The upcoming weekend is exciting, as it’s the penultimate round to not only the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup series, but also the IMSA WeatherTech championship. The season really concludes with a bang as the final two events (comprising four races for MX-5 Cup) will occur over the span of just two weeks. After Indianapolis Motor Speedway, things culminate at Petit LeMans.
For the Mazda MX-5 Cup series competitors, there’s a lot taking shape with four races to be run in such a short time period. Championship leader Justin Adakonis has a considerable points lead over a tight pack of contenders for second place. The title will come with a $250,000 cash payout.
Also up for grabs is Rookie of the Year, which is still anybody’s to take, along with the $100,000 prize payout. We’ve seen an incredible array of rookie talent this year, with contenders earning podium results and currently sitting in the top five in the overall points championship.
The series had quite a long hiatus after its last appearance at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, dating all the way back to 2020. This is a big opportunity for all competitors: since the series hasn’t been there in so long, it really evens the playing field.
I look forward to seeing how the championship unfolds over the next several weeks. This is one of my favorite times of the year for sports car racing, as the season end is just around the corner, and it’s always exciting to see championships get wrapped up.