2019 Spirit of Mazda Nominees – Road Racing

The 2019 Spirit of Mazda recipient will receive not only the accolade, but a scholarship valued at $2,500. Meet and vote for your top choice among the 20 nominated road racers.

Over the years, some outstanding representatives of the Spirit of Mazda have been chosen as recipients of the monthly award. The award, however, has transitioned into an annual one. And with this evolution has come a more significant prize for the award recipient. To learn more about the process and timelines, click here.


The seven principles to consider when you vote for a Spirit of Mazda nominee:

  • Integrity – We keep acting with integrity toward our customers, society and our own work.
  • Basics/Flawless Execution – We devote ourselves to the basics and make steady efforts in a step-by-step fashion.
  • Continuous Kaizen – We continue to improve with wisdom and ingenuity.
  • Challenger Spirit – We set a high goal and keep challenging to achieve it.
  • Self-Initiative – We think and act with “self-initiative.”
  • Tomoiku – We learn and teach each other for our mutual growth and success.
  • One Mazda – We think and act with the view of “Global” and “One Mazda.”


Road racers:

  1. Todd Buras – Spec Miata National Champ
  2. Glenn Long – Developed and Built the MX-5 Cup Race Cars, Leading an All-Star Team & Contributed Much More to the Greater Motorsports Community
  3. Jim Drago – E Street Racing Owner/Racer, Accounting for 6 SCCA Runoffs Championships & 3 NASA Spec Miata Championships
  4. Mark Weber – E Prod & F Prod Racer (60 SCCA Runoffs Races)
  5. Eric Prill – 2x F Prod National Champ & Solo Nationals Champ
  6. Jeff Dernehl – SCCA GT-3 Champ & GT-3 Challenge Presented by MPI Champ
  7. Rob Warkocki – 2x SCCA GT-3 National Champ
  8. Danny Steyn – 2x STL National Champ
  9. Hannah Grisham – Teen Mazda Challenge Champ
  10. Jared Thomas – Spec Miata Racer & MRT24 Shootout Winner
  11. Matthew Dirks –Teen Mazda Challenge Champ & MRT24 Scholarship 2x Finalist
  12. Justin Casey – Spec Miata Racer
  13. Tyler Quance – SCCA Southern Conference Points Champ in Spec Miata and T4
  14. John Hainsworth – E Prod Racer
  15. Michael Lewis – 2x 24-Hour of Le Mans Participant, 4x SCCA GT-3 National Champ & 5x SCCA GT-1 National Champ
  16. John Dean II – 2x Battery Tender MX-5 Cup Champ
  17. Nathanial Sparks – Battery Tender MX-5 Cup Champ
  18. Michael and Mickey Carter – Son/Father MX-5 Cup ROY and MRT24 Scholarship Recipient
  19. Dan Pardus – Former NASCAR Racer & Father and Crew for Preston Pardus
  20. Kent Prather – 8x SCCA National Champ
  21. Lisa Caceres – President – Race Karts! Inc. & Nor Cal Team Series Leader – NASA Teen Mazda Challenge

To vote for the 20 road racers, click here.
The view and vote for the 20 autocross nominees, click here.