SEBRING, Fla. — Sam Schmidt Motorsports tested two young, up-and-coming drivers at Sebring Int’l Raceway Oct. 22-23 as the team begins its search to replace 2007 Indy Pro Series champion Alex Lloyd.
Cole Morgan, the 2007 Hankook F2000 champion, and James Davison, who ranks second in Star Mazda, got their first opportunity to drive the 450-hp Indy Pro Series cars.
“It seems like we have to reinvent the wheel every year,” said team owner Sam Schmidt, whose drivers have won three of the last four Indy Pro Series championships. “We’ve had a lot of talented drivers do great things in our cars in the past, but the pressure is always on to continue running well with new drivers every year.
“Personally, offering this test is very rewarding as I only wish this type of opportunity was available when I won the Formula Continental National Championship in 1993. I applaud series organizers for making this happen.”
Morgan, a 19-year old native of Florida, won the F2000 title on the strength of nine top-five finishes in 10 starts, including six victories.
“I am so grateful for this opportunity,” Morgan said. “Sam Schmidt has built the most dominant team in the Indy Pro Series, and to be able to test with them is a dream come true. It really shows how committed Sam is to open-wheel racing in the U.S. People as generous as him are few and far between in such a cut-throat sport.”
Davison, 21, has a victory and three pole positions to his credit in Star Mazda this season.
“I must thank Sam for showing an interest and believing in me,” said Davison, whose grandfather Lex Davison won four Australian Grands Prix between 1954 and 1961.

• Three drivers passed their Indy Pro Series oval rookie tests with Sam Schmidt Motorsports at Kentucky Speedway on Oct. 18. Richard Antinucci, Bia Figueiredo and Matt Lee all successfully completed laps in an Indy Pro Series machine under the direction of series technical director Butch Meyer.
Antinucci, the nephew of 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever, won two races in the Indy Pro Series in 2007 driving only the road course events for Cheever Racing. The Kentucky test was the first opportunity for the 26-year-old to drive on an oval.
Figueiredo, 22, has competed in South American Formula 3 and Formula Renault Brazil while Lee, 17, finished second in Formula BMW competition in 2006 and recorded two top-10 finishes in the Champ Car Atlantic series in 2007.