Some SCCA racers have earned a spot in the 11th annual Mazda Road to 24 Shootout. This post-season competition awards a $100,000 Mazda Motorsports scholarship to compete in the 2017 Battery Tender Mazda Global MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. The 2016 Shootout takes place November 15-16 at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Louisiana.
Justin Hille, the 2016 SCCA National Championship Runoffs Spec Miata winner, is one of the Shootout finalists. The 25-year-old vehicle testing supervisor at Roush Industries, who also received a Spirit of Mazda award this year, has been immersed in the automotive world since the age of 8, and the motorsports world since 16 years old. Before Hille was behind the wheel of an actual car, his family knew he had a natural gift for the sport, and a true love for it that he wanted everybody to enjoy equally. While Hille’s own racing efforts are important to him, his colleagues are equally as important.
“I have no problem sharing data or setup advice with even my closest competitors,” Hille said in an article at Mazdamotorsports.com. “It is for the benefit of the class to have as many people as possible fighting for the win; that’s why the spectators love to watch us race, and that’s why people love to race this class.”
Learn more about Hille in the story titled “Meet the Contenders: Justin Hille” at the Mazdaspeed website.
Photo: Justin Hille piloting his SCCA Spec Miata
Not only has Rocky Entriken been to all 44 Tire Rack Solo Nationals, but he’s been documenting the history of the event, and the Solo program along the way. His Solo Stats book is published annually as a complete history of the event, complete with every record you’d want to know and driver histories for every competitor.
Do you wonder which region has been home to the most Solo Champions in a single year? The answer is in the book. What about the drivers who have won trophies at every Nationals they’ve attended? Yup, it’s in the book. Care to know who the seven drivers to be at every Solo Nationals are? It’s there.
Rocky has also been a long-time contributor to SportsCar Magazine. He’s shown editing his Rocky’s Road column despite a broken hand in the 1980s. Today, he still leads the magazine’s coverage of Solo Nationals.
A handful of SCCA racers have earned a spot in the 11th annual Mazda Road to 24 Shootout. This post-season competition awards a $100,000 Mazda Motorsports scholarship to compete in the 2017 Battery Tender Mazda Global MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. The 2016 Shootout takes place November 15-16, 2016 at the NOLA Motorsports Park, in Avondale, Louisiana.
One of the finalists is 31-year-old Tyler Kicera, who has been involved in motorsports for 25 years. Raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, he began racing quarter midgets at the age of six at a small asphalt oval in nearby Honeybrook. He worked his way into sports car racing with SCCA in the mid-2000s.
After a four-year hiatus from driving, Kicera returned to competition in 2012 with serious focus. In the ultra competitive Spec Miata class, Kicera claimed two SCCA US Majors Tour nationwide points championships in 2015 and 2016, and won the 2016 NASA Eastern States championship. In 2016 he won over 75% of his starts.
Learn more about Kicera in the story titled “Meet the Contenders: Tyler Kicera” at the Mazdaspeed website.
Photo: Tyler Kicera in his Spec Miata at an SCCA event
