MAZDA WINS TWO MORE MANUFACTURER'S CHAMPIONSHIPS

by Mazda | October 10, 2016

• Mazda Tops Both TC and TCA Championships in Pirelli World Challenge

MONTEREY, Calif. (October 9, 2016) – The final professional sports car race-weekend of 2016, the Pirelli World Challenge season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, added to the season's Mazda race win and championship count. After two races each for Touring Cars (TC), Touring Car A (TCA) and Touring Car B (TCB), Mazdas scored a clean sweep of six race wins this weekend. Over the course of the season, the year-end tally will show that:

◾Mazda racers scored 21 race wins from 36 races across the three Touring Car classes.

◾Elivan Goulart earned the TCA Drivers' Championship in his S.A.C. Racing Mazda MX-5

◾Mazda earned both the TC and TCA Manufacturers' Championships. Mazda won the TC Manufacturers' Championship over BMW, Honda, Nissan, and Porsche. Mazda won the TCA Manufacturers' Championship over Kia, Honda, and Nissan.

◾A.C. Racing earned the TCA Team Championship in Mazda MX-5s.

◾Hale Motorsports earned the TCB Team Championship in Mazda2s.

◾Mazda racers swept the Touring Car Rookie-Of-The-Year awards with Anthony Geraci taking the award in TC, Matthew Fassnacht in TCA and Henry Morse in TCB.

Quotes:

John Doonan, director of motorsports, Mazda North American Operations: 'This is a special weekend for all of us at Mazda Motorsports, as there's nothing better than watching our customer teams win championships at our spiritual home, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Congratulations to Elivan Goulart for five race wins and earning the TCA drivers' championship, and to S.A.C. Racing for their TCA team championship and Hale Motorsports for the TCB team championship. Thanks to the collective efforts of the entire Mazda paddock, we are proud to add two more manufacturers' championships to our list of 2016 achievements.'

Elivan Goulart, 2016 Pirelli World Challenge TCA Drivers' Champion: 'This is a huge dream come true. Coming in as a new team, to be able to score five wins and 11 of 12 podium finishes is beyond what we could have asked for. This would not have been possible without the amazing support of everyone at S.A.C. Racing, my family, Mazda, Pirelli, the World Challenge team, and partners SCDA, Pagid, and SMG.'

Ademir Fedumenti, Owner, S.A.C Racing: I can't thank everyone at Mazda, WC Vision and all of the team enough in making this first-year team a great success. To earn the drivers' championship for Elivan, the TCA team championship, plus rookie of the year awards for Matt Fassnacht (TCA) and Anthony Geraci (TC) shows the 24/7 efforts by everyone on the team. Those efforts resulted in no mechanical DNFs in any race.'

Randy Hale, Owner, Hale Motorsports: 'Thanks to everyone on the team, and the entire Mazda family in the PWC paddock, for an amazing effort. Both Will Rodgers and Henry Morse have shown themselves as future champions. I'd like to dedicate this championship in the memory of my dad, who was both my mentor and my business partner.'

About Mazda Motorsports

Mazda Motorsports boasts the most comprehensive auto racing development ladder system of any auto manufacturer in the world. The Mazda Road to 24 program offers a number of scholarships to advance drivers up the sports car racing ladder, beginning with the Global MX-5 Cup series and culminating with the Mazda Prototype team. The Mazda Road to Indy is a similar program that includes Mazda-powered categories of USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights. In grassroots road racing, more Mazdas race on any given weekend in North America than any other manufacturer. Mazda is also the title sponsor of the renowned Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Follow all of the latest news at MazdaMotorsports.com, @MazdaRacing on Twitter, and MazdaMotorsports on Instagram and Facebook.

Photo credit: Mazda
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