2009 Star Mazda Silly Season

JOWT Blog · 11 Oct 2008, 04:48 (Ref:2308873)

With the Star Mazda series set to crown it's 2008 champion, it seems now is as good a time as any to start an off-season thread for driver/team news/updates for 2009.

JOWT Blog · 11 Oct 2008, 04:52 (Ref:2308876)

Jessica Brannam has signed with Stars and Stripes Motorsports for a 2009 Star Mazda campaign. I would expect this will be a two year stop for the talented kart racer.

Alex K · 13 Oct 2008, 23:31 (Ref:2311713)

I think it's way to early, most teams will be signing for 2009 in 2009, ahead of 2009.

JOWT Blog · 14 Oct 2008, 11:22 (Ref:2312067)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex K

I think it's way to early, most teams will be signing for 2009 in 2009, ahead of 2009.

agreed but several drivers are testing with different teams now. Most teams won't announce their official driver line-up until the first week of the season.

JOWT Blog · 14 Oct 2008, 14:34 (Ref:2312203)

Conor Daly will most likely be running Star Mazda for 2009 after winning the 2008 Skip Barber National Championship. The SBN series champion is awarded $350,000 to be used towards a Star Mazda ride for 09. Rumors are circulating that he will drive for Anderson Racing, although nothing has been officially announced.

runshaw · 14 Oct 2008, 14:48 (Ref:2312218)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOWT Blog

The SBN series champion is awarded $350,000 to be used towards a Star Mazda ride for 09.

Thats a great prize. As far as I am aware over here in the UK you don't get anywhere near a prize like that if you win in Formula Ford/Renault. You often see champions struggling to even move up a formula after winning a title, i.e. Callum Mcleod won last years UKFF title and has managed about 4 races in National class F3, and Duncan Tappy who was 2007 FRUK champ had no money to even do half a season in WSbR. The prizes across the pond seem massively better!

JOWT Blog · 14 Oct 2008, 17:10 (Ref:2312342)

Quote:

Originally Posted by runshaw

Thats a great prize. As far as I am aware over here in the UK you don't get anywhere near a prize like that if you win in Formula Ford/Renault. You often see champions struggling to even move up a formula after winning a title, i.e. Callum Mcleod won last years UKFF title and has managed about 4 races in National class F3, and Duncan Tappy who was 2007 FRUK champ had no money to even do half a season in WSbR. The prizes across the pond seem massively better!

The prize package wouldn't be possible without the help and support of Mazda. Mazda has really come through for junior formula drivers creating the MazdaSPEED Development Ladder. The overall National champion in the Stars of Karting Series is awarded a funded ride in the Skip Barber National Championship. The winner of the Skip Barber National Championship receives a scholarship for a Star Mazda ride. The victor in the Star Mazda Championship receives a scholarship towards a ride in the Atlantic Championship.

Star Mazda driver Joel Miller was the Stars of Karting ICA National Champion prior to winning the Skip Barber National Championship in 2007. He currently leads the Star Mazda standings and is proof that the ladder system works quite well for a talented driver without a ton of financial backing.

runshaw · 14 Oct 2008, 17:16 (Ref:2312345)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOWT Blog

The victor in the Star Mazda Championship receives a scholarship towards a ride in the Atlantic Championship.

Thats a good ladder system. But isn't the future of Atlantic uncertain? Does it still have the $1m prize fund?

JOWT Blog · 14 Oct 2008, 17:24 (Ref:2312350)

Quote:

Originally Posted by runshaw

Thats a good ladder system. But isn't the future of Atlantic uncertain? Does it still have the $1m prize fund?

I guess we are kind of getting off topic here, but the Atlantic Championship has aligned itself with the ALMS, which provides another avenue for drivers after completing their Atlantic Program. They are not offering the $1M prize at this time, but they are currently working on putting together some very intriguing prizes for the future. I think the Championship will be quite strong for years to come, this was just a tough year for them (understandably). Vicki O'Connor did a tremendous job lining up venues and keeping teams/drivers involved in the series for 2008. It would have been very easy for many to back out...when the merger was announced.

JOWT Blog · 7 Nov 2008, 01:43 (Ref:2329785)

Anderson Racing has been busy testing drivers for both their Star Mazda and Indy Lights cars for 2009. Here is a brief write-up on the drivers involved.

