MONTEREY, Calif (September 16, 2019)- The competition for the Battery Tender\u00ae Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires\u00ae\u00a0championship is just as close as the on track competition as this weekend sets the stage for a new champion.<\/p>\n
As the series heads to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the double-header season finale as part of the Grand Prix of Monterey weekend, there are six drivers that have a mathematical chance to claim the championship and the $200,000 prize on offer from Mazda.<\/p>\n
A grand total of $375,000 in Mazda support is up for grabs, creating intense battles across the field.\u00a0 The event will see two of the three big season-long battles be decided, as there is $75,000 in support in play for the top finishing rookie with Michael Carter (No. 08 Copeland Motorsports)\u00a0leading standings by 33 points over Gresham Wagner (No. 5 Sick Sideways Racing).<\/p>\n
Sick Sideways racer John Dean II clinched the 2019 ND1 championship title in the penultimate round at Portland International Raceway and will look forward to seeing the $100,000 check this weekend at the awards banquet.<\/p>\n
With the first 10 races of the season featuring more than 1,500 on track passes, the Laguna Seca weekend is likely to once again be another fiercely competitive one with so much on the line.<\/p>\n
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During the double-header on Saturday,\u00a064\u00a0points are still on the table. Bryan Ortiz (221 points) holds an eleven point advantage over\u00a0\u00a02018 Mazda Shootout winner Selin Rollan. Robert Stout enters the weekend (197 points) in third ahead of Robert Noaker (190 points), Rookie Michael Carter (184 points) in fifth and Drake Kemper (173 points).<\/p>\n
\u201cHeading to Laguna Seca for the championship weekend is one that I can\u2019t wait for!\u201d said Ortiz. \u201cI feel that it\u2019s going to be a great finale with Selin (Rollan), (Robert) Stout and (Robert) Noaker and that we all have the chance for the Championship and are all excellent drivers.\u00a0 We\u2019ve worked very hard on being at this point and we just need to put it all together one more weekend to come out as champions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rollan (No. 87 Sick Sideways) added fuel to his championship hopes with a win in Portland with a strong run from pole to checkered flag. Rollan hopes to keep that momentum going to clinch the championship after missing out last year.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI’ve never been to WeatherTech Raceway before,\u201d said Rollan. \u201cI’ve been using the time between races to study the course as much as possible by practicing on the sim, watching\u00a0 as many YouTube videos as I can and talking to my team owner John Dean, he’s a wealth of information. I was in this situation last year, with a close championship. I know that at Laguna we have to have as few mistakes as possible if we are going to come away with the championship.\u201d<\/p>\n
A sixth-place finish by Stout (No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing) at Portland cost him dearly in the point standings, but he is determined to make up the 24-point deficit to first in the opening round at Laguna Seca on his way to claiming the ND2 championship.<\/p>\n
“We haven’t had awful finishes, but small problems have prevented me from finishing as well as we deserved throughout the year,” said Stout. “Even with all these small issues, there’s only 1 weekend this season I haven’t stood on the podium, which shows the consistency of this team and our ability to run up front. Knowing that makes me feel incredibly confident going into the final weekend of the season. I’m continually provided a car capable of running in the top three.\u00a0I’ve been racing hard with Ortiz since my first weekend with this series. He won’t make it easy to win this, but we’ve beat him before and I’m coming in as prepared as possible to try and do it again!”<\/p>\n
After sweeping the double-header weekend at Portland and earning his ninth ND1 win of the season,\u00a0Dean II\u00a0(No. 16 Sick Sideways) locked up the Championship for the previous generation Global Mazda MX-5 Cup cars and\u00a0$100,000 in support from Mazda. Even though he has secured the championship, don\u2019t expect Dean to take it easy in the finale, his goal is to continue his nearly perfect winning season.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s been an amazing year, it\u2019s been so fun and by far my most memorable season in MX-5 Cup,\u201d Dean II said. \u201cEven though we clinched the ND1 championship early, I’m still going to push. Right now we are focused on Selin winning the ND2 championship for Sick Sideways to take both of the championships. We have some work to do because Bryan Ortiz is one hell of a driver and he’s not just going to give it to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The season-ending event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will open with two practices and qualifying\u00a0on Friday, September 20<\/a>, with the final two races of the regular championship season set for\u00a0Saturday, September 21 (11:35 a.m.<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a06:00 p.m. Pacific<\/a>)<\/p>\n Extending a program that saw great engagement during the Circuit of the Americas, Barber Motorsports Park, Road America and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course rounds, Mazda will host a live stream starting five minutes before the races on\u00a0MazdaMotorsports.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow live timing and scoring for Friday\u2019s practices and qualifying on Saturday on\u00a0MX-5Cup.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n