NASA hosted an event at Virginia International Raceway last weekend, and I stayed busy coaching and providing a Mazda MX-5 ND1 orientation for drivers. The Mazda MX-5 ND is eligible for Global MX-5 Cup and club racing, and this particular ND1 model was available for qualified drivers to take for a test drive. I was there to help drivers get familiar with the car, to answer questions and to give driving tips. I also helped with some car prep before drivers got on track, so I had plenty to do!
It was a lot of fun hearing various drivers’ perspectives and impressions about the car, and to see their excitement for the potential this car represents for their own racing program. The comments were often about how easy the car is to operate and its enjoyable, confidence-inspiring feel.
Since the ND1 is the original spec for Global MX-5 (2016-2018), the price point for these cars is a relevant fit for club racing, and they are readily available through the Long Road Racing Marketplace.
I was also coaching a client at VIR—14-year-old Will Cox, who was racing his Spec Miata in what turned out to be an exciting weekend. It was only his second NASA event, and he managed to finish fourth in his race on Sunday. It’s so exciting to see Will’s development with the driving and all of the nuances that it takes to race a car, especially when he can’t even drive one on the street yet!
I have some exciting news for this coming weekend, when I’ll be at VIR once again. I’ll be rejoining Automatic Racing in the all-new Aston Martin Vantage GT4 for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at my home track! The race will be Saturday afternoon at 2:15pm EDT. You can tune in at IMSA.tv or watch it trackside. Next week, look for my recap of the race as well as some more Mazda club racing news!