Junior Open Wheel Talent

According to a spreadsheet that hit my inbox today, the Oct. 28-29 Chris Griffis Memorial ‘Road to Indy’ test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has 43 cars entered between the three feeder series, with seven more entries in limbo. Those numbers seem to be in question, though, as more information arrives. Stay tuned for final numbers and updates.

Hopefully, the entries remain — or grow — when the teams begin to unload their cars this week. I’ll try to update the list below as additional information becomes available.

The USF2000 National Championship and Star Mazda Championship provided driver and team information. My Indy Lights contact hasn’t provided any information at this point. Per today’s spreadsheet:

• USF2000: Seven teams, 14 cars with four additional entries on the fence.
• Star Mazda: Five teams, 7 drivers and 13 cars with one additional entry on the fence.
• Indy Lights: 10 teams, 16 cars with three additional entries on the fence.

Make the jump to see who will be testing with whom in the USF2000 and Star Mazda ranks.

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It was announced yesterday that Scott Hargrove has signed with JDC MotorSports for the 2012 USF2000 National Championship.

The 16-year-old Canadian tested with the team at Blackhawk Farms Raceway last month and impressed onlookers.

Hargrove spent this season in the Skip Barber Summer Series where he finished runner-up, logging four wins. Additionally, he was named Series’ Rookie of the Year.

Hargrove should be a pretty good fit for JDC; watch for the duo to have a solid season in USF2000 competition.

Trent Hindman became the first junior formula driver to commit to a 2012 program when he signed with Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing for the ’12 USF2000 National Championship today.

Hindman ran four races in the USF2000 Winterfest last year, compiling three podium finishes. This season he won the Ontario Formula Ford Championship and was named Rookie of the Year in the Skip Barber National Championship after finishing runner-up with six pole positions, three wins and nine podiums. In addition, he was chosen as one of the finalists for the 2011 Team USA Scholarship and will be competing in the Formula Ford Festival and Walter Hayes Trophy in Europe this fall.

Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing earned the 2011 USF2000 National Championship title with Finland’s Petri Suvanto behind the wheel.

It goes without saying this will be an incredibly solid combination for Hindman and CM/WTR.

IndyCar announced the following this afternoon:

Mazda Road to Indy teams will get a jump start on 2012 when INDYCAR hosts a two-day test open to USF2000 National Championship, Star Mazda Championship and Firestone Indy Lights teams at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course on Oct. 28-29. The Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Open Test is dedicated to the memory of Chris Griffis, the team manager of Sam Schmidt Motorsports’ Firestone Indy Lights team, who died unexpectedly on Sept. 12.

Read the full release here.

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[Update] – View the entry list for the Chris Griffis Memorial ‘Road to Indy’ test.

Spencer Pigot celebrates his second win of the 2011 USF2000 National Championship as he takes the checkered flag in Round 9 at Road America.
(Photo: John R. Hendrick/USF2000)

Spencer Pigot started the weekend just the way he wanted. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of his start in Round 9 of the USF2000 National Championship at Road America.

But, the race wasn’t over.

Pigot snared the pole position, besting championship-leader Petri Suvanto by 0.007 seconds on the high-speed Wisconsin road course. At the start of the race, Pigot was relegated to fourth place and it seemed his reign at the front might be over. Undeterred, Pigot focused on the draft and putting down consistent laps. By Lap 4, the 17-year-old standout was up to second, closing on the gearbox of  Suvanto.

Two laps later, Pigot made a bid for the lead passing Suvanto. With six of 12 laps completed, he began to pull away from the field. By the time the checkered flag waved, Pigot — having set the fastest lap of the race — had developed a 5.697-second advantage over second place earning his second USF2000 National Championship win.

“The race was a lot of fun, but a bit more fun than I would have liked after falling back to fourth,” Pigot said post race. “I had to fight hard to get past Zach [Veach] and was able to get back into the lead pretty quickly after that. I kept pushing and tried to pull away.”

Meanwhile, Suvanto had his hands full battling for second place with Wayne Boyd, Zach Veach and Chris Miller, who were all dicing for a spot inside the top-three. Boyd was quickly removed from the fight when race control issued a blocking penalty. Veach worked his way past Suvanto for second, but the Finn reclaimed his runner-up position on the white flag lap. Veach settled for third, while Miller ended his run in fourth. Timmy Megenbier rounded out the fast five.

