Circuit of The Americas To Host 2020 Spec MX-5 Challenge Championship

November 21, 2019 (AUSTIN, TX) – Spec MX-5 Challenge, LLC today announced that the 2020 Championship for the Spec MX-5 Challenge presented by Toyo Tires would be held November 5-8, 2020 at Circuit of The Americas. Circuit of The Americas, near Austin, TX, is the home track for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix as well as other major road racing events including the AutoNation IndyCar Challenge and MotoGP.

The Spec MX-5 Challenge Championship will be a featured event of the weekend along with the U.S. Vintage National Championship and a round of the 2020 Trans Am Championship. SVRA will play host to these events as well as the VROC Charity Pro-Am and the Hagerty Cars & Caffeine car show. For the convenience of drivers, SVRA will honor the standard SCCA and NASA licenses required for the Spec MX-5 Challenge regular season.

$100,000 On The Line

“Together with our partners Mazda Motorsports, Toyo Tires and PAGID Racing, we are excited to bring the Spec MX-5 Challenge Championship to Circuit of The Americas in 2020,” said Tom Martin, Director of Spec MX-5 Challenge. “In past years, Spec MX-5 drivers have loved the experience at Circuit of The Americas. With the new 2020 Spec MX-5 car, and an estimated $100,000 up for grabs on the Championship weekend, we anticipate a large field and excellent racing,” he added.

The 2020 Spec MX-5 Challenge Championship is the culmination of an innovative competition format designed to maximize the talent at the Championship. The Championship will bring together successful drivers from four competitions run during 2020: The Spec MX-5 Challenge East Regional Series, The Spec MX-5 Challenge West Regional Series, The Spec MX-5 Challenge Invitationals and The Spec MX-5 Challenge National Series. Each of these marquee competitions offers points which will be carried over by drivers into the Championship weekend where additional points can be earned. The winners will be the drivers with the highest point totals. The top driver is guaranteed $50,000 with additional prizes for P2, P3, Masters and Emerging Talent.

A Demanding Challenge

Circuit of The Americas is a 3.4-mile road racing facility built to FIA specifications for Formula 1 competition. The track is very technical and is specifically designed to place a variety of demands on drivers, making it an ideal setting for championships. Eric Paradis, Vice President, Business Development for Circuit of The Americas noted that “COTA has complex turn sequences, low-speed and high-speed sections, long braking zones and is very wide. This offers drivers many passing zones and the opportunity to get creative since there is more than one groove.” Paradis was also excited about the Spec MX-5 Challenge Championship. He observed “Mazda MX-5s put on one of the best shows in sports car racing. We can’t wait to see what the new Spec MX-5 cars and drivers will do here.”

Ideal Location

Circuit of The Americas is well-located for a national race series like Spec MX-5 Challenge presented by Toyo Tires. “We are always looking to provide value for Mazda drivers, and a Championship location that is accessible for drivers on both coasts as well as those in the middle of the country is ideal. Circuit of The Americas provides a reasonable tow distance for drivers across the nation,” said David Cook, Director of Business Development, Mazda Motorsports. He noted that “COTA offers another plus in the fun and dynamic location provided by Austin, with its wide variety of restaurants, music venues and hotels only a short distance from the track.”

About Spec MX-5 Challenge

Positioned between Spec Miata and Global MX-5 Cup, Spec MX-5 race cars are carefully developed by Mazda Motorsports for pace, affordability and fun. Spec MX-5 Challenge gives drivers a new rung on the ladder system toward pro racing that will yield over $100k in winnings to top participants. With a variety of service packages, and race car sharing or ownership, Spec MX-5 Challenge is a cost-effective group of regional and national events focused on driver development.

To learn more about Spec MX-5 Challenge, read our FAQ.

Media Contact:

Steve Marengo
Spec MX-5 Challenge
2500 McHale Court, Suite 100A
Austin, TX 78758
(512) 994-0656
[email protected]
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