For the first time since the inception of the Mazda Road to Indy in 2010, all races for the three series -- Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda – will be run in conjunction with INDYCAR events in 2014.
All Indy Lights races will feature same-day coverage on NBC Sports Network with international rights held by ESPN International. Pro Mazda and USF2000 will also be featured on NBC Sports Network with a minimum of four highlight shows, which will also be broadcast on Motors TV in Europe.
“I am very pleased with our schedule for next season in that we have been able to align all of our races with INDYCAR,” said Dan Andersen, owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions, which operates the three series. “Our drivers strive to reach the IndyCar Series and Indy 500, and that is where our playing field will be next year. We also have reduced the number of oval races for Indy Lights, so USF2000 will have one oval race, Pro Mazda two and Indy Lights three now instead of five.
“Alongside the road and street course events, we feel this is a good blend to provide the proper training as drivers advance up the ladder system.”
Additional schedule highlights include doubleheader rounds for Indy Lights at all road courses. A 40-minute sprint race will be held on Saturday and a 60-minute feature will be contested on Sunday. Pro Mazda will feature standing starts at all street circuits and USF2000 will again host a tripleheader round.
The Mazda Road to Indy will open its season on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., on March 29-30.
Two rounds each of Indy Lights, Pro Mazda and USF2000 will take place in support of the inaugural road course race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Grand Prix of Indianapolis, on May 9-10. In keeping with tradition, Indy Lights will contest the Freedom 100 on May 23, while Pro Mazda and USF2000 will compete under the lights at the “Night Before the 500” on May 24 at nearby Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
Sonoma Raceway in California will host the finale for all three series on Aug. 23-24.
The Mazda Road to Indy Summit program will take place during the St. Petersburg and Indianapolis weekends. Providing the off-track tools drivers need in their professional motorsports careers, this year’s curriculum included courses in conducting interviews, the business of motorsports, performance thinking, fitness and wellness, driver brand building, social media, the intricacies of oval racing, working with the media, maximizing simulators and providing return on investment.
Additional Summit activities include networking receptions, IndyCar Series team shop tours and Q&A sessions, high-profile autograph sessions and INDYCAR Fan Village participation. The Summit program also provides opportunities surrounding the Indianapolis 500.
The Mazda Road to Indy provides a scholarship package at each level for drivers to advance to the next step on the ladder. Recently crowned Indy Lights champion Sage Karam, 18, will receive up to $1 million in prizes and awards to aid his ascent to the IndyCar Series. Karam was the 2010 USF2000 champion and finished third in Pro Mazda last year.
Matthew Brabham, 19, secured more than $636,000 as the 2013 Pro Mazda champion and will advance to Indy Lights next season with Andretti Autosport. Brabham, the 2012 USF2000 champion, is the first driver to advance through all levels of the Mazda Road to Indy in succession.
After contesting a partial season last year, Scott Hargrove, 18, secured this year’s USF2000 title and scholarship package of more than $383,000 to advance to Pro Mazda in 2014.
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires
March 30: Streets of St. Petersburg 1.8-mile street circuit
April 13: Streets of Long Beach 1.968-mile street circuit
April 26-27: Barber Motorsports Park 2.38-mile road course
May 9-10: Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.434-mile road course
May 23: Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval
July 6: Pocono Raceway 2.5-mile oval
July 20: Streets of Toronto 1.75-mile street circuit
Aug. 2-3: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2.258-mile road course
Aug. 17: The Milwaukee Mile 1-mile oval
Aug. 23-24: Sonoma Raceway 2.385-mile road course
Series test sessions
Dec. 9-10, 2013: Barber Motorsports Park 2.38-mile road course
Jan. 7-8, 2014: Sebring International Raceway 1.7-mile road course
Feb. 21-22 NOLA Motorsports Park 2.75-mile road course
Feb. 25-26 Barber Motorsports Park 2.38-mile road course
May TBA: Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval
June: 3 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2.258-mile road course
Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires
March 29-30: Streets of St. Petersburg 1.8-mile street circuit
April 26-27: Barber Motorsports Park 2.38-mile road course
May 9-10: Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.434-mile road course
May 24: Lucas Oil Raceway 0.686-mile oval
June 28-29: Streets of Houston 1.634-mile street circuit
Aug. 2-3: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2.258-mile road course
Aug. 16: The Milwaukee Mile 1-mile oval
Aug. 23-24: Sonoma Raceway 2.385-mile road course
Series test sessions
Dec. 9-10, 2013: Barber Motorsports Park 2.38-mile road course
May 3, 2014: Lucas Oil Raceway 0.686-mile oval
June 4-5: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2.258-mile road course
Cooper Tires Winterfest Championship (four races)
Feb. 21-22, 2014: NOLA Motorsports Park 2.75-mile road course
Feb. 25-26: Barber Motorsports Park 2.38-mile road course
Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda
March 29-30: Streets of St. Petersburg 1.8-mile street circuit
April 26-27: Barber Motorsports Park 2.38-mile road course
May 9-10: Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.434-mile road course
May 24: Lucas Oil Raceway 0.686-mile oval
July 19-20: Streets of Toronto 1.75-mile street circuit
Aug. 2-3: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2.258-mile road course
Aug. 23-24: Sonoma Raceway 2.385-mile road course
Series test sessions
Dec. 9-10, 2013: Barber Motorsports Park 2.38-mile road course
May 3: Lucas Oil Raceway 0.686-mile oval
June 4-5: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 2.258-mile road course
Cooper Tires Winterfest Championship (six races)
Feb. 21-22, 2014: NOLA Motorsports Park 2.75-mile road course
Feb. 25-26: Barber Motorsports Park 2.38-mile road course