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

Credit: Bill Stoler