The Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires will include a revised sub-class for 2016 following today’s announcement that the Expert Series, which previously catered to drivers over the age of 30, will be brought more in line with the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Presented by Mazda and replaced by a new National Class.

Argentine Nicolas Dapero grew up in Buenos Aires in a family that had no auto racing background. But with help from fellow countryman Ricardo Juncos and the Juncos Racing driver development program, the 18-year-old will make his debut in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires this season.

If one searches for photos of Victor Franzoni, something stands out: there are almost none of the affable young Brazilian without a smile on his face. Whether it’s winning a race on the Mazda Road to Indy, building a stock car with his father or recovering from a devastating racing injury, Franzoni always has a positive outlook.

The fifth annual Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Test concluded today at Circuit of The Americas with drivers from all three levels of the acclaimed development ladder – the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires – enjoying three sessions in near-perfect cool, dry conditions.

Drivers from all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy were in action today at Circuit of The Americas as part of the fifth annual Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Test. The two-day test on the 3.4-mile road course, home of the United States Formula 1 Grand Prix, allows teams and drivers to gain a head start on preparations for the 2016 season.