Mazda Motorsports Reveals Drivers Nominated For The 2019 ‘Mazda Road To 24 Shootout’.
The Shootout, scheduled for December 3-4 at the Michelin Laurens Proving Grounds in Mountville, South Carolina, will award the winner with a $100,000 scholarship to compete in the 2020 Battery Tender® Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. The winner’s car will carry the Mazda’s Soul Red Crystal on their Global MX-5 Cup car throughout the 2020 season.
Winning a club racing championship while driving a Mazda or Mazda-powered car is the primary way to be nominated for the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout, while At-Large nominees are also considered. Nominated drivers will submit a written and video proposal from which the finalists will be selected for the one-day Shootout.
The 2018 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout winner, Michael Carter, captured the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year championship and finished a strong fourth in the overall championship.
Nominees for 2019 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout
Tray Ayres – SCCA Prototype 2 National Champion
Rhett Barkau – SCCA Formula Enterprises 2 National Champion
Todd Buras – SCCA Spec Miata National Champion
Justin Casey – NASA Spec Miata (At-Large)
Brandon Collins – Autobahn Country Club Spec Miata (At-Large)
Bryce Cornet – 2018 SCCA FM National Champion (At-Large)
Konrad Czaczyk – SCCA Spec Miata
Jeff Dernehl – SCCA GT-3 National Champion & Challenge Champion
Matthew Dirks – Teen Mazda Challenge (At-Large)
Jim Drago – NASA Spec Miata National Champion
Roy Fulmer IV – NASA Northern California Teen Mazda Challenge
Hannah Grisham – NASA Southern California Teen Mazda Challenge
Alex Hainer – Porsche Owners Club (At-Large)
John Hainsworth – SCCA E-Production (At-Large)
Aaron Jeansonne – Team USA Scholarship & Mazda Miata Racer (At-Large)
Flinn Lazier – SCCA Formula Enterprises (At-Large)
Savannah Little – NASA Spec Miata, Global Time Attack (At-Large)
Preston Pardus – SCCA Spec Miata (At-Large)
Karla Pestotnik – NASA WERC (At-Large)
Jason Pettit – Formula Car Challenge – Formula S Champion
Eric Prill – SCCA F Production National Champion
John Purcell – Formula Car Challenge – Pro Formula Mazda
Tyler Quance – NASA/SCCA Spec Miata (At-Large)
Matt Reynolds – SCCA E-Production (At-Large)
Alex Scaler – F1600 (At-Large)
Todd Slusher – SCCA Prototype 1 National Champion
Danny Steyn – SCCA Super Touring Lite National Champion
Jared Thomas – NASA/SCCA Spec Miata, Mini 500 winner (At-Large)
Bill Weaver – Formula Car Challenge – Formula Mazda
Mazda Motorsports boasts the most comprehensive auto racing development ladder system of any auto manufacturer in the world. The Mazda Road to 24 (#MRT24) program offers a number of scholarships to advance drivers up the sports car racing ladder, beginning with the Global MX-5 Cup series and culminating with Mazda Team Joest. In grassroots road racing, more Mazdas race on any given weekend in North America than any other manufacturer.
