Large spec classes where anything can happen? Sure, we’ll take a stab at predicting the winners of Spec Miata and Spec MX-5 at the Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2026, Mission Foods SCCA® National Championship Runoffs® at Road America. Surely this isn’t hard to do.
Before we get to these predictions in the last of our weeklong “Who Will Win the Runoffs?” series, we’ll get you some links first.
First is the Runoffs homepage, where you’ll find everything there is to know about the event. There’s also the driver’s entry list and event schedule, so you can discover who is racing, and when they’ll be on track. The spectator tickets link is useful for those who want to view the action on site, and SCCA’s YouTube channel link is also below, where Runoffs qualifying and Hagerty Race Days will be streamed live, presented by Mazda.
- Runoffs homepage
Now, check out who we think will win Spec Miata and Spec MX-5, then vote for your picks. Once you’ve voted, scroll back up and hit the “See previous responses” link. If you don’t like the results, refresh the “Who Will Win?” article and vote again.
Spec Miata
One thing has occurred to us: it’s 2026! That means we can just ask AI to pick the winner , right? Well, it’s just as confused as the rest of us.
Claude says: “if you want a single name, Nick Bruni is the smart pick as the reigning three-time champ, but Spec Miata at the Runoffs is notorious for chaos.” Not bad. Not bad.
Prefer Google AI? It tells us: “If forced to bet on just one driver in this incredibly volatile class, the smart money is on Preston Pardus.” Sounds like a good guess.
ChatGPT says its watching Danny Steyn most closely, “but the evidence doesn't establish a sufficiently clear favorite to say he is definitively the most likely winner.” We’d agree.
We also know that key will be drivers working together to get to the front.
So, add Jim Drago and Brett Kowalski (who won at the Chicago Region June Sprints®) to the above list. Then watch out for the Sneaky Moose (Meese? Mooses?) Tyler Brown and Kyle Greenhill; keep an eye on Elivan Goulart and John Salerno; and don’t forget Logan Stretch, who’s coming on strong in the pro MX-5 Cup, with Max Stallone.
Honestly, we have no idea who’s going to win this one, and neither does artificial intelligence.
Since I’ve been told I HAVE to pick someone to win, let’s go with Tyler Brown to win, Kowalkski to finish second, and Steyn third.
But remember that Pardus-Bruni dead heat from a few years back? I think everyone would like to see Drago and Steyn share one of those.
Spec MX-5
Spec MX-5 may be slightly less up in the air than Spec Miata, but not by much.
The real wildcard in this is who might make the leap over from the pro MX-5 Cup race at Road Atlanta in time to start from the rear of the field at the Runoffs. Ethan Lampe, the two-time (and only) defending Spec MX-5 National Champion, is one of those. Cam Ebben is another, and he was the Tire Rack Polesitter last year. Can you come from the back and win this race? We’re not sure. But it’ll be fun to watch.
Let’s assume the win comes from someone who sets a qualifying time in the currently 24-car class.
Camden Gruber was second last year to Lampe, and should be quick again. William Wallis has had a spectacular season, and we’ve got our eyes on him. Weston Duchak was second at the Chicago Region June Sprints.
One more mention if we step away from the teenagers for a minute. Richard James has written a lot of “Who Will Win?” articles over the years as a former writer and editor of SportsCar Magazine. He’ll need a lot of things to go wildly correct to land on the podium on the track, but we wanted to see his name in the body of the text instead of as a byline.
While James may not make the podium, we wouldn’t count out Jason Fichter, who was featured alongside his SMX-racing sister Jillian in SportsCar magazine a few years back.
So who is it going to be? All signs point to Camden Gruber to finally grab the top spot. Wallis hasn’t been far behind, so call him second. And third? Well, maybe one of the hot shoes from the back can get there. We’ll pick Lampe to go three-for-three on podiums, but just in a bronze this time.
Photo by Jeff Loewe
