Working with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), Mazda Motorsports is pleased to announce that Spec MX-5 (SMX) will grow from a stand-alone series to a National Class within SCCA’s Road Racing program.

Founded in 2018, Spec MX-5 Challenge was created as a step between SCCA’s Spec Miata (SM) class and the IMSA-sanctioned Mazda MX-5 Cup. The rule set was made specifically for the NC-model Mazda Miata, which is not eligible for Spec Miata competition or MX-5 Cup.

Officially bringing the class into SCCA means that SMX competitors will have more than 200 Road Racing events to choose from. This includes the Hoosier Super Tour, a 10-event series at the country’s best tracks with dedicated staff and streaming video coverage.

“This is the perfect class for younger racers wanting to make that step up from karting, or newcomers to Miata racing who don’t have the expertise of Spec Miata competitors,” Jonathan Applegate, Senior Manager for Mazda Motorsports said. “Having a single model, with a single build kit, sold exclusively by Mazda Motorsports, keeps everything spec and affordable.”

Eligible cars will remain the same: NC models fitted with a SMX build kit from Mazda Motorsports. More than 100 SMX build kits have been sold to date. SCCA will oversee licensing, registration, technical inspection, officiating and timing like any other National Class.

“The Club Racing Board [CRB] has been in contact with Mazda since they started developing this concept several years ago and believe that this class, with continued support from Mazda, has real potential in our road racing program,” said SCCA CRB Chairman John LaRue. “The CRB voted to recommend SMX be added to the General Competition Rules [GCR] as a Runoffs-eligible class for the coming year, and SCCA’s Board of Directors approved the recommendation during its August meeting.

“While the creation of a ruleset in the GCR for SMX competition is not yet fully completed, it will closely mirror the current specifications laid out for the Spec MX-5 Challenge Series.”

Mazda Motorsports will support all its grassroots racing efforts with a new customer service trailer twice the size of its predecessor with parts and staff to assist. The plan is to attend as many Super Tour events as possible to support the new SMX class. Additionally, competitors can expect championship payouts similar to Spec MX-5 Challenge as it was in 2023.

“This is a big milestone for Mazda Motorsports’ grassroots racing program,” Mazda Motorsports Business Development Manager Josh Smith said. “Becoming a SCCA National Class opens up participation to more drivers at more tracks and it fills a gap between Spec Miata and MX-5 Cup. Spec Miata is hugely successful, but as parts are harder to come by for the NA and NB models, maintaining the cars will become more expensive. We want to ensure the future of Mazda’s popularity in grassroots racing and we’re backing it up with a seven-figure investment in SMX.”

The SMX “Mazda Factory Team” will continue its participation, with the two members chosen from a pool of young, promising talent in an off-season Spec MX-5 shootout.

The 2024 Hoosier Super Tour schedule will be available soon as will each SCCA Division’s calendar of National Road Racing events. Until then, Mazda grassroots racers are looking forward to the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at VIRginia International Raceway, September 23 – October 1.