CLEARWATER, Fla. – After a two-month hiatus, Team Pelfrey will return to action on Saturday evening, May 25, at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis as the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires hosts the first of this season’s two oval races as part of the traditional "Night Before the 500" activities.
Spencer Pigot, who currently lies fourth in the championship with a trio of top-four finishes from the first four races, will continue to lead the challenge for Team Pelfrey. The 19-year-old from Orlando, Fla., will be partnered this week at the 0.686-mile Lucas Oil Raceway by returning series veteran Anders Krohn.
Krohn, 25, who lives in Indianapolis, Ind., and hails originally from Stavanger, Norway, joined Team Pelfrey for the final portion of a test day at Lucas Oil Raceway on May 11. He lost no time in getting up to speed, posting the second fastest time in the final session, a mere 0.036s slower than series points leader Matthew Brabham. Krohn’s best lap time was good enough for fifth on the tightly bunched overall ranking for the day, while Pigot was fourth.
Immediately prior to its visit to Indianapolis, Team Pelfrey also took advantage of a productive two-day test at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course which will host rounds 11 and 12 of the Pro Mazda Championship on August 2-4, with Pigot posting the fastest overall time narrowly ahead of Brazilian Nicolas Costa in a second Team Pelfrey entry.
Qualifying for Saturday evening’s race will commence at 4:55 pm with the race slated for 8:25 pm. Live timing for all sessions will be available at www.promazdachampionship.com.
WHAT THE DRIVERS SAID:
Spencer Pigot (#81 Team Pelfrey/Doug Mockett & Company/Gap Guard/Parathyroid.com/California Scents/OMP): "It was great to be back in the Pro Mazda car. It's been a while since (the most recent races in) St. Pete so we were all ready to get back to the track. We started off really good at Mid-Ohio and kept improving throughout the test. It was great to finish up P1 knowing we still have room to improve so I'm looking forward to going back there later in the season. The test in Indy was very productive as well. We continued to learn and gather data that we can look over the next few weeks and come back stronger for the race."
Anders Krohn (#82 Pelfrey Performance/www.GetGapGuard.com): "It was great to be back in a Pro Mazda car with Team Pelfrey. It's been a few years since I last threw a car around Lucas Oil Raceway, so it was a pretty nice nostalgic feeling to be back. Despite only doing one of the test sessions I feel like the team made some very good steps forward that should put the whole crew in a good position come the ‘Night before the 500.’
"While I am very excited to take part in the upcoming event with Team Pelfrey, it is certainly not in an attempt to resurrect my career as a junior open-wheel driver. My role with the team will be that of a development driver and consultant, something I am very much looking forward to. So far I've been really impressed with Spencer's development, and I'd love for him to get his first visit to the top step of the podium in Indianapolis."
ABOUT TEAM PELFREY:
Dale Pelfrey’s race team, based in the St. Petersburg, Fla., area, is built upon the same principles he used 35 years ago when establishing his business career – hire the best, acquire the best and expect the best in order to achieve the most. After fielding cars in the IZOD IndyCar Series from 1998 until 2000, Team Pelfrey was reformed in 2011, winning on its Pro Mazda debut and going on to earn the Team Championship as well as second and third in the drivers’ title-chase with Connor De Phillippi and Nick Andries. Team Pelfrey went one better in 2012, guiding Jack Hawksworth to the Drivers’ Championship and earning a second successive Team Championship.