FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mundelein, IL (April 17, 2017) – Newman Wachs Racing is proud to announce they will run Flinn Lazier, son of 1996 Indy 500 Champion Buddy Lazier, and grandson to three-time 24 Hours of Daytona winner Bob Lazier in the upcoming USF2000 race at Birmingham, Alabama.
Team Manager Brian Halahan was delighted to welcome Lazier to the Newman Wachs Racing family. “I am very excited to say that we will have Flinn Lazier driving the #38 NWR car at Barber and hopefully we’ll have him with us for more events this season. With all the racing history that the name Lazier carries, this makes a great story and a great opportunity for our team to help him move forward with his racing career.”
“This whole thing started when a long-time friend who works with Flinn in racing contacted me recently and said I should speak to him, and here we are!” added Halahan.
The third generation racer is looking forward to competing in this weekend’s Rounds 3 and 4 of the Mazda USF2000 Grand Prix of Alabama Presented by Cooper Tires, as a Newman Wachs Racing driver.
“I’m excited and very happy to have an opportunity to jump into the Newman Wachs USF2000. We really had no idea what we were going to do this season, and just to have a one-race opportunity at the moment means a lot to me. From what I’ve seen so far, the Newman Wachs car is quick so I think we can make good ground over the weekend. I really need to thank my sponsor Stalk It.” said Lazier.
Lazier started racing karts at the age of six, and performed very well in the SKUSA National Championship at the Junior level. Two years ago, he started racing open-wheel, and became Champion of SCCA Regional Racing Formula Vee for both 2015 and 2016. Recently, he won Round 1 of SCCA Super Tour at Sebring International Raceway. The Lazier passion for speed seems to run in his veins.
With the family dog named “Speed”, I guess that says it all.
The young Lazier is quite an athlete. He skis competitively, and plays soccer on his high school team in Vail, Colorado. Next year, Lazier plans on studying business marketing at Denver University.
###
About the Newman Wachs Racing Team:
Newman Wachs Racing (NWR) is a racing team owned by Eddie Wachs and, until his death, American actor and racer himself, Paul Newman. NWR is based outside of Chicago, in Mundelein, Illinois. Newman and Wachs shared the same passion for racing and met when they both competed in the Can-Am Series in the mid-1970’s. They raced together for 15 years in Trans-Am, Can-Am, and many other SCCA professional venues. Over the years, they talked about joining forces to create a driver-development race team. They put together a Champ Car Atlantic team for the 2006 season to meet their objectives. In 2009, John Edwards won the Championship for NWR, beating teammate Jonathan Summerton in a tiebreaker.
About the USF2000 Series:
The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda debuted in 2010 and is a continuation of the highly regarded USF2000 series that ran from 1990 through 2006, launching the careers of many of today’s top drivers. Sanctioned by INDYCAR, the series is the first official step on the Mazda Road to Indy. In addition to providing a vital training ground for rising stars, the series champion will earn a scholarship package from Mazda to advance to the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, the next step in the ladder system.
Aside from being one of the most successful driver development programs in the world, the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system has attracted competitors from all over the world, while providing a unique, scholarship-funded path to reach the Verizon IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500.
