Tag: #IndyLights

Exclusive Autosport to make anticipated expansion to INDY Lights in 2022
Posted by admin on in Miscellaneous News

Exclusive Autosport to make anticipated expansion to INDY Lights in 2022

Exclusive Autosport Release : 3/Nov/2021

2021 Indy Pro 2000 Team champions now linked from F1600 through to Indy Lights

SASKATOON, SK (November 3, 2021) – As the only open-wheel racing team in North America with its own internal development ladder system running from F1600 racing into the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, Exclusive Autosport is thrilled to announce that after a hiatus due to Covid 19, it will expand once again in 2022 by making its debut in the top-level Indy Lights program. Coinciding with the anniversary of its tenth year of competition, the growing operation has acquired two brand new Dallara IL-15 chassis and plans to field two entries next season. The team was initially set to make its debut in the Indy Lights program in 2020 but, due to the season being canceled, the team made the decision to focus solely on their USF2000 and Indy Pro 2000 programs for an extended period. This resulted in the operation’s first Road to Indy Team Championship, winning the prestigious honor in the Indy Pro 2000 Championship this season. Armed with this momentum and taking the opportunity to leverage the growing momentum in the Indy Lights program, Exclusive Autosport is excited to finally complete its platform along the entire RTI ladder. The team has already signed its first Indy Lights driver for 2022, and this announcement will be made in the near future.

“We are really excited to get back into the Indy Lights series,” enthused Michael Duncalfe, Team Principal. “Even though we purchased two used IL15 cars previously, due to Covid, we were only able to use them for private testing. We will enter the 2022 season with two brand-new Dallara IL15 chassis, a very experienced crew, and an incredibly talented driver already signed. We are extremely optimistic about our chances in Indy Lights and will be building from the positive momentum of winning the Indy Pro 2000 Team Championship. We are really looking forward to the 2022 season getting underway.”

Using F1600 racing as its launching pad into the world of open-wheel competition, Exclusive Autosport is the winningest team in the Canadian Formula 1600 competition over the last six years, having scored 16 titles in the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship (Ontario) and the F1600 Canada (formerly Formula Tour in Quebec) programs. The team has also found success in the Formula Race Promotions F1600 Championship, winning the title in 2015. EA returned to American F1600 competition in 2021 scoring four wins and finishing third in the championship. The Canadian-owned operation has grown steadily over the last five years, having expanded from their multi-time championship-winning F1600 team in 2017 when they purchased and ran four Tatuus USF-17 cars to debut in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship. Expansion continued in 2018 when they added their Indy Pro 2000 Championship program, and since then, the team has continued to be one of the top running programs to compete within the RTI series, racking up a combined 19 wins, 48 podiums, 16 poles, and one team championship.

In 2022, Exclusive Autosport will become the only team with its own driver development ladder that reaches from F1600 through to Indy Lights, providing a direct road for a driver with the quest to one day run in the NTT INDYCAR Series.

“INDYCAR is pleased to see Exclusive Autosport make the move to Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires,” said Levi Jones, Director of Indy Lights. “Seeing an established team use the Road to Indy platform to expand their reach is tremendous. It is a team with a championship pedigree and a program that will push everyone in the 2022 championship. We look forward to working with Michael and his group as we continue to elevate Indy Lights.”

 

About Exclusive Autosport:

Exclusive Autosport (EA) is a professional racing team dedicated to the success of its drivers in open-wheel formula car competition in North America. EA operates teams on the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship and the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and will expand to Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires in 2022. The team also competes in the F1600 Championship Series in the US, and in F1600 competition in Ontario, Quebec and Eastern America to develop young racers for advancement up their internal ladder system. Exclusive Autosport’s drivers have secured numerous championships, race wins, podium finishes and pole positions, as well as Rookie of the Year awards. Exclusive Management Inc., the team’s parent company, has enjoyed great success in both open-wheel and sports car racing and has worked with standout drivers. Their mission is to develop drivers and prepare them for the upper echelons of professional motorsports.

