New Port Richey's RC Enerson wins USF2000 St. Petersburg race

RC Enerson of New Port Richey celebrates winning his first USF2000 race. It comes a day after finishing second and a month after winning two preseason races.
ST. PETERSBURG — The turnaround for New Port Richey's RC Enerson continued Sunday with a dominating run at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg that led to his first victory in the USF2000 championship class.


"To get that first win is big," Enerson said. "To do it here at what I consider my home track is even better."

Enerson turned Sunday's race into a game of follow the leader after blowing past Saturday's winner, Victor Franzoni, and avoiding leftover debris from an opening-lap collision that involved eight of the 18 cars in the field.

Enerson, 17, led all 21 laps and finished 1.4289 seconds ahead of Franzoni. Franzoni was disqualified after his car failed post-race inspections. Jake Eidson of St. Petersburg-based Cape Motorsports moved up to second after finishing the race third.

"We had a pretty flawless race," said Enerson, who attended Gulf High for two years. "I took the lead at the start and was able to hold my gap a bit. A full-course yellow came out, but I made a good restart."

This is Enerson's third year in the series and second in the championship class. In 2013, he stood on the podium for the top three just twice and finished ninth in points.

But he emerged as one of this year's favorites after a strong performance at February's Winterfest, where he won two of the six preseason races and had two other top-three finishes.

"This is a great start to the season," said Enerson, who finished second on Saturday. "Hopefully, it continues."

Veach victorious: Zach Veach broke through for his first Indy Lights victory in the season-opener. Veach, who finished seventh in last year's standings, took the lead from pole-sitter Gabby Chaves after Lap 6 and won by 5.461 seconds.

"Last year didn't go exactly how we wanted it to," Veach said. "But my engineer (Doug Zister) never stopped helping me. This winter, I spent a lot of time trying to get more physically strong because I felt that was my weakness and spent a lot of time doing mental things and came into the season with a whole new attitude.

"My engineer definitely was on me a lot about saving tires. I was thinking, 'Just don't mess up. Just hit my marks; have clean laps.' "

Powerful Pigot: Spencer Pigot completed a perfect weekend with a victory in the Pro Mazda race. Pigot, who started on the pole, led all 23 laps and finished in 1:12.295. He also led throughout Saturday's abbreviated 17-lap race.

"We topped every (practice) session and won both races, so you can't do anything more than that," Pigot said. "I'm from Orlando and had a lot of people here to support me. Things are going well, and it has been a flawless performance from the team."

Cape Motorsports teammates Scott Hargrove and Neil Alberico finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

World Challenge: Tomas Enge, a newcomer in the GT class, edged Andy Pilgrim. Enge took the lead on Lap 29 of the 32-lap race by passing Pilgrim. In the GTS class, three-time series champion Lawson Aschenbach beat Tampa native Jack Baldwin, who won both of last year's races.

Stadium Super Trucks: PJ Jones won by about a truck length over series founder Robby Gordon. Jones has won two of the past three series races.

Bob Putnam can be reached at putnam@tampabay.com.

USF2000: Enerson Wins Winterfest Title with Victory

The weather conditions turned decidedly cooler on Wednesday (February 26) at Barber Motorsports Park, perfectly mirroring the demeanor of young Florida racer RC Enerson. The 16 year-old from New Port Richey, Fla., made a perfect start from pole position and controlled the final round of the six-race Cooper Tires Winterfest for the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda to secure both the race win and the mini-series spoils for Team E Racing.

Englishman Michael Epps, who started second, needed to win the race and gain the bonus points for fastest race lap, and lead the most laps in order to wrest away the title from Enerson. Epps wasn't quite able to match his double race-winning form from day one, and came up just 0.003 shy of claiming the fastest lap point, which also went the way of Enerson, but still came away with yet another podium finish and second place in the final points tally. His efforts also ensured a comfortable Team Championship victory for Belardi Auto Racing.

Teammate Florian Latorre, from Libourne, France, held third place in the early stages before slipping back to fifth behind former F1600 Formula F Championship Series protagonists Aaron Telitz and Jake Eidson, who continued their battle. Once again it was Telitz (ArmsUp Motorsports), from Birchwood, Wis., who came out on top - by just 0.602 of a second on this occasion - to claim a well-deserved maiden podium finish. Fourth place, meanwhile, was enough for Eidson (Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing), from Lakewood, Colo., to clinch third place in the Cooper Tires Winterfest.

