The Chris Griffis Memorial Test is a two-day test event for Road to Indy racing series. The testing is conducted after the regular season. The test is used by teams to test new drivers as well as for the organization to test new cars for the following season.
Chris Griffis (11 May 1966 –12 September 2011) was a former team manager for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. Griffis started his career at Patrick Racing, working with Gordon Johncock, Emerson Fittipaldi among others. In 1990, Griffis joined Chip Ganassi Racing before moving to King Racing in 1993 and later joining Panther Racing in 2002. At Panther Racing, Griffis was the crew chief of Mark Taylor winning the 2003 Indy Lights title. [1]
Griffis collapsed and died after a basketball game. He was survived by his wife Mari and daughters (Clair and Sophia). Griffis was buried in Akron, Indiana. [2]
Year | Indy Lights / Indy NXT | Indy Pro 2000 / USF Pro 2000 | USF2000 |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Peter Dempsey (1:20.6546) [3] | Jack Hawksworth (1:25.431) [4] | Scott Hargrove (1:29.6937) [3] |
2012 | Zach Veach (1:19.2209) [5] | Spencer Pigot (1:24.859) [6] | Matthew Di Leo (1:27.623) [7] |
2013 | Alexandre Baron (1:15.726) [8] | Alfonso Celis Jr. (1:20.490) [9] | Aaron Telitz (1:23.283) [10] |
2014 | Spencer Pigot (1:19.8039) [11] | Patricio O'Ward (1:23.6525) [12] | Nico Jamin (1:26.3304) [13] |
2015 | Kyle Kaiser (1:54.2235) [14] | Patricio O'Ward (2:04.7677) [15] | Nikita Lastochkin (2:09.5454) [16] |
2016 | Garett Grist (1:14.7396) [17] | Victor Franzoni (1:22.6179) [18] | Neil Verhagen (1:24.8661) [19] |
2017 | Nico Jamin (1:25.7173) [20] | Oliver Askew (1:29.8142) [21] | Darren Keane (1:25.1424) [22] |
2018 | Ryan Norman (1:14.9283) | Darren Keane (1:19.2971) | Hunter McElrea (1:24.5064) |
2019 | Rinus VeeKay (1:15.4790) | Hunter McElrea (1:19.4553) | Christian Rasmussen (1:24.9311) |
2021 | Benjamin Pedersen (1:25.4619) | Louis Foster (1:30.4354) | Jagger Jones (1:35.4672) |
2022 | Danial Frost (1:16.2526) | Jack William Miller (1:21.9745) | Simon Sikes (1:25.8876) |
2023 | Louis Foster (1:14.8432) | Simon Sikes (1:21.8032) | Hudson Schwartz (1:25.8372) |
2024 | Myles Rowe (1:15.1848) |
Period | Track | Layout | Length |
---|---|---|---|
2011–2012 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 2.5134 miles | |
2013 | Barber Motorsports Park | 2.38 miles | |
2014–2019, 2021–present | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 2.439 miles |
The below table contains drivers who tested during the Chris Griffis Memorial Test in Indy Lights, USF Pro 2000 or USF2000 but not competed in any of the classes.
