A MAZDA MX-5 CUP HOMECOMING
I t’s been two years, but this weekend, the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires is back to its birthplace: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. In 2006 the work of the prolific Spec Miata community created a new, professional level of the sport: Mazda MX-5 Cup. It’s first race, on May 7 of that year, was at Laguna Seca. Since then, the series has become famous for close racing, lots of drafting and incredible finishes. The catalyst for these amazing 45-minute races is the MX-5 Cup car. It’s the same road-going Mazda Miata you can buy at a dealership, only after these leave the assembly line in Japan,
they head to Flis Performance in Daytona Beach, Florida, to be converted into a true race car. Several components on the car are sealed to ensure even competition and a cost-saving platform. It’s not just the top step of the podium, a trophy, and championship points that these drivers are fighting for, it’s their shot at $6,000 for a race win and payouts that continue all the way to 10th. That’s just a small part of the more than $1 million on offer from Mazda this season, including $250,000 for the series champion and $80,000 for rookie of the year. The reigning MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year, Connor Zilisch (No. 72 Hixon Motor
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