NICK EVANS WINS MAZDA MX-5 CUP SHOOTOUT
-- Ohio State University Student will compete in 2010 Playboy MX-5 Cup --
November 19, 2009 (Irvine, Calif.). Nick Evans knows about
studying for tests. He is frequently tested as an undergraduate biology
major/pre-med student at the Ohio State University. He also tests
himself on the racetrack. In September, he earned a 2009 SCCA Runoffs
Championship in his Mazda powered Formula Enterprise. Now, after a
series of very specialized tests, he will add "professional race
driver", to his resume as he moves to the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy
Mazda MX-5 Cup for 2010.
Nick will follow in the footsteps of Andrew Caddell, Brad
Rampelberg, and Justin Piscitell, the three previous shootout winners.
Nick also joins the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Driver ladder
program class of 2010. The MAZDASPEED ladder has been a critical part of
the success of young up and coming racers including Raphael Matos, John
Edwards, Conor Daly, Joel Miller, Connor De Phillippi, Dane Cameron,
Jason Saini, Todd Lamb, Eric Foss, and Adam Christodoulou.
The five finalists:
* Ryan Ellis Fairfax, Virginia NASA
Teen Champion Mazda MX-5 Miata
* Nick Evans Hilliard, Ohio SCCA
Formula Enterprise FE- Mazda MZR
* Steven Gorriaran Providence, Rhode Island SCCA Spec
Miata Mazda MX-5 Miata
* Bruce Pendleton Oakland, California NASA
PTE Mazda MX-5 Miata
* Andy Rushing Austin, Texas NASA Spec
Miata Mazda MX-5 Miata
The criteria: Given that each of the five had proven themselves on the
track to win a championship, the criteria to move up needed to be more
encompassing. To succeed on the professional level requires a balance
of both on-track and off-track skills including the following:
* Driving ability -- fast laps
* Driving ability -- consistent laps
* Technical feedback -- Understanding of vehicle dynamics and
suspension
* Technical feedback -- Ability to evaluate vehicle handling
* Technical feedback -- Ability to analyze data
* Technical feedback -- Ability to improve vehicle handling
* The business of motorsports -- Business proposal
* The business of motorsports -- Business presentation
* The business of motorsports -- PR Skills
The judges: Each year Mazda invites a panel of outside judges to make the
selection. The judges brought a wealth of both on-track, and off-track
expertise. Over a dozen professionals were involved in either the
preliminary business proposal review, or the on-track activities. The
panel consisted of:
* Andy Bornhop -- Managing Editor, Road & Track magazine
* Roger Caddell -- Victory Lane Data
* Charles Espenlaub -- Professional Mazda racer, SPEED World
Challenge/GrandAm GT
* Ed Justice Jr. -- President/C.E.O, Justice Brothers Inc.
* Karl Koenigstein -- BFGoodrich Tires
* Roberts Kukainis -- BFGoodrich Tires
* Silvia Mammone -- BFGoodrich Tires
* John Morton -- Veteran road racer
* John Naderi -- Editor, Streetfire.net
* Jan Refsdal -- President, Swift Engineering
* Lyn St. James -- Founder, Women in the Winner's Circle
Foundation & Driver Development Academy
* Tim Sharp -- Grassroots Motorsports Magazine, professional
driver coach
* Jeremy Shaw -- Writer/broadcaster and founder, Team USA
Scholarship
* Mark Shuler -- Partner, Tri-Point Motorsports
* Brian Wagner -- Dyson Racing
The tally: After a full day of both driving, and classroom activities,
the judges added the objective and subjective scores -- discussing the
merits of each driver. It was a very close decision, but the numbers and
"gut feelings" were in agreement -- Nick Evans is the
newest Mazda professional racer to watch in 2010.
Nick's prize package: The total prize package is valued at over
$75,000 and is the largest prize in club racing.
* $50,000 for the running of his car for the season
* $10,000 in parts support
* A Sparco driving suit and helmet
* Professional media training (Courtesy of MAZDASPEED)
* Ten sets of BFGoodrich tires, one set per race (Courtesy of
BFGoodrich tires)
* Ten entry fee waivers (Courtesy of SCCA Pro Racing)
The quotes:
Nick Evans: "Wow...After hearing the news I was speechless.
All I could say was thank you! I felt so relieved once I won the
shootout and for the opportunity to begin my professional racing career
with Mazda. I put an enormous effort into the shootout and it paid off.
This is really a defining moment in my life. The MAZDASPEED development
ladder is truly awesome and puts me on a path to get me to where I want
to go. I will soon be battling with the veterans of American sportscar
racing and I can't wait. Bring on 2010!"
Steve Sanders -- MAZDASPEED Competition Manager: "This is
annually one of the most rewarding yet difficult days for Mazda. We have
so many talented club racers it's a huge challenge for the judges
to pick just one. We are looking forward to working with Nick in 2010
and would not be surprised to see the other finalists on the grid for the
MX-5 Cup in 2010, or at the shootout again next year."
Charles Espenlaub: "Having been involved as a judge in all four MX-5 Cup
Shootouts. I can say that every year I am truly amazed at the level of
talent in the Mazda family. Everyone should be proud of their performance
and abilities both on and off the track. And I can only hope everyone
enjoyed the experience as much as I did. "
Lyn St. James: "Mazda is truly committed to a driver development
ladder program and reaches out to champions from a variety of categories
of grassroots racing with the intent of rewarding them for their
excellence. This year's shootout provided the opportunity for a diverse
group of drivers to show their stuff, challenge their knowledge, as well
as provide them with some important tools that will help them along the
way. It was a privilege to be a judge, and extremely difficult to select
only one driver to receive the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout Award."
John Morton: "It was exciting to see these young and not so young
champions compete for a boost up the difficult ladder they are attempting
to climb. I wish them all success and applaud Mazda for giving them the
chance that they all earned."
Tim Sharp: "Probably the best Mazda Shootout ever! A very
talented group of SCCA and NASA champions who were separated by the
slimmest of margins at the end of the day. Judges with decades of
experience in road racing and the business of motorsports scoring them.
It was gratifying to see how well this year's group of age-diverse
drivers got along. With the drivers scoring well in the areas of chassis
set up, communications and the motorsports marketing, it really came down
to who was the fastest, most consistent driver on the race track. Isn't
this the way it should be?"
Mazda is the brand of choice for road-racers across North America. More
than 9,000 grassroots racers compete in various classes with the Sports
Car Club of America (SCCA) and the National Auto Sport Association
(NASA). Racers who are years away from earning a driver's license
can now begin a professional motorsports careers in the Mazda family. A
driver can begin in karts and progress through the Skip Barber series,
Club Racing Formula Mazda, professional Star Mazda and finally to Formula
Atlantic, all with Mazda. No other car company has ever connected the
dots this way.
Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in the United States in 2010, Mazda
North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees
the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda
vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900
dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located
in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.
-credit: mazdaspeed motorsports
