David Ostella Iowa preview

Ostella makes his second career oval start this Friday

The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear crosses its halfway point this Friday with David Ostella and his AIM Autosport team set to contest the first annual Pizza Ranch 100. Iowa Speedway is the venue, and the 7/8 mile layout will present the young Canadian with a trio of challenges. It will be his first time racing on a tri-oval, his first time racing at night, and there will be little time to adjust as the entire Star Mazda schedule will be completed on Friday.

"It's going to be a different experience, for sure, but AIM Autosport is a great team and I know we can handle it," Ostella said prior to departing for Newton, Iowa, on Thursday. "You are constantly turning on a tri-oval and in a Star Mazda car the track is flat out, all the way around. The G- forces from the speed and constant turning will be tremendous on the body, but that's when all the training pays off!"

In his last series start, his first ever on an oval, Ostella was a front runner from the first session onward and though he hopes for much of the same this week, he's not sure a label should come from it. "I don't know about me being an 'oval guy' specifically, but I know I had a blast on the last one and it shouldn't be any different here," he said through a chuckle. "I'm not sure how the track will look from the seat at night though, to be honest. I've raced a kart at night in the past, that was a little tricky, but I'm sure the speedway will be much brighter than any kart track could have been, that's for sure!"

After an early morning practice session and a second during the noon hour, Star Mazda qualifying will take place at 3pm Friday before 100 laps beginning at 8:30pm.

-credit: www.davidostella.com