Year | Series | Driver | Team |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | USF2000 | Joe Ruch [23] | Afterburner Autosport |
Yukio Duzanowski [23] | Belardi Auto Racing | ||
Nick Neri [23] | |||
Michael Adams [23] | JAY Motorsports | ||
Kevin Aabol [23] | JDC MotorSports | ||
Antti Buri [23] | |||
Tristan Viidas [23] | Pabst Racing Services | ||
Star Mazda | Jose Carlos Sandoval [6] | JDC MotorSports | |
Renan Guerra [6] | Juncos Racing | ||
Andre Solano [6] | Team GDT | ||
Luca Orlandi [6] | Team Pelfrey | ||
Chris Yano [6] | |||
Indy Lights | Nick McBride [24] | Sam Schmidt Motorsports | |
2014 | USF2000 | Jordan Bernloehr [13] | Afterburner Autosport |
Christian Ross [13] | |||
Indy Lights | Parker Kligerman [11] | Schmidt Peterson Motorsports | |
2015 | USF2000 | Chase Owen [16] | Afterburner Autosport |
Cameron Hill [16] | JDC MotorSports | ||
Chase Pelletier [16] | Team Pelfrey | ||
Max Mallinen [16] | SWAN Motorsports | ||
Pro Mazda | Henrique Baptista [15] | Team Pelfrey | |
2016 | USF2000 | Leandro Wolther [19] | ArmsUp Motorsports |
Ryan Norberg [19] | JDC MotorSports | ||
Hugo de Sadeleer [19] | Pabst Racing | ||
Neil Verhagen [19] | |||
Indy Lights | Richard Gonda [17] | Andretti Autosport | |
2017 | USF2000 | Zoey Edenholm | BN Racing |
Elliott Finlayson | |||
Justin Gordon | Exclusive Autosport | ||
Jaden Conwright | Team BENIK | ||
Pro Mazda | Leonard Hoogenboom | BN Racing | |
2018 | USF2000 | Tyler O'Connor | Cape Motorsports |
Ryan Bjerke | DEForce Racing | ||
Logan Cusson | Pabst Racing | ||
2019 | USF2000 | TJ Thompson | HMD Motorsports |
Alexander Koreiba | Jay Howard Driver Development | ||
Jonathan Kotyk | Legacy Autosport | ||
Rick Bouthoorn | Pabst Racing | ||
Harry Voigt | Team E Jay Racing | ||
IP2000 | Raoul Hyman | Exclusive Autosport | |
Indy Lights | Egor Orudzhev | Andretti Autosport | |
2021 | USF2000 | TJ Thompson | Jay Howard Driver Development |
IP2000 | Arias Deukmedjian | Deuk Spine Racing | |
Alexander Koreiba | Jay Howard Driver Development | ||
Nicholas Rivers | |||
Blake Upton | Turn 3 Motorsport | ||
2022 | USF2000 | Jason Pribyl | Turn 3 Motorsport |
Matthew Rees | VRD Racing | ||
USFP2000 | Callum Voisin | Jay Howard Driver Development | |
Raoul Hyman | TJ Speed Motorsports | ||
2023 | USF2000 | Michael Boyiadzis | Jay Howard Driver Development |
Jason Pribyl | Pabst Racing | ||
Connor Roberts | Team Roberts | ||
2024 | USF2000 | Jeshua Alianell | DEForce Racing |
Gabriel Cahan | Exclusive Autosport | ||
Brad Majman | Jay Howard Driver Development | ||
Caleb Gafrarar | Pabst Racing | ||
Cooper Shipman | VRD Racing | ||
Mayer Deonarine | |||
Teddy Musella | |||
Christian Cameron | |||
USFP2000 | Miles Bromley | TJ Speed Motorsports | |
Ariel Elkin | |||
Sebastian Manson | |||
Leandro Juncos | Turn 3 Motorsport | ||
Joseph Loake | |||
Titus Sherlock | |||
Indy NXT | Alexander Koreiba | Juncos Hollinger Racing |
The USF Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, formerly known as the Star Mazda Championship, Pro Mazda Championship, and later Indy Pro 2000 Championship, is an open-wheel racing series serving as the third step on the Road to Indy ladder system, between the USF2000 Championship and Indy NXT. The series is sanctioned by the United States Auto Club and operated by Andersen Promotions. The series' champion is awarded a scholarship package to advance to Indy NXT competition for the following season. It competes on all open-wheel disciplines: road courses, street courses, and ovals.
The Grand Prix of Baltimore presented by SRT was an IndyCar Series and American Le Mans Series race for 3 years held on a street circuit in Baltimore, Maryland. The inaugural race was held September 4, 2011. ESPN said it was the best inaugural street race in North America in the last 30 years. The races were contested on a temporary street circuit around the Inner Harbor area of downtown Baltimore.
Zachary E. Veach is an American auto racing driver.
Matthew Chase Brabham is an Australian-American racing driver. He competes in the Trans-Am Series, driving the No. 20 Ford Mustang for Chris Dyson Racing. From 2015 to 2021, he was a regular in the Stadium Super Trucks, where he is a three-time series champion with titles in 2018, 2019 and 2021. He has also won championships in the Road to Indy ladder with the 2012 U.S. F2000 and 2013 Pro Mazda Championships.
Heamin Choi is a race car driver. He is the first Korean driver to race in the American Open Wheel Series, and the first Korean driver to participate in any race held in the United States. He has won the 2005 BAT Championship, 2006 Korea GT championship (GT1), and 2013 Super Race GT driver's title. He was also the Samsung Everland scholarship driver through year 2003 to 2005. In 2016, Choi participated in IndyLights.
