The Ladder System Works - Star Mazda Series Grads Andretti, Rahal and Matos Ready to Prove Their Stuff at Indy
By Bram • May 22nd, 2009 • Category: From The Backstretch, News, Notes, Other Racing News, Your Series. Your Driver.
Demonstrating once again that the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is a critical rung on the ladder that drivers must climb on their way from karting to the pinnacle of open-wheel racing – the Indy 500 – this year’s starting field includes a trio of top contenders, including Graham Rahal (4th), Marco Andretti (8th) and Raphael Matos (12th), the fastest rookie in the Indy 500.
Remarkably, all three were competitors in the Star Mazda Championship during the 2005 season. And they’re part of the closest qualifying field in Indy 500 history; Helio Castroneves won the pole with a 4-lap average speed of 224.864 mph and Ryan Hunter-Reay’s speed of 220.597 mph earned him the 33rd-spot in the field. From the fastest to the slowest, the field is separated by just 4.267 mph and 3.0967 seconds. [read more...]






