Just a little over a week after Patrick O’Neill and Shawn Westerhoff were awarded their trophies for winning the 2007 Pro Mazda and Standard Mazda Championships respectively they are headed into some serious post season racing in Monterey. This weekend is the penultimate rounds for the 2007 Standard Formula Mazda championship and there are already ten Standard Formula Mazdas entered in the event.
The World Speed Motorsports team is also headed to Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca with six Pro Formula Mazdas to compete in the SCCA Double Regional. “This is a great opportunity for our pro car drivers to get track time at Laguna Seca just before they attend the Star Mazda Series event that is here on Oct 20th,” stated Team Owner Telo Stewart. There are already a total of 29 cars entered in the FA (which is the Pro Mazda classification) and FM classes for this weekend’s races.
Next up on the schedule is the Formula Mazda Challenge Winter Series presented by Standing Start. The series will kick off at Buttonwillow Raceway Park located in Buttonwillow, California, with a double race weekend on November 17-18. The Buttonwillow weekend will be preceded by a special Standing Start Driver Development Day at the circuit on November 14th, a Data Acquisition seminar on the 15th, and open lapping on the 16th. World Speed expects to take a half dozen or more cars to these events, and Northwest Autosport and Phenom Racing Group have stated that they will attend the event as well. “I have spoken with a few additional Star teams, and independents and it looks like we are going to get a great turnout for the winter series,” stated series administrator Eric McCombs.
As the Winter Series begins World Speed Motorsports management is already working on race events for the 2008 season. “We will be competing in the entire 2008 Star Mazda Series with Taylor Hacquard and a yet to be announced driver, as well as operating the Formula Mazda Challenge which will feature multiple double race weekends in Northern California.” stated Operations Manager Mark Milazzo. “We have seen a big spike in interest in our team programs, and also the FMC Series and we expect to expand both next season.”
World Speed Motorsports has had some very encouraging meetings in the past week regarding 2008 dates, and is expecting to announce their schedule the same week as the Star Mazda Series schedule is released.