Patrick Gallagher had an impressive racing resume last week. Now he can add 2012 Mazda Club Racer Shootout winner to his list of accomplishments. Gallagher will follow in the footsteps of Andrew Caddell, Brad Rampelberg, Justin Piscitell, Nick Evans, Scott Shelton, and Elliott Skeer, the six previous Mazda shootout winners.

He also joins the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Driver ladder, which includes the Mazda Road to Indy, program class of 2013. The MAZDASPEED ladder has been a critical part of the success of up-and-coming racers including Raphael Matos, John Edwards, Conor Daly, Joel Miller, Matthew Brabham, Connor De Phillippi, Dane Cameron, Jack Hawksworth, Stevan McAleer, Jason Saini, Todd Lamb, Eric Foss, Michael Cooper, Trent Hindman, Danilo Estrella, Adam Christodoulou, Sage Karam, Spencer Pigot, Felix Serralles, Tristan Vautier, Petri Suvanto, Scott Anderson, and Yago Cesario.

When told that he had won the shootout, a prize valued at $75,000, the richest in all of club racing Gallagher was almost speechless, “I don't quite know what to say, It is amazing to have this opportunity.

A huge thanks to everyone who helped me get to this point, Mazda, my parents, Howard Concrete Pumping, JAY Motorsports, CTL Engineering, and HKC Support. There is a reason there are more Mazda's road raced on any given weekend than any other brand, they build the best cars in the world and I am honored to have the opportunity to be a part of their family.”