News:
ROMAN LAGUDI TO TAKE ON THE STREETS OF BALTIMORE
August 30, 2012 - After a weekend to forget at Road America for rounds eight, nine and ten of the 2012 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda series, Belardi Auto Racing pilot Roman Lagudi has his sights on making a return to the podium this weekend. Taking on the Streets of Baltimore, as part of the IZOD IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Baltimore, Lagudi enters with four top-three results to date in the 2012 USF2000 series and is hungry to earn yet another trip to the podium.
After two disappointing race events, Lagudi will look to turn his luck around this weekend and get back to the podium. Earning a total of four podium finishes, as well as two top-fives and two top-tens so far in 2012, Lagudi will look to put his #4 Champion Stone/Tool and Supply/High Performance Distributors entry in contention for his first USF2000 career win at a track that suits his racing style. Also, after dropping to fifth in the overall championship point standings after a disappointing Road America appearance, where Lagudi dealt with an underpowered car, the focus now becomes recovering valuable points to move back up in the points tally.
ROMAN LAGUDI SET TO TAKE ON TRIPLEHEADER AT ROAD AMERICA
August 15, 2012 - After taking on the Mid-Ohio rounds of the 2012 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda series two weeks ago, Roman Lagudi will be back on track this week. Set to contest a tripleheader weekend with his Belardi Auto Racing team at the picturesque 4.048-mile, 14-turn Road America facility located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, running in conjunction with the American Le Mans Series, Lagudi enters as a championship contender with two rounds remaining after Road America.
Earning six top-five finishes in seven starts, including four podium results, Lagudi finds himself third in the overall championship standings, 50 markers out of first and 32 behind second place. In his first full season with the series Lagudi has been impressive, and he will look to continue that momentum this weekend.
ROMAN LAGUDI EARNS TOP-FIVE FINISH AT MID-OHIO
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.
ROMAN LAGUDI SET FOR USF2000 ACTION AT MID-OHIO
August 2, 2012 - After a two month hiatus, Roman Lagudi will return to action this weekend as the 2012 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda series resumes at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Piloting his Belardi Auto Racing #4 Champion Stone/Tool and Supply/High Performance Distributors entry, Lagudi will look to his strong Mid-Ohio test results from the beginning of May as motivation to excel this weekend. Posting times at the top of the time sheets during the test, Lagudi should have the speed to stay at the top during the doubleheader event.
After garnering his fourth podium finish in five starts at the most recent 'Night Before the 500' festivities at the end of May, Lagudi is primed and ready to return to the driver's seat. With the USF2000 running in support of both the IZOD IndyCar Series and American Le Mans Series, Lagudi will take to the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course in Lexington, Ohio for rounds six and seven.
ROMAN LAGUDI CLAIMS PODIUM FINISH AT LUCAS OIL RACEWAY
June 4, 2012 - Earning his fourth podium finish in five starts in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda series, Belardi Auto Racing pilot Roman Lagudi continues his impressive run in 2012. The talent, originally from Sydney, Australia, recently took on the 0.686-mile banked oval at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Indiana. As part of the eNight Before the 500f festivities, Lagudi headed to the prestigious event on the heels of his strong finishes to date and a recent successful test at the facility.
Posting times in the top-five during the morning practice sessions, Lagudi kept up the same quick pace he had shown during the early May test. Taking in qualifying Saturday afternoon under blazing hot temperatures, Lagudifs lap of 45.128 put him third in the running order for the scheduled 75-lap race. Keeping in touch with the lead two cars on the opening lap of the race, until a caution came out for a multi-car pile-up between turns one and two, Lagudi kept his #4 Champion Stone/Tool and Supply/High Performance Distributors Belardi Auto Racing entry in contention. After 19 laps under yellow, the race was restarted with Lagudi again able to hold with the leaders. Slowly losing ground but able to pull a gap on the fourth place driver, Lagudi finished the race, shortened to 46 laps due to time restraints, in the third place.
