AUTOWEEK NAMES MAZDA “MOTORSPORTS CONSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR”

Autoweek magazine has named Mazda as “Constructor of the Year” in their annual Autoweek Awards. According to the news release announcing the winners, the awards “recognize those who have had a transformative impact on car culture. As America’s motorsports publication of record, Autoweek also recognizes those who continue to make racing the most exciting sport on the planet.”

Here is what the magazine said about Mazda:  From the grassroots to the highest levels of motorsports, nobody supports racing and racers quite like Mazda. For decades, the company has walked the walk, providing opportunities for drivers to try racing and often make a career in it. The manufacturer holds a 55 percent share in grassroots racing and won five championships in the 2016 SCCA Runoffs.

“This recognition from Autoweek means so much to all of us associated with the Mazda brand and our Motorsports staff,” said John Doonan, director of motorsports at Mazda North American Operations.  “We are grateful to be recognized in this special way. Our strategy of doing all we can to support racers is because of all us here are racers at heart. So much credit for this award goes to our thousands of Mazda racers nationwide, as they are the life-blood of everything we do.

“We always strive like no other to provide opportunities across the industry,” continued Doonan, “through our driver development scholarship programs the Mazda Road to 24 (sports car racing) and the Mazda Road to Indy (open-wheel). Ultimately, the spirit of everything we do is to showcase the Mazda brand and the enjoyment that drivers all over the world receive from experiencing our vehicles on the race track and on the road in our street cars.”

Mazda Motorsports boasts the most comprehensive auto racing development ladder system of any auto manufacturer in the world. The Mazda Road to 24 (#MRT24) 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 (#MRTI) 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.