Following IndyCar’s recent revamp of its Road to Indy champion’s scholarships, organisers of the Castrol Toyota Racing Series have confirmed any driver who competes in all five rounds of the 2020 and 2021 seasons will automatically qualify for a package aimed at guiding the drivers into the programme.
Champions of the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship will receive a guaranteed graduation to the next tier as well as test in either an IndyCar or Indy Lights machine.
Now New Zealand’s premier single-seater class – TRS – will have its drivers who see out the 2020 and 2021 seasons become eligible to receive free entry for either the annual two day spring training test or the two day Chris Griffis Memorial test along with a free set of tyres for a test in either USF2000 or Indy Pro 2000.
Similarly, the top three finishers in those two Road to Indy series will receive a waived $5000 NZD entry fee for the full 2021 TRS championship.
“I appreciate the opportunity to work with Dan Andersen and Jonny Baker to continue to collaborate and develop the relationship between the Castrol Toyota Racing Series and Road to Indy,” said TRS Category and Operations Manager Nicolas Caillol.
“The scholarship programme is unique and provides a fantastic pathway for Kiwi drivers, particularly in the current economic climate.
“Hunter McElrea‘s recent involvement with the programme and of course Scott Dixon and his success within IndyCars over many years provides further inspiration for our up and coming NZ talent. This year Lucas Petersson became the second driver after Artem Petrov to have taken the opportunity of the TRS/Road to Indy partnership, and we wish him all the best for his season in Pro Indy 2000.”
Today’s announcement makes the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires the only driver development programme to guarantee its champions advancement to the next step on the ladder.
Despite a lengthy hiatus amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 and USF2000 seasons are set to get underway with a series-sanctioned Spring Training 2.0 open test at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on June 29.
Racing is slated to begin on July 9-10 with a doubleheader at Road America in support of the NTT IndyCar season.