Clarke Toppe, from The Woodlands, Texas, who scored his first victory at NOLA Motorsports Park last Saturday, posted another fine performance for JDC MotorSports. The 16 year-old lost a place on the opening lap to fall back to 11th, but charged hard thereafter to rise all the way to sixth ahead of teammate Scott Andrews, from Torquay, Victoria, Australia, who also made good progress from ninth on the grid.

Austin Cindric ran well in sixth during the early stages for Pabst Racing, but slipped back to ninth at the finish, behind Peter Portante (ArmsUp Racing). Felipe Donato, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, completed the top-10 for JDC MotorSports after a protracted battle with Daniel Burkett (Belardi Auto Racing).

"It was a great race today," stated Enerson. "I made a good start and just held my own in the race. To win the championship is just amazing. I want to carry this with me into the season and, hopefully, use this momentum to good effect in St. Pete and try to go for the regular season championship. The team did a fantastic job to give me a great car. My coach, Jonatan Jorge, has been amazing and I wouldn't be where I am today without him. I want to thank him, my parents, the team and everyone who supports me."

The regular Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda season will kick off on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., on March 29-30, with a doubleheader event in support of the IZOD IndyCar Series.

USF2000: Enerson and Toppe Score Breakthrough Maiden Victories at NOLA Motorsports Park

 American teenagers RC Enerson, from New Port Richey, Fla., and Clark Toppe, from The Woodlands, Texas, scored emphatic victories as the first three races of the Cooper Tires Winterfest for the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda concluded on Saturday (February 22) at NOLA Motorsports Park.

The 17-car field enjoyed cool, clear conditions at the 16-turn, 2.75-mile road course situated just across the Mississippi River from downtown New Orleans. They certainly proved to the liking of 16 year-old Enerson, who started from the pole in Round Two, and quickly established his superiority over an extremely competitive field.

His advantage grew to as much as three seconds by lap 11, whereupon day one's winner, Brazilian Victor Franzoni (Afterburner Autosport) fully hit his stride and began to whittle away at the deficit. The gap was down to 1.4 seconds with just two laps remaining, but Franzoni's hopes of being able to mount a serious challenge were dashed by a full-course caution after the erstwhile third-placed car of Danilo Estrela (Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing) ground to a halt on the backside of the race track.

Enerson was therefore assured of a well-deserved first victory both for himself and Team E Racing. Franzoni had to settle for second, while Estrela's teammate, Jake Eidson, from Littleton, Colo., completed the podium finishers.

Scott Andrews (JDC MotorSports, from Torquay, Victoria, Australia, finished a strong fourth to complete a fine comeback following a disappointing first race, when he was involved in an accident on the first lap. Norway's Henrik Furuseth (JAY Motorsports) and Frenchman Florian Latorre (Belardi Auto Racing) ensured there were six different teams represented among the top-six.

"The race was pretty much a flawless race," stated Enerson. "I started from pole, took the lead at the start and then there was a full course yellow. I was able to hold the lead on the restart, managed a gap and held it as long as I could. It went yellow at the end with around a lap to go and that is how it finished. My first win feels great and I want to hold onto this feeling."

Aaron Telitz (ArmsUp Motorsports) started from the pole for the afternoon's final race by virtue of posting the fastest race lap in race two, whereupon a self confessed "lack of aggression" saw him relegated to seventh on the opening lap.

Toppe, 16, who started alongside on the front row, took full advantage, taking the lead at turn one and pulling inexorably away from his rivals to score an accomplished victory for JDC MotorSports.

Franzoni, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, continued his excellent form by running second in the early stages, only to make a mistake on lap six, which saw him off-course in turn six. Eidson, the winner of last year's F1600 Championship Series, took over in second and held off a race-long challenge from Englishman Michael Epps (Belardi Auto Racing), who became the weekend's sixth different podium finisher.

Andrews again ran fourth after a protracted battle with the recovering Telitz, who overtook Enerson on lap nine, but was unable to find a way past Epps.

