Spencer Pigot is 2015 Indy Lights champion
With two victories in Indy Lights Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Spencer Pigot (Juncos Racing) secured the 2015 championship title. Pigot was dominant in both races at Laguna Seca and with total of six wins he concluded the championship with a 27-point gap ahead of Jack Harvey. New champion will be awarded with $1 million Mazda Road to Indy scholarship which will guarantee him a ride in three Verizon IndyCar Series events in 2016, including the historic 100th Indianapolis 500.
The Mazda Road to Indy is unparalleled in the world of auto racing, offering scholarships at every level which allows talented drivers to progress all the way from karting through the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and Indy Lights to the Verizon IndyCar Series. With today’s title success Pigot now has won four Mazda Scholarships – the Skip Barber Karting Scholarship in 2009, which allowed him to make the move from karts to the Skip Barber Race Series, another scholarship to progress into USF2000 after winning the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National crown in 2010 and last year’s Pro Mazda championship, also with the Juncos Racing team.
Pigot started the last race of the season from front row and took the lead in the first lap. He was leading all 38 laps and won ahead of Sean Rayhall (8Star Motorsports). Poleman Max Chilton (Carlin) finished third and posted a new Indy Lights race lap record of 1:16.1633 (105.783 mph).
Title rival Jack Harvey (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports), who started directly behind Pigot, assessed a drive through penalty because of a jumping start. He rejoined at the back of the pack, knowing that his title aspirations were over.
Shelby Blackstock (Andretti Autosport), who started eighth, took over the fourth following Harvey’s penalty, and held it until the final lap when Ed Jones (Carlin) found a way past him. Blackstock finished fifth ahead of RC Enerson (Schmidt Peterson).
“This is a dream come true for me. I was 16 years old when I won my first Mazda scholarship. To be here in the Mazda scholarship car, at Mazda Raceway, on the top step of the Mazda Road to Indy is a perfect send-off for me. My whole career has been in the Mazda Road to Indy, so this is very special. I’m looking forward to going into IndyCar next year. I’m looking forward to the off-season and what we can accomplish. I know I’m ready – the new Indy Lights car is great preparation and I think you saw that at the IndyCar test,” said Spencer Pigot.