ROMAN LAGUDI HEADS TO INDIANAPOLIS FOR THE 'NIGHT BEFORE THE 500'
May 24, 2012 - Starting off the 2012 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda series with an impressive run of three podium finishes, Belardi Auto Racing pilot Roman Lagudi heads to Indianapolis, Indiana with confidence. While not in racing mode since the second stop of the series in March at the Streets of St. Petersburg rounds, two recent tests have kept the Las Vegas, Nevada resident fresh heading into this next important race. Taking on the banked-oval at the Lucas Oil Raceway as part of the eNight Before the 500f festivities with the United States Auto Club, Lagudi will put his skills to the test at the only oval stop on the 2012 USF2000 calendar.
Recently taking on two important test sessions at the beginning of May, Lagudi excelled first at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in preparation for the August 4-5 USF2000 event. Making a quick turn-around to Indianapolis, Lagudi and his Belardi Auto Racing team also impressed at the five- hours of oval testing at Lucas Oil Raceway as he geared up for this coming weekend. Taking in the Mazda Road to Indy Clinic the day prior, Lagudi used the knowledge learned from a panel of experts to quickly get up to speed at the 0.686-mile oval track. Posting times in the top three, the Sydney, Australia native will look to keep up his impressive streak to date in 2012, and vie for the coveted race win during the prestigious event.
ROMAN LAGUDI EXCELS AT USF2000 TEST
May 4, 2012 - After starting the 2012 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda series with three podium finishes, Las Vegas, Nevada resident Roman Lagudi continued to excel as series competitors took on two testing days at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Gearing up for Rounds 6 and 7, set for August 4-5 at the Lexington, Ohio circuit, as well as two other road course stops in 2012 at Road America and Virginia International Raceway, Lagudi logged 15 hours of track time with his Belardi Auto Racing team, and posted times at the top of the time sheets during the two day test.
Taking on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn permanent road course Wednesday, Lagudi unofficially led the way for the Championship drivers in the morning session, and then posted P2 in the afternoon session. Thursday saw the Sydney, Australia native in fourth, not far off the pace of the three lead cars.
ROMAN LAGUDI CLAIMS THIRD PODIUM FINISH OF 2012 IN ST. PETERSBURG
March 28, 2012 - Earning his third podium finish of 2012, Belardi Auto Racing team driver Roman Lagudi is continuing his success in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda series. In his second year in the Mazda Road to Indy ladder series, Lagudi recently took to the streets of St. Petersburg for the third and fourth rounds of the championship series. Running in conjunction with the IZOD IndyCar Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the Las Vegas, Nevada resident added two more impressive finishes to his resume at the prestigious street venue. Earning a third straight podium finish in round three after taking second and third at the opening rounds in Sebring, Lagudi added a top-five finish on Sunday to emerge as a title contender.
Qualifying in seventh for round three with a lap time of 1:14.037 on Friday, Lagudi would line up on the inside of row four for the start of the Saturday race. Completing 21 flyers around the narrow confines of the spectacular street course, with only one caution period interrupting the racing action, Lagudi was in fifth place as an intense battle for the final podium position ensued in front of him. Running a conservative race and trying to avoid making any mistakes himself in attempt to garner as many championship points as possible, contact between the third and fourth place cars on the last lap resulted in the Sydney, Australia native earning a repeat trip to the podium presentations.
ROMAN LAGUDI EARNS TWO PODIUM POSITIONS AT USF2000 SEASON OPENER
March 19, 2012 - After ending his 2011 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda series with a podium finish at the Baltimore Grand Prix, Belardi Auto Racing driver Roman Lagudi picked off right where he left off for the 2012 season. Heading to the Sebring International Raceway as part of the 60th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida for the first two rounds of the Mazda Road to Indy series, Lagudi garnered two podium finishes at the challenging, 3.7 mile course.
Taking on qualifying during Thursdayfs session, Lagudi was quickly up to speed to earn a career-high third place starting position. Later that day, Lagudi lined up on the inside second row for the first round of the 2012 season. In a race plagued with incidents and yellow flags, Lagudi emerged as the second place finisher as the final laps were completed behind the safety car.
ROMAN LAGUDI SET TO BEGIN 2012 USF2000 SERIES
March 15, 2012 - Heading into his first full season of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda series, Sydney, Australia’s Roman Lagudi is set to descend upon the famed Sebring International Raceway for the opening rounds of the 14-race championship. With a record 35-car grid set to challenge the Sebring rounds, taking place in conjunction with the 60th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida, Lagudi and his Belardi Auto Racing team will need to be on top of their game as they take on the challenging 3.7 mile full course.
