MAZDA PROVIDES ZOOM-ZOOM TO ROAD TO INDY INDYCAR developmental ladder to be known as Mazda Road to Indy Contacts: Amy Konrath INDYCAR | IZOD IndyCar Series | Firestone Indy Lights 317-492-6453
[email protected] Dean Case, MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Communications 310-318-4582,
[email protected] ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 9, 2010) One of the biggest supporters of grassroots racing in America has joined forces with INDYCAR’s Road to Indy as Mazda announced a multi-year partnership with the INDYCAR developmental ladder. As the title partner of the Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda will provide scholarships to the 2011 champions of the three affiliated series – the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and Firestone Indy Lights – to graduate to the next level of the sport. “We want to strengthen our ladder system to further develop, reward and advance the best-of- the-best,” said Randy Bernard, CEO of INDYCAR. “The Road to Indy was designed to cultivate young talent for the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. In Mazda, we’ve found a partner that not only has a history of nurturing such drivers, but also shares our desire to groom the future stars of INDYCAR racing through its commitment of providing driver scholarships. The addition of Mazda to the Road to Indy rounds out the formula car side of our ladder system in addition to our recently announced sprint car program." Two new scholarships have been added to the Mazda Road to Indy program, which provides a defined path for career-minded drivers seeking to compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500 both on and off track.