October 23, 2014

2014 Mazda MX-5 Cup Club Racer Shootout Rules

Background: The heart and soul of MAZDASPEED is club racing, and supporting those racers who have invested in our product. The criteria for the shootout is to identify the aspiring professional racer who has the best range of the complete set of skills required to succeed. These skills include speed, consistency, racecraft, technical feedback, and off-track business and PR skills. History has shown that a driver will be limited in success if he or she is lacking in multiple areas. All previous shootout winners submitted above average business plans. The business plans will be used to filter the pool of all eligible competitors to our finalists. Only those finalists will be invited to attend the on-track driver portion of the competition.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Any driver winning a recognized (Full MAZDASPEED contingency paying) club racing national championship with the SCCA or NASA with Mazda power.
  • NASA Teen Challenge Spec Miata Champions.
  • The Skip Barber Racing School MAZDASPEED MX-5 Winter and Summer series champions.
  • Formula Car Challenge National Champions.
  • Recognized Mazda-powered Club Champions from Canada – as nominated by Mazda Canada.
  • Identified iRacing MX-5 Cup Champions.
  • Note:  Drivers with significant professional motorsports experience are not eligible.

Mazda’s Objectives:

  • Discover and retain a fast and consistent racer able to win professional championships, improving the odds that the shootout winner reaches his or her dream of racing at a top-level series, while illustrating to the (potential) racing community that Mazda’s development system has the most talented racers, encouraging more drivers to race Mazda’s.
  • Partner with the shootout winner in a 12-month co-op marketing effort to 1) build his or her brand and network, increasing his or her odds of partnering with another entity to help climb the ladder, and 2) drive additional engagement within the Mazda community.
  • Deliver on our passion to help those ambitious and deserving drivers fulfill their dreams.

Timing: 
October 23rd               Rules posted for all eligible competitors
October 26th               Optional conference call with competitors to answer questions
November 9th             Business plan, bio, and video submission deadline
November 18th          Conference call with competitors to announce finalists
November 19th           Finalists announced in conjunction with the Los Angeles Auto Show
December 1st/2nd    On-track shootout among finalists at Buttonwillow Raceway Park
December 4th              Conference call with competitors to announce winner
December 5th              Press release announcing winner

Required Format:  The business proposal must be submitted via e-mail as a PDF that does not exceed 2MB in size.  Entries must be submitted to MAZDASPEED@MazdaUSA.com by 6:00pm (PDT), Sunday, November 9, 2014.

Required content:  The written proposal is two parts as follows:

  1. Racing bio; two-page max. To highlight your racing career, noting which other top drivers you raced against during the past three seasons, if applicable. Provide a copy of your final championship points standings for the last three seasons, if applicable.
  2. Social media and website marketing co-op plan with Mazda; four-page max. To build both party’s brands, and what your proposed strategy is with Mazda during the next 12 months to achieve your three-to-five year goals; consider including exhibits, such as a current, real business plan you aim to present, social media marketing or newsletter example, etc.

These two documents should be submitted as a single PDF with the file name: 2014_Mazda_Prop_YourName.pdf

There is a required video, four-minute maximum in length.  To highlight your Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-related objectives  that will help you accomplish your three-to-five year goals related to your desired racing ladder (e.g., network with Prototype Lites racing team manager by attending SEMA) and professional skill set (e.g., participate in Toastmaster’s weekly to enhance communication skills).

Video to be posted to YouTube with the title “2014 Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout: Your Name” and link emailed along with your written proposal.

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