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January 23, 2007
Indianapolis, IN - Genoa Racing announced today that 2006 Star Mazda Champion, Adrian Carrio, will pilot the #17 entry in the 2007 Cooper Tires Presents The Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.
While most people spend their 18th birthday with friends, enjoying the moment, for Adrian "Ace" Carrio it was a chance to show his commitment to racing.
He spent his birthday at the Genoa Racing shop in Indianapolis, touring the facility and meeting team personnel.
He signed an agreement that will see him
run his rookie Champ Car Atlantic campaign with the newly re-formed team. Carrio comes to Genoa Racing hot on the heels of an impressive sophomore season in the hotly-contested Star Mazda Championship. Driving the Rockford Fosgate Mazda for World Speed Motorsports, "Ace" won two races, claimed six poles, as well as eight podium finishes en route to winning the title.
Prior to competing in the Star Mazda Championship, Carrio was part of the revolutionary "Team 16" effort for the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2005. He was
teamed with two other 16-year-old rookie drivers, competing in the GT class. The result was a seventh in class and 17th overall finish in Adrian's first
ever attempt at endurance racing. He earned the nickname "Ace" at a very young age for his impressive passing abilities and consistent fast lap times.
The name has followed him throughout his career.
Star Mazda Championship President Gary Rodrigues said, "We are extremely proud to see Ace Carrio follow in the footsteps our 2005 champion Raphael Matos and other Star Mazda success stories like Graham Rahal and James Hinchcliffe, all of whom were successful in the first year of their switch to the
Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda. Ace showed not only speed this past year but also a great deal of maturity chasing the Star Mazda Championship.
We expect to see him demonstrate those same talents again in 2007 and beyond. We see Ace's move to Champ Car Atlantic for 2007 as gratifying proof that the Mazda ladder system works."
This talented young driver is looking forward to the 2007 season. "Working with a team that has the depth of knowledge that Genoa Racing has to offer makes me extremely comfortable with my decision. It will allow me to focus on driving the car and performing to the best of my abilities. I feel that Genoa Racing and the outstanding staff that they have assembled will show greatly in my performance and results alike," told Carrio.
Adrian is up to the task of going into the Champ Car Atlantic series as a rookie. "I am excited for the challenge, as there will be a good many veterans as well as rookies like me," added Carrio. "I feel proud to be a part of the best support series that North America has to offer. This is one more stepping stone toward my life's dream, to race in Champ Car."
Genoa Racing is returning to the Atlantic series after competing in the Championship in the early 90s. Team Owner Angelo Ferro, Team Manager Thomas Knapp, and Team Consultant Jimmy Vasser have assembled together to re-establish Genoa Racing and vie for the 2007 Atlantic Championship.
Knapp, a successful open-wheel driver and engineer, is well-known for managing the 1999 Indy Racing League Championship program with Team Menard, as well as engineering the 2000 Indianapolis 500 pole-winning car. "We are all genuinely excited to have a driver of Adrian's caliber leading Genoa's charge in this competitive championship. It is our intent to establish a strong communication link between Adrian and the team in the forthcoming tests to ensure our preparation for the season opener in Vegas," told Knapp.
Jimmy Vasser is co-owner of Champ Car World Series Team, PKV Racing, but has roots in Atlantics. He finished second in the 1991 Atlantic Championship
with the help from both Angelo and Thomas. Jimmy said, "I am very excited that Genoa Racing has returned to the Atlantic Series. I am looking forward to
assisting the team in any way possible. I intend to aid the drivers in their development, and do everything I can to help advance their careers."
The team is looking forward to the first series test at Sebring this weekend, January 27-28. This will be the first of three pre-season testing events
before the season opener in Las Vegas, April 8. Drivers interested in the remaining seats available at Genoa Racing please contact Thomas Knapp at (317) 501-7223. Any other inquiries please contact Aislinn Miller at (405) 822-9012.
