The new auto racing season is barely under way but the level of intensity will be high when all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy travel this week to Barber Motorsports Park in rural Alabama. Talented young Americans Zach Veach, Spencer Pigot and RC Enerson have grasped early advantages in their respective championship chases and will be looking to maintain their momentum as each series will host a pair of races which will once again run in support of the Verizon IndyCar Series.

Cooper Tire and the Mazda Road To Indy program, consisting of the ladder series Indy Lights, Pro Mazda, and USF2000, have teamed up for an inaugural social media hashtag program showcasing driver- and team-generated content throughout the entire 2014 racing season.

Brazilian rookie Victor Franzoni started the “regular season” Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in exactly the same way as he began the recent Cooper Tires Winterfest preseason mini-series – with a victory.

A field of over 20 talented young drivers representing nine different nations will line up for a pair of races this weekend as the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda gets under way with the Peninsula Pipeline Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Flanked by racing industry leaders, regional corporate, political and community leaders and competitors in the Mazda Road to Indy, Andersen Promotions Owner and CEO Dan Andersen and Tampa-based Victory Group’s CEO Adam Goodman this evening announced a new web TV initiative designed to boost open-wheel racing in North America “beginning with the sport’s next generation.” The gala launch of RoadToIndy.TV was held at the Victory Group’s studios with over 200 guests in attendance.