The 2025 season of the Makabayan Endurance Race Challenge began on a high note for the Team MSCC Mazda Miata Spec, as they claimed dominant victories in both the 2-hour and 4-hour categories of the Kagitingan Cup held at Clark International Speedway. The first leg of the three-round endurance racing series showcased both the team’s engineering acumen and the reliability of the MX-5 platform.

Fielding the #55 MSCC Miata Spec, the team recorded a total of 63 laps in the 2-hour race with a fastest lap time of 1 minute and 49.8 seconds. In the 4-hour contest, the car completed 120 laps, registering a best lap of 1 minute and 53.7 seconds. The car was driven under the direction of Angie Mead King, who also led the team in building and preparing the vehicle.

The MX-5 remains a formidable base for competition. As the world’s most raced car, its reliability and agility made it an ideal platform for endurance racing. King and her team spent the last three years refining the car, culminating in the current 2025-spec racer.

“My inspiration for modifying the car for this year’s Endurance is just to be better. It’s to beat our records last year and make sure that every year, we are progressing to be a faster car, a faster team, a more efficient team,” said King.

Among the updates are a full carbon fiber body kit to reduce weight, Brembo front brakes, Cusco coilovers, a new rear differential, a 6-speed sequential gearbox from HGT, and new performance tires. King noted that the gearbox alone helped shave 4.5 seconds off the previous best lap.

Challenges were not absent in the run-up to the race. According to King, the team had only a few days of shakedown time before qualifying. Still, they managed to clock a best qualifying time of 1 minute 47.969 seconds.

“So far, the first two- and four-hour races were good benchmarks for us to stress test the car, and it seemed to do really well. A week after, Tyson [Sy] drove it on Clark, and he loves how the car’s set-up also,” she added.

The MSCC Miata Endurance entry is the result of close coordination between King, Mazda Philippines, MSCC team principals Windy Imperial and Steven Tan, Race Engineer Edgen Dy-Liacco, and key contributors like Tyson Sy, Juha Turalba, Milo Rivera, and Takahiro Kobayakawa of Mazda Japan.

“I definitely could not have done it alone. Without the team to support my ideas and obviously, crosscheck, the car would not be at this level of performance. Definitely, it is a team effort and that’s why I love endurance racing,” said King.

With the first leg behind them, the MSCC Miata Spec team is preparing for the next rounds of the 2025 Makabayan Endurance Challenge, scheduled for June 14-15 and November 29-30, both at Clark International Speedway. Further refinements are underway, with the goal of improving speed and consistency.

Mazda Philippines, through Bermaz Auto Philippines, Inc., continues to support motorsport efforts such as the MSCC Miata Spec program, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to grassroots racing and vehicle development in the country.