Connor Zilisch, the 15-year-old SCCA racer fresh off a third-place finish at the Runoffs in Spec Miata, was declared the top winner of the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires scholarships following two days of on and off-track evaluation at Sebring International Raceway last week.
Zilisch earned a scholarship valued at $110,000 to take part in next year’s Mazda MX-5 Cup, while Bryce Cornet — 2018 SCCA Formula Mazda Champion — and Laura Hayes — former SCCA Formula Vee racer — were awarded $75,000 scholarships for the 2022 season of MX-5 Cup.
The trio of scholarships is only the start of Mazda’s prize fund. Racing in the 2022 MX-5 Cup, these three drivers will have a shot at the $80,000 Rookie-of-the-Year award and the $250,000 championship prize.
“I can’t believe this happened,” Zilisch said. “I can’t thank Mazda enough. This is an amazing opportunity to forward my progress in the motorsports world and I’m so excited to get to work.”
The competition began with 21 drivers in total, 12 for the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup scholarships and nine young karters for the Spec MX-5 Challenge team. Drivers were judged not only by lap times, but also ability to create lasting partnerships, understand and apply data analysis, and overall improvement
The MX-5 Cup judging panel consisted of Mazda Senior Manager, Brand, Entertainment, and Sponsorships Chris Hill; Mazda Motorsports Program Manager Jonathan Applegate; Motorsport Marketing Manager for BFGoodrich Tires and Michelin Pete Calhoun; professional racers Tom Long and Andrew Carbonell; and Manager of Mazda Motorsports Business Development David Cook.
We’re going to level with you for just a second – as much fun as everyone has at Track Night in America driven by Tire Rack events, one of the biggest questions we get is “what else can I do with my car?”
We actually don’t mind the question, because we have the answer you’re looking for. Yes, many people will suggest a jump to road racing, but that often involves a new or modified car. And sure, autocross is always a fantastic option for your street car, but many of our Track Night friends were hoping to stay on the track.
So what if there were an event that felt like it was a Track Night in America, had the same physical requirements, and added a competition element?
(Enter SCCA Time Trials stage right)
The SCCA Time Trials program has everything a Track Night participant is looking for. It keeps the enthusiastic fun and comradery that is present at Track Night. There are classes for stock or slightly modified street cars. Like Track Night, it’s a one-team approach that is necessary for everyone to both get a clear, timed lap and have a fun, safe time. And you still get interaction with coaches who can answer questions, offer suggestions, or politely point out an item you or a fellow participant could have done differently.
But in addition to that, it adds a timed element and scoring – unlike Track Night, there is a chance to win! Best laps in a session count in a total score, letting you see how you stack up or how you are improving.
So while you’re tentatively making plans for the 2022 season, we encourage you to step over to timetrials.scca.com and see what all the fuss is about – and soon, see the schedule for the 2022 SCCA Time Trials National Tour powered by Hagerty – and have more fun with your car.
