{"id":49439,"date":"2016-11-18T20:19:00","date_gmt":"2016-11-18T18:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/demo2016.hispanicprwire.com\/english-matt-cresci-wins-2016-mazda-road-to-24-shootout\/"},"modified":"2016-11-22T11:20:51","modified_gmt":"2016-11-22T15:20:51","slug":"matt-cresci-gana-el-mazda-road-to-24-shootout-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/matt-cresci-gana-el-mazda-road-to-24-shootout-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Matt Cresci Wins 2016 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><![CDATA[\n\/* Style Definitions *\/\nspan.prnews_span\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\na.prnews_a\n{\ncolor:blue;\n}\nli.prnews_li\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\np.prnews_p\n{\nfont-size:0.62em;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\nmargin:0in;\n}\n]]><\/style>\n<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p>\n    <\/p>\n<p>&#8211;<i> California Racer Scores <span class=\"xn-money\">$100,000<\/span> Scholarship for 2017 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup <\/i>&#8211;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"xn-location\">IRVINE, California<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-chron\">Nov. 18, 2016<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212; After two days of intense competition at NOLA Motorsports Park in <span class=\"xn-location\">Avondale, Louisiana<\/span>, Matt Cresci from <span class=\"xn-location\">Los Gatos, California<\/span> won the 2016 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout. The <span class=\"xn-money\">$100,000<\/span> scholarship that came with the victory is the largest prize in grassroots motorsports. Launched in 2006, the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout has promoted ten talented grassroots racers into the professional ranks. <\/p>\n<p>Photo &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/photos.prnewswire.com\/prnh\/20161118\/441246\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/photos.prnewswire.com\/prnh\/20161118\/441246<\/a><\/p>\n<p>By winning the shootout, Cresci has earned the resources to compete in the 2017 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires. The 2017 MX-5 Cup season will begin the weekend of <span class=\"xn-chron\">April 20-23<\/span> at the Barber Motorsports Park, near <span class=\"xn-location\">Birmingham, Alabama<\/span>, during the Verizon IndyCar weekend. <\/p>\n<p>Cresci earned his way into the shootout by being among the fastest Miata racers in the country, having competed in the Teen Mazda Challenge and NASA Spec Miata.\u00a0 Cresci is a recent graduate of <span class=\"xn-org\">Santa Clara University<\/span> with a business degree.<\/p>\n<p><b>The Quotes:<\/b><br \/>Matt Cresci: &#8220;It is an indescribable feeling to achieve a goal that I have had for over fifteen years, it really is a dream come true. I look forward to my role as a Mazda Scholarship driver, and can&#8217;t thank Mazda enough for the opportunity to prove myself among such an outstanding field of competitors. Onwards and upwards!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"xn-person\">John Doonan<\/span>, director of motorsports, Mazda North American Operations: &#8220;For our 11<sup>th<\/sup> annual shootout, we raised the bar again with an intense competition among eight great racers.\u00a0 The NOLA facility was perfect for our testing as it made for a level field, since none of the eight had raced there. This has become a signature event for Mazda and demonstrates our long-term commitment to supporting grassroots motorsports.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"xn-person\">Scott Goodyear<\/span>, judge: &#8220;My first time as a judge for the\u00a0Mazda Road to 24 Shootout was an eye-opening experience.\u00a0 \u00a0All eight competitors were very strong and have the raw talent to succeed.\u00a0 It was a very tough process to select just one, and a thrill to be a part of the next generation of Mazda road-racers.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><b>The cars:<\/b> Long Road Racing, the builders of the Mazda MX-5 Cup race car, prepared four 2016 Mazda Global MX-5 Cup racecars for the finalists to drive.\u00a0 BFGoodrich Tires provided their g-Force tires for the competition.<\/p>\n<p><b>The criteria:<\/b> Given that each of the finalists had proven themselves on the track with race wins and championships, the criteria to move up needed to be more encompassing. To succeed on the professional level requires a balance of both on-track and off-track skills including the following:<\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>Driving ability \u2013 Fast laps\/consistent laps <\/li>\n<li>Technical skills \u2013 Understanding of vehicle dynamics and suspension, ability to evaluate vehicle handling, and ability to analyze data <\/li>\n<li>The business of motorsports \u2013 Business proposal and presentation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>The judges:<\/b> \u00a0The judges brought a wealth of both on-track and off-track expertise. The panel consisted of:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Peter Calhoun<\/span> \u2013 Motorsport Marketing Manager, BFGoodrich Tires. Among his duties, Calhoun oversees the longtime Mazda\/BFG partnership. <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Andrew Carbonell<\/span> \u2013 One of the leading Mazda racers competing