent acquisition of the Star Mazda Championship has convinced the tire manufacturer to expand it’s involvement in INDYCAR’s Mazda Road to Indy development program. Cooper Tire has been a strong partner for…

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Episode 168 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Doug Patterson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadKevin, Mike, Mike and Doug are happy to have Conor Daly as their guest tonight. Conor talks with the OP boyz about the different racing culture in Europe, having spent the past two years competing full-time in GP3. He also talks with us about his goals for 2013, his upcoming IZOD IndyCar Series test with AJ Foyt Racing, as well as a bit of rally. We need to start a campaign to get Conor into the X-Games RallyX event! Also, anyone have a car…

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MRTI – Star Mazda Becomes Pro Mazda Under Andersen Promotions

Doug Patterson

We’ve known for a bit now that the Star Mazda Championship was to see a change in ownership. We also knew that this wasn’t something to be overly concerned about. Right from the start of all this, it was pretty clear that Mazda and INDYCAR both wanted the series to continue in some form, and that it was just a matter of finding the right group to take over. Turns out that the right group was already at hand, Andersen Promotions. Dan Andersen and his group were responsible for the…

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Rally – Petter Solberg Speaks About WRC Exit

Mike Shaw

2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg’s announcement of his exit from the WRC has had the rallying community in a frenzy this week.  His legions of fans and supporters have been all over Facebook and Twitter trying to figure out what he is going to do in 2013 and wondering if he will ever return to the WRC. To assure his fans that he will still be doing some form of racing next year, Petter posted on his Facebook page the following statement: Hello everyone. First off, I want to…

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Simon Pagenaud added to Rolex 24 entry list

John Olsakovsky

IZOD Indycar Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Simon Pagenaud has agreed to co-pilot Team Sahlen’s entry at this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. Joining Wayne Nonnamaker and Dane Cameron in the #42 BMW Riley, Pagenaud brings extensive sports car racing experience to the first year Daytona Prototype team. Previously, Team Sahlen has fielded cars in Grand-Am’s GT and GS classes. 2013 marks the team’s graduation to the Daytona Prototype ranks. Pagenaud’s only previous Grand-Am Series start came in a ST Series race at Laguna Seca, Where he finished in 6th…

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Indycar-Fuzzy’s Triple Crown announced

John Olsakovsky

Indiana based Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka has announced they are sponsoring the revival of Indycar’s Triple Crown. If a driver can win the Indianapolis 500 Mile race, Pocono Indycar 400 and the MAVTV 500 at Auto Club Speedway, that driver is set to take home a $1,000,000 bonus from Fuzzy’s. If a driver can take two of the three events, the prize is $250,000.  Fuzzy’s has previously been committed to the Indycar series as the official Vodka of Indycar and sponsor of Ed Carpenter’s racing efforts. The expansion of Fuzzy’s…

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Ford M-Sport Says Farewell To Petter Solberg

Mike Shaw

As fellow Norwegian Mads Østberg prepares for his first year in a works seat, Petter Solberg and co-driver Chris Patterson bid the top level of rally farewell….at least for now.  Whatever you call Solberg’s absence he insists that you don’t call it a retirement.  Interestingly in a phone call with Jari-Matti Latvala a week ago Petter mentioned that if the WRC didn’t work out for 2013 that he might go the route of Rallycross.  If that is the case then the question ends up being, does Petter do the European Rallycross Championship?…

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Indycar -Andretti Autosport unveils 2013 liveries

John Olsakovsky

For the first time since 2007, the reigning champion of a U.S. open wheel series will run the number one. Ryan Hunter-Reay has elected to use the number for the 2013 campaign, but with a slight twist. On his 2013 DW-12 powered by Chevrolet, Hunter-Reay’s number is bisected by the number 28. Ryan’s connection with the number 28 is actually quite significant. The number 28 represents 28 million people worldwide living with cancer. Hunter-Reay because an outspoken supporter of cancer charities after the death of his mother from colon cancer…

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