ATLANTA, Georgia (February 23, 2018) – With the opening round of the Spec MX-5 Challenge East Series approaching March 9-11 at VIRginia International Raceway, the identically prepped cars were given a shakedown over the weekend at Atlanta Motorsports Park to address any outstanding mechanical issues. The session included selection of brake pads and simulated racing.
With five heat cycles throughout the day long test, the recently announced Yokohama ADVAN slick tires held up as expected and are prepared to last a full race weekend.
After consulting with full-season drivers in attendance, the Series has also selected the Pagid RSL29 brake pads for use in the brake package for the season. The pads were selected in conjunction with Pagid to work with the Mazda MX-5’s still-active ABS, the Yokohama Tire grip level, and the durability to last the race weekend.
“We accomplished everything we had hoped to at AMP this weekend,” Todd Lamb, Series Director, said. “We were really happy with the Yokohama tires, and the Pagid brakes really worked well with the entire package.
“Most importantly, our simulated races showed that the cars and the drivers were evenly matched. Our first race involved a last lap pass for the win, while the second involved a true photo finish. On top of that, the drivers on hand were respectful of each other and the racing was close and tight throughout the race distance.”
Series drivers Manny Martinez, Nick Bruni, Jose Garcia and Joe Catania were on hand to help Atlanta Speedwerks conduct the test.
Drivers will be randomly assigned to one of 10 identically prepared “NC” Mazda MX-5 race cars for each event, with no driver being assigned the same car twice, ensuring no driver has a car advantage. The cars are prepped and maintained by the series’ professional crew, so drivers can focus on racing, driver development, race craft, and sponsor relations. Each car has both data acquisition and on-board video, allowing drivers to review each session in detail and compare data, providing a unique learning environment.
Drivers interested in joining the series should submit their driver application at https://specmx-5.com/forms/. There is one spot available in the East series, along with several in the Central series.