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Willows, CA
Thunderhill Raceway Park hosted a two-day test session for the Forsythe Championship Racing Atlantic team and a number of open-wheel racing's future stars got the opportunity to show their skills with one of Atlantics' top teams at the road circuit located about 60 miles north of Sacramento. Among the five drivers that tackled the six-turn, 1.695-mile configuration at Thunderhill was 2006 Star Mazda series champion Adrian "Ace" Carrio. The 17-year-old native of Monument, Colorado earned the test with the Forsythe squad after scoring a pair of wins and six poles en route to this season's Star Mazda title. Carrio became the first Star champion to be awarded an Atlantic test after the two series announced an official developmental partnership, in cooperation with Mazda North America, last summer.
The up-and-coming driver who hopes to one day compete in the Champ Car World Series made the most of the opportunity by showing steady improvement in the #37 Forsythe INDECK Mazda/Cosworth/Swift/Cooper Forsythe car while completing nearly 300 miles under sunny skies and cool temperatures on Thursday."The Atlantic car is a great car to drive and I really want to thank Mazda, Champ Car Atlantic, Forsythe Racing and the Star Mazda series for the chance to show what I can do," said Carrio. "The car fits my driving style perfectly. It has great balance and we were able to make some changes and I felt I developed some good chemistry with the team. I basically made my decision about a week after the Star Mazda season ended that my goal is to race Atlantics next season and this test only helps support my decision."
The Forsythe team, which experienced the Mazda development system firsthand after competing with Star Mazda graduate James Hinchcliffe in 2006, was impressed with Carrio's performance, but not surprised. "Ace did a good job in Star Mazda and we expected that he'd make a smooth transition to the Atlantic car," said Forsythe Racing Team Manager John Brunner. "He did a great job. He got up to speed quickly and he's right there timewise with the other drivers we've tested this off-season. He's definitely ready for the next step into Atlantics." Video of the test is available here>>
Ace Carrio Tests Indy Pro Series Car
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Homestead, FL
By winning the 2006 Star Mazda Championship, Ace Carrio was awarded a free test in a Sam Schmidt Motorsports-prepared Indy Pro Series car. Last week he flew to Homestead-Miami Speedway and was strapped into a 450-horsepower Indy Pro Series machine for the first time.
“It was really good,” said Carrio, who just started his senior year of high school. “I actually just drove (the final Star Mazda race) a couple of days ago, so I was pretty fresh in the car. I got acclimated pretty quickly. It was just a couple of changes, the car, the horsepower mainly. I just concentrated on keeping it on the track and getting a good, general overview of how the car felt. It’s really well-balanced. I had a great time running with such a professional team in a car with this much power.”
Roger Bailey, executive director of the Indy Pro Series, was on hand to witness the test. “Ace displayed quite a lot of talent, speed and consistency. He has the makings of a future race winner in the Indy Pro Series.”
Ace’s coach John Olsen of Standing Start was also on hand for support during the test. “Ace did a great job driving, and also representing himself as the champion that he is,” stated Olsen.
Ace is planning on keeping sharp in his Star Mazda during the winter with World Speed Motorsports, and he is also looking forward to his Atlantic test with Forsythe in November at Thunderhill. “I am really excited to be able to drive the Atlantic with one of the best teams in the series. I believe that the Star Mazda Series and all of the competition that is there has made me ready for the next step.” As part of the 2006 Star Mazda prize package Ace also won a Daytona Prototype test with Crawford that has yet to be scheduled.
Ace Wins the 2006 Star Mazda Championship
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Oct 22nd, 2006
World Speed Motorsports and Ace Carrio took pole position and the Star Mazda Championship this weekend at the Laguna Seca finale. In the race Carrio brought the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda home in the final podium position. "I was really hoping that we would be able to stay green this weekend in what was my last Star Mazda race as I look to move up to the Champ Car Atlantic Series next season," the seventeen-year old said. "Ryan was able to get the jump on me at the start as I was looking to protect my car and Michael got a run on me in turn five but we never got a chance to really race each other. It feels good to take the championship and I have to thank my crew at World Speed Motorsports. I also have to thank Rockford Fosgate and Barry Shames for sponsoring me this season as without their assistance I couldn't have gone racing."
