LOS ANGELES, California (October 19, 2020) – Loni Unser is among the list of up-and-coming drivers nominated for a chance to earn a $110,000 scholarship to compete in the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup.
Mazda Motorsports unveiled the list of talented up-and-coming drivers invited to participate in the first stage of the competition by submitting a written and video proposal. A panel of experts will select the top candidates and invite them to compete in the 2020 MX-5 Cup Shootout, set to take place at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia next month.
The 2019 MX-5 Cup Shootout winner, Jared Thomas, captured his first win of the season this past weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park; Jared now homes in on earning the Rookie of the Year $75K award.
The 2018 Shootout winner, Michael Carter, is leading the series and the bid for the $200K championship scholarship with one event to go.
In addition to the scholarship, the Shootout winner earns the honor of carrying the Mazda’s Soul Red Crystal on his or her MX-5 Cup car throughout the season.
Unser is an up-and-comer in road racing and is on a path to become the latest in a long lineage of American motorsport champions. Her grandfather Jerry was the first of the famous Unsers to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and from then on the Unser family has won the prestigious Indianapolis 500 nine times and become known as “The First Family” of American auto racing.
She started her competition career in 2017 and has shown promise in NASA Rocky Mountain Spec Miata competition as well as the Global MX-5 Cup series in the United States. In addition to Unser, the nominees are:
Michael Borden – SCCA T4 National Champion
Michael Lewis – SCCA GT-3 National Champion
Spencer Brockman – SCCA FA National Champion
Jacob Loomis – SCCA FX National Champion
Broch Evans – Formula Mazda Southern Majors Champion
Brad Yake – Formula Mazda Southeast Majors Champion
Ryan McLaughlin – Formula Mazda Mid-States Majors Champion
Steve Martin – Formula Mazda Western Majors Champion
Jason Vinkemulder – Formula Mazda Northern Majors Champion
Wyatt Couch – Spec Miata Teen Mazda Challenge NorCal Region
Hannah Grisham – Spec Miata, Teen Mazda Challenge, SoCal Region
Harry Voigt – Spec Miata, Teen Mazda Challenge, Rocky Mountain Region
Sean Ludlow – Spec Miata, Teen Mazda Challenge, Great Lakes
Roy Fulmer IV – Spec Miata, Teen Mazda Challenge
Clayton Ketcher – Spec Miata, Teen Mazda Challenge
Chris Nunes – Spec Miata, Teen Mazda Challenge
Aiden Baker Crouse – Spec Miata
Brandon Collins – Spec Miata
Tyler Brown – Spec Miata
Kyle Greenhill – Spec Miata
Justin Casey – Spec Miata
Konrad Czaczyk – Spec Miata
Grant West – Spec Miata/ Spec MX-5
Charles MacTutus – Spec Miata/Spec MX-5
Savanna Little – Spec MX-5
Aidan Fassnacht – Spec MX-5
Aaron Jeansonne – Spec MX-5
Bryce Cornet – Spec MX-5
Tyler Quance – Spec MX-5
Joey Atanasio – Spec MX-5
Follow Unser’s journey online through her social channels @LoniUnser.