Victor Franzoni extended his slender lead over Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires rival Anthony Martin (Cape Motorsports) by virtue of a hard-fought victory this afternoon in the first of two races that comprise the Pro Mazda Watkins Glen Grand Prix Presented by Cooper Tires

For Victor Franzoni, as with rival Anthony Martin, winning the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires will provide an opportunity to move on to Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires – one step away from the Brazilian’s ultimate goal, a career in the Verizon IndyCar Series – in 2018.

Australian Anthony Martin, the winner of last year’s USF2000 championship, and fellow ex-USF2000 front-runner Victor Franzoni, from Brazil, will go head to head two more times this weekend as they battle for a Mazda Scholarship worth almost $800,000 to assist in the graduation to Indy Lights for 2018.

This coming weekend at Watkins Glen, Anthony Martin will have an opportunity to become the first driver since Matthew Brabham in 2012 and 2013 to clinch the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda and the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires in successive years.

All three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires – the world’s most effective open-wheel development ladder – will continue to enjoy competition at three high profile venues as Andersen Promotions and Green Savoree Racing Promotions today announced a new multi-year contract