News:

ROMAN LAGUDI EARNS TOP-FIVE FINISH AT MID-OHIO

"Belardi Auto Racing pilot maintains third place in the overall championship"

August 8, 2012 - Returning to the racetrack after a two month series hiatus, Belardi Auto Racing team driver Roman Lagudi would look to keep up his string of solid results in the 2012 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda series. Taking to the 2.258-mile, 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio for rounds six and seven, run in conjunction with both the IZOD IndyCar Series and American Le Mans Series, Lagudi would show speed to run at the front all weekend long.

Thursday's test day would see Lagudi post times of fifth and sixth in the two sessions. Lagudi would again be near the top of the time sheets Friday for official practice, posting eighth in the early morning session but then improving to fourth in the afternoon.

Confident heading into the first of two race days on Saturday, Lagudi would get things started with a solid fourth place run in the qualifying session for the #4 Champion Stone/Tool and Supply/High Performance Distributors/Belardi Auto Racing entry. Enduring a race-long battle with the #8 entry of Shelby Blackstock, Lagudi would go on to earn a fifth place finish in the 20-lap race, his sixth top-five finish in as many starts.

Sunday's events would see a wet track from a passing thunderstorm hamper track conditions, setting up an interesting dynamic for the second race of the weekend. Starting in seventh, based on lap times from Saturday's round, Lagudi would line up inside row four for the start. With multiple incidents on the slick track resulting in several caution periods and a race shortened to just nine laps, Lagudi posted the fastest race lap but would only come home with a 16th place finish, a result of an early pit stop. Despite finishing down the running order, Lagudi was able to finish in front of his championship rivals and maintains his third place in the overall USF2000 championship standings.

Next up for Lagudi is a trip to the picturesque Road America facility in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin August 16-18 for rounds eight and nine.

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)