"I couldn't ask for a better day," added Toppe. "The first race didn't go that well and this race was perfect. I got out in front and led every lap. The car was great. JDC MotorSports gave me a great car. Thank you so much to my parents and everyone supporting me to be here. It is unbelievable and definitely feels great."

Enerson, who finished third in Friday's mini-series opener and sixth in race three, holds a slim six-point advantage, 70-64 over Eidson, with Franzoni, 61, Toppe, 58, and Furuseth, 56, also in close contention as the action moves on to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., for three more races next Tuesday and Wednesday (February 25-26).

The top-three will be posted following every session on the EFCN Facebook page, and EFCN Twitter page.


USF2000 Championship Cooper Tires Winterfest
Round 2 - Race Results
February 22, 2014
NOLA Motorsports Park - New Orleans, Louisiana

Pos.    Driver    Team    Diff.    Fast Time
1.    RC Enerson    Team E Racing    -    1:36.434
2.    Victor Franzoni    Afterburner Autosport    0.393    1:36.051
3.    Jake Eidson    Cape Motorsports/Wayne Taylor Racing    0.804    1:36.198
4.    Scott Andrews    JDC MotorSports    1.106    1:36.290
5.    Henrik Furuseth    JAY Motorsports    2.484    1:36.484
6.    Florian Latorre    Belardi Auto Racing    3.984    1:36.704
7.    Nico Jamin    Belardi Auto Racing    4.304    1:36.951
8.    Clark Toppe    JDC MotorSports    6.078    1:35.686
9.    Gustavo Myasava    Afterburner Autosport    6.845    1:38.254
10.    Santiago Lozano    M2 Autosports    7.188    1:39.302
11.    Juan Diego Maldonado    M2 Autosports    1:03.312    1:43.264
12.    Michael Epps    Belardi Auto Racing    1 Lap    1:36.194
13.    Jeroen Slaghekke    Afterburner Autosport    1 Lap    1:36.823
14.    Aaron Telitz    ArmsUp Motorsports    2 Laps    1:35.650
15.    Danilo Estrela    Cape Motorsports/Wayne Taylor Racing    2 Laps    1:36.920
16.    Will Owen    Pabst Racing Services    7 Laps    1:37.218
17.    Austin Cindric    Pabst Racing Services    12 Laps    1:43.938


USF2000 Championship Cooper Tires Winterfest
Round 3 - Race Results
February 22, 2014
NOLA Motorsports Park - New Orleans, Louisiana

Pos.    Driver    Team    Diff.    Fast Time
1.    Clark Toppe    JDC MotorSports    -    1:35.823
2.    Jake Eidson    Cape Motorsports/Wayne Taylor Racing    6.952    1:36.169
3.    Michael Epps    Belardi Auto Racing    7.736    1:36.150
4.    Scott Andrews    JDC MotorSports    9.747    1:36.200
5.    Aaron Telitz    ArmsUp Motorsports    10.191    1:36.062
6.    RC Enerson    Team E Racing    11.741    1:36.186
7.    Henrik Furuseth    JAY Motorsports    16.754    1:36.569
8.    Austin Cindric    Pabst Racing Services    16.755    1:36.333
9.    Will Owen    Pabst Racing Services    27.716    1:36.811
10.    Florian Latorre    Belardi Auto Racing    28.780    1:36.439
11.    Danilo Estrela    Cape Motorsports/Wayne Taylor Racing    29.415    1:36.769
12.    Jeroen Slaghekke    Afterburner Autosport    30.502    1:36.961
13.    Gustavo Myasava    Afterburner Autosport    53.873    1:38.842
14.    Santiago Lozano    M2 Autosports    1:03.394    1:38.748
15.    Juan Diego Maldonado    M2 Autosports    1 Lap    1:42.046
16.    Victor Franzoni    Afterburner Autosport    6 Laps    1:36.346
17.    Nico Jamin    Belardi Auto Racing    7 Laps    1:36.741

Eidson to Compete in USF2000

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (December 4, 2013) – Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing is pleased to announce that Jake Eidson will move up to the USF2000 Championship in 2014. The young driver claimed the 2013 F1600 Formula F Championship with sevens wins, the most in series history. 

