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In 2013, the Pro Formula Mazda Championship entered its twenty-third 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.
The big news in the off-season was that the series ended its relationship with Goodyear and Cooper became the series' official tire supplier. After several years the Mazda open-wheel championship replaced its race-proven Star Mazda with a new model. Beginning in 2004, competitors began racing a Pro Formula Mazda. It has proven to be a safe and reliable car. 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 2013 Pro Formula Mazda Championship was held at Circuit of the Americas and ended in early-October at Houston, Texas.
In addition to the overall title, championships were on the line for:
Rounds eleven and twelve of the 2013 Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires were held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Drivers would compete in two races around the thirteen-turn 2.258-mile road course.
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Matthew Brabham had a disappointing weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, where he finished third and ninth. The grandson of the three-time World Champion, Jack Brabham, qualified on the pole for race one at Mid-Ohio and as expected, Brabham went flag-to-flag for the victory. In the finale, he started first but was passed by Diego Ferreira. However, Ferreira spun off course, handing the lead and win to Brabham. |
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After five podium finishes, Shelby Blackstock collected his first series victory in round ten at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Blackstock put the No. 28 Andretti Autosport Pro Formula Mazda third on the grid for the weekend’s first race at Mid-Ohio. The second-place starter, Scott Anderson, retired and the early race leader, Diego Ferreira, spun, giving Blackstock a runner-up result. In the finale, he finished fourth after starting third. |
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Diego Ferreira, driving the No. 57 Juncos Racing Pro Formula Mazda, qualified fifth fastest for Saturday’s contest at Mid-Ohio. Ferreira moved up the order and earned the final position on the podium. In the finale, he was gridded second but jumped into the lead on the opening lap. Unfortunately, Ferreira was caught out by oil on the track and fell second. His hopes for a win were dashed when the race ended under yellow. |
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Nicalos Costa made his series debut in round seven at Toronto, where he earned the final position of the rostrum. Costa qualified fourth quickest for race one at Mid-Ohio, driving the No. 82 Team Pelfrey Pro Formula Mazda. However, he only completed nine laps and was classified with a fifteenth-place finish. On Sunday, Costa bounced back. He started fourth and passed Shelby Blackstock and Spencer Pigot for a third-place finish. |
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Team Pelfrey driver Spencer Pigot scored his first series victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, piloting the No. 81 Pro Formula Mazda. Pigot qualified tenth for Saturday’s round eleven at Mid-Ohio. In the race, he charged forward and finished fourth, just 0.242-seconds behind Shelby Blackstock. On Sunday, Pigot started fifth and jumped to third in the race. However, the car’s handling fell off and he finished fifth. |
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| FINISH | START | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Matthew Brabham | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 2 | 3 | Shelby Blackstock | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 3 | 5 | Diego Ferreira | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 4 | 11 | Spencer Pigot | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 5 | 7 | Juan Piedrahita | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 6 | 6 | Kyle Kaiser | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 7 | 10 | Lloyd Read | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 8 | 8 | Kyle Connery | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 9 | 12 | Julia Ballario | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 10 | 15 | José Gutiérrez | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 11 | 13 | Bobby Eberle | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 12 | 14 | Walt Bowlin | Pro Formula Mazda | 20 | - |
| 13 | 9 | Zack Meyer | Pro Formula Mazda | 19 | - |
| 14 | 16 | Jay Horak | Pro Formula Mazda | 18 | - |
| 15 | 4 | Nicolas Costa | Pro Formula Mazda | 9 | - |
| 16 | 2 | Scott Anderson | Pro Formula Mazda | 7 | Did Not Finish |
| FINISH | START | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Matthew Brabham | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 2 | 2 | Diego Ferreira | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 3 | 4 | Nicolas Costa | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 4 | 3 | Shelby Blackstock | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 5 | 5 | Spencer Pigot | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 6 | 12 | Scott Anderson | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 7 | 6 | Zack Meyer | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 8 | 8 | Kyle Kaiser | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 9 | 9 | Lloyd Read | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 10 | 11 | José Gutiérrez | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 11 | 13 | Julia Ballario | Pro Formula Mazda | 16 | - |
| 12 | 16 | Walt Bowlin | Pro Formula Mazda | 15 | - |
| 13 | 15 | Bobby Eberle | Pro Formula Mazda | 15 | - |
| 14 | 14 | Jay Horak | Pro Formula Mazda | 14 | - |
| 15 | 10 | Kyle Connery | Pro Formula Mazda | 11 | Did Not Finish |
| 16 | 7 | Juan Piedrahita | Pro Formula Mazda | 11 | Did Not Finish |
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