Star Mazda – Team Pelfrey and Tristan Vautier Win Championships at Laguna Seca

It was Championship Weekend for the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. As we has mentioned previously, JDC MotorSport’s Tristan Vautier had only to show up in Monterrey to win the championship. As soon as the green flag fell, Tristan was officially the 2011 Star Mazda Drivers’ Champion and will receive a scholarship to compete in the Firestone Indy Lights series in 2012, and presumably drive for Sam Schmidt Motorsports. As is common amongst any champion, the key to Tristan’s success was not just…

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Episode 105 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin Shaun and Mike as they discuss Rally Australia and a Ford 1-2. They also review the Formula 1 race from Monza and cover all the hot INDYCAR news from the weekend. As always, thanks for the download and we hope you enjoy the show!

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Inside The Helmet – 2011 USF2000 Champ Petri Suvanto

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe had the opportunity to chat with Petri Suvanto the 2011 Champion of the Cooper Tires Presents the US F2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda. Petri, who is already back in his native Finland, drove the Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing’s #3 Viseko Van Diemen-Mazda with remarkable consistency all season long, and secured the championship in the penultimate race of the season, Race #1 on the Streets of Baltimore. Petri tells us about how the Mazda Road to Indy program drew him to…

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Indy Lights – Reigning Indy 500 Champ Drives Lights Car of Belardi Auto Racing

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 7) — Dan Wheldon hopped into the Firestone Indy Lights car of Belardi Auto Racing’s Anders Krohn at Indianapolis Motor Speedway yesterday. No, you are not mistaken, it is not May. Wheldon was invited to test drive the three cars of the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system during a media day at the famed speedway. The two-time Indy 500 winner was like a kid in a candy store; eyes gleaming at the chance to take the cars for a joyride around the former Formula 1 road course.…

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Episode 104 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadJoin the boys as they discuss an exciting weekend in Baltimore. We cover your Mazda Road to Indy as well as the GP itself. We talk about the latest INDYCAR news as well as prepare for Rally Australia and Formula 1 at Monza. Shaun and Doug also make a wager on this weekends qualifying session for the Grand Prix. As always, we really appreciate the download and hope you enjoy!

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USF2000 – Spencer Pigot Wins Team USA Scholarship

Andretti Autosport’s Spencer Pigot, driver of their #8 Cooper Tires Presents the US F2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda entry, was selected as winner of the Team USA Scholarship and will take part in the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and will have a chance to compete for the prestigious Walter Hayes Trophy. Pigot earned the honor thanks to his strong performance in his rookie USF2000 efforts, coming in 2nd in the championship to Petri Suvanto. “Being selected for Team USA for a second year is a great honor…

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Star Mazda – Vautier Cruises to Victory in Baltimore, Clinches Championship

JDC MotorSports driver, Tristan Vautier, cruised to an easy win on the Streets of Baltimore this morning after qualifying on pole and leading every lap of the 21-lap event. Team Pelfrey’s Connor De Phillipi ran about a second behind Vautier during the first half of the race, but was never able to close the gap. A mistake would send De Phillipi to the lower half of the grid, one lap down, and taking him out of contention for the race and for the championship. “I felt very much in control…

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USF2000 – Suvanto Wins Championship and USF2000 Has Largest Field Yet

After Race #1 at the inaugural Baltimore GP, Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing driver Petri Suvanto clinched the Cooper Tire Presents the 2011 US F2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda by finishing in P2 behind Belardi Auto Racing’s Wayne Boyd. “We were able to get what we came here for – the championship. Maybe it wasn’t the way we wanted, but the championship is the most important thing. Today, I was a bit conservative to try to play it safe for the championship and the points. So overall, I…

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