PALMETTO, Fla. – Andersen Promotions continues to make strides in its preparations to operate all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy in 2014. The company today announced new hires in several key positions for Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda.
Since reestablishing USF2000 in 2010, expanding to launch Pro Mazda in 2013 and now overseeing Indy Lights in 2014, Andersen Promotions has more than doubled its staff entering the fifth year of the Mazda Road to Indy development ladder program sanctioned by INDYCAR.
Tony Cotman, who serves as project manager for Andersen Promotions on the new Indy Lights equipment package featuring Cooper Tires, a new Dallara IL-15 chassis and Advanced Engine Research Ltd. AER-P63 engine, will step up his involvement to include the role of Race Director for Indy Lights. Cotman, President and Founder of NZR Consulting, brings strong credentials as the former Vice President of Competition at INDYCAR and Race Director for Indy Lights from 2010 through 2012.
Randy Hembrey has been named as Race Director for Pro Mazda and USF2000. Hembrey brings over 30 years of racing experience most recently with IMSA where he serves as assistant race director for the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship as well as race director for the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada and Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo.
Two new staff members have been added to assist Technical Director Craig Brooks. Former USF2000 Technical Manager Butch Winkle returns after a year’s hiatus in the role of Assistant Technical Director for Indy Lights. Winkle has over 25 years of motorsports experience and is the recipient of the Clint Brawner Award for Mechanical Excellence and a three-time winner of the Championship Association of Mechanics (CAM) Outstanding Mechanic Award amongst other accolades.
David Caswell joins Andersen Promotions as Assistant Technical Director for Pro Mazda and USF2000. Caswell has been involved in motorsports since the mid ‘70s. In addition to owning WesTrack Motor Racing, a full-service facility in the motorsports industry since 1993, he brings over 35 years of experience in the design, fabrication, preparation, testing and racing of high performance race cars.
In keeping with its commitment to offer the best training ground and resources for up-and-coming drivers, Andersen Promotions will continue to provide driver coaches – who will also serve as race stewards – to its competitors. Gerardo Bonilla rejoins Andersen Promotions as the primary driver coach after a year’s absence to focus on private client work. A championship-winning driver in his own right, Bonilla brings over 16 years of experience as a professional driver coach.
Johnny Unser will return for his fifth year as Technical and Driver Consultant. In addition to competing in a wide variety of cars, Unser formerly served as Race Director for the Atlantic Championship and has been a performance advisor and spokesman for Cooper Tires since 2003.
As his racing schedule permits, Joel Miller will return for his second year as driver coach. Miller, who holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California-Riverside, helped Mazda secure the 2013 Rolex GRAND-AM Championship GX Class manufacturer’s title and also earned Rookie of the Year honors. He will contest the 2014 TUDOR United Sports Car Championship in the #07 SpeedSource Mazda SKYACTIV-D P2 car.
Earlier staff announcements last year included expanded roles for John Andersen as Director of Logistics, Ken Burris as Sponsor Services Director and Jason Penix, in a shared role with INDYCAR, as Director of Development Series for Andersen Promotions.
“I am extremely pleased with the staff we have assembled to lead an invigorated Mazda Road to Indy,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. “What excites me is that not only have we been joined by individuals that bring top-flight credentials to the table but also people that are passionate and committed to the sport and find it personally rewarding to see drivers move up the ladder. We are on point with our aggressive schedule and ramp-up to make sure we oversee all three series to the best of our ability this season.”
The 2014 Mazda Road to Indy season will commence on March 29/30 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., with a single event for Indy Lights and a pair of doubleheader rounds for Pro Mazda and USF2000.