Maroney Signs with PR1 Motorsports for 2010

After competing in karts since he was four years old, Miles Maroney of Topanga, CA, has made the transition to cars in a big way. With several karting championships and wins on his resume, Maroney decided early on that the Pacific F2000 Championship would be the ideal arena to continue his racing career. However, he had not yet raced a formula car until the first round of the 2010 season at California Speedway earlier this month.

To make matters more interesting, Maroney had to make his debut in the wet. After qualifying the #22 Maroney Company/Alpinestars/PR1 Motorsports Van Diemen RF05 Zetec in tenth, Maroney methodically worked his way up to the front while several of his competitors fell victim to the soggy conditions. A potential top-5 and possible podium finish looked attainable until another competitor hit the #22 from behind causing an unfortunate DNF.

For Maroney, his debut race was a thrilling first lesson in what he hopes to be a comprehensive open wheel education.

The plan for Miles Maroney is to commence with the big car education for under the watchful eye of Bobby Oergl and his PR1 team who guided guys like Jonathan Bomarito, J R Hildebrand, Charlie Kimball and many others on their rise to the top of the sport. Miles will run the full Pacific F2000 Series, the final two races of the F2000 National Championship at Road America and Road Atlanta, then on to chase the 2011 F2000 National Championship next season in preparation of the next step to Star Mazda in 2012.

“I had only done about a day and a half of testing with PR1 Motorsports before the race, and that’s it," Maroney said. “In some ways, I felt like I was starting from square one as I’ve never had to shift or use an H-Pattern in a race. Even leaving the pits with the clutch took a little practice to keep it from stalling."

Sunday’s event started promising with a seventh place qualifying position. Once again, Maroney battled up to the front before a mistimed downshift relegated him to spend the rest of the day catching back up to the field. However, Maroney used the situation as an opportunity to learn the subtle nuances of his car.

“It was a rookie mistake, but from the beginning to the end of the weekend , I felt like a completely different driver," Maroney explained. “I focused on getting comfortable shifting, learning the pace of the events, and really absorbing everything that comes with making the transition from karts to cars. By the end of the race, I felt much more comfortable."

After years of watching Maroney’s career with interest, PR1 Motorsports Team Principal, Bobby Oergel, is excited to sign the young driver full time for the remainder of the 2010 season.

“Miles is someone we’ve kept an eye on for a while," Oergel said. “We’ve had a relationship with him and his family for about 5 years now, and we expect him to be just as fast in cars as he was in karts. You could see that despite his age, he’s a veteran racer in a lot of aspects. His poise in the wet at Fontana gives us every indication that he has tremendous race craft and all the right tools to be quick in anything he straps himself into. He’s going to turn some heads, and we’re looking forward to helping him progress as a driver."

Maroney is equally impressed with PR1 Motorsport’s extensive F2000 experience.

“I’ve been around PR1 Motorsports for a few years, and watching guys like Jonathan Bomarito and Patrick Barrett get their start with the team gives me a lot of confidence in them," Maroney continued. “I really enjoy working with PR1. Their program is so professional that it can be humbling and confidence inspiring at the same time. So many people I respect have told me that F2000 is a great place to learn how to race a formula car. I understand that I have a huge learning curve in front of me, and the first two races at California Speedway really showed me that. But I know I’m with the right team to help me to at least contend for this year’s championship, and to go on an all out assault in 2011."

The 2010 Pacific F2000 Championship continues April 10-11 at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, CA.

Drivers and partners interested in the PR1 Motorsports Pacific F2000 program can contact the team directly at pr1motorsports@aol.com or at (559) 277-1300.

In paddocks packed with excellent teams and quality drivers, PR1 Motorsports has established itself as one of the top driver development programs. Based in Fresno, CA, PR1 Motorsports occupies an expansive facility housing a stable of F2000 Zetec, GRAND-AM Rolex Series, and American Le Mans Series race cars. Team drivers enjoy the benefits of a completely professional program including engineering support, state-of-the art data acquisition, and a race winning experienced crew. PR1 Motorsports drivers, and partners, enjoy first-class trackside hospitality and comprehensive marketing support.