Zach Meyer is coming into Barber with a lot of momentum after fifth place in a pre-raace test. (Photo-Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)
By: Zach Meyer Racing
April 25, 2014
Leeds, Alabama – After completing the Long Beach 100 and demonstrating greatly improved race pace, Zack Meyer is prepared to put together a
complete weekend and show the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires field he is ready to make his mark on the top half of the grid. Meyer and his #2 TMR/DAMIS PARTNERS III/Innisfil Indy Karting/Xtreme Coil Drilling team got off to the right start at Barber Motorsports Park, home to this weekend's Legacy Indy Lights 100 doubleheader, placing fifth in a one-day pre-event test session.
Meyer, 21, from Innisfil, Ont., enjoyed a successful test during the Cooper Tires WinterFest this past February and is confident that familiarity and experience will breed success during the third race weekend—and the first doubleheader weekend—of the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season. "After having tested here earlier in the year, it always helps to know a track before you arrive for the race," explained Meyer. "Testing today was pretty good, but we still have a long way to go. Both myself and team are staying positive."
The picturesque yet challenging road course in Alabama will provide Meyer his best chance yet to work his way up the order. Meyer is fond of the circuit and confident that his admiration of the layout combined with his physical fitness will help him reach much loftier heights. "Barber Motorsports Park is a beautiful track—well maintained, a fair amount of grip, and a great atmosphere," the only Canadian in Indy Lights competition said. "I really enjoy Turn 1, the Turn 8-9 complex, and the Turn 12-13 complex. All in all it's quite a nice place. The circuit is pretty physically demanding, and everyone else has been training and is fit and ready. But maybe with my training routine I have a slight edge."
This weekend's event is the first doubleheader weekend of the 2014 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season, and Meyer sees it as a great opportunity to build on his continually improving form. "With a doubleheader weekend we have more track time, which means more points. It also means more time to become smarter, faster, and stronger—and if possible, bring home more podiums. I would very much like to go home on the podium."
With Meyer already on-track and striving for a great result to kick-start his season, he heads into the weekend leaving this final thought: "I'm staying positive and optimistic. I want to go out and crush it this weekend. It's all about focus, focus, focus."
The 21-year-old will have one practice session, qualifying, the 40-minute sprint race, and the 60-minute feature race all on his plate this weekend. The Legacy Indy Lights 100 is slated to take the green flag at 1 p.m. EDT on Saturday for the sprint race followed by the feature race rolling off at 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday. The television broadcast of the doubleheader weekend will air on NBC Sports Network on a tape-delayed basis April 27 at 5:30 p.m. EDT, immediately following the Verizon IndyCar Series' Honda Indy Grand Prix or Alabama.
You can learn more about Zack Meyer by visiting ZackMeyer.ca, and you can also follow Zack on Twitter @ZackMeyer66 and Instagram @ZackMeyer66. If you are interested in supporting an up-and-coming Canadian racer in the Mazda Road to Indy, you may directly contact Zack Meyer to discuss sponsorship opportunities.
Legacy Indy Lights 100 Fast Facts:
The Track: 2.38-mile, 17-turn permanent road course
The Races: 40-minute sprint race on Saturday, April 26 and 60-minute feature race on Sunday, April 27
Social Media Hashtags: #HIGPA, #MRTI, #TeamCooperTire, #R2IndyTV
TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Network - Tape Delayed, Sunday, April 27, 5:30 p.m. EDT
Radio Broadcast: Live on IMS Radio Network on Sirius XM Satellite Radio, IndyCar.com, IndyCarRadio.com, and the INDYCAR app from Verizon, Saturday, April 26, 1:00 p.m. EDT and Sunday, April 27, 1:00 p.m. EDT
Schedule:
Friday Practice, 10:00-10:45 a.m. EDT
Qualifying, 4:00-4:45 p.m. EDT
Saturday Race 1, 1:00 p.m. EDT
Sunday Race 2, 1:00 p.m. EDT
About Zack Meyer:
A homegrown racer from Toronto, Ont., Meyer began his racing career in karting at Innisfil Indy Karting. Meyer's racing career blossomed under the tutelage of his driver coach and manager, Joe Launi. With both the support of his mother and Launi, Meyer went on to become one of the top karters for the ultra-competitive GP Racing Karts team, participating in and winning numerous KZ2 Shifter Kart events. Meyer claimed the championship for the Brian Stewart BSRKC-F125/ICC Shifter class in both 2009 and 2010, only to follow those up by claiming the championship in the KZ2 Class in the Florida Winter Tour in 2011 and 2012.
Meyer made his debut in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires in 2012 with JDC MotorSports before moving to the series full-time in 2013. Meyer posted a best finish of fourth in his home race, the Honda Indy Toronto, on his way to finishing the year as the highest-placed JDC MotorSports driver in the championship with sixth in the championship standings. For 2014, Meyer steps up to the top rung on the Mazda Road to Indy development ladder, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, with race-winning Team Moore Racing.