At the banquet Emile Tabb World Speed’s Crew Chief and the #1 mechanic on Ace’s car was honored with the Hawk Brake Crew Member of the Year Award. Emile has worked at World Speed since 2001 when he was a mechanic on Scott Bradley’s Championship car. “Emile is the best mechanic I have ever worked with,” noted WSM Team Manager Mark Milazzo “and I would clone him if I could. It is fitting that he won this award, as he has put 110% into the #14 while still fielding technical questions from our headquarters and dealing with training our entire crew.” The award included a check for $2500.
In the Star Mazda Team Championship, WSM finished second. “We really wanted to lock the team championship as well, and came very close,” stated Team Owner Telo Stewart. “We knew it was going to be extremely difficult, with some of the teams running three cars for points and WSM only running Ace. Finishing second only 14 points behind John Walko Racing was really a testament to the hard work the team put in all year. JWR did a great job this year, and we would like to congratulate them on their victory.”
“We couldn’t have had the kind of year we had without all the hard work of the entire WSM crew,” added Milazzo. It also helped us to have the input, support, and encouragement from all the World Speed Russell Pro Series drivers. We have a lot of big things coming down the road in 2007, including our new 10,000 square foot facility. It is going to be hard to make 2007 a more productive year than 2006, but that is what we are shooting for.”
Round Twelve of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is scheduled to air on Speed Channel at 3:00 PM Eastern Time on Sunday, October 29th.
WSM fastest Overall in Practice at Road Atlanta
Ace is the only driver to break into the 1:20s over 2 day testing
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Braselton, Georgia.
Championship points leader Adrian Carrio, from Monument, Colorado, set the pace in this afternoon's thirty minute practice session for Round Eleven of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. Driving the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda, Carrio improved on his time from the opening session, posting a time of 1:20.960 (112.945 MPH) around the 2.54-mile Road Atlanta circuit.
Mark Wilkins, from Toronto, Canada, was also able to lower his lap time in the afternoon session to claim the second fastest time of the day with a lap of 1:21.121 (112.721 MPH) in the #3 AIM Autosport Bluetooth Mazda. Ron White, winner of the previous two rounds at Road America and Mosport International Raceway, was third fastest in the afternoon session with a time of 1:21.498 (112.199 MPH) which was good for the ninth fastest time on the day.
While Carrio and Wilkins posted their fast laps in the afternoon session, the majority of the front-runners were faster in the cool of the morning. Kevin Lacroix, from St Eustache, Quebec, was fourth fastest this afternoon but his time from the opening session of 1:21.125 (112.715 MPH) in the #74 John Walko Racing Uni-Select Auto Parts Mazda was good for third fastest on the day. Rob Bunker, in the #18 AIM Autosport Thrupoint Mazda, and Daniel Herrington in the #92 Phenom Racing Group Molecule Mazda were fourth and fifth fastest on the day respectively.
With sunny skies and mild temperatures, conditions were excellent for the day as thirty-two drivers posted times in the two sessions. With the top twelve drivers lapping within a second of each other the penultimate round of the 2006 championship promises to be intense. The on track action continues on Thursday, September 28th at 9:15 AM Eastern Time with a final practice session ahead of qualifying in the afternoon.
Round Eleven of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, being held this weekend in conjunction with the American Le Mans Series Petit Le Mans, is scheduled for Friday, September 29th at 12:45 PM Eastern Time
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Braselton, Georgia.
Ace and the World Speed Motorsports team were at Road Atlanta today testing in preparation for the penultimate race in the Star Mazda Series Championship on Friday. After the three testing sessions were over the #14 Rockford Fosgate Pro Formula Mazda was the fastest car of the day with a time of 120.908.
