Drivers from numerous grassroots disciplines are invited to compete for chance at a Mazda MX-5 Cup season.

Mazda Motorsports has unveiled the list of drivers nominated for the 2020 MX-5 Cup Shootout, and lots of NASA drivers figure prominently on the list.

The Shootout, scheduled for November 15-16 at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, will award the winner with a $110,000 scholarship to compete in the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. The winner’s car will carry the Mazda’s Soul Red Crystal on his or her MX-5 Cup car throughout the season.

Winning a club racing championship while driving a Mazda or Mazda-powered car is the primary way to be nominated for the Shootout, while at-large nominees also are  considered. Nominated drivers will submit a written and video proposal from which the finalists will be selected for the two-day Shootout.

The 2019 MX-5 Cup Shootout winner, Jared Thomas, captured his first win of the season this past weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park. He now homes in on earning the Rookie of the Year $75K award. The 2018 Shootout winner, Michael Carter, is leading the series and the bid for the $200K championship scholarship with one event to go.

The Shootout also will feature young kart races vying for a chance to be part of Mazda’s first club racing factory team. Those young drivers will compete for one of two seats on the team, which will compete in Spec MX-5 in 2021 as Teen Mazda Challenge racers.

The nominees for the MX-5 Cup Shootout come from Mazda or Mazda-powered cars in open- and closed-wheel racing:

Automatic nominees:

  1. Michael Borden – SCCA T4 National Champion
  2. Michael Lewis – SCCA GT-3 National Champion
  3. Spencer Brockman – SCCA FA National Champion
  4. Jacob Loomis – SCCA FX National Champion
  5. Broch Evans – Formula Mazda Southern Majors Champion
  6. Brad Yake – Formula Mazda Southeast Majors Champion
  7. Ryan McLaughlin – Formula Mazda Mid-States Majors Champion
  8. Steve Martin – Formula Mazda Western Majors Champion
  9. Jason Vinkemulder – Formula Mazda Northern Majors Champion
  10. Wyatt Couch – Spec Miata, NASA Teen Mazda Challenge NorCal Region
  11. Hannah Grisham – Spec Miata, NASA Teen Mazda Challenge, SoCal Region
  12. Harry Voigt – Spec Miata, NASA Teen Mazda Challenge, Rocky Mountain Region
  13. Sean Ludlow – Spec Miata, NASA Teen Mazda Challenge, Great Lakes 

At-large nominees:

  1. Roy Fulmer IV – Spec Miata, NASA Teen Mazda Challenge
  2. Clayton Ketcher – Spec Miata, NASA Teen Mazda Challenge
  3. Chris Nunes – Spec Miata, NASA Teen Mazda Challenge
  4. Aiden Baker Crouse – Spec Miata
  5. Brad Perez – Spec Miata
  6. Brandon Collins – Spec Miata
  7. Tyler Brown – Spec Miata
  8. Kyle Greenhill – Spec Miata
  9. Justin Casey – Spec Miata
  10. Konrad Czaczyk – Spec Miata
  11. Grant West – Spec Miata/ Spec MX-5
  12. Charles MacTutus – Spec Miata/Spec MX-5
  13. Savanna Little – Spec MX-5
  14. Aidan Fassnacht – Spec MX-5
  15. Aaron Jeansonne – Spec MX-5
  16. Bryce Cornet – Spec MX-5
  17. Tyler Quance – Spec MX-5
  18. Joey Atanasio – Spec MX-5
  19. Loni Unser – Endurance Racing

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