The NASA Arizona Region hosted its final event at the iconic Arizona Motorsports Park on April 5-6, 2025, sending the track off in style with some exciting Spec Miata racing. A strong field of 21 Miatas took the green flag for a weekend featuring races run in both clockwise (Saturday) and counter-clockwise (Sunday) directions, providing diverse challenges and plenty of action for the group.
The weekend marked the end of an era for NASA Arizona at AMP, and competitors arrived ready to make the most of the historic event. With over 200 total participants across all classes, the atmosphere was AMPed (ha, get it). In Spec Miata, drivers employed various strategies, with some like Jason Griepentrog opting for fresh sticker tires right from the start, while others planned tire usage across the two distinct race days.
Qualifying Heats Up Saturday
Saturday’s traditional time trial style qualifying session set the stage under sunny Arizona skies. Eddie Yakin in the No. 13 Miata secured pole position and immediately signaled his intent. David Buschmohle (No. 18), racing at AMP for the first time, leveraged a pre-event practice day and coaching from Yakin to get up to speed quickly.
Tire strategy proved crucial. Graham Davies (No. 23) learned this the hard way, struggling on older rubber. “I went with the other strategy and used some really old tires, which was not the way to go,” Davies admitted. After locking up and flat-spotting tires, he managed only one timed lap, qualifying 17th. Steven Odart (No. 85) also had a tough session, starting 18th. These less than ideal qualifying results for some of the front runners spiced up the racing action.
Saturday Race: Yakin Dominates, Odart Charges
In Saturday’s race, Yakin (No. 13) converted his pole position into a victory and a track record (1:54.722) leading Ryan Busk (No. 7) to the checkered flag by 1.856 seconds. Jason Griepentrog (No. 420) finished third. “He never really got close enough to to have an opportunity to make a move,” Yakin said of Busk. “So, I kind of just tried to manage the race and just hold a consistent pace out in front.”
The main story unfolded further back. Odart (No. 85) delivered a standout performance, carving his way through the field from 18th on the grid to finish 12th. “It was one of those days where the car just wanted to work,” Odart explained. “Got a great start, got by Lou there, got Russ into turn one, then got Graham.” Odart engaged in a race-long battle with Buschmohle and ultimately earned the fan-voted “Track Rabbit” award for hard charger. Further up, Team Midnight Autosports (No. 166, driven by Carlo D’Angelo) finished sixth after starting seventh, while Buschmohle (No. 18) finished eighth after starting ninth. Plenty of excitement from start to finish across the entire field, and all without incident. Well done!
Sunday Race: Heat, Strategy, and Nonstop Action
Sunday brought higher temperatures and the challenge of the counter-clockwise configuration. Many drivers made setup adjustments overnight. Graham Davies (No. 23) corner-balanced his car and switched to sticker tires, finding significant speed. Team Midnight Autosports (No. 166) also balanced their car by stiffening their sway bar to improve rotation.
The changes and hotter conditions led to a dramatic Sunday race. Yakin (No. 13) again took the win, completing 15 laps, but not without late-race drama. Misjudging the race length, he faced a fuel shortage. “We actually thought it was a 30-minute race when it was a 35,” Yakin revealed. “About 25 minutes in, I had to do some pretty drastic fuel saving, but it ended up working out.” Griepentrog (No. 420) finished second, 14.681 seconds behind, followed closely by Busk (No. 7) in third.
The mid-pack, however, was a whirlwind of activity. Buschmohle (No. 18) experienced a rollercoaster race. Starting 9th, he surged to fifth, briefly hit third, then went off track, dropping to 15th – all within the first lap. He battled relentlessly, ultimately finishing eighth. “I counted 30 different position changes in my race on Sunday,” Buschmohle said. “It was the most action I’ve ever seen. It was a blast.”
Team Midnight Autosports (No. 166), starting 10th, fought through intense traffic to finish seventh. “I mean it was just 30 minutes of nonstop traffic,” driver Carlo D’Angelo commented. “just an absolute schooling session in Racecraft.” Davies (No. 23), benefiting from his setup changes and new tires, had a much stronger run, battling his brother Jon Davies and others before late-race passes by D’Angelo and Buschmohle saw him finish ninth, one spot back from where he started. Odart (No. 85) faced a tougher Sunday, battling gearshift issues and fatigue, finishing 16th.
Saying Goodbye to AMP
Beyond the official results, the weekend highlighted the friendship and competitive spirit of the NASA Arizona Spec Miata group. Drivers rallied to help Manuel Rivera (No. 81) replace a transmission Saturday night (Rivera recovered to finish fourth on Sunday). The group also celebrated with unique 3D-printed awards conceived by Odart, including the “Red Lantern” for the last-place finisher, the “Track Rabbit” for hard charger, and a “Rocket Miata” for the fastest lap. The event also saw the debut of 13-year-old Jensen Mechelke (No. 91), a recent karting graduate, showcasing the next generation of racers with a 13th place finish on Sunday.
As the dust settled on the final NASA event at Arizona Motorsports Park, Eddie Yakin extended his championship lead over Ryan Busk and Jason Griepentrog. The Spec Miata field provided a fittingly exciting farewell to the beloved track.
The NASA Arizona region now looks ahead to its next event at Inde Motorsports Ranch on May 3-4, the final round before the summer break, where the Spec Miata championship battle is sure to continue.
