Series Staff

• Dan Andersen - Owner / CEO

  

  Dan is a respected figure in the junior open-wheel racing ranks, with a tradition of helping develop young driving talent. He founded the USF2000 Championship in 1991 and guided it for 10 years, turning it into one of the top open-wheel development formulas in the world. Dan has worked with numerous young drivers in the past who are now enjoying successful careers in the IZOD IndyCar Series and in professional sports car racing. He has also owned and operated several multi-car open-wheel pro teams in the F2000, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights championships and continues to own and operate an extensive karting venture and test track in Palmetto, Florida. As CEO of Andersen Promotions, Dan resurrected the USF2000 Championship and has established it as the first professional rung on the ladder to a top-level open-wheel career in North America. In 2012, Andersen Promotions launched the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires to bridge the gap left by the former Star Mazda Series. Pro Mazda is now the second official step on the Mazda Road to Indy.

• Michelle Kish - Series Manager

  

  Michelle brings a wealth of experience to Andersen Promotions. As series administrator for the USF2000/Cooper Tires F2000 series from the late 1990’s through 2005, her responsibilities included race scheduling, event planning, hospitality, travel planning, marketing, record-keeping and customer support. Her ongoing relationships with tracks, race teams and drivers were a valuable asset to Andersen Racing, where she served as manager of operations from 2006 through 2010. Michelle’s experience in the promotional and team owner's side of racing make her uniquely qualified to oversee the USF2000 Championship and also serve as series manager for the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires.

• Paul Walter - Competition Director

  

  Paul comes to the USF2000 Championship from the Formula BMW USA series, where he served as race director. He is currently the race director for the American Le Mans Series and GRAND-AM Series, and Competition Director for Pro Mazda. Paul is a veteran of the IndyCar/CART ranks as a team and operations manager, primarily with Tasman Motorsports Group, where he worked from 1996 through 2001. He owns a project-management consultancy firm, Metropolis Motorsports Group, as well as a design and fabrication business. Both are located in Columbus, Ohio.

• Bill Van de Sandt - Race Director

  

  Bill joined INDYCAR as director of operations in 2009. He is responsible for the event operations of each INDYCAR event and serves as a racing steward for IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights events. He has served as race director for the Pro Mazda Championship since 2011 and will add the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in 2013. A native of Fairborn, Ohio, Bill has more than 30 years of experience in auto racing, working with Indy car, Indy Lights, Super Vee, Can-Am and Atlantic teams. He has been a part of two Indianapolis 500-winning teams and two Indy car championship teams. Prior to joining INDYCAR, Bill worked with Rahal Letterman Racing, where served as team manager. He resides in Zionsville, Ind., with his wife Ann and two children, Alex and Sara.

• Craig Brooks - Technical Director

  

  Craig used to be the crew chief for Beyer Racing's Grand-Am Daytona Prototype team and for Guthrie Racing's Firestone Indy Lights program. He owned and operated Competition Engines, Inc. for 10 years, during which time he also served as the lead technician at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. He has finished third in the World Finals in the Engine Masters competition, and he's a five-time winner at Pikes Peak as an engine builder. He was also the head engine builder for Farley Engines for 10 years. He holds a bachelor's degree in diesel mechanics; he's a certified Superflow dynamometer operator, and he's an ASE certified master in engine machinist and engine performance. Beginning in 2013, his role will expand as he also becomes Technical Director for the Pro Mazda Series.

• John Andersen - Director of Logistics

  

  John has been involved in open-wheel racing for nearly two decades, serving as Director of Race Operations for the Cooper Tires F2000 Championship (the successor to the USF2000 series) through the end of 2006. In recent years John managed Andersen Racing’s Firestone Indy Lights team. His management and organizational skills enables him to effectively oversee the logistical aspects of both the USF2000 and Pro Mazda Series as Director of Logistics.

• Bill Hunter - Technical Assistant

  

  Bill has been involved with motorsports since 1974, beginning with autocross events and road rallies. In 1998, he progressed to road racing with the SCCA and has competed in several categories over the years. During the early 1990s, he built racing engines and crewed in IMSA competition. Bill first worked with USF2000 as an Assistant Starter in 1997, and continued with the series for many years working technical inspection, pit lane and the starting grid. Bill and his wife Shelia, who serves as the Event Administrative Assistant for the series, have owned an automotive repair shop for over 20 years and, in his spare time, Bill continues to compete in SCCA club racing events. He also holds an SCCA National Starter License. Bill will also serve as Technical Assistant in the Pro Mazda Series.

• Larry Wagner – Transportation/Hospitality Manager

  

  Larry has been involved in motorsports since 1980, making his initial foray in stock cars alongside his brother. After working for Roger Mears Racing in off-road racing including the Mickey Thompson Off Road Championship and Baja 1000 as well as Indy Lights, Larry moved to Indianapolis to become more entrenched in the sport. His vast experience includes transportation positions with Genoa Racing in Formula Atlantic, Eco Racing in the American Le Mans Series, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in INDYCAR and, most recently, with Andretti Autosport in the USF2000 series.

