Autosportradio.com 2018 Show guests for May 15th…
A guest change has arisen as Santiago Urrutia will be testing in Tennessee. Check below…
Brian Belardi
Previously a defensive back for the University of Colorado, Team Owner Brian Belardi was forced to retire from his hopeful football career after sustaining injuries. Upon graduating from UC Boulder, Brian went on to become a successful business owner with Orion Development Group and Liberty Engineering. Belardi has always had a passion for motorsports and is now continuing his successful business career with his most recent venture, Belardi Auto Racing. Backed with Brian’s winning mindset, Belardi Auto Racing has had a very successful run since joining the series in 2011.
To help with the growing team, John Brunner stepped in to aid Brian as Belardi Auto Racing’s team manager. Brunner has been involved in motorsports for over 25 years with experience from the SCCA, Atlantic Championship, Champ Car And the INDYCAR series. Throughout his career John has worked with seasoned drivers Alex Tagliani, Paul Tracy, NASCAR’s AJ Allmendinger, Patrick Carpentier and IZOD IndyCar series 2012 Rookie of the Year, James Hinchcliffe, among many others. John brings much experience to the team with his many management positions over the years, including Forsythe Racing, Vice President of Operations for the Atlantic series in 2009 and assisting Conquest Racing throughout their Indianapolis 500 run in 2010.
Victor Franzoni
Hobbies: Go-karting, gym, mini-golf, tennis, music
Racing Goal: To be a Verizon IndyCar Series driver
Racing Hero: Ayrton Senna
RACING HISTORY
2017: Won the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires after a season-long battle with Anthony Martin… earned seven victories and five pole positions in 12 races… won the final three races (including his first victory on an oval) to secure the title… also claimed the season-long Quarter Master Hard Charger award for most gains in position.
2016: Finished third in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda with three victories, including a sweep of the season finale weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca… earned 11 total podium finishes, with top nines in 15 of 16 races… earned the Hi-Tide Boat Lifts Kids On Track Spirit Award, given to the driver that embodies “the heart of a champion” as they aspire to reach their goals.
2015: Contested 10 races in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires claiming best finishes of fourth at Toronto and Mid-Ohio… also contested the opening six races of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda claiming a win and second-place finish at NOLA Motorsports Park… finished second in the pre-season Cooper Tires Winterfest championship with two wins and an additional podium finish of second, missing the title by a scant five points.
2014: Earned four podium finishes, two pole positions and a race victory at St. Petersburg on his way to a fifth-place finish in his rookie Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda season.
Victor has gotten where he is because of hard work. Ricardo Juncos gave him a shot at Pro Mazda last year with no budget – Victor couldn’t afford any testing, nor could he afford to even scratch a wing, much less crash. On the podium at Watkins Glen, with the title clinched, he thanked Mazda for the scholarship, saying “you don’t just give drivers money – you give them hope.”
Ed Jones is an Emirati-born British racing driver. At different points in his career Jones has competed under both British and Emirati licences, currently under the latter in the Verizon IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing. He is the 2016 Indy Lights champion, winning for Carlin Motorsport in his second season in the series. He joined the IndyCar Series in 2017 racing for Dale Coyne Racing, placing 3rd at the 2017 Indianapolis 500.
Willie Kay
This coming May, Tauranga’s Willie Kay will be making his 41st visit to the Indianapolis 500.
And this weekend, a small but vital element of the Indianapolis 500 has been in his care while making a visit to the Bay of Plenty.
The Green Flag Relay is a promotional world tour for the actual green flag that will start the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 27.
Starting in January, the flag has been part of a Nasdaq stock exchange opening ceremony in New York, visited Times Square and was taken to the National Hockey League All Star game in Florida by 2016 winner Alexander Rossi.
Alex Damron
Alex, IMS Director of Communications: “I went with my college roommate and his family for the first time in 2008. I was a new Hoosier and they told me the Indy 500 was an experience I needed to have. They were right! I will never forget just how big the entire place felt and how fast the cars were going. It was love at first sight.”
This year a plan was put into place to send the Green Flag that will be waved to start the 102nd Indianapolis 500. Alex put the plan into motion and the flag, indeed, did circle the earth.
See you Tuesday evening at McGilvery’s Speedway…