69 replies to this topic

[Johnny D]

Are they giving the answers to the test (what their looking for) here ? 

http://mazdamotorspo...gId=-1&button=y

 

J~

[Johnny D]

Glenn McGee Torrance, California iRacing Champion


Joshua Allan La Verne, California NASA PTD Western States Champion


Eric Powell Orlando, Florida At Large Nominee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMoK_VL5mOw

Bruno Carneiro Riverton, Utah At Large Nominee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDgpogv2mJ4

Joseph Burton-Harris Sydney, Australia SCCA Runoffs Formula Mazda Champion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy9NdDdxt3o

Richard Eklund Germantown, New York iRacing Champion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mQHDnTMDW4

Mark Drennan San Jose, California NASA Spec Miata Champion (East & West)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru19UyVWK30

Mason Filippi Alamo, California West Coast Teen Mazda Challenge Champion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhHsEmUQ4ys

[Jim Drago]

Best of luck Mark and Mason!
Jim

[Michael Novak]

Good Luck Mark....  The whole SM community is behind you....

[Mark Drennan]

Thanks Michael, Jim and everyone else who's sent positive thoughts and good luck wishes my way! 

 

Earning an invite the the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout has been a goal of mine since I started racing SM and my buddy Brad Rampelberg won it in 2007.  As always, there's really stiff competition this year.  Not only does everyone look to be immensely talented behind the wheel, but they also bring a lot of the qualities Mazda is looking for in a partner as their scholarship winner.  Candidly, I'm surprised/bummed Jonathan Goring and Will Rodgers didn't receive invites.  I think both are extremely talented and would have been strong contenders to win it.  

 

No doubt, I'm going to give it my best effort to win the big prize and have my dream come true.  Huge thanks to Mazda for their continued and unparalleled support of grassroots racers like us! 

 

I can't wait!!!

[Joe Cooley]

Would it be reasonable to assume that since Goring had gone up the Mazda Road to Indy (Skippy and Star Mazda and IMSA LItes) ladder at one point that he had already had his chance with Mazda and that would explain the lack of an invite?

[Johnny D]

Would it be reasonable to assume that since Goring had gone up the Mazda Road to Indy (Skippy and Star Mazda and IMSA LItes) ladder at one point that he had already had his chance with Mazda and that would explain the lack of an invite?

He was a semi finalist. Just not the next cut.
Just saying.
J~

[Derrick Ambrose]

That is an interesting choice.  The faster driver didn't win.

 

https://twitter.com/...435435073937408

 

-Derrick

[Waterboy]

Maybe it is just me, but I just don't see how SIM racing compares to racing in the heat, racing in the cold, racing in the rain, and spending the crazy amount of money that these guys spend to get this opportunity.

[Jim Drago]

I don't know the young man they chose, but there is no more deserving person than Mark Drennan, on or off the track! Good luck and kick their ass on your own!

[Derrick Ambrose]

My impression of the Mazdaspeed ladder system was the faster driver wins races and gets the opportunity to move up to the next level.  Skip Barber Mazdaspeed Series, MX5 Cup, Continental, Road to indy open wheel stuff.  Heck even the process to get to the MRT24 shootout is held that way, Mark won east and west championships, the formula Mazda driver won the runoffs, Teen Mazda challenge driver won the championship there.  By choosing the second fastest driver for the second time in a row really doesn't jive with the message which has been broadcast by Mazda and feels like being the best driver does not matter.  I do agree that the marketing side is important when offering up a scholarship but after seeing last years winner fall of the radar as the season progressed it make me question how good his proposal was.

 

-Derrick

[Johnny D]

http://mazdamotorspo...gId=-1&button=y

Glenn McGee Earns Mazda Road to 24 Shootout Scholarship
http://mazdamotorspo...5/11/McGee1.jpg

Florida iRacer earns a $100,000 scholarship to compete in the 2016 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup. After two days of intense competition at the Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C., Glenn McGee, from Tampa, Fla., earned the 2015 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout scholarship. The $100,000 scholarship to compete in the 2016 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup that came with the victory is the largest award in grassroots motorsports. Launched in 2006 as the Mazda Club Racer Shootout, the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout has annually promoted one talented grassroots racer into the professional ranks.