Stats:

 F1600:

Wins – 138

Podiums – 291

Poles – 122

Championships – 20

USF2000:

Wins – 7

Podiums – 18

Poles – 7

Indy Pro 2000:

Wins – 9

Podiums – 30

Poles – 12

Championships – 1

 

Posted by admin on in Road to Indy

Exclusive Autosport announces driver for 2020 Indy Lights season

 

SASKATOON, SK (December 23, 2019) – Exclusive Autosport is happy to announce the return of Nikita Lastochkin to the team, making his debut in the 2020 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tire season. The Russian-born, Los Angeles, CA resident will pilot the team’s #90 Dallara IL-15 featuring the Exclusive Autosport’s red and white livery with branding from his sponsor Russkaya Mekhanika. This will be the team’s first season in Indy Lights, but they have already shown in the series’ official winter test that they have serious pace, topping the speed charts in one of the five sessions earlier this month in Sebring.

 

“We are thrilled about our 2020 Indy Lights program and we’re equally excited to announce that Nikita, who ran with us in Indy Pro 2000 this past season, has chosen to take the next step in his career with Exclusive Autosport in our first year in the program,” enthused Michael Duncalfe, Team Principal. “I am truly proud of the relationship that has been built with Nikita the past year. To me, it speaks volumes about his trust and belief in EA. Nikita showed extremely well at the first series test in Sebring and we can’t wait for the start of the year in St. Petersburg.”

Lastochkin began his racing career in 2013 in the Skip Barber and SCCA series, scoring many victories, all with his eyes on making the jump to the Road to Indy program. In 2015, Nikita began a two-year stint in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship, where he earned a combined 24 top-10 finishes. In 2017, he set his sights on an Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires program (Pro Mazda, at the time) and the 28-year-old finished fifth in the championship standings, posting eight top-fives and 11 top-10s with a season-high result of third in both races at Road America. In 2018, Nikita was ninth overall in the Indy Pro 2000 championship fight with 10 top-10 finishes. Last year, Lastochkin completed his first season with Exclusive Autosport in Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires, gaining five top-five finishes and sixth overall in the championship battle.

 

“I am extremely happy to be able to work things out and make the step up to Indy Lights,” said Lastochkin. “It is a humbling experience every time I get in the car, since I could not imagine how I was going to make it this far a few years ago. ‘Where there’s a will there’s a way’ is what they say, and my plan is to just keep working hard and see how far we can take it. Exclusive Autosport is going to be my home on the Road To Indy for the second year and I am confident we are going to be able to make it a great debut in the new series. Michael and Kimberly Duncalfe have been amazing in building a team that I am happy to be a part of. Our first test at Sebring went well, we have a great group of people together for the Lights program and I am very excited for my first Indy Lights start in St. Pete.”

 

Exclusive Autosport is already preparing for the 2020 season, continuing with their winter testing program. Though this is EA’s first Indy Lights season, they are using the winter to mold the team and prepare to give Nikita a car that can contend for a win at every race. Lastochkin will join his EA teammate Braden Eves under the tent, as the reigning USF2000 champion was announced last week for his Indy Pro 2000 debut.

Posted by admin on in Road to Indy

Zachary Claman DeMelo will not finish the 2019 Indy Lights Season

Zachary confirmed on his Instagram account this morning that he will not be competing in this weekends Indy Lights Freedom 100 race and that his season is finished.

“Racing is such a sport of highs and lows! So today I got official confirmation that I will not be competing in the Freedom 100 and my season is over due to sponsorship.The year started off amazing for me winning St. Pete and getting the points lead early in the year, and then things all turned after (Circuit of the Americas) when we forgot to put fuel in the car for qualifying and had an engine failure in the second race due to mileaged out parts.
Anyways I would like to thank the team at Belardi for all the hard work, and my engineer Tim Neff who has been absolutely amazing. I look forward to seeing what’s next in my career, and would like to think it’s far from over!”

Posted by admin on in Mazda Road to Indy

@IndyLights Freedom 100 Race Results from @IMS

Canadian Dalton Kellett started from the pole in today’s Freedom 100 Indy Lights race from Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Unfortunately Dalton couldn’t hang on and finished the race in third place behind the race winner #98 Colton Herta and second place finisher Pato O’Ward.

1 #98 Colton Herta Valencia CA Andretti Steinbrenner Racing
2 #27 Pato O’Ward (R) Monterrey Mexico Andretti Autosport
3 #28 Dalton Kellett Toronto Canada Andretti Autosport
4 #5 Santi Urrutia Montevideo Uruguay Belardi Auto Racing
5 #48 Ryan Norman Cleveland OH Andretti Autosport
6 #9 Aaron Telitz Rice Lake WI Belardi Auto Racing
7 #2 Davey Hamilton Jr (R) Boise ID Team Pelfrey
8 #23 Victor Franzoni (R) Sao Paulo Brazil Juncos Racing