Saturday’s Round 10 was cut short due to rain. Pigot, starting from pole, led the opening laps with Suvanto in second and Miller in third. By Lap 3, Boyd found his way past Suvanto. On the fourth lap precipitation dampened the race circuit creating havoc in the running order. Boyd took the point with Suvanto moving into second place, relegating Pigot to third. Miller dropped back to 10th.

With the track surface deemed overly wet, drivers were sent to the pits for rain tires. Due to time constraints, the drivers returned to the track for a one-lap dash to the checkered flag.

With the white flag waving on the restart, Suvanto and Pigot worked their way past Boyd. Megenbier found his way to fourth on the restart and Veach moved up three spots to round out the top-five. At the stripe, Suvanto led Pigot by 2.704 seconds, earning his fifth win of the 2011 season.

With the win, Suvanto (277 points) extends his championship lead to 39 points over Spencer Pigot (238). Zach Veach is third with 209.

The USF2000 National Championship drivers return to action on Sept. 4 at Baltimore.

USF2000 National Championship

• Round 9 Results
• Round 10 Results

For up-to-date coverage of junior formula racing, follow @JOWT on Twitter.

Timmy Megenbier navigates the undulating Mid-Ohio circuit en route to his first career podium finish aboard the No. 17 Sick Tea Racing Van Diemen.
(Photo: John R. Hendrick)

Petri Suvanto refuses to put a wheel wrong in his pursuit of the 2011 USF2000 National Championship.

The 18-year-old Finnish driver earned his fourth win of the season Sunday after sweeping both races at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, extending his lead in the 2011 Championship Class point standings.

In Round 7 — the first race of the weekend — Suvanto piloted his No. 3 Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing Van Diemen to a 6.972 second margin of victory.

Wayne Boyd, of Northern Ireland, finished runner-up with American Spencer Pigot rounding out the podium. Timmy Megenbier finished fourth after starting sixth with Zach Veach rounding out the top-five.

In Round 8, Suvanto repeated Saturday’s flawless performance by driving to a 6.454-second margin of victory; earning his fourth win of the 2011 season. Boyd, again, finished runner-up establishing himself as a clear front-runner.

The real story on Sunday was the performance of privateer Megenbier, who after a great battle with Pigot, finished third earning his first-career podium finish driving for Sick Tea Racing in the No. 17 entry. Megenbier made his way past Pigot on Lap 12 and never looked back despite battling grip on scrubbed tires.

Pigot finished fourth with Canadian Matthew DiLeo rounding out the top-five.

• USF2000 Round 7 Results
• USF2000 Round 8 Results

For up-to-date coverage of junior formula racing, follow @JOWT on Twitter.

Jonathan Scarallo has inked a deal with AcceleRace MotorSports to run the Aug. 4-6 USF2000 National Championship event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Scarallo, 19, will compete in the National Class piloting the squad’s No. 29 Van Diemen. Earlier this season, he ran seven races in the F2000 Championship with a best finish of fifth at Road Atlanta. He started from pole position during the first race of the weekend at the Georgia road course.

Learn more about Scarallo via his racing website: http://jonathanscarallo.com/

Luigi Biangardi testing the No. 9 Belardi Auto Racing USF2000 car at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Illinois. (Photo: Brad Ellingson)

Luigi Biangardi has signed with Belardi Auto Racing to compete in the final-six USF2000 National Championship races of the 2011 racing season.

The 15-year-old driver, who has experience in Skip Barber regional and national competition, recently tested with BAR at Illinois’ Blackhawk Farms Raceway, running approximately 400 miles during the two-day test. Biangardi will make his debut Aug. 6-7 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

It may take a bit to get up to speed, but Biangardi should be a solid addition to BAR and,by all reports, his two-day test was impressive. I would assume the Illinois-native will use the remainder of 2011 for seat time with hopes of running a full USF2000 campaign in 2012.

I apologize for the lack of updates during the last couple weeks. I promise there was a good reason for my absence: I’m officially married.

While I was away, the Mazda Road to Indy gathered at the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisc. Here’s a quick recap for those who missed it.

