Global Mazda MX-5 Cup: One for the Record Books

Breaking new records as drivers fought for the significant support on offer from Mazda and Battery Tender ®, the 2019 Battery Tender® Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires® season was one for the record books.

With an astounding 2,665 on-track passes completed through the season, the vision of taking a production-based Mazda MX-5 Cup car to the track produced incredible competition and close on-track battles through the field. How close? The average winning margin of victory was less than one second (0.903-seconds) through 24 races in 2018 and 2019.

The 2019 season also saw an increased average grid size of 28 Global Mazda MX-5 Cup machines with 39 drivers scoring points throughout the season, and of those, 21 scored points in every race. The close championship points battle rose to a fever pitch ahead of the season finale, which saw six drivers entering the weekend with a mathematical shot at the championship.

Awards and Championship Prizes

The $200,000 Mazda Scholarship went to Bryan Ortiz. From San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ortiz became the first Puerto Rican driver to win an international racing championship when he captured the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Utilizing the $200,000 career advancement scholarship awarded to the season champion, Ortiz was announced as the first driver of the new Mazda3 TCR in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge for the 2020 season.

The remarkable amount of passing and close competition was also underscored by the fact that nine different drivers emerged with the Battery Tender® Hard Charger Award, which provides $1,000 to the driver as well as $1,000 to the crew chief of the car that makes up the most positions in each race.

Finishing fourth on the season to cap off his Rookie of the Year title was Michael Carter, who netted $75,000 in support from Mazda for that accomplishment.