It’s not simply the 2024 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup introduced by Michelin champion who might be topped on the season finale, this yr’s Rookie of the Yr might be decided as properly. The Rookie of the Yr takes dwelling an $80,000 test from Mazda, and possibly equally as necessary is the information that many MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Yr winners go on to change into sequence champion.
With only one race weekend and two races to go, the factors are very tight. Three freshman drivers need to take advantage of the season finale at Michelin Raceway Street Atlanta to say the rookie title.
Three drivers have swapped spots within the level standings, vying for Rookie of the Yr honors: Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing), Nathan Nicholson (No. 56 MBM Racing) and Julian DaCosta (No. 78 JTR Motorsports Engineering).
Each Workman and Nicholson had been recipients of Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout scholarships. Workman took dwelling the large prize of $110,000, whereas Nicholson got here in second, scoring $75,000.
Workman got here out of the gate swinging, main laps in his very first race at Daytona Worldwide Speedway. He wasn’t capable of convert his tempo into podiums, however by Spherical 4 at Sebring Worldwide Raceway, he might name himself a MX-5 Cup race winner.
“The toughest half has been staying constant,” Workman mentioned of his debut season. “I believe I’ve confirmed to be able to successful races and be a championship contender, however we simply had a fairly dangerous center season with our finishes at Laguna, after which we had an okay weekend in Mid-Ohio. I’ve had some good finishes right here and there, however I’ve additionally had some actually dangerous finishes, so simply attempting to be not less than high 5, each single race would have been crucial for me to be extra of a championship contender, outdoors of the rookie championship.”
Nicholson echoed Workman’s feedback about consistency in his rookie season.
“Leaping as much as this degree {of professional} racing, it’s so shut, particularly with how equal the automobiles are,” Nicholson mentioned. “You realize, there’s eight folks each race that may win, so simply being mistake free and placing your self in the best place to get result’s tremendous powerful.”
In MX-5 Cup, new drivers study in a short time that they should work collectively to achieve success, and never simply with their teammates.
“It’s probably the most aggressive sequence that you simply’ll discover,” DaCosta mentioned. “I might say that’s the toughest half is getting respect from everyone else. And reality is, to be quick in these automobiles is tough. It’s not straightforward to simply bounce in and be super-fast.”
DaCosta had a gradual begin to his rookie marketing campaign, however after a mid-season group swap, he’s been on an upward trajectory that features a podium end at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
The significance of the draft was an enormous studying curve for the rookies. They’ve discovered that persistence and respect are essential.
“This sequence depends on drafting, and in case you don’t have the respect from the opposite drivers, no one’s going to wish to work with you,” Workman defined. “Respect is an enormous factor on this sequence as a result of your teammates received’t all the time be round. You wish to have individuals who respect you on the observe and off the observe, which might be nonetheless keen to work with you throughout a race even when they aren’t in your group.”
“Positioning and persistence with the draft and the way these automobiles race is type of not like something I’ve accomplished earlier than,” mirrored Nicholson. “Regardless that I’ve accomplished quite a lot of Miata racing, I believe that a part of it, the persistence and consciousness of the place you’re within the race and when you should be aggressive and once you don’t have to be, is among the largest issues I’ve discovered this yr.”
Naturally, the race craft wanted to run up entrance is one thing MX-5 Cup teaches drivers higher than another sequence. It’s a ability that may carry them far of their careers. The parity of the automobiles places the emphasis on driver expertise.
“It undoubtedly teaches me race craft,” DaCosta mentioned. “Little question, each time I’m on observe, it teaches me easy methods to change into a greater racer.”
Coming into the ultimate occasion at Michelin Raceway Street Atlanta, Workman leads DaCosta by 690 factors. Nicholson is third of the rookies, an extra 60 factors again.
“Successful it will imply lots,” Workman smiled. “It could show that among the many rookies, I used to be probably the most constant all year long and put up good finishes. Additionally, the prize cash is large. The $80,000 would make us really feel lots higher after the season as properly. It could make our efforts price it to win the Rookie of the Yr championship.”
Ought to he win the MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Yr title, Workman would comply with in lots of different scholarship winners’ footwear, together with Nate Cicero and Connor Zilisch.
DaCosta didn’t win a MX-5 Cup Shootout scholarship, however that might make successful Rookie of the Yr imply that rather more.
“Contemplating we had been very far again after Sebring, it will imply lots,” DaCosta mentioned. “I believe it will imply lots to everyone, not simply myself. We’ve labored extraordinarily exhausting simply to get again as much as the place we at the moment are, so I believe if we had been ready to try this, it will be a very large recreation changer for all of us.”
The search of the 2024 Mazda MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Yr crown comes right down to the ultimate two races of the yr at Michelin Raceway Street Atlanta, Oct. 9/11. Each races might be streamed dwell on the RACER and IMSA YouTube channels.