• Suzi Shinji - Registrar

  

  Suzi is the first staff member many participants meet. She is the registrar for both the USF2000 and Pro Mazda Series, and she also helps with IMSA registration when needed. A resident of Westminster, Calif., she has been a volunteer registrar for 20 years after getting introduced to the sport in 1988 by an ex-boyfriend who raced in the SCCA Formula Mazda Championship Series. In addition to traveling to races, Suzi holds a full-time job with First American Title PRES. Single, she says her goal is to find a single man who has a job, a car and can cook, adding that the only reason she has a kitchen is because it came with her house. In addition to racing she is very interested in photography and crafts such as needlework and beading.

• Joel Miller - Driver Coach

  

  Joel, who holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California-Riverside, has amassed an impressive driving resume the past 15 years. He began his career in karts and quickly rose to become a factory driver for the Italian-owned Tony Kart team whose alumni include F1 champion Michael Schumacher. After winning the 2006 ICA North American championship, Joel went on to claim the 2007 Skip Barber National Series title and a place on the MAZDASPEED

  Driver Development program as a well as a Team USA Scholarship. He finished second in his debut in the 2008 Star Mazda Series, has made starts in Firestone Indy Lights and GRAND-AM and this year will continue in the sports car ranks in addition to instructing at the Skip Barber Racing School. He most recently was part of Mazda Motorsport's line-up in the 2013 Rolex 24 at Daytona aboard the all-new SKYACTIV-D clean diesel-powered Mazda6. Joel will also serve as the Pro Mazda driver coach.

• Johnny Unser - Technical and Driver Consultant

  

  In his fourth year as Technical and Driver Consultant, Johnny brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the series. A member of the legendary Unser family – son of Jerry, nephew of Al and Bobby and cousin of Al Jr., who share no fewer than nine Indianapolis 500 victories between them – Johnny has raced in a wide variety of cars and venues from Indianapolis to Baja to Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans. He served the Atlantic Championship as Race Director in 2008 and has been a performance advisor and spokesman for Cooper Tires since 2003.

• Shelia Hunter - Event Administrative Assistant

  

  Shelia became involved in motorsports early one morning in 1974 when, alongside her husband (USF2000/Pro Mazda Technical Assistant) Bill Hunter, she attended a nearby autocross event and was hooked. The event led to many years of involvement with the Virginia Motor Sport Club and SCCA club racing. During the 1990s, Shelia and Bill were on the staff of the original USF2000 and are now reunited with many former staff members on race weekends. When not at the races, Shelia manages the automotive repair shop that she and Bill founded in 1990 and crews at her husband's club races. She also holds an SCCA National Timing & Scoring license. Shelia also serves on the Pro Mazda staff as Event Administrative Assistant.

• Tamy Valkosky - Public Relations

  

  Tamy has been involved in motorsports public relations for over 20 years. She most recently concluded a decade-long role at Fernandez Racing with a variety of responsibilities including public relations, marketing and sponsor relations in the IndyCar, Champ Car, American Le Mans and Grand-Am Series. Prior to joining Fernandez Racing, Tamy enjoyed a nine-year tenure at Tasman Motorsports Group which competed in the Champ Car, Indy Lights and Super Touring Series. She has worked with some of the top drivers in racing including Tony Kanaan, Helio Castroneves, Adrian Fernandez and Bryan Herta. She is a former recipient of the James P. Chapman Award for excellence in motorsports public relations. Tamy will also oversee public relations in the Pro Mazda Series.

• John Hendrick - Series Photographer

  

  John, the official photographer for both the USF2000 and Pro Mazda Series, is a veteran freelance motorsports photographer, providing high quality image work over the years to clients in ALMS, World Challenge, INDYCAR, Rolex Grand AM, Koni Continental Tire Challenge, INEX 600 Racing, ARCA, SCCA and the National Auto Sport Assoc. He also provides technical image work on the racing market through his contributions to Performance Racing Industry magazine and is often utilized as a staff photographer by various race tracks throughout the south. He is an avid vintage auto racing enthusiast, frequently providing image work and feature articles in Vintage Motorsport magazine. When not working in motorsports, you can usually find him cooking and spending time with his lovely wife Taylor or pursuing his passion for surf fishing on the beach near his home outside Sarasota, Fla.

• Ken Burris - Marketing / Hospitality

  

  Ken brings over 20 years of experience in the fields of corporate sales and hospitality services. A graduate of UNC at Wilmington, he has managed sales, corporate hospitality and special events for the Canteen Corporation and Nextel Communications as well as the PGA and Nationwide tour events. In 2004, Ken decided to follow his passion in the world of racing. He founded BMS Group, LLC, working with up-and-coming drivers and teams on sponsorship acquisitions and hospitality services. For more information on how Ken can help your business accelerate its marketing agenda within the USF2000 and Pro Mazda Series, please email him at

  kburris@burrismotorsport.com.

• David Storvick - Series Chaplain

  

  David Storvick, of INDYCAR Ministry, has served as the USF2000 series' chaplain since 2010. David served as the associate chaplain with the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights in 2008 and 2009. In 2011, he expanded his role and now serves as chaplain to the Pro Mazda Series, covering the first two levels of the Mazda Road to Indy ladder. He and his wife Deatra reside in Indianapolis. Their home church, Indian Creek Christian Church, provides the missionary structure to enable him to minister to those who follow our series. He is available to help with spiritual needs in any way possible and can be reached via cell phone at (317) 435-5427 or at david.storvick@gmail.com.