Aussie on the rise

Despite the media attention and a well-oiled, dedicated publicity machine, the Global MX-5 Cup Invitational  wasn’t the top race at last week’s all-Mazda meet at Laguna Seca in the USA.

Indeed, there was proper racing going on – four Mazda-focussed formulas that are each key to the brand’s Road to Indy and Road to 24 driver (#mrt24) development programs.

Indy Lights, Pro Mazda, USF2000 open-wheelers and (to a lesser extent) IMSA Prototype Lites were the stars of the event and it’s within these formulas that the next generation of US-based IndyCar and Daytona and WEC-style sports-car drivers are being developed.

And the reason we’re bringing this up? There were Aussies in them there Monterey hills...

Young Aussie racers are kicking goals and butts in the Mazda-sponsored stepping stone classes. Anthony Martin and Jordan Lloyd were both competing in the introductory USF2000 category and Jake Parsons is already a frontrunner at the higher level, hotly contested Pro Mazda formula.

The weekend was especially memorable for Martin. Rookie of the Year winner in 2015, the Kalgoorlie-born Indianapolis resident, completed the perfect year-on-year progression to clinch the USF2000 title at Laguna Seca.

Martin’s another articulate and talented Aussie that has his feet and hands firmly on the ladder of success towards an IndyCar career. Mazda’s graduated motorsport program in the USA will reward him with around $A500,000 of sponsorship with which to contest the 2015 Pro Mazda championship in 2017.

If everything goes to plan, Martin could be racing alongside his mentor and certified champ, Will Power, in IndyCars by the 2019 season.

motoring.com.au took the opportunity to find out a little more about the 21-year-old, his background and where to next. Here’s what he said...