Pigot Takes Pro Mazda Title

Amid drama at Sonoma Raceway, Spencer Pigot beats Scott Hargrove to the championship.

With the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires title on the line, it was high drama at Sonoma Raceway as Spencer Pigot left with the championship and the $588,800 MAZDASPEED Driver Development Scholarship to graduate to Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires that goes along with it. The drama began with Pigot and title rival Scott Hargrove coming together in the first race, leaving Pigot on the sidelines and Hargrove with a third-place finish as Kyle Kaiser took his first series victory. That left Hargrove with the advantage going into Saturday's finale.

No one could have written a script as convoluted as the one which played out in that race. A sequence of almost unbelievable events enabled 17-year-old Mexican Jose Gutierrez to emerge with his first victory, while Juncos Racing teammate Pigot claimed the championship spoils after Hargrove experienced a broken transmission while in the lead with just four laps remaining

The action began moments after the start when Pigot tucked in behind polesitter Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing's Hargrove on the entry to Turn 1, only to be hit from behind by Hargrove's teammate, Neil Alberico. The contact sent Pigot spinning and caused several other cars to be caught up in the melee. The resulting full-course caution enabled Pigot to catch up to the back of the field at the restart, but his title hopes were virtually in tatters with Hargrove leading the race and, following the incident between the pair yesterday, Pigot needing to finish ahead of his rival to stand any chance of winning the championship.