2007 Mazda Open wheel

The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is an open-wheel racecar driver development series in North America. Competitors use spec Formula Mazda race cars built by Star Race Cars. The original series, using first-generation tube-frame cars started in the early 1990s, with the current, high-tech, carbon-fiber car released in 2004. The series has historically included road courses, street courses, and ovals. The series' primary sponsors are Mazda and Goodyear and the cars, while purpose built for the track with carbon fiber monocoques, are powered by 250 horsepower Mazda 'Renesis' rotary engines. The series' stated goal is "to develop new race driving talent".Many Star Mazda graduates have gone on to race in top-tier open wheel series, including American Formula One and NASCAR driver Scott Speed, rising IRL stars Marco Andretti (son of Michael Andretti and grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti) and Graham Rahal (son of Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal). Also on the list is prototype/Champ Car/NASCAR racer Michael McDowell. The series had, in the past, held six geographic divisions, each of which holds their own championship. In the late 1990s a single national series emerged as the primary venue for the cars. In 2007, all races in the series were televised on Speed Channel, a cable TV channel which features various motorsports. This is a form of spec racing in which all the cars in a given race have identical specifications, thus ensuring that driver ability is the greatest factor in determining success on the track. All the cars used in these races are produced by Star Race Cars of Pacoima, CA and powered by Mazda rotary engines. Cars are designed to be a comparatively low cost method of entering open road racing, although most teams still strive for corporate sponsorship. The opening race in the 2006 season was held in Sebring, Florida the day before the American Le Mans Series held their 12 Hours of Sebring race. This race was won by Gerardo Bonilla. The winner of the 2007 Sebring race was Marco Di Leo, and Dan Tomlin Jr. won first place in the Masters Division