ATLANTA, Ga. (March 16, 2018) – Six East Series drivers split $6,500 in payouts during the Spec MX-5 Challenge inaugural race weekend at Virginia International Raceway, the first step toward the $100,000 year-end grand prize.
The arrive and drive series, in which 10 drivers jump into identically prepared third-generation “NC” Mazda MX-5s, pays out cash for the top three finishers per race, and prizes from Winding Road for Hard Charger and a pair of weekend specialty awards.
The prizes from Rounds One and Two of the East Series at VIR went to:
- Peter Ensor: The first weekend Championship Leader earned $1500 in cash for a win and second-place finish during the weekend.
- Zack Month: Month earned $500 for a pair of third-place finishes, and an additional $1,000 in Winding Road certificates for earning the Hard Charger in each race.
- Jason Connole: The inaugural race winner scored $1,000 in cash for Saturday’s victory.
- Manny Martinez: Martinez finished as runner-up in the rain on Sunday, scoring a $500 cash prize.
- Jose Garcia: Garcia was selected for the $1,000 “Spirit of Spec MX-5” Award from Winding Road in the opening weekend. Garcia showed his enthusiasm and positivity all weekend long, encouraging and complimenting other drivers while also working with series-suggested driving coach Peter Stolz of LevelUp Racing School to improve his own lap times.
- Assen Rachev: Rachev was the inaugural winner of Winding Road’s Best Social Media award from the weekend, in a tight, competitive award. Rachev used his social media accounts to talk about the series, but also to raise money for Cure NF With Jack, a charity to raise awareness and support for Neurofibromatosis.
The East Series of the Spec MX-5 Cup returns to action, again at VIR, May 11-13. The Central Series begins March 23-25 at National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park.