This weekend is another extreme weekend for the team as Ace and the entire crew will immediately fly out Friday night after the race and travel 3000 miles to Laguna Seca to test on Saturday and Sunday in preparation for the Star finale.
“Our west coast team was already scheduled to run 4 cars at the SCCA double race weekend, said team manager Mark Milazzo. When our engineer mentioned that he would like to test a few things at Laguna before the finale we looked at all our options. Having 22 Pro Formula Mazdas in our stable gives us a lot more options than most teams have. Tom Hughes who competes in our Russell Pro Series offered to rent his car to Ace for the weekend, and so we moved forward with the plan. It’s a lot of extra work and logistics to make these types of plans come together, but our philosophy has always been to go above and beyond the expected.”
Thirty-six competitors participated in today's three unofficial practice sessions.
Ace Featured on Motorsport.com 17 year old journalist meets his racing match
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Sonoma, CA This week Motorsport.com published an interview with World Speed Motorsports driver Ace Carrio. Adrian who is currently leading the Star Mazda Series Championship was interviewed for the Who's Who section of the popular racing website. The story was penned by 17 year old journalist Tony DiZinno. Tony has been on staff with Motorsport.com since February, 2006. The young writer, at the age of 16, won the Chris Economaki Junior Journalism Award in the summer of 2005. His reward was a trip to Indianapolis for the U.S. Grand Prix. Tony has written many articles for Motorsport.com for both the News and Magazine Channels covering races, teleconferences and special interviews. The teenager, who recently turned 17, gives a fresh perspective in the world of motorsports. While attending high school near his home in Phoenix, Arizona while he looks into prospective universities, Tony still finds time to cover a variety of motorsports topic. Motorsport.com features up-to-the-minute racing news coverage, with schedules, statistics, forums, features, and photos. Motorsport.com is headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida with locations and staff located in six countries and three continents around the world.
Check out the feature story here>> Pole position goes to WSM/Carrio at Mosport ANOTHER TRACK RECORD OBLITERATED
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Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.
Adrian Carrio, of Monument, Colorado, shattered the track record this morning to capture the pole position for Round Ten of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. Cloudy skies loomed over the 2.549-mile Mosport International Raceway but the anticipated rain never materialized as Carrio clocked a time of 1:14.169 (119.354 MPH) in the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda to capture his fifth pole position of the season.
"It felt really good to break the track record this morning as I spent a lot of time last night working with my engineer and driver coach to find that half- second on the track," the seventeen-year old Carrio explained. "The lap could've been a little bit better as I made a mistake in turn ten that was worth a tenth but the track was getting better and the tires were reaching their peak performance all at the same time. If the rain does come it will be nice to have the advantage of sight at the start of the race."
Starting alongside Carrio on the outside of row one will be local hero Mark Wilkins from Toronto, Canada. After setting the fastest time of the day on Friday Wilkins came back in qualifying to post a time of 1:14.608 (118.652 MPH) in the #3 AIM Autosport Bluetooth Mazda during this morning's forty-five minute qualifying session. Forced to miss this event in 2005 due to injury, Wilkins is motivated this year and should be strong for this afternoon's race.
Lining up third for the race will be Gerardo Bonilla, winner of the opening round of the season at Sebring International Raceway. Driving the #9 Andersen Racing Team Skip Barber Mazda, Bonilla, from Orlando, Florida, registered a time of 1:14.797 (118.352 MPH), edging out Logan Gomez and his #23 Velocity Motorsport INDYana Kid Mazda by eight- thousandths of a second.
Carrio's fast lap this morning broke the track record of 1:14.685 set in 2004 by Dan DiLeo. DiLeo, who finished second in the he 2004 championship and was named Rookie of the Year, will make his first start in the series since the 2004 campaign. Driving the #8 Ross Smith Racing Maxwell Paper Products Mazda, the Markham, Canada resident will line up fifteenth this weekend.
Round Ten of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is scheduled to get underway this afternoon at 1:05 PM Eastern Time.
