August 28, 2013 (Irvine, Calif.) Labor Day is often a working holiday for racers with September and October being very busy as the racing seasons come to a close. In just eight weeks, over 400 Mazda racers will race at a dozen tracks in nine states with over 25 professional and club championships to be determined.
A few championships have already been decided.
• With two races remaining Matthew Brabham has already clinched the 2013 Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. The Pro Mazda Championship is a part of the Mazda Road to Indy.
• Two of the three NASA Teen Challenge Spec Miata Champions have been crowned. Adam Poland won the 2013 Teen Mazda Challenge Series – Texas and Zachary Munro took the inaugural Colorado / Central division crown.
In “open class” racing, Mazda teams and racers are contending for titles in Rolex Grand-AM, Continental Tire, and Pirelli World Challenge Championships.
• The all-new Mazda6 SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel is leading the Grand-Am GX Manufacturers standings over Porsche with two races remaining. Mazda is on a seven-race win streak.
• In the Continental Tire ST Manufacturers Championship, Mazda is in a three-way battle with BMW and Honda.
• In the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car B-Spec Drivers Championship, Ernie Francis Jr. leads the drivers’ championship with his Mazda2, having scored seven wins from the first 12 races.
Grand Prix of Baltimore Presented by SRT
August 30 – September 1 @ Baltimore (Baltimore, Maryland)
• American Le Mans Series
Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships
September 2-6 @ Lincoln Airpark (Lincoln Nebraska)
Over 1,000 racers in dozens of categories going up against the clock for national recognition. How many Mazda champions will emerge?
8TH Annual NASA Championships Presented by Toyo Tires
September 5-8 @ Miller Motorsports Park (Tooele, Utah)
Over 50 Mazda racers will compete in multiple classes in the 10th annual NASA National Championships
Continental Tire Sports Car Festival Powered by Mazda
September 7-8 @ Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (Monterey, California)
• Rolex Grand-Am
• Continental Tire Challenge
• Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda
50th Annual SCCA Runoffs
September 16-22 @ Road America (Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin)
200 Mazda racers will be competing in over a dozen classes in the largest club racing event in the country. With 72 entries, the Spec Miata race is set to break the all-time record for largest race at the Runoffs.
Coronado Speed Festival
September 20-22 @ Coronado Air Station (San Diego, California)
• SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup
International Sports Car Weekend Presented by Continental Tire
September 20-22 @ The Circuit of the Americas (Austin, Texas)
• American Le Mans
• Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda
Grand-Am Championship Weekend
September 26-28 @ Lime Rock Park (Lime Rock, Connecticut)
• Rolex Grand-Am (season finale)
• Continental Tire Challenge (season finale)
NASA Club Races
September 27-28 @ Sonoma Raceway (Sonoma, California)
• NASA Teen Challenge Spec Miata (season finale)
Oak Tree Grand Prix
October 3-5 @ Virginia International Raceway (Alton, Virginia)
• American Le Mans
The Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston
October 4-6 @ Reliant Park (Houston, Texas)
• Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires (season finale)
• Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda (season finale)
• Pirelli World Challenge (season finale)
Skip Barber Racing School Weekend
October 15-19 @ Lime Rock Park (Lime Rock, Connecticut)
• Skip Barber Summer MAZDASPEED Challenge Series
• Skip Barber Summer Formula Series
Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda
October 16-19 @ Road Atlanta (Braselton, Georgia)
• American Le Mans (season finale)
• SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup (season finale)
• Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda (season finale)
About Mazda, Mazda Motorsports, and MAZDASPEED
Mazda is the number-one brand for road-racers across North America among both club racers and professionals. Thousands of Mazda powered grassroots racers compete in various classes with the SCCA and NASA highlighted by Spec Miata, the world’s largest spec class with over 2,500 cars built. In 2006 Mazda Motorsports established the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder to assist racers in moving up through the ranks. In 2010 this was expanded to include the Mazda Road to Indy. Key to Mazda’s success is strategic partnerships with the Skip Barber Racing School and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Mazda Motorsports is managed by Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). MNAO is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.
Consumer information can be found at www.mazdausa.com, with press information at www.mazdausamedia.com. Racers and fans can follow the action on facebook (Mazda Motorsports).