McGee became the first shootout winner who came from the world of iRacing. While McGee earned his access to the shootout as an iRacing sim racing champion, he also trained on the track with 2015 MX-5 Cup champion John Dean II in his MX-5 Cup cars.

By winning the shootout, McGee has earned the resources to compete in the 2016 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup. For 2016, this will be in the all-new Global MX-5 Cup car, which went on sale on Oct. 1. The 2016 MX-5 Cup season will begin the weekend of April 29 – May 1 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California.

“I don't believe it! Just competing in the 2015 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout and driving the new Global MX-5 Cup car felt like a dream the whole time, but to come out with the overall victory is surreal and is really overwhelming,” said McGee. “To transition so well from the iRacing.com virtual MX-5 Cup car to the real-thing, against so many talented proven drivers, was well beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I can't thank Mazda and their partners enough for supporting so much talent over the years and for awarding me this extraordinary honor to represent their brand in the 2016 Battery Tender, Global MX-5 Cup and I can't wait to get back in the car!”

This year’s shootout was the 10th since the program started in 2006. This year was the first to use the all-new Global Mazda MX-5 Cup cars based on the ND chassis. Long Road Racing, the builders of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Cup race car, prepared two cars for the finalists to drive. BFGoodrich Tires provided the latest g-Force tires for the competition.

“It is hard to believe it has been 10 years already, but – once again - Mazda has provided this very special opportunity for grassroots racers to take the first step into pro racing,” said John Doonan, Director of Mazda Motorsports. “This year provided an extra twist as it was the first shootout with the all-new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Cup race car, so none of the finalists had a chance to test the car in advance. The two days were extremely pressure filled for the candidates, as everyone had to learn the car and the track as rapidly as possible. Adding to the challenge was constant rain. Everyone at Mazda was impressed with the talent and poise of all of the drivers, and the decision by the judges was a difficult one.”

Given that each of the finalists had proven themselves on the track – virtual or real – with race wins and championships, 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/consistent laps

• Technical skills – Understanding of vehicle dynamics and suspension, ability to evaluate vehicle handling, and ability to analyze data

• The business of motorsports – Business proposal and interviews

“As a judge, I really appreciated the intense conditions of drenching rain, a pair of new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Cup cars and a new track,” said professional racer and businessman Charles Espenlaub. “Everyone did a great job in adapting to the constantly changing track and taking care not to hurt the cars. The awesome new BFGoodrich rain tires provided excellent grip in the wet and the new slick performed well as it dried up. It was exciting to watch everything unfold as all the session data were tabulated and the deliberation continued into the night, and following days. As always the field was deep in talent, so it was a challenge to choose our new champion.”

In the end, McGee earned the scholarship over NASA Spec Miata champion Mark Drennan after the competition was narrowed down to those two after the first day of driving. It’s the second year that iRacing MX-5 Cup winners have been eligible to participate, and the first time an iRacing candidate has earned the scholarship.

“I couldn’t be more excited for Glenn,” said iRacing Director of Marketing & Communications Kevin Bobbitt. “Winning the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout is a huge accomplishment in itself, and now Glenn has the opportunity of a lifetime to race in the 2016 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup. This is the second year iRacers qualified for the shootout, and Glenn proved iRacing can be a stepping stone to a professional motorsports career. On behalf of iRacers everywhere, I want to thank Mazda for putting their trust in iRacing to develop and identify some of tomorrow’s top racing drivers. We are all looking forward to watching Glenn on track next year and to racing the 2016 Global MX-5 Cup car on iRacing.”

The judges brought a wealth of both on-track and off-track expertise. The panel consisted of:

• Jim Bowie – Brandrenaline, Inc.

