The Mazda MX-5 Cup Makes a Stop in Canada

Last weekend, the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, played host to the Chevrolet Grand Prix, which featured two thrilling rounds of the action-packed Mazda MX-5 Cup. Rooted in American motorsport culture, the series made a rare Canadian stop for rounds nine and ten of the championship.

Jonathan Applegate, manager at Mazda Motorsports, reminded us that the MX-5 Cup first visited Canada back in 2006 during its inaugural season.

Mazda MX-5 Cup at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Bowmanville, Ontario) | Photo: Germain Goyer

Under a blazing sun, drivers hit the track on Saturday after getting familiar with the circuit during Friday’s practice sessions and Saturday morning’s qualifying.

Saturday’s podium featured Tyler Gonzalez (third in the championship), Helio Meza, and Gresham Wagner. This marked Gonzalez’s fifth win of the season. Driving for BSI Racing, he narrowly edged out teammate Helio Meza by just 0.222 seconds.

On Sunday, Gresham Wagner took the win, with Jeremy Fletcher (second in the championship) and Nate Cicero rounding out the podium. Despite a promising start, the second race was cut short about four minutes before the end due to severe weather. The cars barely made it to pit lane before the track was completely flooded. For Wagner, this was his first win of the season.

The Mazda MX-5 Cup continues with rounds 11 and 12 scheduled for August 22–24 in Alton, Virginia. The season finale will take place October 13–14 in Braselton, Georgia.

About the Mazda MX-5 Cup

Launched in 2006, the Mazda MX-5 Cup is a single-make racing series, meaning all drivers compete using identical vehicles. Each car is powered by a sealed 2.0L four-cylinder engine. These race cars are based on production MX-5 models built at Mazda’s Hiroshima plant in Japan, which are then sent to Flis Performance in Florida for a complete race conversion.

Each car is disassembled and rebuilt, starting with the installation of a proper roll cage. Over 250 specific parts and accessories are added during the transformation process. The cars arrive from the factory in plain white, but they quickly receive unique team liveries and sponsor decals.

Each year, more than $1 million in prize money is awarded to participating drivers.

First to the Finish: A Must-Watch Series

If you’re a racing fan and missed the Chevrolet Grand Prix and its thrilling Mazda MX-5 Cup action, you should check out First to the Finish. Streaming on Prime Video, the six-episode series dives into last year’s championship, exploring the backgrounds, motivations, and competitive spirit of the drivers. It also highlights women in motorsport, shining a light on both female drivers and a female team owner.