The Mazda Road to Indy – the most successful driver development program in the world – is now further engrained in the grassroots level of the sport following today’s announcement that Andersen Promotions has formed a partnership with MAXSpeed Group, the United States distributor of the Rotax MAX engine platform. The nationwide professional karting series – with 21 Rotax MAX Challenge (RMC) divisions throughout the country – will become an Official Partner of the Mazda Road to Indy effective immediately to foster the next wave of up-and-coming drivers.

The Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires will continue this weekend, following a month’s hiatus, at the 1.7-mile MD Anderson Cancer Center Speedway temporary circuit at NRG Park in Houston, Texas. The Allied Building Products Grand Prix of Houston Presented by Marlin CNG Services will comprise a pair of 40-minute races held in support of the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston.

For the second time in two weeks in the Indianapolis area, a young Canadian scored his first victory in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. This time it was Garett Grist, driving for Andretti Autosport, who led from flag to flag in Saturday evening’s Allied Building Products Oval Challenge at the 0.686-mile Lucas Oil Raceway oval as part of the 69th Annual Visit Hendricks County Night Before the 500.

Less than two weeks after thrilling road course encounters as part of the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis, all three steps on the Mazda Road to Indy – the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires – will return to the Indianapolis area this week for some oval track competition.

Not content with scoring his maiden Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires victory yesterday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Canadian Scott Hargrove repeated the feat in today’s second leg of the Allied Building Products Grand Prix of Indianapolis.