16 year old wins 2008 Skip Barber Championship and Free Test Day with World Speed
16 year old Conor Daly won the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda Championship at the finale in October. As part of the prize package, he will receive a free test with World Speed Motorsports in a Pro Formula Mazda. Daly had this to say, “I was so honored to accept the Skip Barber National Prize from Mazda. Now I can’t wait to start getting ready for the 2009 season by testing with World Speed Motorsports! Throughout this test I am going to learn a lot for next season and that will be very beneficial.”
“We have been keeping an eye on the Skip Barber series all season, and there were a lot of contenders in the mix this year. Conor did a great job and really proved himself,” said Team Manager John Olsen. “Everyone on the team is looking forward to working with Conor.” The team is planning to test Daly before the end of the month.
The World Speed Motorsports Rising Star Award has been helping young racers move up the open wheel racing ladder for years. Some past Rising Star Award winners have included Scott Speed, Michael McDowell, Brad Coleman, Joey Hand, Cole Whitt, Alan Scuito, Joel Miller & Ryan Phinny. Many of these drivers have gone on to win in upper level open wheel, stock car, and sports car races all over the world. World Speed continues to train and develop future champions, and is hard at work testing in preparation for a full season in the 2009 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear.
The BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda is the first of the three-step ladder system that includes Star Mazda and the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. Each year’s champion is awarded a fully paid season in the following year’s Star Mazda series, a sponsorship package valued at more than $350,000. Scholarship funding from the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder can take a driver from Karts right through Atlantic.
“We really appreciate everything Mazda is doing to keep the sport moving in the right direction,” stated World Speed Operations Manager Mark Milazzo. “Sometimes our race weekends feel like Mazda exclusive events considering all of the Mazda powered cars we see entered. This along with the partnerships that Mazda has forged with tracks, promoters, and sanctioning bodies confirms how committed Mazda is to our industry.” On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle. At the track, you’ll see MX-5 Miata, RX-8, MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-7 and other vintage Mazda models competing, because every Mazda has the Soul of a Sports Car.