Inside the Helmet – Jason Penix Looking Ahead to Mazda Road to Indy in 2014

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadWe chat with Jason “King of the Mazda Road to Indy” Penix, Director of Grassroots Initiatives at INDYCAR about the progress made in the MRTI program in 2013 and where USF2000, Pro Mazda, and the newly retitled IndyLights Presented by Cooper Tires are headed in 2014.

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MRTI – 2014 Event Schedules Are Here!

The 2014 schedules are out for the entire Mazda Road to Indy: USF2000, Pro Mazda, and Indy Lights. This will be the fifth year for the Mazda Road to Indy Program and for the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda, the second year of operation under Andersen Promotions for the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, and will be the first year for the newly retitled Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. Firestone, who had been a long-standing supporter and title sponsor of the Indy…

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Episode 207 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadOpenPaddock.net Podcast: Episode 207 – Tuesday, October 7th, 2013 IndyCar Houston Review Standings Local viewer video of Grand Prix of Houston crash Franchitti ruled out of Fontana race Fontana Preview 2014 IndyCar schedule set to be revealed Penske confirms Allmendinger for Fontana Alex Tagliani tabbed to replace Dario Franchitti in IndyCar season finale National Guard switches IndyCar allegiance to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing from 2014 – Racer.com Chip Ganassi Racing confirms Kanaan and Chevrolet engines for 2014 Honda: IndyCar needs third supplier MRTI Lights…

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From The Cockpit – Michael Epps’ Thoughts on Texas, Tango’s, and Flying Tyres

Editor’s Note: In our continuing From the Cockpit series, Belardi Auto Racing’s Michael Epps offers the following recap of his race weekend on the rolling hills of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. We thank Belardi Auto Racing and their drivers for their support and the excellent insights their drivers have offered us through this series of articles. At the end of the article, you’ll find links to Belardi Auto Racing’s and Michael’s social media connections. Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter. Well, well, well. Actually I’m not…

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Episode 206 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadKevin Neely and Mike Shaw are joined by special guests John Olsakovsky, regular Op-Ed contributor to OpenPaddock.net, and USF2000 pilot for Belardi Auto Racing and friend of OpenPaddock.net Peter Portante. The boys hash out all the news in IndyCar as everyone including all of the MRTI head to Houston, the details of the Indianapolis GP opening the Month of May, and the driver swaps and additions in Indy Lights. Formula 1 heads to Korea as the WRC heads to France, and Shaw wraps things…

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SCCA – A Week Filled with Cheese (Usually Fried): Peter Portante’s Journey to the National Runoffs

Through many complicated Italian conspiracies and many other auspicious things, I found myself somehow eligible to race in the 2013 Runoffs at Road America. Saturday I had arrived late last night to the Packed flight full of Green Bay fans headed to the game, alright I’m sorry, that joke was a bit cheesy. As I have just read the poor quality joke, I should probably apologize to all the readers for this, as I am writing this is a quite delirious state (One, I cannot believe I actually won. Two,…

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Episode 203 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadShaun, Mike W, Kevin, and Doug talk about the Singapore-ish shenanigans in NASCAR (yes, we talk a bit about NASCAR), the punishment of Scott Dixon in IndyCar, more chatter about the IMS road course, and we look at potential changes in the 2014 schedule, Doug recaps the USF2000 races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and congratulates the MidWest Division SCCA drivers who brought home hardware from the SCCA Solo Nationals. In Formula 1, Massa is out and Kimi is in, tires are still up…

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USF2000 – Hargrove Extends Championship Lead at Laguna Seca

The Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda joined the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series in Monterrey, CA to compete at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, home of the most infamous corner in North American road racing “The Corkscrew”. The young Mazda Road to Indy drivers ran two races over the weekend, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, with open testing on Friday. Scott Hargrove came to Monterrey with 46-point lead over a resurgent Neil Alberico. Alberico, however fast he may be, has had issues with consistency…

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Episode 202 – OpenPaddock.net Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadThe OP Boyz are joined this week by Belardi Auto Racing’s Peter Portante to discuss the insanely close Indy Lights championship, relive the crazy Race 3 USF2000 start at Mid-Ohio, and preview of the up coming USF2000 race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Everyone joins in the ranting fun over the demoltion derbys that IndyCar and ALMS called races on the streets of Baltimore, we look forward to the Italian GP at Monza, and Mr. Shaw runs through the latest rally news. We also…

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From the Cockpit – Michael Epps at the Allied Building Products USF2000 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio

Editor’s Note: In our continuing From the Cockpit series, Belardi Auto Racing’s Michael Epps offers the following recap of his race weekend on the rolling hills of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. We thank Belardi Auto Racing and their drivers for their support and the excellent insights their drivers have offered us through this series of articles. At the end of the article, you’ll find links to Belardi Auto Racing’s and Michael’s social media connections. Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter. Well, since I’ve not written on…

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