Ace Carrio Paces Final Practice at Mosport Ready for Early Morning Qualifier
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Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.
Championship points leader Adrian Carrio, from Monument, Colorado, posted the fastest time in this afternoon's final practice session for Round Ten of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear at Mosport International Raceway. Hometown hero Mark Wilkins continues to hold the fastest time of the weekend heading into qualifying.
Carrio, driving the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda, lapped the 2.549-mile road circuit in a time of 1:14.587 (118.686 MPH) in the final forty-five minute practice session to edge out Ryan Justice, who set a time of 1:14.950 (118.111 MPH) in the #38 Northwest Autosport J&M Body Shops Mazda, for the top spot in the afternoon.
"It was a really good session for us as we made a couple minor changes that worked out for us this afternoon," the seventeen-year-old Carrio explained. "There were a few interruptions in the session so we'd only get a few laps at a time which was good with qualifying coming up as it helped me focus on getting a good lap in quickly. I also have to thank Telo and all the crew at World Speed Motorsports, my engineer Mike Doyle and driving coach John Olsen as their hard work has been key in my leading the championship."
Qualifying for Round Ten of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is slated to begin on Saturday, September 2nd at 8:00 AM Eastern Time.
World Speed Motorsports at Mosport This Weekend Fastest in promoter test day sessions
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Sonoma, CA
Practice kicked off today for Round Ten of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear with three unofficial promoter test sessions around the 2.549-mile road circuit located east of Toronto.
As has been the case at most events this season World Speed Motorsports and Ace Carrio have been fast right out of the transporter. Ace turned the fastest time of the day with a 1:14.751. (Track record is 1:14.685) Qualifying starts at 8:00am on Saturday, and the race takes place at 1:05p.
Adrian Carrio Shatters Track Record
another podium increases championship lead
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Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
After several drivers lapped under the existing track record in Friday practice, championship points leader Adrian Carrio shattered the record in qualifying to capture the pole position for Round Nine of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear at Road America. Driving the #14 World Speed Motorsports Rockford Fosgate Mazda, the seventeen-year old Carrio clocked a time of 2:03.849 (117.666 MPH) as the checkered flag fell to officially break the previous record of 2:04.621 set in 2004 by Daniel DiLeo.
"My crew stayed here until midnight last night working on the car and my engineer Mike Doyle made a couple of adjustments, and all those minor changes that fine tune the car make a huge difference at a track like this, finding just a little bit of time in each corner adds up, " Carrio explained. "The lap came late in the session because the pressure was on and I was able to get good track position for that last lap where I had a nice gap. This is the second time I've pulled out a pole on the final lap of qualifying and it's kind of fun to shock everyone at the end of a session."
In the race Carrio held the lead until the very last lap when Ron White in the #69 car was able to get a draft and get by. Carrio, who saw his lead dwindle twice due to caution flags, was disappointed to lose the lead on the final lap but philosophical about the championship implications on a weekend that saw his closest championship competitor, Michael Potekhen, involved in a shunt in the final corner of the circuit. "I have to give kudos to Ron there on the closing lap, I gave him a little bit of room and he managed to get through at the end, still we've pulled out a lot of room in the championship," the seventeen-year old Carrio said. "Those cautions killed our chances today as the car was working really well and I had broken the draft of the cars behind me, so to lose that was tough. I was able to hold everyone off on the first restart and was hoping that Ron and Logan would slow each other down racing for second but Ron was able to pull into the draft and get through. Still it was a great weekend for World Speed and I'm looking forward to Mosport."
In the Team Championship World Speed Motorsports remains in first place with 173 points, John Walko Racing remains in second place with 168 points and Apex Racing sits in third place with 135 points.
The series heads back to Canada for the third and final time this season in two weeks time, where it will join the American Le Mans Series for the Labour Day Grand Prix of Mosport on August 31st through September 2nd. Round Nine of the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is scheduled to air on Speed Channel at 3:00 PM Eastern Time on Saturday, August 26th.