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| August 04, 2010 News |
| Industry News: Mazda Announces 2010 Development Ladder Scholarships |
With thousands of active club racers across North America, Mazda has developed a grassroots racing program and career advancement system like no other. Know as the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder, the automaker offers scholarships to promote drivers from a variety of feeder series up to the next level.
Mazda rewarded six 2009 champions with Mazda-funded rides in 2010, and sights are set on 2011. With this in mind, Mazda has confirmed its support in the form of cold-hard-cash for a champion or shootout winner this season to be used in 2011.
“When we formalized our program for the 2006/2007 season, we quickly learned that changes would be required each year to match the changes in the industry and the sport," said Robert Davis, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Quality, and the man responsible for Mazda’s North American motorsports operations under the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development banner. "While the Atlantic Championship went on hiatus and rules changes obsoleted our World Challenge program, we have seen the addition of a Formula 2000 class, the adoption of Star Mazda and USF2000 as a part of the Road to Indy, and experienced tremendous growth in our customer programs in both Grand-Am GT and Continental Tire ST creating new opportunities.”
For 2010, Mazda has confirmed the following prizes/scholarships as part of its MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder program.
- Two karting champions will be awarded rides in the 2011 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Championship, after a multi-day shootout at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in December.
- The 2010 Skip Barber National champion will be awarded a ride in the 2011 Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda.
- The 2010 USF2000 National champion will be awarded a ride in the 2011 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear.
- The 2010 Star Mazda champion will be awarded a full-season ride in a Mazda RX-8 in the 2011 Grand-Am GT Championship.
- A Mazda-powered club racer will be awarded a ride in the 2011 Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup.
- The 2010 Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup champion will be awarded a ride in a MAZDASPEED3 in the 2011 Continental Tire Challenge Series.
Those earning fully-funded rides via the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder not only move up the motorsports ranks, but more often than not achieve success, as evidence by the success of current former scholarship winners.
Among the 2009 champions making their mark this season are 2009 karting shootout winners Spencer Pigot and Felix Serralles, who are currently ranked first and fourth respectively in the Skip Barber championship points; 2009 Skip Barber Champion, and 2007 Karting shootout winner Connor De Phillippi, who third in the Rookie of the Year standings; and 2009 Star Mazda Champion Adam Christodoulou, who has already scored one win in sports car debut via the Grand-Am GT series.
Equally impressive are recent ladder alums including 2008 Karting shootout winner Sage Karam, who is leading the USF2000 Championship with five wins; 2008 Skip Barber Champion Conor Daly, who is leading the Star Mazda Championship with five wins; and 2008 Star Mazda Champion/2009 Atlantic Champion John Edwards, who teamed Christodoulou and has one win on his rookie sports car resume. |
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