JDC Motorsports Brings Pro Mazda Season to a Close in Houston
 October 11, 2013| 
  • Team News
Piedrahita and Meyer take home special year-end honors as all three JDC drivers finish inside top-10

Minneapolis, MN (October 11, 2013) – This past weekend (October 5-6) marked the final race weekend for the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. As part of a multi-level effort by JDC MotorSports in the Mazda Road to Indy program, Juan Piedrahita, Lloyd Read, and Zack Meyer contested the final rounds of the series in Houston, Texas, exited the finale with a podium finish and two-year end awards.

The JDC transporters pulled into the Reliant Park area of downtown Houston on Thursday, and immediately started prepping for the final races of the year on the challenging 1.7-mile. 10-turn concrete-lined circuit.

Wheeling the No. 9 Petosur/Sisolec/GFK Motors/Red Line Oil/JDC MotorSports entry in Texas once again was Piedrahita. The Colombian was fast right off the truck in Houston. In the lone practice session of the weekend, Piedrahita was second quickest. Continuing his strong showing, he threw down a great lap in qualifying, turning the fifth best time for a row three starting position in Round 15. Piedrahita’s race was going as planned one day later, when inside five laps to go he was suddenly forced to retire prematurely, after contact with another driver, in an unrepresentative 13th. Sunday witnessed Piedrahita starting from fifth once again. Never letting the lead pack out of his site, Piedrahita hung tough and fast the whole race, moving up two positions to finish the season with a third place finish. The result marked Piedrahita’s fifth podium of the year, four of which have come on street circuits. Piedrahita attended the year-end banquet a few hours later, picking up his ninth place award, as well as the Spirit Award, given to a driver or team who embodies the “Heart of a Champion” as they aspire to reach their goals.

Welsh native Lloyd Read finished his rookie season in the Pro Mazda Championship in Texas with the 22 year-old returning to the cockpit of the No. 16 Read Motorsports/Aerocraft Design/Maaco/ Red Line Oil/JDC MotorSports machine. Showing good speed early on, Read sat comfortably inside the top-10 during the weekend’s one and only practice session. Read continued to drop the hammer in qualifying, slotted his No. 16 machine eighth on the grid for Round 15. In the first race of the weekend, Read kept pace with the front pack, moving up to seventh place at the finish. In Round 16 on Sunday, Read started from the 10th position on the grid due to his fast time on Saturday. The last race of the year did not go as hoped for Read, as his day ended two laps before the checkered flag waved when he was hit from behind by another competitor, placing him 14th in the final running order. The P14 finishing spot marked only the second time all season that Read had not finished inside the top-10. With such consistency and speed, Read finished 2013 eighth in the final standings.

Meyer traveled to Texas seeking to continue his successful season in the No. 66 Damis Partners III/Red Line Oil/JDC MotorSports car. Ensuring all three JDC cars started inside the top-10 in Round 15, Meyer turned the ninth best time in the lone qualifying run. Round 15 on Saturday witnessed Meyer running a mistake-free race, bringing the car back to the trailer with a 10th place finish. Meyer’s Round 16 run, however, did not go as planned, as he ultimately finished one lap down in 13th position. Attending the year-end banquet, Meyer made his way to the stage twice, taking home the sixth place trophy and the Quarter Master Hard Charger award, for advancing the most positions throughout the 2013 season.

When the dust settled and the haulers were loaded, the John Church led JDC MotorSports operation was fourth in the final team championship standings.

JDC MotorSports races with associate sponsorship from RedLineOil.com

Additional information on JDC MotorSports can be obtained from the team’s website @ www.jdcmotorsport.com For direct contact, please contact John Church @ 952-233-3075

Learn more about Zack Meyer at ZackMeyer.ca and keep up to date via Twitter @ ZackMeyer66 

Learn more about Juan Piedrahita at JuanchoPiedrahitac.com and keep up to date via Twitter @ Juanpc9 and Facebook @ Juan Diego Piedrahita "Juancho" 

Learn more about Lloyd Read at LloydReadRacing.com and keep up to date via Twitter @ LloydRead16 and Facebook @ Lloyd Read Racing Videos also available on YouTube @ LloydRead16

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About JDC MotorSports:
Involved in formula car racing since its inception in 1994, JDC MotorSports has established itself as one of the leading junior open-wheel teams in North America. Initially making its mark in the F2000 class of club racing competition, JDC MotorSports was soon a team worth watching in the pro ranks. Competing in the Formula Ford 2000 Zetec Championship, the team not only won races, but also helped develop multiple young drivers. In 2005, JDC MotorSports expanded its efforts, entering the Star Mazda Championship. Quickly becoming one of the top teams in the series, JDC captured both the driver and team titles in 2007, as well as Rookie of the Year honors, with Dane Cameron scoring a series-high three wins. In 2008, JDC MotorSports was the runner-up in the Star Mazda Championship and finished fourth in its inaugural season of F2000 Championship Series competition. The Minnesota-based team won the Star Mazda Championship title with Rookie of the Year Adam Christodoulou, and the F2000 Championship Series title with Chris Miller in 2009. The following year, JDC continued its winning ways, earning the Rookie of the Year award in the Star Mazda Championship with Connor De Phillippi, and scoring a non-points win in the USF2000 National Championship. In 2011, the Minneapolis-based squad captured its third Star Mazda Championship title with Tristan Vautier, scored a win in the USF2000 National Championship, and made its Prototype Lites Championship debut, earning five podium finishes. JDC MotorSports added to its Star Mazda Championship win tally, USF2000 Championship podium total in 2012, and finished as the Prototype Lites Championship runner-up.

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