TAMPA, Fla. – Team Pelfrey announced today that Aaron Telitz signed with Team Pelfrey for the 2016 season in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. 

The 24-year-old Birchwood, Wisc., native arrives at Team Pelfrey after competing in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda last season. Telitz finished third in the 2015 championship standings while competing for Cape Motorsports with poise and consistency. He finished the season on the podium 11 times, including a win in Race One at Barber Motorsports Park. 

“Joining Team Pelfrey for 2016 is a big leap in my racing career,” said Telitz. 

“I've moved up to Pro Mazda and have joined a big powerhouse team. I can't wait to get to work. It's easy to just say that Team Pelfrey is the reigning Pro Mazda Champions and that makes them a favorite, but there's more to it than that. They put an insane amount of effort into all the small details both on and away from the track. In a business that is measured to the ten thousandth of a second the small details can make all the difference.” 

Telitz will pilot the No. 82 Rice Lake Weighing Systems-sponsored Team Pelfrey Mazda when the season commences in St. Petersburg, Fla. On March 11, 2016. 

“I am seriously thrilled to have Rice Lake Weighing Systems back on board as my title sponsor. I am extremely proud to be representing such a great company based out of my home state of Wisconsin! They have been with me since 2013 and our partnership has grown into something amazing.” 

In 2015, Santiago Urrutia claimed the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires title with Team Pelfrey. Telitz will look to defend the team’s championship and become the first American to win the title since Verizon IndyCar Series rookie Spencer Pigot won the championship in 2014. 

The 2016 season will see Team Pelfrey become the only team to operate at every level of the Mazda Road to Indy ladder, as well as the F1600 Formula F Championship Series.