2007 Mazda MX-5 Cup schedule announced

2007 Mazda MX-5 Cup Schedule Announced

TOPEKA, Kan. (Dec 12, 2006) -- On the heels of a widely successful inaugural season, SCCA Pro Racing has announced seven of the eight rounds set to compose the 2007 SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook season. While classic road racing venues return in 2007, the schedule is also highlighted by temporary street and airport courses shared with the likes of ALMS, Grand-American and Champ Car.

The season kicks off in a new venue for the series. On April 21-22, the MX-5 Cup cars will take to the streets of Houston for the Lone Star Grand Prix in Houston, Texas, as part of an American LeMans Series/Champ Car World Series combo weekend.

Then it's a return to Monterey, Calif., to join the Grand-American series at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the U.S. Sports Car Invitational, May 19-20.

The series next takes a takes short trip north to Portland, Ore., where it will be part of the Champ Car World Series weekend, June 9-10. MX-5 Cup will stick with Champ Car for the following round at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, Ohio, June 23-24. The event will be a doubleheader for MX-5 competitors and marks the first time the series has competed on an airport circuit.

Following a two-month break, the series travels north of the border to Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada Aug. 18-19, as part of the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres with the Grand-American series.

The MX-5 Cup series continues on with the Grand-American camp to Miller Motorsports Park, hitting the Tooele, Utah track Sept. 14-15.

The eighth and final round of the 2007 Mazda MX-5 Cup season will be announced at a later date.

Introduced last year, the SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook series is designed to provide an affordable, entry-level professional series on a nationwide scale and features identical Mazda MX-5 Cup cars prepared with a spec racing kit available through Mazdaspeed. It's a recipe for some of the closest sportscar racing in motorsports today. Visit www.mx5-cup.com for more news about the 2007 season.

<pre> 2007 SCCA Pro Racing SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook Schedule:

Date            Venue                                                   With
April 21-22     Streets of Houston, Houston, Texas                      ALMS/Champ Car
May 19-20       Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif.             Grand Am
June 9-10       Portland International Raceway, Portland, Ore.          Champ Car
June 23-24      Burke Lakefront Airport Cleveland, Ohio (doubleheader)  Champ Car
Aug. 18-19      Le Circuit du Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada            Grand Am
Sept. 14-15     Miller Motorsports Park, Toole, Utah                    Grand Am

-credit: scca pro racing