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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">ELSEWHERE AROUND THE WORLD</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">26/06/2004</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Star Mazda Series </FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Field Bunched Up After First Official Day Of Practice At Mid-Ohio</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2"><B>Star Mazda Field Bunched Up After First Official Day Of Practice At Mid-Ohio</B><BR> <BR> With the first official day of practice at Mid-Ohio for the new Pro Formula Mazda in the record books it has become apparent that the introduction of the new car has not been detrimental to either the field size or the close competition that has been a hallmark of the Star Mazda Series since it’s inception in 1991. With a field of 41 cars posting times, the top eighteen separated by less than a second, all signs point to an intense battle for the pole position on Saturday morning in what has become the premier open-wheel development series in North America.<BR> <BR> Leading the charge this weekend in all three of Friday’s practice sessions has been 2003 Star Mazda Series Rookie-of-the-Year Michael McDowell. Though he has topped the charts McDowell will be hard pressed to stay at the top of charts in a field that includes two former Star Mazda Series Champions, (2002 Champion Guy Cosmo and defending champion Luis Schiavo), a 24-Hour of Daytona Winner (Terry Borcheller), the reigning Formula Dodge National Champion (Raphael Matos), as well as a 3-time National Champion in SCCA Formula Continental competition (Mike Andersen). The field also holds seven recent winners of Star Mazda Series North American Championship events.<BR> <BR> The new Pro Formula Mazda has also attracted some familiar names into the Star Mazda fold, with IndyCar Driver Richie Hearn, fresh off his run in the Indy 500 in May, devoting himself to his new team, Hearn Motorsports, and their Brazilian protégé Matos. Also competing in their first race weekend is Andersen-Walko Racing, who will field cars for Mike Andersen and 17 year old hot shoe Jonathan Klein and Blueacre Racing who will assist Terry Borcheller as he does double duty at Mid-Ohio, racing in both the Star Mazda event as well as the American LeMans Series event on Sunday.<BR> <BR> The 2004 Season marks the debut of the new Pro Formula Mazda which features a carbon fiber chassis, manufactured by Élan Motorsports Technologies, and powered by the Mazda “Renesis” rotary engine as found in the new RX-8. Drivers are competing for a prize package worth over $500,000. With the winner receiving $100,000 and a new RX-8. To keep series costs and competition fair, the series has a single engine builder, spec shocks, tyres, springs, spark plugs, gear ratios and brake pads, making the driver the most vital component in the car. <BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>