Race fans can cheer on a homegrown driver next weekend, as Stefan Rzadzinski has been given the go ahead to enter the Firestone Indy Lights at the Edmonton Indy.

“I’m competitive, I want to be in the fight,” Rzadzinski, 18, said Thursday after flying home from test sessions in Indianapolis Wednesday night.

Edmonton will host a double header of the Firestone Indy Lights on July 23 and 24. The event is the “farm team” for the IndyCar series, says Tamara Fahlman, Edmonton Indy director of communications.

Rzadzinski will be racing Davey Hamilton’s No. 32 car in his debut.

He, like IndyCar drivers Paul Tracy and Alex Tagliani, expects a lot of speed, passing and maybe even more crashes than usual on the 2.256-mile, 13-turn circuit on the closed east runway of the City Centre Airport.

“Really, it’s a very different world for me,” said Rzadzinski, who has been driving what he calls “much smaller and slower Skip Barber and Formula Ford cars.”

Rzadzinski was short sponsor money to enter the event, but Edmonton Indy promoter Octane Motorsports Events ‘ who wanted to encourage local talent ‘ helped him secure a spot.

“I really hope that Edmontonians will come out and support him as he takes this last step before the major league series,” said Anne Roy, Edmonton Indy general manager.