2017 PIRELLI WORLD CHALLENGE MAZDA MOTORSPORTS PREVIEW
IRVINE, Calif. (April 27, 2017) – The Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car Championships kicks off this weekend at VIRginia International Raceway. Independent Mazda racers will be challenging for drivers’ championships in the Touring Car (TC), Touring Car A (TCA) and Touring Car B (TCB) classes. For the VIR race weekend, there are 14 Mazda racers entered across the three classes, including the series debut of the fourth-generation MX-5 Cup race car at the Pirelli World Challenge.
Expectations for the 2017 season are high for the Mazda teams. In 2016:
- Mazda racers scored 21 race wins from 36 races across the three Touring Car classes;
Elivan Goulart earned the TCA Drivers’ Championship in his S.A.C. Racing Mazda MX-5; - Mazda earned both the TC and TCA Manufacturers’ Championships.
“The Pirelli World Challenge has been an ideal showcase for Mazda teams moving up to the professional ranks,” said David - Cook, business development manager, Mazda Motorsports. “Last year will be hard to top, but we are eager to see Copeland Motorsports, Winding Road Racing, and Rossini Racing with the PWC debut for the fourth-generation MX-5 Cup car. We also expect to see Elivan Goulart fiercely defend his TCA championship.”
| Car # (Class) | Driver/Hometown | Team/Car/Sponsor |
| # 5 (TC) | John A Weisberg / Webster, NY | BERG Racing Mazda MX-5 REDCOM Laboratories / Micro Precision Components / Permatex / Red Line Oil |
| # 17 (TC) | Randy Hale / Haddam, CT | Hale Motorsports / Mazda MX-5 / TransAero, Inc |
| # 21 (TCA) | Michael Johnson / Austin, TX | Tech Sport Racing / Mazda MX-5 / Tech Sport Racing |
| # 23 (TCA) | Eric Powell / Orlando, FL | Tech Sport Racing / Mazda MX-5 / Tech Sport Racing |
| # 37 (TCB) | Blake Thompson / Racine, WI | ISellMiataParts / Mazda 2 / ISellMiataParts / The Miata Store |
| # 70 (TCA) | Elivan Goulart / Shelton, CT | S.A.C. Racing / Mazda MX-5 / S.A.C. Racing / SCDA1.com |
| # 73 (TC) | Daniel Moen / Rindge, NH | S.A.C. Racing / Mazda MX-5 / S.A.C. Racing |
| # 74 (TCA) | Matthew Fassnacht / Madison, NJ | S.A.C. Racing / Mazda MX-5 / S.A.C. Racing |
| # 79 (TCA) | Spencer Patterson / Pittsburgh, PA | Patterson Racing / Mazda MX-5 / Regent Square Rental |
| # 89 (TCA) | Jeff Sexton / Austin, TX | Winding Road Racing TFB / Mazda MX-5 / Winding Road Racing |
| # 97 (TCA) | Brian Henderson / Falmouth, MA | Copeland Motorsports / Mazda MX-5 / Copeland Motorsports / BDL Motorsports |
| # 155 (TCA) | Jason Cannole / Raleigh, NC | Rossini Racing / Mazda MX-5 / Rossini Racing |
| # 02 (TCB) | Ted Sahley / Cleveland, OH | Believeland Motorsports / Mazda 2 / Choice Privileges Rewards / ChoiceHotels.com / Atlantic Hospitality |
| # 07 (TCA) | Dean Copeland / Grasonville, MD | Copeland Motorsports / Mazda MX-5 / Copeland Motorsports |
The 2017 Pirelli Wold Challenge (TC/TCA/TCB) Race Schedule:
| April 28-30 | VIRginia International Raceway | Alton, Virginia |
| May 19-21 | Canadian Tire Motorsport Park | Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada |
| May 26-27 | Lime Rock Park | Lakeville, Connecticut |
| Aug 11-13 | Utah Motorsports Campus | Tooele, Utah |
| Sept 1-3 | Circuit of the Americas | Austin, Texas |
| Oct 13-15 | Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca | Monterey, California |
Each event is a double-header, with two races per weekend, for a 12-race season.
Information on all of Mazda Motorsports can be found online at www.mazdamotorsports.com.
About Mazda Motorsports:
Mazda Motorsports boasts the most comprehensive auto racing development ladder system of any auto manufacturer in the world. The Mazda Road to 24 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 the Mazda Prototype team. The Mazda Road to Indy is a similar program that includes Mazda-powered categories of USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights. In grassroots road racing, more Mazdas race on any given weekend in North America than any other manufacturer. Mazda is also the title sponsor of the renowned Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Follow all of the latest news at MazdaMotorsports.com, @MazdaRacing on Twitter, and MazdaMotorsports on Instagram and Facebook.
Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through more than 600 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media and make sure to check out the Pirelli World Challenge center at InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com/Newsroom.
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