“When we signed Jake for the F1600 Series, it was with the understanding he would move to USF2000 in 2014,” said team owners Dominic and Nicholas Cape. ”We had confidence in him as a young driver, and he proved us right by claiming the F1600 championship. We are looking forward to helping him grow as a driver as he moves up to USF2000.” 

In addition to his seven wins, Eidson had five poles and won the championship by 49 points. Following his championship run, he was selected as one of two Team USA Scholarship drivers. 

“My goals for the USF2000 Series is to use all the tools and knowledge I’ve gained last season from Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing team to be a top contender,” Eidson said. “I know the team is devoted to win, and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to work with Dominic and Nicholas again after already having a very successful year of racing that I hope to repeat next season.” 

The team will be on track December 9-10 for the Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park. 

About Cape Motorsports: Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing was formed in 2010 as a partnership between two successful racing entities. With leadership from brothers Nicholas and Dominic Cape, and along with Wayne Taylor and his organization in Indianapolis, the team campaigns cars in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda and the F1600 Formula F Championship Series. For more information, please visitwww.capemotorsports.com. You can follow the team on Facebook and Twitter (CMwithWTR) for updates. 

About USF2000: The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda debuted in 2010 and is a revival of the highly regarded USF2000 series, which ran from 1990 through 2006, launching the careers of many of today’s top drivers. Sanctioned by INDYCAR, the series is the first official step on the Mazda Road to Indy – a clearly defined path to reach the top echelons of the sport. In addition to providing a vital training ground for rising stars, the series champion will earn a scholarship package from Mazda to advance to the Pro Mazda Championship, the next step on the ladder system. The series is also part of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development program, which assists young drivers in advancing from the Skip Barber Racing School to USF2000.

Performance Tech Finishes Third in Class At Rolex 24 At Daytona

Performance Tech Finishes Third in Class At Rolex 24 At Daytona

International Speedway.DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 26, 2014)- finished on the podium in its debut, rallying late to place third in the Prototype Challenge class Jan. 25-26 atPerformance Tech MotorsportsRolex 24 At Daytona

Raphael Matos drove the team's No. 38 ORECA-FLM 09 from fourth to third with less than two hours remaining in the 24-hour race. Matos shared the car in the inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship event with Julio Campos, Gabriel Casagrande, Tomy Drissi and David Ostella.

"The 24 was rough, and we had a couple of problems leading up to the race, and our drivers didn't get a lot of seat time," said Brent O'Neill, Performance Tech team principal. "But they were all tough. They did an awesome job. All our mechanics, they never gave up. That's what it takes."

Performance Tech's drivers and crew throughout the race overcame a variety of challenges common to endurance racing on and off the track - handling problems, overheating caused by a water leak, a headlight failure, chassis vibration, a collision, pit penalty and negotiating slower traffic on track.

Handling problems and a light collision with the tire barrier dropped the No. 38 to eighth in the first third of the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic. But the team continued to fight on track and in the pits, using smooth, consistent laps from its drivers and opportunistic wave-arounds during multiple caution periods to regain lost laps.

Ostella drove the car to sixth place within four hours after the start of the race as nightfall descended upon the 3.56-mile circuit. Casagrande pulled the team to within four laps of the leader on his next stint.

Campos lifted the car just three laps off the lead on his next stint, but that deficit grew to five laps when he was forced to serve a penalty in the pits. But the car's persistent understeer problem vanished shortly before sunrise, with Ostella driving the car to third.

"I had a fantastic time," Ostella said. "I can't complain. Finishing on the podium was definitely the cherry on top for this weekend. Getting woken up to go drive a race car is definitely something I'm not used to, but it was a great challenge.

"I've got to thank Performance Tech for that because they did an awesome job here in Daytona. I didn't get much track time until the night practice before the race but Rafa (Matos) was a great co-driver to learn from. He did a fantastic job keeping the car on track and not making any mistakes."

A slow pit stop caused by the car failing to start in the pits after a driver change dropped the No. 38 Performance Tech car to fourth in the early morning hours. But Matos climbed into the car with three hours remaining and used will and skill to put the team on the podium.

