Zack Meyer is hoping to give himself a birthday present on the podium in Mid Ohio.

Lexington, Ohio – For up-and-coming Canadian racer Zack Meyer, the best gift of all for his 22nd birthday is a gift only he can give himself: a trip to the podium during this weekend's Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio. With the demanding Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and eleven other drivers standing in his way, Meyer is up to the challenge and ready to celebrate another glorious year in style. Meyer will take his #2 TMR/DAMIS PARTNERS III/Innisfil Indy Karting/Xtreme Coil Drilling car to the rolling road course nestled in the heart of Ohio with the goal of bringing home a trophy and a champagne-stained fire suit.

Meyer, 21, from Innisfil, Ont., will have two opportunities to reach the podium this weekend as the series tackles the third of four doubleheader weekends on the 2014 schedule. Despite the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course being a physically demanding circuit, Meyer is up for the challenge—not just this weekend, but every weekend. "Even though Mid-Ohio can be a tough place, and we have a doubleheader this weekend, I'm ready for it," Meyer stated with confidence. "I prepare just as hard for every race. I do enjoy Mid-Ohio, though. From The Esses all the way through Thunder Valley, it's fast, flowing, and fun."

With nine races complete in the 2014 championship and just five remaining, Meyer knows now is the time to take all that he is learned from his first year in Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires competition and put it all together if he is to end up on the podium. "I've really learned this year to be a little more calm throughout the weekend and not chase numbers," Meyer reflected. "I just have to go out there and do my job, drive the car, feel what the car is doing, and learn to set it up to help push towards the front."

After a disappointing run two weeks ago in his hometown Grand Prix of Toronto, when Meyer was taken out of contention by another driver in the first corner of the first lap, the young Canadian heads into Mid-Ohio with a simple yet complex goal to meet: standing on the podium after one of the remaining five races. "My goal each session, each race, each season is to always improve. More than anything, though, I would love to get on the podium. That would be especially amazing this weekend because my birthday is on Monday [August 4]!"

The Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio doubleheader is the tenth and eleventh of fourteen races on the 2014 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires schedule. The sole Canadian racing in Indy Lights will have one practice session, qualifying, the 40-minute sprint race, and then the 60-minute feature race as part of the Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio on tap this week. The Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio is slated to take the green flag at 3:25 p.m. EDT on Saturday and 11:55 a.m. EDT on Sunday. The television broadcast of the Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio will air on a tape-delayed basis on NBC Sports Network immediately following the conclusion of the Honda Indy 200 at 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday.

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.

Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio Fast Facts

Radio Broadcast: Live on IMS Radio Network on Sirius XM Satellite Radio, IndyCar.com, IndyCarRadio.com, and the INDYCAR app from Verizon, Saturday, August 2, 3:25 p.m. EDT and Sunday, August 3, 11:55 a.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.