The SCCA National Championship Runoffs will be held at Sonoma Raceway for the first time, bringing the event back to the west coast for the first time since 2014. The 55th running of the event will be held October 16-21, 2018, but the action and excitement begins Saturday, October 13 with the first test day.

Mazda Motorsports will support its racers in a variety of ways, from paid paddock space to on-site support to professional coaching, parts support, a banquet and, of course, contingency and tow money. The only thing missing this year – the large tent. For a variety of reasons, SCCA and the manufacturers have moved away from these tents at Sonoma Raceway.

The Mazda paddock area will be the base for the Mazda parts truck. Mazda Motorsports’ Scott Kaluza, Daniel Sumner, Josh Smith and David Cook will be on hand during the event. Sumner and Smith will start things off on Saturday morning during the test day, taking down pro coaching sign-ups, handing out shirts, hats and banquet tickets, and assisting with parts needs. Cook and Kaluza will be joining the week of the qualifying and racing, along with Mazda Motorsports factory drivers.

 “We are excited to have Mazda Motorsports’ factory drivers join us again at the Runoffs,” says Cook. “They will provide 1:1 data and video analyses coaching each of those days, in 25-minute increments.” The coaching is complimentary, and has been a staple of the Mazda Motorsports’ offering at the Runoffs since 2014.

Mazda Motorsports traditionally holds a banquet for its competitors in the middle of the week with door prizes and special guest speakers. This year’s will be Wednesday night, October 17. Details are being finalized and will be communicated closer to the time of the event.

Once again, Mazda Motorsports supports the Mazda racers with significant contingency awards, including a tow fund, to help alleviate some of the investment it takes get to the Runoffs.

Mazda offers contingency awards to all classes Mazda’s compete in, paying the production-based racers who win $5,000; second place finishers earns $2,500, while third receives $1,500; fourth takes home $1,250 with fifth at $1,000. Formula Mazda, Formula Enterprise (FE2 only), Formula Atlantic, and Sports Racers earn $4,000 for the win, $2,000 for second, $1,250 for third, and $1,000 for fourth. There is a $1,000 bonus for winning the Super Sweep as well – that’s winning a Conference championship, the Super Tour championship and the Runoffs.

In addition, those who finish in the top three in their Divisional points championship, U.S. Majors Tour Conference or Super Tour points are eligible for tow fund money. Based on the distance from Sonoma, that amount can be up to $800.

For more information on Mazda’s contingency awards for the Runoffs, click here and see page 8.

Parking information:

1. All of the space assigned to Mazda is located in the Turn 7 paddock. 
2. Mazda paddock requests:
   a.  If you are a prep shop/multi-car team that requires a larger space but would like to park in the Mazda area, please complete the Team Paddock request form at www.msreg.com/teampaddock.
     > If you are a prep shop/multi-car team but do not wish to paddock in the 
        Mazda area, you will still need to complete the Team Paddock request form
        but choose one of the other options available.
   b.  In your individual driver registration, please be sure to indicate your paddock intention.
     > If you are a Mazda driver who is part of a prep shop/multi-car team, select
        Prep Shop/Multi-car team and note the team name.
     > If you are a Mazda driver AND not part of a multi-car team, select Mazda
        Paddock, and complete the questions that follow.
     > If you are a Mazda driver AND not part of a multi-car team AND do not wish
        to paddock on the Mazda area, then choose one of the other available options.
   c.  While space is limited, we will try to accommodate as many requests, as possible.  We ask that drivers and teams consolidate into the smallest workable footprint, so that all drivers may be accommodated.
   d.  We have included 70’ spots so that RVs and toterhomes may remain connected.
3. Turn 7 paddock details:
      a. Paved
      b. Relatively flat, slight slope toward track 
      c. Distance from Main Paddock Grandstands via the ring road is 1
          mile.
      d. There will be port-a-johns in the paddock area.  There is a
           permanent restroom building above the paddock area in the
           Turn 7 viewing area.
      e. Lot 11, directly across the road from Turn 7 paddock available
          for street car parking.
      f. Empty trailer parking nearby in Lot 12 area.
      g. There is a shuttle stop next to the Turn 7 paddock.
      h. Turn 7 grandstands adjacent to the paddock.
4. Other paddock reservation details:
      a. If you prefer to be in another paddock, outside of the Mazda 
          Turn 7 paddock (such as Main Paved, Upper Paved, South/Lot
          2 Gravel), you’ll need to either choose one of the other paddock
          space options listed in driver registration.
      b. Paddock assignments for manufacturers, prep-shops and
           multi-car teams will begin August 27^th.