"The car was hard during my first stint," Matos said. "It just wasn't reacting the way I wanted. But the entire Performance Tech team never gave up, and the car was very good during my final stint. I'm really happy we finished on the podium here in Daytona. It's such an honor."

Performance Tech will race next at the 62nd Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida on March 15 at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla. It's the second round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.


CHECKERED FLAG FAST FACTS:

Race: Rolex 24 At Daytona

Date: Jan. 25-26

Track: Daytona International Speedway (12 turns, 3.56 miles)

Results: No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports ORECA-FLM 09 (Julio Campos, Gabriel Casagrande, Tomy Drissi, Raphael Matos, David Ostella), third in Prototype Challenge class.

Next: 62nd Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida, March 15, Sebring, Fla.

Twitter: @perf_tech

Facebook: Performance Tech Motorsports

Jonatan Jorge Racing Development announces 2012 Driver Development Programs

Sarasota, Fla., March 6 – Today Jonatan Jorge Racing Development announced a diverse 2012 driver development program that will see the organization branch out to the upper levels of open-wheel racing and into the world of sports cars, working with new talent while continuing to develop several up-and-coming drivers.

“2012 is turning into a busy year”, said Jorge during a break in what has already been a busy schedule, even before the first race of the season. “A couple of drivers have moved on and I look forward to seeing how their careers progress. The program I’ve been able to put together for this year is our most diverse yet; in terms of drivers and series.”

JJRD makes its first foray into the American Le Mans Series as the driver coach for Performance Tech Motorsports, which fields Cooper Tires Prototype Lites cars for long-time JJRD client Tristan Nunez and drivers Danny Mancini, Richie Hold and Daniel Goldburg, and Le Mans Prototype Challenge drivers Rafael Matos, Antony Nicolosi and Ricardo Vera. The 2012 American Le Mans Series Championship Presented by Tequila Patron and Cooper Tires Prototype Lites seasons get underway next weekend at the 60th Anniversary Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.

“I’ve worked with Tristan for a couple years now and I’m exciting by the potential he continues to show, both in and out of the car. ALMS is new ground for me, particularly when it comes to LMPC. It is easy to say that ‘racing is racing’, but when you run longer events like the 12 Hours and Petit Le Mans and add extra variables like pit stops and driver changes. It will be a learning experience for me as well as the drivers I will be coaching.”

Also getting underway next weekend at Sebring International Raceway is the 2012 Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda. Jorge will continue his work with R.C. Enerson, who will debut in the USF2000 National class with ZSports/Team E.
“Our number one goal for R.C. this season is driver development. He has made great strides since moving into cars a little over a year ago with Skip Barber. The USF2000 National class with ZSports is an excellent opportunity for him to continue that development in the next level up and to prepare him for 2013.”

JJRD’s involvement with Team E will extend into its Firestone Indy Lights program, where it will work with the team’s 2012 driver line up, which will be announced along with their racing schedule, in the coming weeks.

Not losing site of where they started, JJRD will continue in the Skip Barber Race Series, working with MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver Danilo Estrela for the remainder of the Winter Series and will work with him for the upcoming Summer Race Series. Estrela currently leads the Winter Series after eight of 11 Rounds.

Look for additional driver announcements in the coming weeks.



Article courtesy of Jim Altemus (Altemus Prime Communications)

Anderson wins at Lime Rock, clinches Skip Barber National Championship

Fort Collins, Colo. – Scott Anderson, Skip Barber National Champion. Skip Barber National Champion Scott Anderson. MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver Scott Anderson. USF2000 driver Scott Anderson. Take your pick; Anderson will respond to any of them. After working through some car issues earlier in the week, the Fort Collins, Colo. driver closed out the 2011 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda at Lime Rock Park in winning fashion, clinching the championship on Friday and driving from fourth place to win the final round of the season on Saturday before collecting a $200,000 scholarship from Mazda to race in USF2000 in 2012.

Round 15
Coming into the weekend, Anderson had the advantage of a sizeable points lead but his closest contender in the championship, JJRD teammate Trent Hindman, had the momentum. While Anderson completed his second winless race weekend in a row last month at Autobahn Country Club, Hindman had his strongest weekend of the season with a pole, a win and a second place finish before heading to Mosport and clinching the Ontario Formula Ford Championship. The momentum continued to go Hindman’s way Friday afternoon as Hindman picked up his sixth pole of the season with a 58.208 sec. lap in single car qualifying while Anderson struggled on newer treaded BFGoodrich tires and qualified fourth.