As a second year pilot in the Mazda Road to Indy ladder series, Lagudi used the recent Cooper Tires Winterfest Championship as a warm-up to the full USF2000 schedule. With invaluable experience gained as Lagudi visited the Sebring facility as well as Palm Beach International Raceway, the Las Vegas, Nevada resident is poised to challenge for poles, podiums and wins in his #4 Belardi Auto Racing entry. Lagudi’s 2011 USF2000 campaign was highlighted by a third place podium finish at the season finale race in Baltimore, and the seventeen-year-old pilot will look to carry that momentum into his full 2012 season.
ROMAN LAGUDI COMPLETES COOPER TIRES WINTERFEST SERIES
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.
ROMAN LAGUDI GEARS UP FOR COOPER TIRES WINTERFEST
February 6, 2012 - Sydney, Australia native Roman Lagudi is set to begin the winter season in preparation for the upcoming Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda. With the Cooper Tires Winterfest Championship kicking off this week at Sebring International Raceway, the Belardi Auto Racing pilot will look to use the six-race mini-series as a prelude to his first full season in open wheel racing.
?I am excited the Winter Series is starting,? noted Lagudi. ?I am very happy with the way previous testing went and I am definitely looking forward to the season starting.?
Autosports Media Group Announces Launch of RomanLagudi.com
February 1, 2012 - Autosports Media Group, along with USF2000 pilot Roman Lagudi, are proud to announce the launch of Lagudi's personal racing website, www.RomanLagudi.com. With Lagudi poised for his first full season in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda with the Belardi Auto Racing team, the launch of his new site comes at a time when Lagudi's open wheel career is just about to take off.
The new site features a bold, striking design, perfect for the Sydney, Australia-born pilot. Complete with full bio, all official new releases, stunning photography and 2012 schedule, www.RomanLadugi.com has all the features to allow friends, family, fans and partners to keep track of the budding career of Roman Lagudi. Fan-friendly applications have also been incorporated, with direct access to Lagudi's social media presence on Facebook and Twitter.
Belardi Auto Racing Announce Second USF2000 Driver
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Nov. 8, 2011) -- Mazda Road to Indy team, Belardi Auto Racing, announced today that Australian native Roman Lagudi has signed with their USF2000 team.
The 16-year-old started his racing career in karts and impressed many when he captured the Las Vegas Karting Champion title in 2005 at just 10-years-old. Roman took a brief hiatus from 2006 to 2008, however, when he returned to karting in 2009, Roman finished his season in Junior Tag in 20th. The young driver also competed at SuperNationals that year and started the race in 80th. Most recently, Lagudi competed in seven out of twelve rounds of competition in the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda 2010 season where he had seven Top 10s and two Top 5s with a podium in Baltimore.
Young Drivers Come Together with Belardi Auto Racing to Honor Chris Griffis' Memory
Belardi Auto Racing PR
INDIANAPOLIS (October 31, 2011) - The team owners and young drivers of the Mazda Road to Indy ladder series came together at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend to honor the memory of Sam Schmidt Motorsports' Indy Lights team manager, Chris Griffis, at the Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Open Test.
Griffis, who unexpectedly passed away in September, was widely known for testing during the off-season to scout and promote the young talents eager to join the IndyCar scene. He helped many young drivers who came through Sam Schmidt Motorsports reach their full potential and complete the ladder programs to move on to the IZOD IndyCar series. League officials set up the test to allow all teams in the USF2000, Star Mazda and Indy Lights series to test new and old drivers and determine who could be a good fit for the 2012 season.
JDC MotorSports Ends 2011 Season with Podium Visit in Baltimore
JDC Motorsports PR
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. (September 7, 2011) - JDC MotorSports ended its race-winning 2011 Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda season this past weekend (September 3-4), with an up-and down affair at the Baltimore Grand Prix. Roman Lagudi enjoyed a breakthrough event in Maryland, securing a top-five result in Round 11, before earning his first-ever podium finish with a third place finish in Round 12. Juan Piedrahita and Rodin Younessi, unfortunately, did not fare as well, with both racers involved in a first turn crash in race one, the duo finishing 14th and 19th respectively in race two.
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)