The Grand Prix of Indianapolis, also known as the IndyCar Grand Prix is an IndyCar Series race held on the combined road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The race was first held in 2014 and is typically held on a Saturday in mid-May, two weekends prior to the Indianapolis 500. The race serves as a lead-in to the Indianapolis 500, and includes support races from the Road to Indy, including Indy NXT, USF Pro 2000 Championship and USF2000 Championship.
Juncos Hollinger Racing, formerly Juncos Racing, is an Argentine-American racing team competing in the IndyCar Series, Indy NXT and USF Pro 2000 Championship series in the Road to Indy ladder for IndyCar. Owned by Ricardo Juncos, who formed the team in 1997, the team was initially based in Argentina before limited racing opportunities in that country led to the team moving to the United States. The team is currently based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Following Williams F1 shareholder Brad Hollinger's entry to the team as partner in 2021, the team was renamed to Juncos Hollinger Racing.
Patricio "Pato" O'Ward Junco is a Mexican professional auto racing driver who competes full-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren. He is the 2018 Indy Lights champion. He is signed to the McLaren Driver Development Programme and is McLaren's reserve driver for the 2024 Formula One season.
Team Pelfrey is an American racing team in the F1600 Championship Series and F2000 Championship Series. The team is owned by Dale Pelfrey.
The 2016 Mazda Road to Indy Shootout was the first edition of the Road to Indy Shootout. The event was held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on December 6 and 7. The winner received a $200,000 scholarship to compete in the 2017 U.S. F2000 National Championship.
The 2017 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda will be the eighth season – since its revival in 2010 – of the U.S. F2000 National Championship, an open wheel auto racing series that is the first step in INDYCAR's Road to Indy ladder, operated by Andersen Promotions. A 14-race schedule was announced on September 14, 2016.
Rinus van Kalmthout, known professionally as Rinus VeeKay, is a Dutch racing driver. He is best known for driving in the IndyCar Series for Ed Carpenter Racing from 2019 through 2024, winning one race at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.
Oliver Clark Askew is an American racing driver. He is the 2019 Indy Lights champion.
The 2018 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda was the ninth season – since its revival in 2010 – of the U.S. F2000 National Championship, an open wheel auto racing series that is the first step in INDYCAR's Road to Indy ladder, operated by Andersen Promotions. A 14-race schedule was announced on October 17, 2017.
Kyle MacLean Kirkwood is an American auto racing driver. He currently drives the No. 27 for Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar Series.
Rasmus Mathias Lindh is a Swedish racing car driver who competed in Indy NXT in 2023 for Juncos Hollinger Racing in the #76 car, after switching from HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing. Lindh previously competed in the then Indy Lights for Juncos.
Hunter McElrea is a New Zealand racing driver currently competing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for TDS Racing.
The 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship was the 22nd season in series history. An 18-round schedule was announced on 12 September 2019, featuring six permanent road courses, two street circuits, and two ovals. Except for the two Indianapolis-area rounds, they were NTT IndyCar Series support races. The Indianapolis road course race was a stand-alone race because the NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine 400 weekend was combined with the GMR Grand Prix weekend as a double header so that weekend is full, and the Lucas Oil Raceway round, normally held on Indianapolis 500 weekend, is part of the USAC Silver Crown Series Dave Steele Classic round.
The 2020 U.S. F2000 National Championship was the eleventh season of the U.S. F2000 National Championship since its revival in 2010. The championship serves as the first rung of the IndyCar Series's Road to Indy ladder system. An 18 race schedule was announced on 12 September 2019 featuring six permanent road courses, two street circuits, and a single oval in the Dave Steele Classic. The Dave Steele Classic race is a standalone race, while the Indianapolis road course race is now a stand-alone round due to the NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 and GMR Grand Prix is a doubleheader weekend so it is full.
The 2023 USF2000 Championshippresented by Cooper Tires was the fourteenth season of the USF2000 Championship since its revival in 2010. When the top rung of the Road to Indy ladder system, Indy Lights, was bought by Penske Entertainment in 2021 and the lower level series changed sanctioning to the United States Auto Club, changes were made to the other championships in the ladder. This, together with the Indy Lights being rebranded to Indy NXT, effectively ended the "Road to Indy" branding, with the three championships below Indy NXT now collectively called "USF Pro Championships Presented by Cooper Tires". The USF2000 Championship served as the middle rung of this ladder.