Mazda Road to Indy schedules announced

PALMETTO, Fla. - Andersen Promotions today unveiled the 2015 racing calendars for the Mazda Road to Indy - the highly acclaimed driver training program for the next generation of Verizon IndyCar Series stars.

All three development series -- Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda -- will feature an expanded schedule of 16 races with some exciting new venues added to the traditional mix of circuits.

We are excited to see our schedule grow for all three series next season,

Dan Andersen

The new AER turbo-powered Dallara IL-15 Indy Lights package, which rolled out to rave reviews in prototype testing, will make its competition debut at 10 tracks featuring a blend of four road courses, three street circuits and three oval events with six double-header rounds.

All but one event will be in support of the Verizon IndyCar Series as the season finale for all three series will take place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in September. Indy Lights competitors will vie for a new guaranteed three-race scholarship program to the Verizon IndyCar Series, including the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016.

The Grand Prix of Indianapolis

The focal point in next year's schedule will be the month of May at Indianapolis. The Grand Prix of Indianapolis, which proved popular with fans and racers alike during its inaugural running in 2014, will continue to feature all three Mazda Road to Indy series at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Two weeks later, the crown jewel of the Indy Lights season - the Freedom 100 - will continue to be the traditional 100-mile race on Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.

The following day, the two junior development categories will stage their own Freedom 90 and Freedom 75 events at nearby Lucas Oil Raceway in conjunction with the USAC Silver Crown Series. These will shift to an afternoon pair of races to avoid scheduling conflicts with other activities taking place that day.

Broadcast coverage

Indy Lights will continue to enjoy one-hour race broadcasts on the NBC Sports Network with primarily same-day coverage as well as live broadcasts on the IMS Radio Network to Sirius XM Satellite Radio, indycar.com, indycarradio.com and the INDYCAR app from Verizon. ESPN International holds the international broadcast rights with races airing in Canada, Colombia, Mexico and Australia amongst others. The popular RoadToIndy.TV will continue to provide behind-the-scenes access to all competitors on the Mazda Road to Indy.

Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires

2015 Schedule of Events

March 27-29 Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida* (1.8-mile street course)
April 17-19 Streets of Long Beach, California (1.968-mile street course)
April 24-26 Barber Motorsports Park* (2.38-mile road course)
May 7-9 Indianapolis Motor Speedway* (2.439-mile road course)
May 22 Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
June 12-14 Streets of Toronto, Ontario, Canada* (1.755-mile street course)
July 11-12 The Milwaukee Mile (1.015-mile oval)
July 17-18 Iowa Speedway (.875-mile oval)
July 31-August 2 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course* (2.258-mile road course)
September 11-13 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca* (2.238-mile road course)

* Doubleheader Event

Upcoming tests will take place at Palm Beach International Raceway on December 16/17, the Homestead-Miami Speedway road course on January 26/27 and oval on January 29, NOLA Motorsports Park on February 17/18 and Barber Motorsports Park on February 23/24.

Pro Mazda will visit nine circuits next year with five road course, two street circuit and two oval events while USF2000 contests eight venues with five road course, two street circuit and one oval round. Four one-hour highlight shows on the NBC Sports Network and MOTORS TV in Europe will continue in 2015.

Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires

2015 Schedule of Events

March 27-29 Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida* (1.8-mile street course)
April 10-12 NOLA Motorsports Park* (2.75-mile road course)
April 24-26 Barber Motorsports Park* (2.38-mile road course)
May 7-9 Indianapolis Motor Speedway* (2.439-mile road course)
May 23 Lucas Oil Raceway (.686-mile oval)
June 12-14 Streets of Toronto, Ontario, Canada* (1.755-mile street course)
July 17-18 Iowa Speedway (.875-mile oval)
July 31-August 2 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course* (2.258-mile road course)
September 11-13 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca* (2.238-mile road course)

* Doubleheader Event

Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda

2015 Schedule of Events

March 27-29 Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida* (1.8-mile street course)
April 10-12 NOLA Motorsports Park* (2.75-mile road course)
April 24-26 Barber Motorsports Park* (2.38-mile road course)
May 7-9 Indianapolis Motor Speedway* (2.439-mile road course)
May 23 Lucas Oil Raceway (.686-mile oval)
June 12-14 Streets of Toronto, Ontario, Canada* (1.755-mile street course)
July 31-August 2 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course** (2.258-mile road course)
September 11-13 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca* (2.238-mile road course)

* Doubleheader Event
**Tripleheader Event

Cooper Tires Winterfest

February 19/20 NOLA Motorsports Park**(2.75-mile road course)
February 25/26 Barber Motorsports Park** (2.38-mile road course)
** Tripleheader Event

The unparalleled Mazda Road to Indy Summit program - providing the off-track tools drivers need in their motorsports careers - will continue to take place around the St. Petersburg and Indianapolis race weekends. The series point leaders in Pro Mazda and USF2000 in May will be given the opportunity to pace the Freedom 100 Indy Lights race, and the winners of the Freedom 100, Freedom 80 and Freedom 60 will be introduced and interviewed in front of the Indy 500 crowd minutes before the start of the race.

"We are excited to see our schedule grow for all three series next season," said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. "After much input from our teams and partners, I think we have achieved the proper mix of circuits to prepare our drivers to progress up the ladder system. All three series will now compete across the border in Toronto and we have added NOLA Motorsports Park and Iowa Speedway as well as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca which will be the site of our finale. It's a fantastic circuit and the perfect setting to close our season.

"Adding in the Cooper Tires Winterfest, Pro Mazda and USF2000 will have 22 races in total next year and Indy Lights will benefit from over 14 hours of track time at Winterfest. The interest in the Mazda Road to Indy is at an all-time high and I think you will see some surprises for next year across the board in all three series."

Andersen Promotions