One of the biggest forms of car racing in the US involves the Mazda MX-5. There are various series around the country that are made up exclusively of these little racecars. MX-5 Cup is the pinnacle of these one-make categories. No fewer than 11 cars entered the final straight with a shot at the MX-5 Cup win at a recent race event held at Daytona International Raceway.

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Race Ready

The Mazda MX-5 is a pretty handy base for a racecar. The Japanese roadster is lightweight, small, has a fully independent suspension set-up and is rear-wheel drive. Cars currently competing in the series are the latest generation (ND) versions. The cars are built in Japan, alongside roadgoing sibligns and sent to the US where they are race-prepped.

Revisions include a full cage with door bars, FIA-approved buckets and harnesses, upgraded cooling components, a six-speed SADEV sequential gearbox, and a Bosch-supplied motorsports ECU among others. The cars ride lower than standard and are shod with Michelin slick rubber.

Click here to read loads more MX-5 content on our website.

Close As It Gets

The season-opening race took place at Daytona International Raceway, as a curtain raiser for the famous 24-hour race. 28 cars were entered in the event. In the closing stages 11 cars were gunning for the MX-5 Cup win. Watch as the cars bump drafted each other in a scene that looked more like a Nascar race. The victory was taken by a margin of six hundredths of a second with the top ten covered by half a second at the flag.

Opening image from the Mazda Motorsport Facebook page.

Watch the insanity unfold in the video below.