The Road to Indy, the Indy Racing League’s official development ladder system, will host its first Road to Indy Summit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May during preparations for the Indianapolis 500 and Firestone Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Night Before the 500 at O’Reilly Raceway Park.
Drivers and teams from the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda will participate in this invitation-only event that includes track tours of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. Both series will be competing as part of the Night Before the 500 at O’Reilly Raceway Park.
“One of the goals of the Road to Indy is for drivers to develop skills needed to be successful off track and having this summit every year is key way for us to reach that goal,” said Tony George Jr., manager of business development for Firestone Indy Lights and an instrumental figure in the development of the Road to Indy. “Every Road to Indy participant will be racing on the biggest open-wheel weekend of the year, but the valuable lessons that will be taught by our legends and the behind-the-scenes access the teams will receive make this a must-attend event.”
Included on the schedule are:
* Road to Indy drivers’ meeting with Indy Racing League President of Competition and Racing Operations Brian Barnhart focusing on oval racing.
* A breakfast seminar presented by Mazda focusing on the business of motorsports, which is designed to help improve the off-track performance of the drivers.
* A seminar to teach drivers and spotters how to work together.
* Pace car rides around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
* Meet and greets with Firestone Indy Lights and IZOD IndyCar Series drivers who have competed in either Star Mazda or USF2000.
* A tour of the Indianapolis Hall of Fame Museum with racing historian Donald Davidson.
* A Road to Indy reception at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“Athletes in motorsports need more help than any other kind of young talent,” said Gary Rodrigues, founder of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. “Drivers not only must hone remarkable physical ability and incredible powers of concentration. They must also develop an infrastructure around them that will meet the engineering and business challenges of organizing a winning racing program. The Road to Indy launches a system that will identify talent and train drivers how to successfully function in the sport and in the business.”
“The Road to Indy Summit is exactly the type of assistance career-minded drivers need and want as they climb the ladder, and it is why the USF2000 National Championship has been revived with the Indy Racing League’s sanction,” said Dan Andersen, co-owner and chief executive officer, Andersen Promotions, administrator of the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda. “We are very pleased to have this opportunity for our participants, and it will certainly be beneficial for them and for the series. With the involvement of Mazda as well, this will be a terrific event.”
The Road to Indy is the Indy Racing League’s developmental ladder system for drivers who wish to reach the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. Made up of Firestone Indy Lights, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda, the system was designed to create a defined career path for young, career-minded race car drivers and to teach them the skills needed to advance to the highest level of open-wheel racing on and off the track.
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