MAZDA MX-5 TEAMS TAKE SPOTLIGHT AT LIME ROCK PARK

July 23, 2015 by Mazda

- Liam Dwyer and Freedom Autosport go for repeat of emotional victory -

IRVINE, Calif. (July 22, 2015) – Is it possible to write a better story this weekend than what took place last year at Lime Rock Park? On May 24, 2014, Marine Staff Sgt. (Ret.) Liam Dwyer teamed with co-driver Tom Long for a victory in the IMSA Continental Tires SportsCar Challenge series race at the Connecticut track near his hometown of Litchfield. Driving the Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5, it was Dwyer's first professional race victory and it took place three years following his 'Alive Day,' when he survived grave injuries and the loss of his left leg after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan.

This weekend at the Northeast Grand Prix, Dwyer returns to his home track with Freedom Autosport and co-driver Andrew Carbonell to strive for another victory and to maintain the championship lead in the ST category of the Continental Tire series. Following a thrilling second-place finish July 11 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park where Carbonell battled all-out for the lead in the final 40 minutes of the race, the duo enter the race sharing the points lead in the driver standings. Carbonell and Dwyer earned a victory this year at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and have finished no worse than 10th place so far in 2015.

Liam Dwyer, Driver, No. 26 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5

'I'm looking forward to it. With Lime Rock being my home track, it's a place where I have a lot of confidence in myself. I'm very comfortable, and it doesn't intimidate me. The Freedom Autosport cars have always been fast there, I expect that we will be fast again. On top of that, Andrew Carbonell has been really strong all year and in the past at Lime Rock. So, when you take all of those factors, I'm expecting nothing less than to be on the top step of the podium just like last year.'

Andrew Carbonell, Driver, No. 26 Freedom Autosport Mazda MX-5

About the 1.53-mile, seven-turn Lime Rock track: 'It looks simple, but it isn't because it's a very high-speed track. You have to keep a perfect rhythm because the lap is so short. Making a mistake in one corner can impact not only that lap, but the next. It's interesting how every lap builds on the one before it. The MX-5 shines by carrying speed through the corners, and it has been good to us historically.'

About co-driver Dwyer's first full season of competition: 'It's a pleasure working with Liam. People don't realize how green he is to this point. He's done very few races, so when you look at that against how many races for the guys he's racing against, it really shows the quality of his driving and how far he's come. He's done a great job of learning the 'big picture' of endurance racing like taking care of the car and being consistent. I think he's really developed on that.'

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Reversal of Duties for Mazda Prototype Driver

Tom Long, who teamed with Dwyer for the Lime Rock victory last year and is one of the drivers for the Mazda Prototype team, will be at the track this weekend in a much different role. Long will be the chief race strategist for Freedom Autosport, which includes radio communication with the drivers throughout the weekend, making critical set-up decisions on the cars and then choosing the proper race strategies during the two-hour race.

Tom Long, Race Strategist, Freedom Autosport

'I'm used to the pressure on me as a driver, but being relied upon for all setup direction and race strategy calls is a different kind of pressure! Race strategy is always a fascinating part of the equation, and I enjoy getting to focus on that aspect. Whether I'm in the driver's seat or on the pit box, strategy is something I'm always thinking about: how to optimize our plan and what kind of creative scenarios might give our team an advantage.'

Mazda MX-5 Entries for the Northeast Grand Prix

No. 5 Stevan McAleer / Chad McCumbee CJ Wilson Racing

No. 25 Britt Casey Jr. / Devin Jones Freedom Autosport

No. 26 Andrew Carbonell / Liam Dwyer Freedom Autosport

No. 34 Christian Szymczak / Justin Piscitell Alara Racing

After five of 10 races in the ST category of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge this season, Dwyer and Carbonell lead the driver standings with 138 points, while McAleer and McCumbee are second with 127 points each. In the team standings, the No. 26 Freedom Autosport team holds the lead, followed by the No. 5 CJ Wilson team in second place. In the manufacturers title chase, Mazda trails the leader Porsche by three points.

Justin Piscitell, who has earned four pole positions this season as a replacement driver, will finish the rest of the season for Alara Racing as co-driver with Christian Szymczak. The duo have two podium finishes in three starts together so far.

The Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge takes place Saturday, July 25 at 10:00 am ET. Watch live at IMSA.com. The race will be televised by Fox Sports 1 at noon ET, Sunday, August 2.

Mazda Motorsports

Mazda Motorsports boasts the most comprehensive auto racing development ladder system of any auto manufacturer in the world. The Mazda Road to Indy includes USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights racing categories with Mazda power. In sports car racing, a similar ladder system involves a number of racing series, culminating with the Mazda Prototype team which races in the top level of IMSA sports car racing in North America. In the grassroots categories, more Mazdas road race on any given weekend in North America than any other manufacturer.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com.