1. Rock Island Grand Prix's King Of The Streets to earn USF2000 test day
2. Garcia signs with Team Moore Racing for 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season:
3. Drivers use karting to sharpen skills, build relationships
1. Rock Island Grand Prix's King Of The Streets to earn USF2000 test day: Since 1994, some of karting's biggest names have gathered each Labor Day weekend in Rock Island, Ill., with an eye on being crowned "King of the Streets." In 2011, winning that title will come with an added bonus.
The Mazda Road to Indy and INDYCAR announced today it will award a test day in a Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda car to the driver that wins King of Streets at the Rock Island Grand Prix presented by ATT.
"The Mazda Road to Indy was created to develop Formula car drivers, but linking it to karting events such as the Rock Island Grand Prix is essential in growing the program," said Jason Penix, manager of grassroots marketing for INDYCAR. "Karting is the foundation of the Mazda Road to Indy and we are looking forward to building a link with the young drivers that want to further their career.
"I know the important role karting plays in the career of a young driver. Hopefully, those young drivers find that the Mazda Road to Indy is the best proving ground for them when they are ready to progress into cars. We're looking forward to seeing who will win the title King of the Streets this year and to working with them during their test day."
The winner's USF2000 test day will be part of a program that the Mazda Road to Indy will announced at a later date.
"As a premier kart racing event in North America, we have seen top drivers come through Rock Island on their way to higher forms of racing. We know it is possible. The INDYCAR administration under Randy Bernard has made a clear statement in support of these opportunities though its Mazda Road to Indy program and a commitment to help top drivers at each level move up," said Roger Ruthhart, president of the Rock Island Grand Prix presented by AT&T.
"The timing is perfect for us to work closely with INDYCAR to assure that karting's top competitors are aware of the Mazda Road to Indy opportunities and for INDYCAR to be more visible in all levels including karting. Both organizations will benefit from planned cross promotion. We would like to thank Ruthie Forbes from GRand Solutions for facilitating this deal and we look forward to working with Jason Penix and the staff at INDYCAR on this program from which both organizations should benefit for years to come."
The Rock Island Grand Prix - recognized as the world's largest karting street race - will be celebrating its 17 anniversary when it takes place on Labor Day weekend in 2011. It routinely draws entries from throughout the United States and Canada, competing for one of karting's largest purses. It has also hosted racers from Italy, France, Colombia, Costa Rica, England, Argentina, Bermuda, the Philippines and Mexico. It includes 15 feature races in 4-cycle, 2-cycle, TAG and shifter classes. Past winners of the King of the Streets include Scott Speed, Kyle Wiegand and Alan Rudolph.
2. Garcia signs with Team Moore Racing for 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season: Spain's Victor Garcia will cross the Atlantic to join Team Moore Racing for the 2011 Firestone Indy Lights season as driver of the No. 22 Xtreme Coil Drilling car.
"I have to thank Team Moore Racing for giving me this opportunity," Garcia said. "I am really happy and confident to be signing with them. We have already worked together [testing] and I really get on well with my crew and the whole team. We will work hard to have our best performance during the 2011 season."
Garcia competed most recently in the World Series by Renault after competing in British F3, the F3 EuroSeries and Spanish F3. The 20-year-old Spaniard attracted to the Mazda Road to Indy due to its exciting competition on road courses, street courses, and ovals.
"Tom Wood and I are very happy to have Victor Garca racing with us this season," said TMR co-owner Mark Moore. "Victor has a very solid racing background and has been testing with the team since October of last year. He continues to find more speed every time he gets behind the wheel. We are extremely impressed with his feedback. At TMR, we are very proud to have such a fine young man represent our race team. We feel he will certainly be a contender for the Championship in 2011."
Though racing in the U.S. will be a new experience for Garcia, he will have a familiar teammate at TMR as he and Gustavo Yacaman were also teammates in Spanish F3 in 2008.
"Having worked with my teammate before (in 2008), I think it is going to improve my performance even more," said Garcia.
Co-owner Tom Wood said the chemistry between Garcia and Yacaman will make the team's two-car lineup a formidable duo.
"Victor and Gustavo will make great teammates," he said. "I think we will be the team to beat this year in the Firestone Indy Lights series with two drivers that will be capable of winning at every track we visit. Following a 2nd and 6th place finish in the Championship last year, we at TMR have our sights set at the top."
3. Drivers use karting to sharpen skills, build relationships: Alex Tagliani and Dan Wheldon aren't participating in the Florida Winter Tour karting program just for fun. There are the physical and mental preparation elements for the upcoming IZOD IndyCar Series season along with the competition. And then there's the fun factor.
Both drivers will compete at Palm Beach International Raceway on Feb. 25-27 in the second round of the Rotax MAX Challenge. Tagliani, driver of the No. 77 Bowers & Wilkins car for FAZZT Race Team, came out of the opener in Orlando last month with the lead in the Rotax DD2 Masters category. Wheldon, the 2005 IZOD IndyCar Series champion, is fifth in the Rotax Senior class.
"Anyone who knows me well knows how much I love karting," said Wheldon, who competed in numerous karting events in 2010 including the SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas and the Robopond endurance race at New Castle (Ind.) Motorsports Park. "I started when I was 4 years old in England and it is still a love of mine to this day. It is such a great way to hone your skills while outside of the race car. It really helps to keep a driver on his toes."
Wheldon, who has 15 IZOD IndyCar Series victories, also has an investment in a few of the young drivers on the circuit. He's driving for the Tony Kart/Ocala Grand Prix team.
"I was honored to be one of three celebrity judges for the DeFrancesco Racing Florida Winter Tour TaG Cadet Scholarship Program that Bill Wright hosted in December 2010 that ensured that 15 deserved kids are able to participate in the Florida Winter Tour series in 2011," he said. "These kids are talented and determined, and with a little bit of financial help are set to really display their talents.
"I remember what it meant to me to have people believe in me and my talent at that age."
The Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour is one of the longest running, largest and most geographically diverse kart racing series in the Americas. The 2010 edition featured 482 competitors representing 23 countries, 25 states and five Canadian provinces.
"I got my start in racing with an introduction to karting at the age of 10 by my grandfather, and now as an IndyCar driver I think it's important to connect with and support young karters because some of them are going to be the new generation of IndyCar drivers and hopefully fans now and forever," Tagliani said.
"(The tour) attracts a lot of the top young drivers in North and South American. There was plenty of up-and-coming talent like fellow Canadians Daniel Morad (2010 world champion) and Robert Wickens, as well as my SRA teammates, Jan Velez (DD2 class), Christophe Boisclair, Jean-François Lafontaine (Rotax Max Senior) and Olivier Bédard (Rotax Max Junior).
"(The events are) a lot of fun, a great way to get ready for the IndyCar season as testing is so limited and the off-season is so long. I have a strict fitness regime but it's not the same as being in a car to tune up my reaction time and my car fitness and karting in the Florida Winter Tour Series really helps me get ready."
