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Since its launch in 1989, the MX-5 has become a bestseller for Mazda.
In 2006, the company introduced the Mazda MX-5 Cup series.
Now in its ninth season, the MX-5 Cup is popular with competitors and fans.
The series is part of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder that promotes champions of the Mazda series to the next level of their career. The motivation for drivers to enter the MX-5 Cup division is an opportunity to earn a factory-supported ride in next year’s SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge Touring Car Championship. All Mazda MX-5 Cup cars receive only minor upgrades. Bolt-on modifications include a new intake manifold and exhaust system, which increases the engine output from 170 to 200-horsepower. All vehicles have a six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential. BF Goodrich tires are mounted on 17X8” wheels. The suspension uses a coil-over kit with double adjustable shock absorbers and roll bars. Brake pads, fluid and lines are upgraded for the demands of racing. The Mazdas are fitted with an eight-point roll-cage welded into the car, racing seatbelts and a fire extinguishing system for safety. In December 2011, it was announced that the series would include a second class. Beginning this year, there is a category for Skip Barber Racing School competitors. The Skip Barber Racing School will provide an arrive-and-drive program in their Mazda MX-5s. The cost includes a test day, tires, fuel, entry fees, in car-video and data feedback, in car radio setup and television exposure. The 2014 season consists of twelve forty-minute timed races spread over six weekends. All weekends host doubleheaders. The first event of the year will be held in March at Sebring International Raceway and the year will end at Road Atlanta in October.
Rounds seven and eight of the 2014 SCCA Pro Racing Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires were held at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Drivers would compete on the ten-turn 2.459-mile road course for forty-five minutes.
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The start of the weekend’s first race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for round seven of the 2014 SCCA Pro Racing Mazda MX-5 Cup. Leading the field of twenty-four competitors into corner one is the pole-sitter, Kenton Koch, in the No. 12 Alara Racing Mazda MX-5. Behind Koch is the other front-row qualifier, Nathanial Sparks, driving the No. 8 OOTSK Performance Mazda MX-5. Trailing the leaders is Patrick Gallagher. |
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Last year’s Skip Barber Racing School Challenge champion, Kenton Koch, joined the Pro division ranks this year, driving the No. 12 Alara Racing / Mazda Motorsports / BFGoodrich Tires Mazda MX-5. It wasn’t a difficult transition for him as he was the points leader entering the Canadian Tire Motorsport weekend with four victories in six starts. Koch would add to his total by sweeping rounds seven and eight. |
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Nathanial Sparks returned for another season, driving the No. 8 OOTSK Performance Mazda MX-5. He qualified second for the weekend’s first contest at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Sparks worked with the pole-sitter, Kenton Koch, and the pair pulled away from the field during the race. He finished second, which was his third consecutive podium of the year. Sparks retired in the finale with a mechanical issue. |
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The No. 49 Excitations.com Mazda MX-5 was driven by Sebastian Landy. Landy qualified fifth fastest for round seven but moved to third place early in the race. By lap-19, he was battling for the position with Patrick Gallagher. Gallagher got the upper hand and Landy finished fourth. He started fifth in the afternoon contest but advanced to second and pressured the winner, Kenton Koch, before finishing in the runner-up spot. |
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Lucas Bize was the fastest in the Skip Barber Racing School Challenge category, driving the No. 98 Skip Barber Racing Mazda MX-5. Bize missed the opening rounds at Sebring and joined the series at Laguna Seca, where he scored first and third-place finishes. In race one at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bize dropped to seventh before eventually taking the win. After a fight with Ben Albano, he captured his third win of the season. |
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Piloting the No. 28 ModSpace Mazda MX-5 Cup was Patrick Gallagher. After six rounds this season, Gallagher hadn’t earned a podium result. During the qualifying session for round seven, he was third fastest, but in the race, Gallagher dropped down the order. He worked his way back to the front and a pass on Sebastian Landy was rewarded with the final position on the rostrum. Gallagher started fourth in the finale and finished fifth. |
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Ara Malkhassian drove the No. 11 Alara Racing Mazda MX-5. Despite several close calls this season, he was yet to finish on the podium. Saturday morning at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Malkassian was gridded fourth, but a poor setup resulted in a seventh-place finish. Adjustments were made prior to round eight; he started in third place but fell to tenth on the first lap. Malkhassian moved up the lap chart and finished third. |
