Gutierrez Commits to Juncos Racing for 2014 Pro Mazda Championship
Brownsburg, Ind. — As one of the series’ youngest drivers, 17-year-old Jose Gutierrez will compete in the 2014 Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires with Juncos Racing.
During the beginning years of his racing career, four-year-old Gutierrez started to compete in kart races. Among his many accomplishments during the years to follow, a few include winning both the Rotax Mini Max Championship and Mexican Grand National Championship. He then earned the champion spot in the 2010 Martiga Driver Development School Shootout in Rotax karts. Following the previous titles, Gutierrez made his first appearance in the Pro Mazda Championship series at the Circuit of The Americas, finishing in the top 10 in both races. He would later earn four consecutive podium finishes in the LATAM Challenge Series.
Gutierrez made his debut with Juncos Racing last season in the 2013 Pro Mazda Championship at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course official series test. Later that fall, he ran with the team in the Pro Mazda Mid-Ohio Race. While spending 2013 preparing himself physically and mentally, Gutierrez mentioned: “I can’t wait to get in the car [this 2014 season].” He will open the anticipated season in St. Petersburg, Fla., this March.
“Jose, our youngest driver, raced with us last year at Mid-Ohio,” team owner Ricardo Juncos stated. “He also tested at the Open Test at Barber, impressing myself and the team as he finished second in the third practice.” Confident in Gutierrez’s ability, Juncos adds: “I’m very sure that with our development program in place, he will improve race by race and in a short time, he will be showing his full potential.”
“I have been anticipating 2014 for a long time," said Gutierrez. "I needed to get ready physically and mentally to be prepared for the 2014 season, and I did just that this past year. There are many talented drivers out there, so the competition will be tough. Juncos Racing is a great team with an awesome attitude. The team’s main focus is always to help its drivers get better. This season is going to be interesting to say the least.”
About Juncos Racing: Stationed in Buenos Aires, Argentina and headed by Ricardo Juncos, Juncos Racing became a full-service Formula Racing team in 1997. By 2003, the team relocated to Miami, Fla., as a full-service karting team. During its first few years in the U.S., the team picked up 19 local, regional and national karting titles. Moving right along, Juncos Racing not only moved operations north to Indiana, but it developed into a formula open-wheel racing team in 2008. Now, the team was in full swing, dedicating most of its time preparing drivers and crew members for the new type of racing.
Following this transitional year, Juncos Racing participated in its first formula open-wheel series—the 2009 Pro Mazda Championship.
Despite challenges early in the season, the team gained multiple wins, second in the driver’s championship, and third in the team championship. By 2012, the team’s operations expanded to include cars in the Indy Lights series. Juncos Racing currently operates out of Brownsburg, Ind.