IMS Open test offers taste of Mazda Road to Indy
Testing will take place from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (ET) on Oct. 28-29 with each series receiving a 60-minute session in the morning and in the afternoon sessions. Fans can watch the test from the infield stands in the South end of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The test will be the first opportunity for Mazda Road to Indy Scholarship drivers Petri Suvanto and Tristan Vautier as well as Skip Barber National champion Scott Anderson to sample the cars they will race in 2012.
Also expected to participate in the test is rising Indian talent Armaan Ebrahim, who will test for Jensen MotorSport over the two days as he looks for prospects in the U.S. after racing in Asia and Europe.
"India is an interesting market for everyone involved in the global motorsport industry, Jensen MotorSport owner Eric Jensen said. "With a population more than three times greater than the United States, India offers enormous potential to corporate sponsors. We are excited that Armaan and his supporters have chosen Jensen MotorSport, and we look forward to achieving success together both on and off track."
The Mazda Road to Indy was created to provide career-minded drivers a path from karting to the top level of Indy car racing. As the title partner of the Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda provides scholarships to the champions of the three series in INDYCAR's development ladder system to graduate to the next level.
In 2012, Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda champion Suvanto will receive a scholarship to compete in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. Star Mazda champion Vautier will receive a scholarship to compete in Firestone Indy Lights, while Firestone Indy Lights champion Josef Newgarden will receive a scholarship to race in the IZOD IndyCar Series.
INDYCAR and Mazda's strong support of the ladder series extends beyond the racetrack with an expansion of the highly successful Mazda Road to Indy Summit program this year, which offered media, social media and business/sponsorship training amongst other topics as well as networking and promotional opportunities to its drivers. In addition, the first Mazda Road to Indy Oval Clinic was held in May.