Mazda, Manila Sports Car Club to hold Miata Spec Series in Clark

MANILA: Mazda Philippines has teamed up with the Manila Sports Car Club (MSCC) and Clark International Speedway (CIS) to host the country's first ever one-make sports car race series. Beginning this year, the MSCC Miata Spec Series will be the official race of the country's premier sports car owners club. It will showcase 20 brand-new Mazda MX-5 open-top sports cars that have been track-tuned and will be driven exclusively by MSCC members.

“We are delighted to finally see the much-awaited Miata Spec Series take to the track as the Manila Sports Car Club’s official racing event. The one-make format of the Miata Spec Series provides a unique opportunity for MSCC members to hone their skills and to enjoy the pure essence of driving. Mazda’s motorsports DNA and its participation in grassroots racing events around the world has made it simpler for us to institute this partnership with the MSCC and the series’ new sponsors,” Mazda Philippines President and CEO Steven Tan stated.

The 2022 MSCC Miata Spec Series season will be supported by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC), GT Radial tires, and Rota Wheels. It will begin on June 11 at the CIS. The next races are scheduled for August 27, October 22, and November 26.

“The MSCC has always considered the Mazda MX-5 Miata as a true sports car. The club chose to run the Miata Spec Series because of its proven reliability and performance on the track.  Mazda Philippines’ partnership with the MSCC has given our members the opportunity to once again pursue our passion for sports car racing. And racing in an event that is both sustainable and fun will surely rekindle our love and appreciation for sports cars,” 2022 MSCC Miata Spec Series Chairman Windy Imperial said.

Meanwhile, PSPC has been a major business partner of Mazda since 2013. It provides Mazda Philippines' dealership network with fully synthetic Shell Helix Ultra Professional lubricants. In 2018, the collaboration was expanded, and Shell fuels became the recommended fuel for all Mazda customers and fleet vehicles.

Shell Lubricants, the world's leading lubricant supplier for the past 15 years, is constantly improving its products through its world-class network of technology centers to assure consistent quality and performance.

“Together with Mazda Philippines and the Manila Sports Car Club, we seek to empower motorsports enthusiasts through our innovative, top-of-the-line motor oils,” PSPC Vice President for Commercial Lubricants Steve Quila stated.

“This strong partnership nurtured all these years has made Shell a trusted partner of Mazda Philippines,” Shell Mobility Marketing Manager Arvin Obmerga said. “The partnership comes alive today, as we witness the synergy between Shell’s most advanced fuel, Shell V-Power, and Mazda’s best performance vehicle, the Mazda MX-5. We give our full support to Mazda Philippines and the Manila Sports Car Club, as they jointly promote the growth of motorsports in the country.”

PSPC and Mazda Philippines' partnership highlights the two firms' shared commitment to providing high-quality vehicle performance, which is an important factor in competitive racing.

The official and exclusive tire provider for the 2022 MSCC Miata Spec Series is Giti Tire Group, one of the world's major tire manufacturers. The endurance race-winning GT Radial Champiro SX2 from PT Gajah Tunggal Tbk in Indonesia, the leading integrated tire manufacturer in Southeast Asia, will be fitted onto all competing vehicles.

“We are very happy to be a partner in this exciting event that is seen to level up the Philippine motorsports. The Mazda Miata MX-5 and GT Radial Champiro SX2 have a special relationship in Philippine racing circuits where they have garnered titles and accolades over years of competition. Similarly, in international motorsports and exhibitions, both have exceptionally collaborated with remarkable finishes,” Northern Automax Intersales Inc. Sales and Marketing Director Mannix Ocampo stated.

Philippines Aluminum Wheels, Inc. (PAWI) is a well-known original equipment manufacturer in the automotive industry. Since 2014, it has been a partner of Mazda Philippines as the country's premier alloy wheel manufacturer. PAWI has provided Mazda 2 with "Illusions" alloy wheels, as well as "Recce Reloaded" wheels for the Mazda BT-50 Pangolin Edition.

PAWI has concentrated in only one product, Rota alloy wheels, since it began its  operations 30 years ago. Rota is a world-class quality wheel that has been precisely developed and excellently engineered, and it has used all of its resources and energies to get it to where it is today. Rota wheels are proudly made in the Philippines and are similar in style, quality, and performance to other global brands.

“Rota Wheels have been a part of every major racing event in the country. We are proud to be a partner of both Mazda Philippines and the MSCC in this unique sports car racing series. Aside from seeing real sports cars race on the track, we believe that the 2022 MSCC Miata Spec Series will once again showcase Filipino engineering and ingenuity through the performance and durability of Rota Wheels on the track,” PAWI President Michael Rojas said.

The 2022 MSCC Miata Spec Series will be held exclusively at the Clark International Speedway, the country's premier race track. CIS General Manager Dennis Ayuyao has expressed his support for the event, saying, “We are honored to be the exclusive racing venue for the inaugural MSCC Miata Spec Series. As an international-grade race circuit, CIS will provide an excellent atmosphere for drivers to race safely and competitively with their Mazda MX-5s. We are proud to host this prestigious event along with Mazda Philippines and the MSCC.”

The MSCC Miata Spec Series cars are all built from brand-new Mazda MX-5 Soft Top units, and are inspired by the world's biggest one-make grassroots motorsport series, the Mazda Spec Miata. The MSCC Miata Spec Series aims to achieve comparable high levels of tuning and performance as the global Spec Miata cars, in partnership with Cusco, Sparco, and other world-class vendors. The MSCC Miata Spec Series MX-5s were also designed to assure a safe and fun racing experience.

The Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter engine and six-speed Skyactiv manual transmission will be used in all MSCC Miata Spec Series cars. Cusco sports coilovers and chassis braces will be added to each car's suspension components to improve agility and performance on the track while maintaining road drivability.

A special stainless steel exhaust system was designed by local manufacturer Drift Xaust to increase air flow and intensify the strong racing note originating from the MX-5's 181-horsepower engine. Each car is equipped with a Sparco competition steering wheel, racing seat, harness, and safety net, as well as a new Cusco racing roll cage to ensure the drivers' control and safety on and off the track.

Miata Club Philippines members will compete in their Miata Cup races on the same days as the MSCC Miata Spec Series. The Miata Cup has returned after a two-year break due to COVID-19 restrictions, confirming its status as the country's longest-running sports car racing event.

Photo from Mazda Philippines

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