New racing series supported by Shell Philippines, GT Radial and Rota Wheels
Mazda Philippines, the Manila Sports Car Club (MSCC), and the Clark International Speedway (CIS) have collaborated to hold the first ever one-make sports car race series in the country. The 2022 MSCC Miata Spec Series will be the official race event of the country’s premier sports car owners club starting this year. It will feature 20 brand new track-tuned Mazda MX-5 open-top sports cars to be raced exclusively by MSCC members.
Sponsored by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC), GT Radial tires and Rota Wheels, the 2022 MSCC Miata Spec Series season will cover four race weekends starting on the 11th of June at the Clark International Speedway. The other three race dates are August 27th, October 22nd and November 26th. All races will be held at CIS.
Shell supplies fully synthetic Shell Helix Ultra Professional lubricants and recommends Shell fuels to the Mazda Philippines dealership network. All competing cars will sport the endurance race-winning GT Radial Champiro SX2 from PT Gajah Tunggal Tbk in Indonesia, the largest integrated tire manufacturer in South East Asia. Philippines Aluminum Wheels, Inc. (PAWI) will provide the alloy wheels used by the sports cars.
Inspired by the largest one-make grassroots race series in the world, the Mazda Spec Miata, the MSCC Miata Spec Series cars are all built from brand new Mazda MX-5 Soft Top units. In collaboration with global partners Cusco, Sparco and other world class vendors, the MSCC Miata Spec Series MX-5s have been developed to ensure safe and enjoyable racing competition.
All MSCC Miata Spec Series cars will be raced with showroom stock Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter engines and six-speed Skyactiv manual transmissions. Each car’s suspension components have been upgraded and reinforced with CUSCO sports coilovers and chassis braces to maximize handling and performance on the track while ensuring drivability on the road.
A custom stainless steel exhaust system, developed by local company Drift Exhaust, maximizes air flow and enhances the aggressive racing note emanating from the MX-5’s 181 horsepower mill. While a SPARCO competition steering wheel, racing seat, harness and safety net, along with a new Cusco racing roll cage are all installed in each car to secure the drivers’ control and safety on and off the track.
“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,” shares Steven Tan, President and CEO of Mazda Philippines. “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.”
Manila Sports Car Club
MSCC member and Chair of the 2022 MSCC Miata Spec Series, Windy Imperial, is enthused by the club’s new racing program. “The MSCC has always considered the Mazda MX-5 Miata as a true sports car,” said Imperial. “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.”
Shell Philippines
“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,” said Steve Quila, Vice President for Shell Commercial Lubricants.
Arvin Obmerga, Shell Mobility Marketing Manager adds, “This strong partnership nurtured all these years has made Shell a trusted partner of Mazda Philippines. 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.”
GT Radial
Giti Tire group, one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers, is the official and exclusive tire provider to the 2022 MSCC Miata Spec Series.
“We are very happy to be a partner in this exciting event that is seen to level up the Philippine motorsports,” said Mannix Ocampo, Director for Sales & Marketing of Northern Automax Intersales Inc., the exclusive authorized Philippine importer and distributor of GT Radial tires in the country.
ROTA Wheels
“ROTA Wheels have been a part of every major racing event in the country,” said Michael Rojas, president of PAWI. He adds, “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.”
Clark International Speedway (Batangas Racing Circuit Inc.)
The 2022 MSCC Miata Spec Series will be run exclusively at the country’s premier race track, the Clark International Speedway. CIS General Manager, Dennis Ayuyao, has expressed his full support for the event.
“We are honored to be the exclusive racing venue for the inaugural MSCC Miata Spec Series,” declares Ayuyao. “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.”