Oconomowoc, Wis. – Pabst Racing is proud to announce that second-year Mazda Road to Indy driver Garth Rickards will pilot the #22 Pabst Racing car for the 2016 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. Following a successful first season in the USF2000 championship, the 23-year-old Mechanicsville, Pa. native is poised to be a championship contender in 2016.

On a pursuit to honor his mother and her hard-fought battle with lung cancer, Rickards has been pursuing his dreams of becoming a Verizon IndyCar Series driver since 2012, when he began developing his skills with the Skip Barber Racing School. Soon after, he competed in the Skip Barber National Series where he won a race and earned six podiums.

After quick success in the highly competitive series, Rickards directed his focus to the F1600 Championship Series where he gained invaluable experience working in a team environment and securing great results. With a win and nine podiums, Rickards earned Rookie of the Year honors and a Team USA Scholarship nomination.

2016 with Pabst Racing will mark Rickards’ sophomore season in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. In 2015, he finished eighth in points and secured two top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. With goals of continuing to develop and advance, Rickards looks forward with optimism.

“My expectations are much higher this year and I know the guys at Pabst Racing have the same expectations as mine and that is to win races," said Rickards. "Testing has been great and I felt right at home from day one with Augie. To be honest it feels more like a Lights program working with the guys at Pabst with the attention to detail and the focus on what needs to be done in order to be a successful program. At the same time I am focused this year on continuing to grow as a driver and continue to refine my race craft."

Rickards will graduate from Shippensburg University with a major in Business Management and Administration this month.

“Most of all I just feel good and focused on the right things because I am finishing up school and have had a lot more time and energy to focus on the program.”

Sponsors Bobby Rahal Automotive Group, Premiere Glass & Mirror and Snap21 will be onboard for the 2016 season.

In addition, Rickards is currently campaigning his “Come Ride With Me To Stop Cancer” on GoFundMe to raise funding for his racing efforts and spread awareness while carrying on the legacy of his mother. Ten percent of the funds raised will go back to the American Cancer Society.

The 2016 season will begin on March 11 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

To learn more about the Come Ride With Me To Stop Cancer, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/kkabu8r6

Visit www.pabstracing.com for more about Pabst Racing.