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Andretti promotes Kellett to Indy Lights

Ontario's Dalton Kellett will join the ranks of the Indy Lights series in 2016, graduating with Andretti Autosport after contesting the 2015 Pro Mazda season with the team.

Dalton Kellett

Dalton Kellett

Bret Kelley

Dalton Kellett
Dalton Kellett
Dalton Kellett
Shelby Blackstock, Andretti Autosport
Shelby Blackstock, Andretti Autosport
Shelby Blackstock, Andretti Autosport

Kellett, 22, has raced in various Mazda Road to Indy championships since 2012, including an Indy Lights one-off in 2013 with Pabst at Baltimore, in which he only made it as far as lap two.

Switching to Andretti this year, he finished third in the Pro Mazda Winterfest, but was tenth in the regular season, with a best finish of second at Iowa Speedway.

"I’m very excited to return with Andretti Autosport for the 2016 season in Indy Lights,” said Kellett. “2015 marked my first year with the team in Pro Mazda and having the opportunity to grow that relationship in the upcoming season is an immense honor.

“Having recently graduated, this season will be the first year that I won’t have to go back to school, and I’m looking forward to having the entire off season to do lots of testing with the team and get fit for the season opener."

Andretti won Indy Lights titles in 2008 and 2009 with Raphael Matos and J.R. Hildebrand respectively, but has endured a difficult season in 2015 with the new IL-15 chassis.

Shelby Blackstock was the team's only full-timer and struggled to match the pace of the frontrunners early in the campaign, albeit improvements were made in the second half, culminating in his and the team's first IL-15 podium at Mid-Ohio.

Blackstock could be a candidate to join Kellett at Andretti for a second go at Lights, while ex-Caterham F1 junior Weiron Tan - who partnered Kellett in Pro Mazda this year and won four races - is also likely to be considered.

"We were first impressed with Dalton’s work ethic and consistency prior to him joining Andretti last season, and he hasn’t disappointed in his time here,” said JF Thormann of Andretti Autosport.

"We’re really happy to be able to help further develop his career and are optimistic about the success he will help bring to our Indy Lights program.”

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