GRRL! Notes: Charlotte Traynor 6:30

Video Description from YouTube:

During Race Industry Week by EPARTRADE, Jonathan Applegate, Senior Manager of Mazda Motorsports, breaks down the continued growth, competitiveness, and future direction of the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Whelan—one of the most respected driver development championships in global motorsport.

Fresh off the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout, Applegate explains how Mazda evaluates and invests in young talent, why the series has become a destination championship, and how the MX-5 Cup ladder connects grassroots racing to professional careers in IMSA, sports cars, and beyond.

A major focus of the discussion is Mazda’s decision to move the 2025 Shootout to Circuit Florida, a brand-new track unavailable on simulators—ensuring a truly level playing field where adaptability, feedback, and learning speed mattered more than prior knowledge.

🔑 Key Topics Covered in This Interview:
• Inside the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout
• Why Mazda chose a no-simulator venue for talent evaluation
• MX-5 Cup and Spec MX-5 scholarship selection process
• How drivers are evaluated beyond lap times
• Media, professionalism, and business skills in driver development
• Meet the scholarship winners: Max Stallone, Ethan Lampe & Charlotte Traynor
• Mazda’s Women’s Initiative and diversity in motorsports
• The growing youth movement in MX-5 Cup
• Why MX-5 Cup thrives inside the IMSA paddock
• The NASCAR connection and Martinsville showcase
• Earl Bamber’s MX-5 Cup appearance and what it says about the series
• Jeremy Fletcher’s championship journey and return for 2026
• What to expect from the 2026 season, including Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Applegate also explains how Mazda Motorsports has refined its development ladder, from grassroots club racing and Spec MX-5 all the way to MX-5 Cup and professional sports car opportunities—while keeping the program accessible, competitive, and relevant for a new generation of drivers.

Whether you’re an aspiring racer, team owner, sponsor, engineer, or motorsports fan, this interview offers a rare inside look at how OEM-backed driver development really works—and why MX-5 Cup remains one of the most competitive proving grounds in racing.

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#GrassrootsRacing #RoadRacing
#Motorsports #RaceIndustryWeek
#EPARTRADE #FutureOfRacing
#WomenInMotorsport #RacingScholarship
#MazdaMX5