“My car felt good, but the tires were newer than those on some of the other cars so they had more tread”, said Anderson after the session. “If the car is driven by others and the tires can get scrubbed in more I should be okay.”

Momentum began to swing Anderson’s way early Saturday morning during Qualifying for Round 16. Going into the Uphill on his sixth lap, Hindman put his car into the wall, damaging its front suspension and taking it out of the fleet for the weekend. While an earlier lap put him third on the grid ahead of Anderson, Hindman would start the race in an unfamiliar and untested car.

From the start Anderson drove a relatively uneventful race, while all around chaos reigned. Needing to win both races, Hindman led briefly before slowly fading through the field. On Lap 6, while Sebastian Ordonez and Danilo Estrella battled for the lead and while 2005 National Champion (and USF2000 driver coach) Gerardo Bonilla was working his way to the front, Anderson quietly passed Hindman for third. With three laps to go, the engine in Hindman’s car expired, and as he rolled to a stop in Big Bend, Anderson’s championship was confirmed. Bonilla took the overall win, the first by a Skip Barber Cup driver, while Danilo Estrella scored his first Skip Barber National win, followed by Sebastian Ordonez while Anderson clinched with a third place finish. Anderson was clearly relieved to have the championship settled.

“I had to change cars midway through qualifying earlier in the day. During the race I tried pushing too soon in a car I wasn’t familiar with and made a mistake that allowed the top three to pull away from me a bit. I knew something was wrong with Trent’s car almost from the beginning. It just wasn’t as quick as the car he had earlier in the day.”

“Gerardo on the other hand was flying. His quickest lap was a full second quicker than anyone else’s. Not bad for an old guy.”

Round 16
By the time the green flag dropped to start Round 16, the championship battle was over, which turned Saturday morning’s race into an issue of pride for Anderson, as he looked for his first win since sweeping at Road Atlanta in July. Anderson got a jump at the start, taking the lead before the end of Lap 1 and building a gap between himself and the second place battle between Hindman and Ordonez, while Round 15 winner Gerardo Bonilla made another run from shotgun on the field to challenge for the lead.

As the laps counted down, Hindman, Ordonez and Bonilla chased down Anderson, setting up a four-car lead pack to vie for the win. Ordonez took the lead briefly before being overtaken by Anderson, while Bonilla, consistently posting the quickest times of the race, got around Hindman before threading the needle between Ordonez and Anderson to take second with a handful of laps to go.

On the next to last lap, Bonilla went for it. Running down to the front straight to Big Bend, Anderson went defensive, leaving the outside line for the Skip Barber Cup driver. Bonilla took the bait but braked for the corner a split second too late, sending him wide and off the track. He lost two positions, reentering the track behind Hindman in fourth.

From there Anderson cruised to the victory, followed by Hindman, who got around Ordonez on the last lap, with Bonilla in fourth.

Scott Anderson finishes the season with six wins, 12 podiums, four poles… and a check for $200,000 from Mazda and Skip Barber Racing School to fund a ride in next year’s Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda. Anderson also joins an elite group of drivers as Skip Barber National Champion, including IZOD IndyCar Series drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti and Raphael Matos, Firestone Indy Lights driver Conor Daly and Star Mazda Championship driver Connor DePhillippi, to name a few.

“I can’t thank Phil Lombardi, Jonatan Jorge and the people at Skip Barber Racing School enough for an incredible season. And I wouldn’t be here without the support of my parents, who believed in me and quite literally made all of this possible. Finally, thanks to Mazda North American Operations and MAZDASPEED for supporting junior level drivers such as myself. I’m looking forward to working with them in 2012 and beyond.”

MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver Scott Anderson will be announcing his 2012 plans in the coming weeks.

Top 5 – 2011 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda, after Round 16 of 16
1. Scott Anderson, 456 points
2. Trent Hindman, -22
3. Brandon Newey, -31
4. Sebastian Ordonez, -56
5. Shelby Blackstock, -84