Scholarships Awarded to Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich Champions

TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 5, 2015) – Winner’s hardware and two scholarships were awarded to the series champions and top finishers at the awards banquet for the SCCA Pro Racing Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich Tires, at the Atlanta Marriott in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, on Oct. 2.

John Dean, of Sebring, Florida, was the night’s big winner as he was formally awarded the 2015 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship title, with a total of 659 points. As the series champion, Dean not only earned the trophy and contingency that go with winning the championship, but he also earned the $200,000 Mazda Road to 24 scholarship to advance his career as a racecar driver.

At the banquet, it was announced that Dean would take advantage of a unique arrangement regarding the scholarship funds. With the pricing announcement regarding the new 2016 Global MX-5 Cup car package happening Oct 1, Dean elected to receive two of the new $53,000 racing machines, plus $100,000 to use in campaigning the cars next season. The move was unprecedented, as all past series champions have used the scholarship funds to move to the next level of sports car racing.

Also taking home scholarship funds was Robby Foley, of Randolph, New Jersey, after he won the season-long Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Pro Challenge Championship scoring 666 points. His scholarship was worth $100,000 to be used to help fund a full season in the 2016 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup, at the controls of the new generation of MX-5 Cup car.

Kyle Loustaunau (No. 4 Mazda Motorsports Development/BFGoodrich Tires MX-5), of Vacaville, California, took home rookie of the year honors as the top point-scoring rookie, while Zach Lee (No. 12 ALARA Racing MX-5), of San Antonio, notched the Master’s Championship as the highest scoring, eligible driver over 40 years old. The Team of the Year Award was given to ModSpace Racing, as the new team, co-owned by past series champion Stevan McAleer, notched two wins. Sarah Montgomery (No. 14 Travel Lafayette, LA/F.A.S.T. Fresh Air Systems Technologies MX-5), of Lafayette, Louisiana, was the recipient of the Spirit of Mazda award for embodying the Challenger Spirit.

“All of us at Mazda are very proud of the 2015 Battery Tender MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich season,” John Doonan, Director of Mazda Motorsports, North America said. “To have so many competitors join us for the entire season – ending the season with a 37 car field – and to have the season championship come down to the final race is all that we could ever ask for when it comes to big fields and close competition. Our congratulations go out to John Dean for his championship, which has eluded him in the past, and Robby Foley for his Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Pro Challenge Championship.

“We are excited that John has chosen to remain in the series for 2016 with his $200,000 scholarship by adding two brand new 2016 cars under the Sick Sideways tent and we look forward to seeing Robby move up the Mazda Road to 24 ladder. We are proud of the growth of this series over the last ten seasons and we are dedicated to continuing to find ways to bring continuous value to participants and partners every year.”

The full schedule for the 2016 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup season will be announced in the coming weeks.

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Photo Credit: Doug Morrissey