The second annual Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout will feature a new addition this year as eKartingNews.com – the authority on the karting industry – will select one up-and-coming karter as the recipient of a 2017 Shootout entry ticket.

What do Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, James Hinchcliffe, Tony Kanaan, Josef Newgarden and Spencer Pigot have in common? All are graduates of series comprising the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires – one of the most successful driver development programs in the world, providing a unique, scholarship-funded path to reach the Verizon IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500.

Each week, we take a look via Twitter at what the teams and drivers of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires are up to!

Winning the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda Team Championship highlighted a season that team owner Augie Pabst describes as one of the most successful – and enjoyable – of his life.

The Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires – the most effective driver development platform in the world – concluded its best season to date this month with thrilling championship battles punctuated by thriving off-track initiatives that firmly position the INDYCAR-sanctioned ladder series for future growth and global presence.