MX-5 Cup Celebrates 2008 Season in Monterey

Following an exciting Round Eight race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the teams, family and staff of the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup gathered at the Monterey Marriott to celebrate the season.With five different winners and an average of more than three lead changes per race, 2008 was the most competitive MX-5 Cup season yet. A record grid of 31 cars was set at the Road Atlanta season opener, plus seven qualifying and six race lap records were re-written over the course of eight races. Two of those race lap records were set by Robert Huffmaster, who, in addition to claiming third place in the Championship, was awarded the Hawk Hot Lap of the Year Award, for setting more fast race laps than any other competitor. In addition to new race lap records at Road Atlanta and Thunderbolt Raceway, Huffmaster set the fastest lap of the race at Mosport International Raceway as well.Following Huffmaster’s acceptance of the third place trophy and Todd Buras’ reception of the second place trophy, Robert Davis, Mazda North American Operations Senior Vice President of Product Development and Quality, presented the 2008 SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship trophy to Eric Foss. The newly crowned Champion was then presented with his MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development Ladder driving suit and helmet which he will wear while competing in next year’s SPEED Touring Car Championship with a Mazda team. In addition thanking his sponsors, family and team, Foss expressed his gratitude to Mazda for its ladder program and the opportunity to race alongside his Mazda friends next year.The final two rounds of the 2008 SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup season will air shortly on DIRECTV, Dish Network and regional cable sports networks. Check http://www.mx-5cup.com for broadcast times, and keeping checking back for announcements regarding the 2009 MX-5 Cup season.