After several years the Mazda open-wheel championship replaced its race-proven and reliable Star Mazda with a new model. Beginning in 2004, competitors would be racing a Pro Formula Mazda.

The Pro Formula Mazda is manufactured by the Van Diemen / Elan Motorsports Technologies group. The chassis is a carbon-fiber tub with fiberglass bodywork. The front and rear suspension is a pushrod setup with two-way adjustable shock absorbers. Stopping the Pro Formula Mazda are four-piston calipers with vented rotors. It is powered by a 240-horsepower Renesis Mazda engine, also used in the road-going version of the Mazda RX-8. Bolted to the motor is a six-speed sequential transmission with a no-lift shift.

The opening round of the 2006 Pro Formula Mazda Championship was held at Sebring International Raceway and ended in mid-October at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

  • March 17-18 – Sebring International Raceway
  • May 13-14 – Houston
  • May 20-21 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
  • June 3-4 - Milwaukee Mile
  • June 23-25 – Gilles Villeneuve Circuit
  • July 15-16 – Miller Motorsports Park
  • July 22-23 – Portland International Raceway
  • August 5-6 – Trois-Rivieres
  • August 18-20 – Road America
  • September 2-3 - Mosport International Raceway
  • September 29-30 - Road Atlanta
  • October 21-22 – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

In addition to the overall title, championships were on the line for:

  • Expert Championship - Drivers aged 30-44
  • Masters Championship - Drivers aged 45 and older
  • Team Championship

Round three of the 2006 Pro Formula Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear was held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Drivers would compete for twenty-nine-laps around the thirteen-turn 2.258-mile road course.

Entering round three of the 2006 Pro Formula Mazda Championship, Ryan Justice was fourth in the title chase. Driving the No. 38 Northwest Autosport Pro Formula Mazda, Justice qualified on the pole. The second fastest qualifier, Jon Branam, got a better start than Justice, but Justice was back in first place before the end of lap one. He would lead flag-to-flag for the victory and move to second in the championship.
Finishing in the runner-up position at Mid-Ohio was Adrian Carrio. Third and sixth places in the first two races allowed him to share the lead points. In the qualifying session for round three, he was fourth fastest in the No. 74 Rockford Fosgate-sponsored Pro Formula Mazda. Carrio moved to third on the opening lap and then passed Jon Branam for a second-place finish. As a result, he was now in the sole position of first.
Quebec's Kevin Lacroix completed the podium at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The rookie opened his campaign with a third-place result at Houston. Lacroix was not entered in race one at Sebring International Raceway. He qualified sixth fastest for round three, driving the No. 74 John Walko Racing Pro Formula Mazda. Lacroix would find his way to leaders and battle with Adrian Carrio before finishing third.
Qualifying 1.076 seconds behind the pole-sitter, Ryan Justice, was the second-place starter, Jon Branam. Branam drove the No. 12 American Speed Factory prepared Pro Formula Mazda with backing from 3-Dimensional Services. He got a great start and jumped into the lead but was passed by the eventual winner, Justice, before the end of lap-1. Branam proceeded to lose positions and finished in fourth place.
Tied atop the championship standings with Adrian Carrio was Mike Potekhen. Potekhen started his 2006 season with a fifth at Sebring International Raceway and a fourth place at Houston. The No. 53 Avenue Communities sponsored Pro Formula Mazda was gridded fourth for the twenty-nine-lap contest. During the race, passes by Carrio and Kevin Lacroix relegated him to a fifth-place finish and third in the points chase.
The No. 9 Carmela Sausages Andersen Racing Team Pro Formula Mazda was driven by Gerardo Bonilla. The Skip Barber Racing instructor competed in the Expert class for drivers aged 34 to 44 and grabbed the overall victory in round one at Sebring International Raceway. At Mid-Ohio, Bonilla qualified seventh fastest and finished sixth overall. The result was a win in his class and solidified his place in the Expert standings.

FINISHSTARTDRIVERCARLAPSRETIREMENTS
11Ryan JusticePro Formula Mazda29-
25Adrian CarrioPro Formula Mazda29-
36Kevin LacroixPro Formula Mazda29-
42Jon BranamPro Formula Mazda29-
54Mike PotekhenPro Formula Mazda29-
67Gerardo BonillaPro Formula Mazda29-
714Daniel HerringtonPro Formula Mazda29-
812Logan GomezPro Formula Mazda29-
93Matt VarshaPro Formula Mazda29-
108Ross SmithPro Formula Mazda29-
1118Tom SutherlandPro Formula Mazda29-
129Brad JaegerPro Formula Mazda29-
1320Ramiro ScuncioPro Formula Mazda29-
1415Ron WhitePro Formula Mazda29-
1513John PewPro Formula Mazda29-
1617Doug PetersonPro Formula Mazda29-
1722John FaulknerPro Formula Mazda29-
1823Ken LoschPro Formula Mazda29-
1921Russell WalkerPro Formula Mazda29-
2024Jon BrownsonPro Formula Mazda29-
2127Warren KniperPro Formula Mazda29-
2219Charles AntiPro Formula Mazda29-
2310Mark PavanPro Formula Mazda28-
2428Jay PoscentePro Formula Mazda28-
2532Dan Tomlin Jr.Pro Formula Mazda28-
2634Thomas WieringaPro Formula Mazda28-
2733Richard HaskellPro Formula Mazda25-
2835Nur AliPro Formula Mazda25-
2930Steven Hickham Jr.Pro Formula Mazda19-
3026Dan Tomlin IIIPro Formula Mazda19-
3116Brian ThienesPro Formula Mazda13-
3231Michael GuaschPro Formula Mazda3-
3311Rob BunkerPro Formula Mazda13Excluded
3429Browning WilliamsPro Formula Mazda3Excluded

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