Deliveries of the stock cars are beginning to arrive from Japan, so we are really getting excited as we move into building the cars that will fill the 2016 Global MX-5 Cup grids. Long Road Racing will be busy over the winter getting all of those cars prepped.
Now that the offseason is here, it has been a busy time for testing as we begin preparations for next season. I’ve been testing with both SpeedSource and the new Mazda Global MX-5 Cup car.
For the MX-5, Mazda had aligned with their partners for the program, like tires, wheels, brakes and damper products. With those things set in place, we are now doing the final testing for the car. Knowing the specifics for each aftermarket product on the car helps us finalize the formula for what will become the 2016 spec.
Most recently, the biggest areas of our focus have been the tire and damper. For the tire, things like sizing, compound and even the right look for the new series next year have been considered. For the damper, we’re finding the final spec by perfecting the travel, valving and adjustability to ensure everything provides the right handling characteristics and capability.
We were able to utilize a wide range of surfaces and conditions for the tire testing. We evaluated different compounds and got to really work the tires to get feedback for both the Long Road Racing development team as well as the tire development team. It was a really rewarding test, especially since we got to evaluate the tires in a variety of conditions, even in the wet and dry.
We’ve been able to do some initial testing with all of these manufacturers’ products in place as one spec package, and everyone has been really pleased so far. Recent testing has been focused mostly on tires, and damper testing will continue during the next few days.
By the end of this week, we’ll be near our final spec – just in time for the MRT24 Shootout that starts early next week! Finalists in the Shootout will be able to drive the new Global MX-5 Cup car, and they will be among the first competitors to drive with the new spec tires, wheels and damper. We want to give them a car that will be very similar to the final spec for 2016. I think they will be pleased with the handling and grip characteristics, as well as the true driving excitement that this Global MX-5 Cup package generates.