Continuing a tradition that has long matched talent with opportunity, Mazda has announced the names of the 12 drivers who have been selected to participate in the 18th running of the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout. The winning driver will receive a scholarship valued at $150,000 to participate in the 2025 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin.

With lap after lap of side-by-side racing for the lead, a late race green-white-checkered shootout for victory, and a close margin of victory, the first-ever Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin race on an oval lived up to the hype at Martinsville Speedway. Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) took home $25,000 and a Martinsville clock at the end of the 105-lap exhibition race.

After 19 seasons of staging races on some of the best road and street circuits in North America, the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin race at Martinsville Speedway will be unlike any MX-5 Cup race before it. For its first oval race, the series is adopting some of the traditional short track oval traditions. What will that look like?

The time has finally come for the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin to take on Martinsville Speedway. The Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 will see the series racing on an oval for the very first time, with more than $60,000 in prize money on the line at the historic NASCAR facility.

It’s officially race week for the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin, as competitors prepare for the series’ first ever oval race, which will be staged at Virginia’s Martinsville Speedway. Those who can’t witness this event in person will be able to watch live on IMSA’s YouTube channel with commentary from veteran announcers Tony LaPorta and Matt Yocum.