Sebring: Goodyear Racing event report

VAUTIER VICTORIOUS IN STAR-MAZDA RACE AT SEBRING

SEBRING, Fla. (March 19, 2010) -- Tristan Vautier started third but moved quickly to the front of the field and won the first race of the 2010 season for the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear at Sebring International Raceway.

The race was the first in the United States for the 20-year-old French driver.

Goodyear is the exclusive tire provider for the Star Mazda program, which includes the national touring championship as well as regional series and two age group championships. It is one of the top open wheel development series in North America and Goodyear has been the tire supplier for the program since its inception.

"I was quicker than I expected to be in the race," Vautier said. "The Goodyear tires stayed quite consistent."

Jorge Goncalvez finished second, just .175 of a second behind the winner. Conor Daly was third, followed by Mikael Grenier and Anders Krohn. Vautier, Grenier and Krohn are Anderson Racing teammates.

The winner averaged 104.603 mph around the 17-turn, 3.7-mile Sebring circuit. J.W. Roberts won the Expert Class (for drivers aged 30-44) and Gerry Kraut won the Masters Class (for drivers 45 years and older).

-source: goodyear racing