Paralyzed racer from Michigan poised to make mark during rookie season
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. – JDC MotorSports is excited to confirm American Michael Johnson will be making the move up the Mazda Road to Indy ladder in 2014, contesting the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. The Michigan native, who becomes the first paralyzed racer in series history, is poised to make his mark, having developed his skills with the Minnesota-based team for the past two years in the USF2000 Championship.
Focused on both challenging for top honors, as well as helping train and develop rising motorsports talents, JDC MotorSports will reunite with Johnson for a third consecutive season in 2014. The lone paralyzed racer - the result of a motorcycle dirt racing accident in 2005 - in the prestigious Mazda Road to Indy program, Johnson will make the transition to Pro Mazda this coming season.
Not content to just race, the 21 year-old from Flint, Mich., enters his rookie Pro Mazda season determined to challenge for positions among the front-runners right from the get go. Johnson, who enjoys continued support from Universal Coating, SpeediCath, FlatOutNation.com, Bell Racing, and Alpinestars, will be seeking to build not only on the relationships he has developed with the skilled JDC crew over the past two seasons, but also make the most of what was a successful 2013 campaign, where he was routinely battling for places within the top-10 of the highly-regarded USF2000 Championship field.
"I'm really excited to make my Pro Mazda debut," stated Johnson. "It's a new car and a fresh start. I can't wait to get the season started!"
"Michael has adapted very well to the more powerful Pro Mazda car in early testing," added Team Owner John Church. "He seems much more comfortable in the cockpit with the new controls."
JDC Motorsports and Johnson, who will be piloting a one of a kind racer that features hand controls designed and build by JDC, have already commenced preparations for the 2014 Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. First up is the Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Open Test at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama on December 9-10. After additional off-season testing, race action gets underway via the four-race Cooper Tires Winterfest Championship, which takes place at NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans, LA, on February 21-22, and at Barber Motorsports Park on February 25-26. The latest edition of the Pro Mazda Championship commences on March 29-30, with Rounds One and Two on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., in conjunction with the IndyCar Series season-opener.
JDC MotorSports races with associate sponsorship from RedLineOil.com
Additional information on JDC MotorSports can be obtained from the team’s website @ www.jdcmotorsport.com For direct contact, please contact John Church @ 952-233-3075
Learn more about Michael Johnson at MichaelJohnsonRacing.com and keep up to date via Twitter @ Racer54isCool and Facebook @ Michael Johnson Racing Videos also available on YouTube @ Michael Johnson Racing
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About JDC MotorSports:
Involved in formula car racing since its inception in 1994, JDC MotorSports has established itself as one of the leading junior open-wheel teams in North America. Initially making its mark in the F2000 class of club racing competition, JDC MotorSports was soon a team worth watching in the pro ranks. Expanding into the Pro Mazda in 2005, the Minnesota-based team remained focused on not only challenging for top honors, but also helping develop young drivers. Over the years, JDC MotorSports has won numerous races and championships. JDC captured both the driver and team titles in the 2007 Star Mazda Championship, with Rookie of the Year Dane Cameron scoring a series-high three wins. The Minnesota-based team followed that up with a second Star Mazda Championship title with Rookie of the Year Adam Christodoulou, and the F2000 Championship Series title with Chris Miller in 2009. JDC continued its winning ways one year later, earning the Rookie of the Year award in the Star Mazda Championship with Connor De Phillippi, and scoring a non-points win in the USF2000 National Championship with Mikhail Goikhberg. The junior formula car standout secured its third Star Mazda Championship title in 2011 with Tristan Vautier, in addition to scoring a win in the USF2000 National Championship with Luke Ellery, as well as making its Prototype Lites Championship debut, earning five podium finishes. JDC MotorSports added to its Star Mazda Championship win tally, USF2000 Championship podium total in 2012, and finished as the Prototype Lites Championship runner-up. Last season, JDC MotorSports once again secured podium finishes in both the Pro Mazda and USF2000 championships, and was victorious in Prototype Lites with Goikhberg.