|
In 2010, the Pro Formula Mazda Championship entered its twentieth season as one of North America's premier open-wheel driver development series.
Series graduates have gone on to race in F1, Indy Cars, NASCAR, American Le Mans and Grand-Am.
In 2007, Mazda introduced their company-sponsored 'motorsports ladder' from karting to Champ Car. This year there are two driver development programs that converge in the Pro Formula Mazda Championship; the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder and the Indy Racing League's 'Road to Indy" program. The MAZDASPEED Ladder provides scholarship funding for champions to move up into the Pro Formula Mazda Championship, and for the Pro Formula Mazda champion to move up to the next level of Mazda-powered competition. The Road to Indy is designed to provide a clear path for top young drivers who set their sights on competing in the Indy 500. 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. Last year, there were some upgrades made to the car. The Modifications, including new wings, shock absorbers and suspension rockers, are designed to increase the car's aerodynamic efficiency and top speed while improving engine cooling; in addition, it will be easier for drivers and their engineers to arrive at the best setup for each track. The cumulative effect of the upgrades will be to increase both top speed and cornering speed, reduce maintenance costs and enhance mechanical reliability. The opening round of the 2010 Pro Formula Mazda Championship was held at Sebring International Raceway and ended in October at Road Atlanta.
In addition to the overall title, championships were on the line for:
Round eleven of the 2010 Pro Formula Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear was a forty-five-minute race held on the ten-turn 1.521-mile temporary street course at Trois-Rivieres.
|
|
|
The false grid at Trois-Rivieres for round eleven of the 2010 Pro Formula Mazda Championship. The No. 22 Indeck / The College Network / Merchant Services Ltd. sponsored Pro Formula Mazda of Conor Daly is on the pole. This would be the points leader‘s seventh pole position of the year. Sharing the front row with Daly is Anders Krohn driving the No. 47 Andersen Racing prepared Pro Formula Mazda. |
|
|
Louisiana’s Alex Ardoin repeated his 2009 Pro Formula Mazda victory at Trois-Rivieres. Ardoin drove the No. 51 Team GDT Pro Formula Mazda in a one-off. He was the fourth fastest in qualifying. The numerous caution periods during the race worked to his advantage. The restarts allowed him to pass Caio Lara, Anders Krohn and the pole-sitter, Conor Daly. As this was his only race of 2010, Ardoin was not eligible for points. |
|
|
Finishing behind Alex Ardoin was Jorge Goncalvez. To date, the highlights of Goncalvez’s season were runner-up finishes at Sebring International Raceway and Iowa Speedway. At Trois-Rivieres, he was gridded in the fifth position driving the No. 9 Team Apex Pro Formula Mazda. Goncalvez used the same strategy as Ardoin and received the checker in second place. As a result of the rules, he collected first-place points. |
|
|
|
In the first ten rounds of the 2010 Pro Formula Mazda Championship, the points leader, Conor Daly, had nine podium results, of which five were victories. His worst finish was fourth place at New Jersey Motorsport Park. At Trois-Rivieres, Daly put the No. 22 Indeck Pro Formula Mazda on the pole. During the race, he lost positions to Alex Ardoin and Jorge Goncalvez and collected the final spot on the rostrum. |
|
|
|
Anders Krohn was second in the points chase when the series stopped at Trois-Rivieres but still needed to collect a victory. He drove the No. 47 Andersen Racing prepared Pro Formula Mazda with backing from Norse Cutting & Abandonment / Trallfa and Colosseum. Krohn was gridded in the second position for the forty-five-minute contest. Like Conor Daly, he was passed by Alex Ardoin and Jorge Goncalvez and finished fourth. |
 |
 |
 |
| FINISH | START | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Alex Ardoin | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 2 | 5 | Jorge Goncalvez | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 3 | 1 | Conor Daly | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 4 | 2 | Anders Krohn | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 5 | 10 | David Ostella | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 6 | 12 | Joao Horto | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 7 | 3 | Caio Lara | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 8 | 13 | Rusty Mitchell | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 9 | 14 | Tatiana Calderon | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 10 | 7 | Mikael Grenier | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 11 | 6 | Tristan Vautier | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 12 | 11 | Kevin Toledo | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 13 | 16 | JW Roberts | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 14 | 15 | Chris Miller | Pro Formula Mazda | 39 | - |
| 15 | 18 | Carlos Conde | Pro Formula Mazda | 38 | - |
| 16 | 19 | Carlos Linares | Pro Formula Mazda | 38 | - |
| 17 | 8 | Connor De Phillippi | Pro Formula Mazda | 36 | - |
| 18 | 9 | Nick Andries | Pro Formula Mazda | 10 | - |
| 19 | 17 | Walt Bowlin | Pro Formula Mazda | 3 | - |
| Copyright Notice: |
| All content (photographs and text) appearing on this website are the exclusive property of © www.zoompics.com and are protected under International copyright laws. The subject matter on this website may not be reproduced, copied, stored or manipulated. |
