Road Atlanta will be the site of the Spec MX-5 Challenge championship event in November 2018. The top seven drivers from Spec MX-5 Challenge – East and the top 7 drivers from Spec MX-5 Challenge – Central will come together to decide the winner of the $100,000 championship prize. Each driver will bring carryover points from the Central or East regular season championships and then earn additional points at Road Atlanta. Besides the fortunate championship winner, the other drivers will be competing for an invitation to Mazda’s Road To 24 Shootout.
Road Atlanta is a beloved track, well known for hosting IMSA’s Petit Le Mans event each year. Drivers like and respect the track for several reasons:
- fast, flowing sector 1 has good rhythm and is not overly intimidating despite high speeds
- T6 and T7 have decreasing radii and elevation changes that reward good car setup and driver skill with smooth inputs
- there are multiple passing points, including a long straight which is helpful for lower power cars
- T10a/b is fun, with a heavy braking, trail braking and exit compromise
- T11 and T12 are fast, downhill and scary, but ultimately rewarding to get right
To get a taste of what Road Atlanta is like, take a look at this video shot from inside a Prototype Challenge car driven by Kenton Koch. We know the PC car is quite a bit faster than the Spec MX-5 race cars drivers will run in the Challenge, but we think Kenton’s run gives a good idea of the thrills and passing opportunities of Road Atlanta.