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Spec MX-5, LLC recently announced a simulator racing series to go along with its real-world Spec MX-5 Challenge series. The idea of the simulator series parallels that of the real series: give racers a boost in their careers. In the Spec MX-5 SimRacing Challenge, drivers will compete in 22 races to win a grand prize of a full-day track test in a real Spec MX-5 race car on the F1 track at Circuit of The Americas, supported by a Spec MX-5 pro team. Drivers who do not have the necessary experience or licenses for the track test may elect to participate in a NASA or SCCA licensing school so that they can begin their wheel-wheel racing careers. More details are below in the release.
Spec MX-5 Pro Racing Announces Parallel Sim Racing Series For 2019
Experienced Sim Racers Will Compete in Talent Search
AUSTIN, TX and CUMMING, GA – (January 15, 2019) — Spec MX-5, LLC, the management company for the Spec MX-5 Challenge pro road racing series, today announced that it will offer a sim racing series as part its driver development strategy. Experienced sim racers will compete in 11 Spec MX-5 SimRacing Challenge events (22 virtual races), just as in the real Spec MX-5 Challenge series. Using the iRacing platform, sim drivers will race virtual MX-5 race cars, on the scheduled Spec MX-5 tracks, including VIRginia International, Circuit of The Americas, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Road America, Watkins Glen International, and Road Atlanta. Spec MX-5 SimRacing events will take place approximately 10 days before 2019 Spec MX-5 Challenge pro drivers visit those tracks.
Valuable Prizes
Spec MX-5 SimRacing Challenge drivers will compete for a grand prize of a driver test at Circuit of The Americas. “Spec MX-5 Challenge is a driver development series aimed at helping drivers advance their careers. We have seen that sim racing is a reliable source of talent for success in real race cars, but it isn’t always obvious how to move from sim racing to the pro ranks,” said Tom Martin, co-director of Spec MX-5 LLC. “With encouragement from sim drivers who have moved to real racing, including 2018 Spec MX-5 driver John Allen, we put together a sim racing program that helps drivers assess their skills. At the same time, we’re hoping to find some special talent that can be further developed through Spec MX-5 racing,” Martin noted.
The Spec MX-5 SimRacing Challenge national champion will visit Circuit of The Americas for a driver assessment day running the Spec MX-5 race car. Spec MX-5 crew members will provide support and data analytics. Experienced Spec MX-5 pro drivers will be on hand to provide coaching and reference data.
If the Grand Prize winner is not a licensed driver, he or she may elect to do an SCCA or NASA competition licensing school with Level Up Racing or Winding Road Academy.
To get to that point, drivers will practice, qualify and run 20 regular season sim races. The top points scorers at the end of the regular season will be invited to run in the two-race national sim championship, which will be held at Road Atlanta, just as in the real Spec MX-5 Challenge series. Along the way, sim drivers will be able to win prizes at each stop on the calendar.
If drivers are already an iRacing subscriber, there will be no fees or costs for drivers to register the Spec MX-5 SimRacing Challenge. To ensure a high-quality field, the SimRacing Challenge will require that drivers have an iRacing license level of C (or better) with a Safety Rating of 2.0 (or better) and an iRating of 1,500 (or better).
Races to Be Broadcast
Each race will offer an HD live-stream broadcast by SYMTV which will include two commentators, real-time analysis and replays, timing and scoring and pre-and-post-race interviews. Each event broadcast will be live-streamed on the Winding Road Racing YouTube Channel.
For additional details on registration, event schedule and broadcast information, visit SpecMX-5.com.
About Spec MX-5 SimRacing Challenge
Spec MX-5 SimRacing Challenge is a virtual racing series with the aim of assisting drivers to learn, grow and advance in road racing. Virtual Motorsports has shown that it can be a useful rung on the driver-development ladder. A path from sim racing toward road racing is needed, just as Spec MX-5 Challenge has established a bridge between amateur and professional racing in the real world. To that end, Spec MX-5 LLC has created a parallel simulator series, the Spec MX-5 SimRacing Challenge.
About Spec MX-5 Challenge
The Spec MX-5 Challenge Series is a professional sports car racing option with over $100,000 in prizes. The series runs specially-prepared Mazda MX-5 race cars at pro tracks like Circuit of The Americas, Sonoma Raceway, VIRginia International Raceway, Road America, Watkins Glen, and Road Atlanta. The series consistently offers tight, challenging competition for semi-professional and aspiring professional drivers.
For more information on Spec MX-5 Challenge, visit:
www.facebook.com/specmx5racing/
https://twitter.com/SpecMX5Racing
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