USF2000 National Championship

I’m not sure if Wayne Boyd was inspired by fellow Irishman Rory Mcllroy’s historic performance at the U.S. Open, or if it was something else entirely. Either way, the native of Northern Ireland earned his first career USF2000 victory this past weekend in Milwaukee.

Boyd took the lead on the opening lap and never looked back despite being challenged by pole sitter Zach Veach throughout the 50-lap race. Veach trailed by 0.304 seconds at the checkered flag. The win was also a first for Boyd’s team Belardi Auto Racing.

Boyd was the fifth different winner in six USF2000 races this season. Juan Piedrahita secured his second-consecutive podium with a third-place finish after starting from the tail of the field following a qualifying incident.  Luke Ellery — Piedrahita’s teammate at JDC MotorSports — was fourth, while championship leader Petri Suvanto rounded out the top five. Click here for full results.

Star Mazda Championship

A name very familiar to those of us who follow junior formula racing echoed out of the loud speakers in Milwaukee Sunday night.

Sage Karam, the 2010 USF2000 National Champion, earned his first Star Mazda victory in just his fourth career start. He led all but five laps aboard his No. 88 Andretti Autosport entry Sunday, cruising to the checkered 13.43 seconds ahead of runner-up finisher Martin Scuncio. Karam started third and Scuncio took the green flag in seventh.

Karam, who showcased his speed right-off-the bat by setting the quick time in Thursday’s open practice, set the fastest lap of the race (27.763 seconds). Sunday’s victory marked Karam’s second-consecutive podium finish.

Nick Andries finished third after an impressive weekend which saw him top the time charts in the first official practice and set the pace during qualifying for his first-career pole position.

Frenchman Tristan Vautier — who leads the championship — finished the 98-lap event fourth while rookie Gustavo Menezes claimed his first career top-five finish. Click here for full results.

Indy Lights

It might not have been a very exciting race for the fans, but it sure was fun for Esteban Guerrieri.

The 26-year-old locked down his first career Indy Lights win from pole position Sunday at the David Hobbs 100, despite starting from the point two other times this season (St. Petersburg and Long Beach).

Guerrieri led all 100 laps en route to a 5.5102-second margin of victory over his Sam Schmidt Motorsports’ teammate Josef Newgarden. The final tally marked the fourth time in five races that SSM has had a 1-2 finish. The lone exception was Barber Motorsports Park.

Jorge Goncalvez put together a solid drive to secure the third and final podium spot after starting the race seventh. Perhaps more impressive is the fact that Goncalvez landed his first career podium after suffering one of the most violent wrecks in recent memory at the Freedom 100 in Indianapolis a mere three weeks ago.

Bryan Clauson edged Gustavo Yacaman for fourth on Lap 87. Only eight cars were running when the checkered flag waved.

Newgarden, the only repeat winner this season, continues to lead the championship battle heading to Iowa Speedway this weekend.

I’ll be on site reporting from Iowa this weekend, so make sure to check back and follow JOWT on Twitter.

Petri Suvanto picked up his second consecutive win in Round 5 of the USF2000 National Championship at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis as part of the Night Before the 500.

The talented Finn started from pole position and led early on carving his way through lap traffic. Australia’s Luke Ellery worked his way up to Suvanto’s rear wing midway through the race after starting fourth. Nearing lap 30, Ellery found his way past Suvanto and appeared as if he might become the first repeat winner.

That all changed on lap 48 when a lap car driven by Rodin Younessi spun in front of the lead pack. With nowhere to go, Ellery was collected and his day was over.

Suvanto reclaimed the lead and held off Zach Veach for the final 10 laps of green flag racing. By taking the checkered flag as the race leader, Suvanto became the first repeat winner of the 2011 USF2000 National Championship season. Previously, he won Round 4 on the Streets of St. Petersburg.

In addition to earning the pole position and winning the race Saturday in Indianapolis, Suvanto also set the fastest lap of the race touring the 0.686-mile bullring in 21.791 seconds.

Juan Piedrahita put together a good race rounding out the top-three with Spencer Pigot just behind in fourth place. Wayne Boyd rounded out the top-five.

The USF2000 National Championship resumes action on June 16-18 at the Milwaukee Mile.

Complete results after the jump.

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