Three more Verizon IndyCar Series venues have been locked in through 2020, in the form of Green Savoree Racing Promotions having announced a new three-year deal with the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires.
As the MRTI races have been confirmed, it also ensures they’ll be on the weekend card with IndyCar in St. Petersburg, Toronto and Mid-Ohio. Toronto announced a title sponsorship extension through 2020 with Honda Canada at its weekend, earlier this year. This release also confirmed the IndyCar race weekends will continue to be known as the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Honda Indy Toronto and Honda Indy 200 respectively.
All three MRTI series - Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda - will be at all three tracks.
As these tracks have been a staple since the formal inception of the MRTI in 2010, it was a natural for them to continue, said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions.
“Eight years ago the Mazda Road to Indy’s relationship with Green Savoree began with USF2000 at St. Petersburg, and over the years it has been a tremendous partnership,” Andersen said.
“This renewal to have the entire Mazda Road to Indy at all three Green Savoree events through 2020 is the perfect foundation for what we believe to be the best calendar of road courses, street circuits and oval venues designed to train young drivers for careers in professional racing. Kim [Green] and Kevin [Savoree] have three of the premier events on the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule – a testament to their skills in organizing and promoting – and we are very pleased to be a part of their success.”
Savoree, president and chief operating officer of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, added: “The racing competition and the depth of driver talent showcased in the Mazda Road to Indy have been fantastic. Dan (Andersen) and his Andersen Promotions team have done a phenomenal job of building each step of the development ladder for open-wheel racing’s future stars. We’re proud to have all three series return and be key features at all three of our INDYCAR venues for an additional three years.”
Pirelli World Challenge has also been part of these three weekends in years past, to create an overflow of content between open-wheel and sports car racing in the same weekend. PWC is yet to release its 2018 calendar.