• Peter Calhoun – BFGoodrich Tires

• Andrew Carbonell – Mazda Factory Driver (Freedom Autosport)

• David Cook – Mazda Motorsports

• Charles Espenlaub – Safecraft Racing

• Kyle Kimball – Mazda Motorsports

• Tom Long – Mazda Factory Driver (SpeedSource)

The Runner-ups for the 2015 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout were a strong group of racers from the SCCA, NASA, and iRacing:



Racer Hometown Club/Series

Joshua Allan La Verne, California NASA PTD Western States Champion
Joseph Burton-Harris Sydney, Australia SCCA Runoffs Formula Mazda Champion
Bruno Carneiro Riverton, Utah At Large Nominee
Mark Drennan San Jose, California NASA Spec Miata Champion (East & West)
Richard Eklund Germantown, New York iRacing Champion
Mason Filippi Alamo, California West Coast Teen Mazda Challenge Champion
Eric Powell Orlando, Florida At Large Nominee
Michai Stephens Evanston, Illinois At Large Nominee

[ECOBRAP]

I know Glenn personally, he is a genuine, talented, and all around great person; I am very excited to see where he will take this opportunity. Sure, he probably spent the least amount of money to get into the shootout, but I don't see how that really matters? This is a scholarship, designed to give a kick start to those that need it. I also guarantee he will have spent far more time competing in that iRacing championship than you could possibly believe. The competition in that series is far closer than any SM field, due to the identical cars (advantage of a sim) and less barriers to entry that restrict talent; he was competing against thousands of people, not thirty. If you do not understand the merits of sim racing, even after the well known successes of the GT Academy program, then likely nothing I say will convince you, but Glenn's performance alone convinced those at the shootout, and that's all that matters.

 

Also, for those of you saying the second fastest driver won, I have heard otherwise. From what I have heard, both of these drivers were seconds faster than the other competitors, and constantly traded fast laps and most consistent sessions between them in both the wet and dry. The fact that a competitor with a marginal amount of real life racing experience was able to even keep up, nevermind go faster than a double national champion with more experience than the entire shootout field combined is simply astonishing. Shout-out to Mazda for doing this in a controlled environment, where none of the drivers were familiar with the track, car, or tire compound, it was the most effective way to find talent, and sure enough that's exactly what they did.

 

For those of you that do not know Glenn, I encourage you to attend the closest 2016 MX-5 cup event to you and do so.

 

[Johnny D]

I was thinking if you don't think they picked the right guy aren't you putting down the judges like they don't know what their doing ??

 

Congrats to Glenn !!

 

J~

[Derrick Ambrose]

I am on the outside looking in like everyone else here. I hope Glenn does well this year. It looks like the rules have been changing within the shootout.

[Johnny D]

I'm not saying this isn't BS, I was routing for Mark.

I am saying I wasn't there and don't know the situation.

 

Was Mark going to run this class anyway and they gave it to Glenn, IDK?

Just a WAG.

J~

[Chad Martin]

I think (perceived?) need has indeed crept into the equation...which maybe shouldn't be a surprise.   It is after all a "scholarship" and a substantial number of scholarships are based on need.

[Waterboy]

My previous comment had nothing do to with the winner I don't know him.

But my comment stands. In my opinion this scholarship should be(always was) meant for racers racing mazdas. Doesn't seem right that you can sit at home playing a "video game" and win it.

The winner may very well be the best driver, marketer, speaker, etc at the competition. But he wasn't out there weekend after weekend representing mazdas by racing them.

[Chad Martin]

It would be interesting to follow the money....

 

One thing I can tell you as a car owner (who has won multiple championships) this makes competing with/in a (real) Mazda less desirable in at least some small aspect for drivers looking to race my mazdas as a way to be one of the select few to qualify for the shootout.  Because it used ot be a clear cut route that was not easy.  Now, you can irace or at-large your way in.

 

So, at the very least, I feel slightly less inclined to be a mazda only team...not necessarily strong words but a definite shift in my demeanor none-the-less.   I'd think that would matter as ive spent a lot of money through mazda motorsports, but take it for what it's worth, which to some may not be squat.

[Johnny D]

Their $,
Their rules,
Their games,
Their decision.

Get the idea ?
J~