Star Mazda test drivers:
Anders Krohn, Richard Kent, Josef Newgarden, Conor Daly, Nathan Silva

bil588 · 13 Nov 2008, 03:29 (Ref:2334035)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOWT Blog

The prize package wouldn't be possible without the help and support of Mazda. Mazda has really come through for junior formula drivers creating the MazdaSPEED Development Ladder. The overall National champion in the Stars of Karting Series is awarded a funded ride in the Skip Barber National Championship. The winner of the Skip Barber National Championship receives a scholarship for a Star Mazda ride. The victor in the Star Mazda Championship receives a scholarship towards a ride in the Atlantic Championship.

Star Mazda driver Joel Miller was the Stars of Karting ICA National Champion prior to winning the Skip Barber National Championship in 2007. He currently leads the Star Mazda standings and is proof that the ladder system works quite well for a talented driver without a ton of financial backing.

Yes, Mazda is a big support.

JOWT Blog · 18 Nov 2008, 03:33 (Ref:2336764)

Conor Daly is scheduled to complete a Star Mazda test with World Speed Motorsports later this month.

**gomick** · 22 Nov 2008, 06:03 (Ref:2339330)

Interesting that Anders Krohn (Formula Ford Champ) is testing Star Mazda - thought he would jump to Formula Atlantic

Looking forward to seeing how Conor Daly & Josef Newgarden go in their tests...

Alex K · 22 Nov 2008, 22:04 (Ref:2339772)

Money gomick, money, Star Mazda is twice as cheap as Atlantic.

**gomick** · 23 Nov 2008, 03:18 (Ref:2339907)

wouldve thought there is not much difference in the racing ladder between fford & fmazda...

Alex K · 23 Nov 2008, 10:52 (Ref:2340088)

It is big difference between those two, I'd say Â£100k - Â£150k diff., and even bigger difference when u combine Star Mazda and Atlantics. That's why Atlantics isn't popular anymore, cause its better to move to Indy Lights.

Allan Craighead · 25 Nov 2008, 17:24 (Ref:2341536)

Just in case you guys were wondering here what I've been told by drivers and teams are some approximate budgets for the various feeder series (in US Funds).

Formula Ford 2000 - $100-150,000
Formula BMW Americas - $280-320,000
Star Mazda - $250-300,000
Atlantic - $750-850,000
Indy Lights - $800-850,000

Cheers,

Al.

Valker · 25 Nov 2008, 17:51 (Ref:2341549)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allan Craighead

Star Mazda - $250-300,000
Atlantic - $750-850,000

According to Finns who raced in US this season (Markus Niemelä, Valle Mäkelä), Atlantic costs about 750 000 and Mazda is over 400 000.

**gomick** · 26 Nov 2008, 10:06 (Ref:2342010)

didnt mean $ difference - meant racing career ladder as you go up the formula's...

bil588 · 10 Dec 2008, 21:35 (Ref:2352070)

Just how good is Jessica Brannam?

JOWT Blog · 11 Dec 2008, 03:05 (Ref:2352269)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bil588

Just how good is Jessica Brannam?

Well...that remains open to interpretation. You can view her resume here. She has quite a bit of karting experience, but several of her accomplishments lack a deep talent pool. Personally, I have only seen her in karts ....so it's hard to make a prediction for next year. Assuming she puts in a lot of testing hours this off-season and makes Star Mazda a two or three year program, I think she could do quite well.

JOWT Blog · 19 Dec 2008, 17:36 (Ref:2358374)

Conor Daly has signed with Anderson Racing to contest the 2009 Star Mazda championship. The deal comes as part of the MAZDASPEED Devlopment Program, where Conor was awarded $350,000 for winning the Skip Barber National in 2008. Without a doubt, this combo will be fighting for the title in 2009.

**gomick** · 21 Dec 2008, 21:53 (Ref:2359430)

good for conor & great that he can progress further through the ranks - one to keep an eye on next year for sure...

bil588 · 3 Jan 2009, 21:48 (Ref:2364723)

How much has Jessica Brannam been training?

Rob29 · 4 Jan 2009, 09:28 (Ref:2364871)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bil588

How much has Jessica Brannam been training?

Her site has not been updated since July 07.

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