Successful Weekend for Skip Barber Racing School Alumni

 Lakeville, CT. (Mar. 28). With the 59th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring earlier in the month and the Formula One and INDYCAR season openers over the weekend, the 2011 race season has officially begun, and already Skip Barber Racing School and Skip Barber National alumni are tearing up the charts and dominating the podiums. A part of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder, Skip Barber Racing School remains dedicated to training champions as they climb to higher levels of racing.

USF200:
Since winning the 2009 Skip Barber Racing School Karting Scholarship Shootout and competing in the 2010 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National presented by Mazda, 2010 champion Spencer Pigot continues to turn heads. In only his third career start in the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda, Pigot started on the pole position and went on to lead all 21 laps of the 1.8-mile street circuit.  In Round Four, the 17 year-old Florida native finished second, his fourth time on the podium this season. Pigot now sits second in the championship standings, just two points behind Petri Suvanto. (Photo: Kelly Brouillet, Skip Barber Racing School)

Skip Barber Racing Sch0ool alumni Matthew Di Leo joined forces with Brian Stewart Racing at the start of the season.  In Round Three, the 15 year-old started 10th and impressively worked his way up to ultimately finish fourth in his third USF200 event. Di Leo is currently sixth in the championship standings.

Star Mazda:
In 2008, Connor De Phillippi won the Skip Barber Racing School Karting Scholarship Shootout and went on to clinch 2009 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National presented by Mazda championship. In 2010, he earned the Rookie of the Year title and also finished third in the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear.  This year, De Phillippi returned to compete in the Star Mazda Championship, and claimed the first win of the season in Round 1 at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  He currently holds a four-point championship lead over Martin Scuncio.

Firestone Indy Lights:
2008 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National presented by Mazda competitor Josef Newgarden claimed the first win of the 2011 Firestone IndyLights season, his career first start with the series.  Sam Schmidt Motorsports teammate and 2008 Skip Barber National champion (as well as 2010 Star Mazda Series champion) Conor Daly gave the team the second podium of the weekend, finishing in second, just 0.9552 seconds behind Newgarden. Newgarden leads Daly in the championship points with a 12 point lead. Daly will also compete this season in select GP3 events. (Photo: LAT photo)

IndyCar:
2003 Skip Barber National champion Raphael Matos improved nine positions to finish seventh in the IZOD IndyCar Series season opener at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Skip Barber Racing School graduate Tony Kanaan battled hard with Simona de Silvestro throughout the second half of the event to finish third on the podium.

GP3:
2006 Skip Barber Racing School Karting Scholarship Shootout winner Gabby Chaves announced over the weekend he will be running with the Addax Team in the 2011 GP3 series, further pursuing his dream to compete in Formula One. March 29-31 Chaves will have an official three day series test at the Silverstone Circuit in England to prepare for the season opener double header May 7-8 at Istanbul Park as part of the Turkish Grand Prix.

About Skip Barber Racing School
For 35 years, Skip Barber Racing School LLC, the leader in high performance driving and racing education has operated a fully integrated system of racing schools, driving schools, racing championships, corporate events and OEM events across North America. Skip Barber Racing School is offered at more than 20 of America’s most prestigious race tracks.

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Kelly Brouillet
kbrouillet@skipbarber.com

Skip Barber Racing School LLC.
29 Brook Street, Lakeville, CT 06039 | phone: 1 (800) 221-1131