MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver confident he can lead JDC MotorSports to second consecutive series title

San Clemente, California - Junior formula car standout Connor De Phillippi returns to cockpit this coming week (March 19) at the opening round of the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear, which will be held at the historic Sebring International Raceway in Florida. As part of the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring event, the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development racer will make his series debut with defending and two-time series champions JDC MotorSports.

After a long off-season hiatus away from official competition, De Phillippi is excited to get back behind the wheel and do what he does best, challenge for race wins and titles. Thanks in large part to a scholarship from MAZDASPEED Motorsports - the reward for winning the 2009 Skip Barber National title - the Californian enters his inaugural season of Star Mazda competition well positioned to achieve his goals.

De Phillippi immediately showed what his new partnership with JDC MotorSports is capable of during official pre-season testing at Sebring International Raceway. The former Team USA Scholarship racer and Formula Ford Walter Hayes Trophy winner regularly challenged for top honors throughout the three-day test, before finishing as the second fastest rookie.

Piloting the No. 11 MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development/Justice Brothers/Sparco/Rock View Farms/Oakley/Power Balance/Red Line Oil JDC MotorSports entry, De Phillippi will partner fellow rookie Chris Miller and series veterans Caio Lara and Gerry Kraut in the season-opening event at Sebring. The on-track action for Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear drivers gets underway on March 16th with a pair 40-minute practice sessions. Two additional practice sessions will be conducted one day later, with qualifying taking place on Thursday morning (March 18). Round One of the 14-race series commences with the cars launching from a standing start at 12:45 p.m. local time on Friday (March 19).
Additional information on Connor De Phillippi can be obtained via his website at www.ConnorDePhillippi.com.

About Connor De Phillippi: American Connor De Phillippi has established himself as one the top talents in the North American junior formula ranks. De Phillippi is a former championship-winning kart racer, with four career victories at the prestigious SKUSA SuperNationals, putting him one win ahead of both NASCAR Cup pilot and former F1 driver Scott Speed and Grand-Am star Michael Valiante. After earning the prestigious eKartingNews.com Rising Star Award for his performances in 2007, the Californian shifted his focus to car racing in 2008. De Phillippi immediately showed tremendous talent behind the wheel, adding Legends class wins, the Skip Barber Western Region Championship and Rookie of the Year honors to his resume. He concluded his inaugural car racing season by winning the Skip Barber Karting Scholarship Shootout, earning a fully-funded season in the National Series. De Phillippi continued his winning ways in 2009, capturing the LegendsSilverState Championship, Skip Barber National Title with a record seven wins, and the prestigious Formula Ford Walter Hayes Trophy in England as a member of Team USA. As a MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver, De Phillippi will race in the 2010 Star Mazda Championship with two-time champions JDC MotorSports. De Phillippi is proudly supported by MAZDA Motorsports Development, Justice Brothers, Oakley, Power Balance, Sparco, Rock View Farms, Redline Athletics, OC Mazda, S&K Vending, Rock View Farms, Norwell9, Olympic Powder Coating, and Spectrum Collision.

Photo: Star Mazda Championship