Beginning this Saturday, on the Velocity Network, race fans and gearheads can enjoy the first of 24 episodes of the best roadracing in America. The Mazda Motorsports Hour will focus on the stars of tomorrow, young up-and-coming racers looking to move up the Mazda Road to Indy and the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Ladder. The 24 hour-long broadcasts will focus on three Mazda spec series:
- The SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup
- The Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear
- The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda
Both the Star Mazda and USF2000 Championships are a part of the Mazda Road to Indy. Over 25 percent (25%) of 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series drivers have spent time within a Mazda series as they progressed upward to reach the Indy 500. The action in all three series has been intense at the opening rounds in Florida.
AIRDATE (All times Eastern) SERIES/VENUE
Saturday, April 21 - 12pm MX-5 Cup #1: Sebring International Raceway
Saturday, April 28 - 12pm MX-5 Cup #2: Sebring International Raceway
Saturday, May 5 - 12pm Star Mazda: Streets of St. Petersburg
Saturday, May 12 - 12pm USF2000: Sebring & G.P. of St. Petersburg
Sunday, May 20 - 12pm Star Mazda: Barber Motorsports Park
Saturday, June 9 - 12pm MX-5 Cup #3: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Saturday, June 16 - 12pm MX-5 Cup #4: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Saturday, June 23 - 12pm Star Mazda: Lucas Oil Raceway Park
Saturday, June 30 - 12pm USF2000: Lucas Oil Raceway Park
Saturday, July 7 - 12pm MX-5 Cup #5: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Joining TV host Rick Benjamin in the booth will be racers Randy Pobst for the MX 5 Cup, and James Hinchcliffe on Star and USF2000. Todd Lewis will be the pit reporter.
Dates/times subject to change. The final 14 shows will be confirmed closer to the air dates.
To find the Velocity channel, go to http://velocity.discovery.com and type your zipcode into the channel finder.