If there’s anything closer than the finishes of an Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires race, it might just be the Rookie of the Year competition. Thanks to its cost-effective platform that allows drivers to break into professional racing, the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup is overflowing with rookie talent vying for an $80,000 year-end prize.

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a track that was sorely missed on the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires schedule last year. The picturesque circuit is where this series made its debut in 2006. Since then, it’s been nothing but door-to-door, action-packed racing.

Time and again, the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires has produced talented and successful racers. With a big focus on parity of equipment that puts the results in the drivers’ hands, Mazda MX-5 Cup has not only produced some great racing, but it has also helped to develop some great racers through the years.

The Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires heads to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as the season draws near its end, with only two more weekends on the calendar. Mazda’s history at this circuit is a storied one, with lots of success in IMSA competition. The track has also been home to the Mazda Scholarship Shootouts as well as the MX-5 Cup Global Challenge finale.

He’s at every Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires race. He’s been an MX-5 Cup test driver since 2015 and logged thousands of laps helping to develop the current car. He can be found in MX-5 Cup race control. He writes a regular column about MX-5 Cup for Mazda Motorsports. Who is this professional driver that has become so synonymous with MX-5 Cup? It’s Tom Long.