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The podium at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for round eight of the 2014 SCCA Pro Racing Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. In the center is the winner and current points leader, Kenton Koch. With his victory in the first race, Koch swept the weekend. Standing on the left is the runner-up, Sebastian Landy. Completing the rostrum is the third-place finisher, Ara Malkhassian, from Alara Racing. |
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| FINISH | START | CLASS | DRIVER | TEAM | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | MX | Kenton Koch | Alara Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 2 | 2 | MX | Nathanial Sparks | OOTSK Performance/Bimmerworld - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 3 | 3 | MX | Patrick Gallagher | C.J. Wilson Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 4 | 5 | MX | Sebastian Landy | Atlanta Motorsport Group - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 5 | 6 | MX | Lucas Catania | Atlanta Motorsport Group - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 6 | 8 | MX | John Dean | Sick Sideways/Projections Research - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 7 | 4 | MX | Ara Malkhassian | Alara Racing/Alara Garage - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 8 | 7 | MX | Joey Bickers | C.J. Wilson Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 9 | 9 | MX | Devin Jones | C.J. Wilson Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 10 | 11 | MX | Timothy Paul | Alara Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 11 | 13 | MX | Forrest Landy | Atlanta Motorsport Group - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 12 | 12 | MX | Tim Probert | Alara Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 13 | 15 | MX | Joseph Catania | Atlanta Motorsport Group - Mazda MX-5 | 22 | Accident |
| 14 | 14 | MX | Brent Mosing | Alara Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 22 | Mechanical |
| 15 | 10 | MX | James Vance | Exposystems - Mazda MX-5 | 0 | Accident |
| 1 | 17 | SBMX | Lucas Bize | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 2 | 18 | SBMX | Ben Albano | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 3 | 22 | SBMX | Drake Kemper | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 4 | 16 | SBMX | Robby Foley | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 5 | 21 | SBMX | Bryan Hixon | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 6 | 20 | SBMX | Mac Korince | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 7 | 19 | SBMX | Zach Lee | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | - |
| 8 | 23 | SBMX | Felix Borodaty | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 25 | - |
| 9 | 24 | SBMX | Chris Beaufait | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 25 | - |
| FINISH | START | CLASS | DRIVER | TEAM | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | MX | Kenton Koch | Alara Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 2 | 5 | MX | Sebastian Landy | Atlanta Motorsport Group - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 3 | 3 | MX | Ara Malkhassian | Alara Racing/Alara Garage - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 4 | 8 | MX | John Dean | Sick Sideways/Projections Research - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 5 | 4 | MX | Patrick Gallagher | C.J. Wilson Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 6 | 10 | MX | Devin Jones | C.J. Wilson Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 7 | 6 | MX | Joey Bickers | C.J. Wilson Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 8 | 7 | MX | Lucas Catania | Atlanta Motorsport Group - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 9 | 9 | MX | Timothy Paul | Alara Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 10 | 12 | MX | Forrest Landy | Atlanta Motorsport Group - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 11 | 14 | MX | Joseph Catania | Atlanta Motorsport Group - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 12 | 13 | MX | Brent Mosing | Alara Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 26 | Mechanical |
| 13 | 2 | MX | Nathanial Sparks | OOTSK Performance/Bimmerworld - Mazda MX-5 | 7 | Mechanical |
| 14 | 11 | MX | Tim Probert | Alara Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 0 | Did Not Start |
| 1 | 15 | SBMX | Lucas Bize | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 2 | 16 | SBMX | Ben Albano | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 3 | 21 | SBMX | Drake Kemper | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 4 | 17 | SBMX | Robby Foley | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 5 | 19 | SBMX | Mac Korince | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 6 | 20 | SBMX | Bryan Hixon | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 7 | 18 | SBMX | Zach Lee | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 28 | - |
| 8 | 22 | SBMX | Felix Borodaty | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 27 | - |
| 9 | 23 | SBMX | Chris Beaufait | Skip Barber Racing - Mazda MX-5 | 27 | - |
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