Formula Car Challenge Designated as Official Feeder Series of the Mazda Road to Indy
One 2016 FCC Champion will be invited to the Mazda Road to Indy Scholarship Shootout to compete for a $200k Scholarship into the USF2000 Series
Sonoma, CA
August 3rd, 2015
This past weekend at the Verizon IndyCar Series race weekend, it was announced that the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout would invite one racer from the 2016 Formula Car Challenge presented by Goodyear championship. The shootout will invite champions of select junior level open-wheel and karting series in 2016 from around the world, and has designated the Formula Car Challenge as one of the Official Feeder Series of the Mazda Road to Indy.
“We are very pleased to be officially recognized as a breeding ground for future Mazda Road to Indy superstars, and we are even more excited to send one of our own champions into the shootout next year. This is a great opportunity for our series, our drivers, and the Mazda Road to Indy,” stated Formula Car Challenge President Telo Stewart.
The Shootout will be an unprecedented event, bringing the champions of North American and international series together for the first time in a knockout-style format. The overall winner will be awarded a $200K scholarship from Mazda to enter USF2000 in 2017. A total of 15 drivers will be invited to the shootout. “Mazda prides itself on providing the most comprehensive scholarship and ladder system for drivers in open wheel and sports cars,” said John Doonan, Director of Mazda Motorsports in North America. “Now, with the Scholarship Shootout, we can expand the Mazda Road to Indy entry-level opportunity to young champions from around the world. From an aggressive grassroots program to a well-defined ladder system to the top levels of racing in North America, Mazda strives to help develop superstars of the future.”
“The response from the various series about this new program has been incredible and we are thrilled to have them as partners as we help the rising stars of the sport take the next step in their career in USF2000 on the Mazda Road to Indy path,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. “I have to thank our terrific partner Mazda for thinking outside the box and opening up this opportunity to so many more drivers. It will be exciting to bring together all of the series champions and watch them compete.”
Full details on the shootout and competition details will be distributed in the coming months. A current and regularly updated list of all participating series can be found at: http://usf2000.com/about/official-feeder-series
About the Mazda Road to Indy
Since its launch in 2010, the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system has attracted competitors from around the globe. Drivers from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Finland, France, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Wales and Zimbabwe have been part of the grids, showcasing their talents at premier venues on a mix of road courses, temporary street circuits and ovals.
From “The World’s Fastest Spring Break Party” in St. Petersburg, Fla., to “America’s #1 Street Race” in Long Beach, Calif., to “one of the most beautiful race tracks in North America” named by Road & Track in Birmingham, Ala., and the famed Brickyard – the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – drivers compete on the Verizon IndyCar Series stage in front of large crowds and television cameras as well as team owners, sponsors and media.
Sanctioned by INDYCAR, the Mazda Road to Indy provides drivers, teams and sponsors an opportunity to gain valuable experience on and off the track while following a clear-cut path of progression through three development series: Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. Visit: http://www.indycar.com/RoadToIndy
