Tom Heath
Marketing / Club Coordinator
11/4/09 11:11 a.m.
We just got a press release announcing this year's Mazdaspeed Shootout participants. Who's on the board?
· Ryan Ellis, 2009 NASA Spec Miata Teen Champion (West)
· Nick Evans, 2009 SCCA Formula Enterprise Champion
· Steven Gorriaran, 2009 SCCA Spec Miata Champion
· Bruce Pendleton, 2009 NASA Performance Touring E Champion
· Andy Rushing, 2009 NASA Spec Miata Champion
As an interesting side note, GRM contributor Tim Sharp will be on the panel of independent judges for the event.
Tim knows a lot of racing cars, so the candidates had better bring their "A" game.
What's the Mazdaspeed Shootout? Why does it have a judge?
The shootout is part of the Mazdaspeed ladder program that helps drivers climb up through motorsports. This is from a year or two ago, but this page explains the program: http://www.mazdamotorsports.com/mazdaladdersystem.htm (And a quick edit, NASA and SCCA club racing champs are now included.)
Short answer, with a championship for Mazda, and they will help you move up a rung.
Since they can't award every Mazda club racing champ a funded deal, a shootout is used to award the MX-5 Cup ride. The judges look at more than lap speeds, as professionalism is also counted.
Are there Playboy Bunnies involved in this?
Thanks David. For the bunnies.
I was so close to getting into this I could taste. 2nd Overall in the Skip Barber Mazdaspeed Shootout.
There's more to the selection than just driving though.
Out of everyone eligible (national championship winners in Mazda powered cars), everyone had to submit a business plan for the next three years. They selected the top 5 business plans, and those are the ones that got to go to the shootout in Buttonwillow. Once there, it is more testing and no racing. They want to know how well you drive, your consistency, feedback to the engineers, personality, media skills, etc.
Its an awesome competition. So close....
So... You're saying that your business plan of "Finding the Bunny with the largest fake breasts and smallest real brain" was only good for 2nd place?
