Most of the Pro Mazda grid already have some experience on the undulating Barber Motorsports Park track this year after contesting a pair of pre-season Cooper Tires Winterfest races, and even though California Neil Alberico did not make that trip, he is still expected to be among the pacesetters this weekend.

Through its relationship with Project Yellow Light, Mazda Motorsports is continuing this leadership through the use of peer-to-peer communication to discuss and combat the dangers of distracted driving.

Uruguayan rookie Santiago Urrutia displayed an astonishing turn of pace as he took the lead at the start in the lone 20-minute race and held on to win in just his third Mazda Road to Indy start.

Drivers from two of the three steps that comprise the Mazda Road to Indy, a scholarship laden development ladder which leads from the grassroots of the sport to the Verizon IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500, will be on stage this weekend at the inaugural Grand Prix of Louisiana.

The popular Californian started from the pole for St. Petersburg-based Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing and was never seriously threatened during the half-hour race.