ADAM CHRISTODOULOU IN GRAND-AM CHAMPIONSHIP

MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development announced yesterday that 2009 Star Mazda Championship winner Adam Christodoulou will team with 2009 Atlantic Championship winner John Edwards in a SpeedSource-prepared Mazda RX-8 in the Grand-Am GT class, starting with next weekend’s Homestead Grand Prix.

This will be the first time either young driver has raced a Grand-Am GT car, and is the start of a full-season program where the two will hone their skills in an unfamiliar form of racing, with the intention of helping Mazda win the 2010 Grand-Am GT class manufacturers’ championship.

The RX-8 will be entered by SpeedSource/Newman Wachs Racing. The car has been sourced from Yellow Dragon Motorsports, owned by long-time Mazda club-racer Jack Smith, and will be prepared by Florida-based SpeedSource Inc. SpeedSource’s Castrol Syntec-sponsored RX-8 won the GT class at the 2008 and 2010 Rolex-24 at Daytona.

Adam, BRDC Superstar and 2009 Star Mazda Championship Champion commented:

“After a fantastic two seasons racing in 2008 and 2009 winning two titles back to back in two different championships from around the world, I’m now being thrown my next challenge.

“In 2010, the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development program is helping me to further my career to the next level. This is a big step for me as I have never competed out of single-seater racing, I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel and proving to everyone that I’m competitive in whichever series I race.

“I think it’s going to be great working with John, as I know we both want the same thing: to be fast, competitive and to win races. I don’t think I could have been partnered up with a better team and team mate”.