in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Carbonell was also one of the lead test drivers in the development of the new MX-5 Cup race car. <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Robby Foley<\/span> \u2013 A 2015 Mazda Road to 24 Scholarship winner, Foley scored two wins in the 2016 MX-5 Cup season. <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Scott Goodyear<\/span> \u2013 The retired IndyCar race winner and current ESPN\/ABC TV IndyCar and Indy 500 on-air analyst also competed as a factory sports car racer for Porsche (Le Mans 24 Hours), Jaguar (Rolex 24 at Daytona) and Audi. <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Spencer Pigot<\/span> \u2013 The 2015 Indy Lights powered by Mazda champion competed in his first Indy 500 in 2016. Spencer has earned multiple Mazda Road to Indy scholarships, and also joins the factory driver line-up in the Mazda Prototype in the long-distance endurance races. <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Marcus Shen<\/span> \u2013 The engineering director for the Mazda factory IMSA Prototype program. Shen is a Formula SAE alum from the <span class=\"xn-org\">University of Florida<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Runner-ups for the 2016 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout were a strong group of racers from the SCCA, NASA, and iRacing. <\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Michael Carter<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Savannah, Georgia<\/span> \u2013 At-Large Nominee \u2013 SCCA Spec Miata <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Julian Garfield<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Mount Airy, Maryland<\/span> \u2013 At-Large Nominee \u2013 SCCA SOLO <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Justin Hille<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Ypsilanti, Michigan<\/span> \u2013 SCCA Runoffs Spec Miata Champion <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Tyler Kicera<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania<\/span> \u2013 NASA East Spec Miata Champion <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Daniel Langon<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Alamo, California<\/span> \u2013 Teen Mazda Challenge Western Region Champion <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Matthew Machiko<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-location\">Wexford, Pennsylvania<\/span> \u2013 SCCA Runoffs Formula Mazda Champion <\/li>\n<li><span class=\"xn-person\">Pablo Lopez Padin<\/span>, A Coru\u00f1a, <span class=\"xn-location\">Spain<\/span> \u2013 iRacing Global Mazda MX-5 Combine Cup Champion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>About Mazda Motorsports\u00a0<\/b><br \/><span class=\"xn-person\">Mazda Motorsports<\/span> boasts the most comprehensive auto racing development ladder system of any auto manufacturer in the world. The Mazda Road to 24 program offers a number of scholarships to advance drivers up the sports car racing ladder, beginning with the Global MX-5 Cup series and culminating with the Mazda Prototype team. The Mazda Road to Indy is a similar program that includes Mazda-powered categories of USF2000, Pro Mazda and <span class=\"xn-person\">Indy Lights<\/span>. In grassroots road racing, more Mazdas race on any given weekend in <span class=\"xn-location\">North America<\/span> than any other manufacturer. Mazda is also the title sponsor of the renowned Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in <span class=\"xn-location\">Monterey, Calif.<\/span> Follow all of the latest news at <a href=\"http:\/\/mazdamotorsports.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">MazdaMotorsports.com<\/a>, @MazdaRacing on Twitter, and MazdaMotorsports on Instagram and Facebook.<\/p>\n<div id=\"prni_dvprnejpg0c5aleft\" style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: left; WIDTH: 100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"prnejpg0c5aleft\" title=\"Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com.\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com.\" align=\"middle\" src=\"http:\/\/photos.prnewswire.com\/prnvar\/20131205\/MM28870LOGO\"\/><\/div>\n<p>Logo &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/photos.prnewswire.com\/prnh\/20131205\/MM28870LOGO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/photos.prnewswire.com\/prnh\/20131205\/MM28870LOGO<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p>\n    <\/p>\n<p>&#8211;<i> California Racer Scores <span class=\"xn-money\">$100,000<\/span> Scholarship for 2017 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup <\/i>&#8211;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"xn-location\">IRVINE, California<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-chron\">Nov. 18, 2016<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212; After two days of intense competition at NOLA Motorsports Park in <span class=\"xn-location\">Avondale, Louisiana<\/span>, Matt Cresci from <span class=\"xn-location\">Los Gatos, California<\/span> won the 2016 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout. The <span class=\"xn-money\">$100,000<\/span>&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49440,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-automotriz"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49439"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49439\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}