Ryan Norman, the 2016 Atlantic Championship Series champion, was announced today to drive in the 2017 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires season for Andretti Autosport. The 18-year-old from Cleveland will pilot the No. 48 Flip Side Mazda Dallara IL-15.

“I'm very excited to join Andretti Autosport for the 2017 Indy Lights season,” Norman said. “With their great success in INDYCAR and Indy Lights, it is the perfect environment for me to learn and grow as a driver. I want to thank (Andretti Autosport owner) Michael Andretti and the rest of the team for this wonderful opportunity and I hope to bring great results to the team this coming year.”

Norman collected 10 wins and nine pole positions in 16 races to win this year’s Atlantic Championship Series title. He becomes the third of four drivers confirmed to Andretti’s 2017 Indy Lights roster, joining Dalton Kellett (No. 28 K-LINE Insulators, USA Mazda) and Nico Jamin (No. 27 Synova Mazda). Andretti’s fourth Indy Lights driver will be announced at a later date.

“We have been following Ryan’s achievements in Formula Atlantic and feel he will do equally well, if not better, in Indy Lights,” said J-F Thormann, president of Andretti Autosport. “Ryan has tested for the team several times this offseason and has impressed us with how quickly he has adapted to the car. We are looking forward to seeing what the 2017 season has in store for us and are thrilled to have three of our four Indy Lights entries announced.”

The 16-race 2017 Indy Lights season begins with a doubleheader weekend March 10-12 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. Indy Lights is the top rung of the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires ladder, sanctioned by INDYCAR for drivers and teams aspiring to reach the Verizon IndyCar Series.

Jones awarded British Racing Drivers Club's Earl Howe Trophy

Ed Jones, the 2016 Indy Lights champion who will compete in the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2017 with Dale Coyne Racing, was awarded the Earl Howe Trophy at the British Racing Drivers Club luncheon today in London.

The Earl Howe Trophy is awarded annually to the highest-placed British driver in the Indianapolis 500 race or to the British driver who has established the most meritorious performance of the year in North America. Jones, a Dubai-based Brit, claimed two wins and eight poles en route to the Indy Lights championship for Carlin Racing. He is the second Indy Lights driver to win the Howe award in the last three seasons, joining 2014 winner Jack Harvey.