The reigning Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires Team Champion, Spark Performance, is back with champion driver Gresham Wagner and expands with two more entries. Added to the Spark Performance lineup are 2020 MX-5 Cup $110,000 Shootout Winner Aaron Jeansonne and series veteran Alex Bachoura.
Wagner returns to defend his championship and attempt to become the first back-to-back champion in series history.
“The last two years with Sparky have been amazing,” the champion stated. “In 2020, I got my first wins in MX-5 Cup and really learned what it took to be a front-runner in the series”
Regarding this season, Wagner said “I think the competition will be tough in 2022, but alongside Aaron and Alex, I’m looking forward to getting the season underway and racing to the standard we’ve set for ourselves. Aaron has faced many challenges and learned a lot in 2021, and I know he will be ready to put that year of experience to use. Alex has been around the paddock longer than most, and I think this is a great environment that will help him build on everything he already knows.”
After a trying rookie season, Jeansonne ready to take another shot at MX-5 Cup glory.
“My rookie season was filled with challenges and lessons learned,” explained Jeansonne. “Having two champions under the tent with Sparky and Gresham gives me a lot of confidence that I’ll be in an environment where I can succeed. I really look forward to working with Gresham and Alex as teammates. They are both very experienced in the series and I believe with the help of each other we will all be able to improve on what we already know this season.”
Alex is a very well-rounded individual that has combined several years of MX-5 Cup experience with his career as an oral surgeon. “I’m very excited to be racing alongside two excellent competitors,” said Bachoura. “I have a lot to learn from both in terms of racecraft and speed. Each one of us brings in a unique perspective in the MX-5 Cup series. This combination should mature into some awesome racing.”
Since forming in 2020, Spark Performance has produced consistent race winners and front runners with eight wins and several podiums. As a one car team in 2021, they qualified on the front row in 13 of 14 races. They scored a podium at every track on the schedule and earned the most wins alongside their championship. They will look to continue setting the standard for the field in 2022.
Nathanial “Sparky” Sparks had this to say about the team's expansion for 2022. “We are very excited to have the opportunity to show the caliber of a team my family and I have built. We know what it takes to win and know as we grow, so does the competition. The atmosphere that Mazda, our sponsors, and all the competitors have created at the racetrack is unlike any other. Since beginning my career in MX-5 Cup in 2012, I have seen the series get better every year and I am proud of where we are today.
Speaking about Spark Performance’s success over the years, Sparky said, “The 2021 Team of the Year trophy sits in my wife’s office, the 2016 Driver Championship trophy sits in my father’s office, and many more are displayed in our shop along with series banners and large checks! We love being a part of such a special racing community and take pride in earning these awards against some of the best drivers racing has to offer. Spark Performance brings a lot of heart to its efforts and is thrilled to have the opportunities to share them.”