News:

ROMAN LAGUDI COMPLETES COOPER TIRES WINTERFEST SERIES

"Belardi Auto Racing pilot completes preseason championship series; focus now turns to March USF2000 series opener in Sebring"

February 15, 2012 - Sydney, Australia native Roman Lagudi recently made his Belardi Auto Racing team debut at the Cooper Tires Winterfest Championship. As a six-race prelude to the full Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda series, Lagudi used the series to get acquainted with his new team and new ride as he gets set to contest the full Mazda Road to Indy ladder series in 2012. Visiting the Sebring International Raceway February 6-7 and Palm Beach International Raceway February 11-12, Lagudi walked away with invaluable experience and some solid results.

Starting off the two round, six race mini series at the famed Sebring International Raceway, Lagudi started his 2012 campaign off right with a solid sixth place during the morning practice session. Back on track a few hours later for the one qualifying session, Lagudi placed his #4 Belardi Racing Van Diemen just outside the top-ten as he endured a wet, yet drying track. Lagudi then went on to maintain his 11th place during the ten-lap Round #1 race.

Lining up on the inside of row seven for Round #2 the next day, Lagudi made great progress to finish the race in the eighth place despite the tricky track conditions that plagued drivers all day. With a damp track and rain threatening all day, Lagudi made the best of the final race by earning his highest placing finish of the event, seventh after the checkered flag had flown.

Heading to the Palm Beach International Raceway a few days later, the 17-year-old pilot excelled in qualifying, laying down the fourth quickest lap during the timed session. Placing eighth and sixth in Rounds #4 and 5, Lagudi’s Winterfest would come to an unfortunate end with a crash on lap six during the final race. Not to be deterred, Lagudi looked at the overall series as a positive and is now focused on getting the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda series underway.

“The Cooper Tires Winterfest was a great week and experience,” explained Lagudi. “I learnt a tremendous amount which will help for the start of the season. I had a good fourth place qualifying position in West Palm, which was definitely a highlight of the series, and an unfortunate crash to end the week. Besides this, I will be ready and excited for Sebring in March.”

“Also, congratulations to Spencer (Pigot) on winning the Winterfest title,” added Lagudi.

Lagudi will next see on track action during the 2012 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda series opener March 15-16, held in conjunction with ALMS’s 12 Hours of Sebring. The 2012 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda series will see 11 stops at some of the most prestigious tracks North America has to offer. Running weekends with the IZOD IndyCar series, the American LeMans series and the United States Auto Club, Lagudi is set to contest for the overall series title with championship-caliber team Belardi Auto Racing. The Las Vegas, Nevada resident is working towards a dream career in motorsports and is proud to represent drivers taking the first step in the Mazda Road to Indy ladder development program.

Roman Lagudi is proudly sponsored by High Performance Distributors and Champion Stone Tool and Supply. For more information on Roman Lagudi, please visit www.RomanLagudi.com or email Paul Lagudi at paul@romanlagudi.com.

2012 Schedule:

Sebring International Raceway, Florida
March 14-16, 2012
(With American Le Mans)

Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida
March 23-25, 2012
(With IZOD IndyCar Series)

Lucas Oil Raceway, Indiana
May 26, 2012
(Night Before the 500 with USAC)

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
August 3-5, 2012
(With IZOD IndyCar Series and ALMS)

Road America, Wisconsin
August 17-19, 2012
(With American Le Mans)

Streets of Baltimore, Maryland
September 1-2, 2012
(With IZOD IndyCar Series and ALMS)

Virginia International Raceway
September 14-15, 2012
(With American Le Mans)