Star Mazda – Chavez On Pole at Road Atlanta

The final round of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear takes place this afternoon at the Road Atlanta circuit outside of Braselton, GA. Jack Hawksworth, pilot for Team Pelfrey and 2012 champion, has stepped out of the car this week and is coaching Ryan Tveter who is taking his place in the #82. Jack has dominated the season, but there’s been one driver who has been consistently on his heels and on the podium, Gabby Chavez. Gabby drives the #19 CLARO/Marca Colombia/Tecpro Mazda car for JDC MotorSport and sits…

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IndyLights – Firestone Indy Lights 2013 Schedule

INDYCAR released the race schedule for the 2013 Firestone Indy Lights season. We already knew the IZOD IndyCar Series schedule, so the details of the Indy Lights schedule really comes as no surprise. One thing I am rather surprised at is the absence of the Circuit Trois-Rivières from the schedule. Instead of racing in Canada, the Firestone Indy Lights series rejoins the IZOD IndyCar Series at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course the first weekend in August. This is going to make track time during the already jam-packed weekend at Mid-Ohio…

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Episode 160 — OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadIf you missed it last night on ETV Live!, we had the honor of speaking with the newly signed pilot of the #9 Firestone Indy Lights racing machine for Belardi Auto Racing, Mr. Peter Dempsey. Peter shared with us his experiences struggling to find a stable ride through the end of 2011 with Andretti Autosport, racing and coaching in 2012 at Indianapolis and Detroit this past season with Younessi Racing, and ending the 2012 season with Belardi. We also asked him to do some…

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Indy Lights – Dempsey Signs With Belardi for 2013

The engines and tyres have barely had time to cool down from the The Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Test that took place yesterday and today on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway infield road course and we’re already seeing driver signings for 2013. Peter Dempsey has had a tough few years in the Mazda Road to Indy program, his last full-season ride being with AIM Motorsports for the 2009 Star Mazda season. In 2010, he returned to his native Ireland and ran Formula Ford events for his father’s team,…

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USF2000 and Pirelli World Challenge Are Solid with Green-Savoree

While I thoroughly enjoy the IZOD IndyCar Series and American Le Mans Series races at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, I must admit that my favourite parts of the weekend are the USF2000 and World Challenge races. The USF2000 races this year have seen a huge increase in participation level, with grid sizes routinely in the high 20s and sometimes in the 30s. The SCCA World Challenge has also seen a high level of participation in its three classes. The variety of machines, Championship, Formula Continental, and Formula Enterprise cars…

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USF2000 – Jarett Andretti to Test with Andretti Autosport at Putnam

It’s good to be an Andretti! Open-wheel racing will see yet another Andretti among it’s ranks as Jarett Andretti, son of John Andretti, will get a chance to test a USF2000 car at Putnam Park Raceway later this month. Andretti Autosport. It’s good to see Michael Andretti continue to draw in fresh, young, American drivers into the Mazda Road to Indy program. It’s worth noting that not only is Michael bringing new talent into USF2000, but he’s been good at promoting his recruited talent through the Mazda Road to Indy…

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Episode 158 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWhile Mike is off playing with bears in the woods somewhere in the Smokey Mountains, Shaun and Doug talk about the confirmation of Red Bull Media House as the 2013 Promoter for the WRC, the reconfiguration of the WRC classes, Formula 1 silly season with Hamilton to Mercedes and Perez to McLaren, and we spend a lot of time talking about the IZOD IndyCar Series 2013 race schedule. Sit back and enjoy as we stagger, stumble, and stutter our way through this week’s motorsports…

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USF2000 – 2013 Winterfest Dates Announced

The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda announced the dates for it’s preseason Winterfest. Winterfest is a six-race series that allows teams to evaluate prospective drivers during competitive racing situations. It’s also a time for drivers to get back into form and knock off the rust from the off-season. As they did last year, the six races will be split between Sebring International Raceway and Palm Beach International Raceway with each venue holding three races each. I always look forward to Winterfest. For me, it marks the beginning of…

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USF2000 – 2012 Champions, Changes to FE, and a New Presenting Sponsor

The Championship Class The National and Championship class titles were both decided last Saturday during Race #2 at the Virginia International Raceway, the final race of the 2012 Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda, and it was a good weekend to be a Cape Motorsports driver! Spencer Pigot, thanks to his setting the fastest lap time on his way to a dominant win in Race #1, started from Pole in Race #2 and took that advantage all the way to the checkers, making it a sweep for the…

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ALMS and USF2000 Photos from the Virginia International Raceway

Tom Turk knocked it out of the park again! Tom was at the Virginia International Raceway (VIR) for the season finale of the USF2000 National Championship Presented by Cooper Tires Powered by Mazda, and the penultimate round of the American Le Mans Series. Joining the USF2000 and ALMS were the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama and the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy MX-5 Cup. Here are Tom’s photo galleries from the weekend. Remember, if you’re anywhere near the Baltimore/DC area and need photography services for your wedding, portraits, or event,…

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