MX-5 Cup: SPEED to air 2006 races

MX-5 Cup To Air on SPEED; Dates Announced

TOPEKA, Kan. (Sept. 14, 2006) -- All eight races from the inaugural SCCA Pro Racing SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook will be broadcast on SPEED Channel, with airings in December, it was announced today.

The Championship, which features identical 2006 Mazda MX-5 cars on Hankook tires racing at some of the top road racing events across North America this season, will air Saturday afternoons at 4 and 4:30 p.m. beginning Dec. 9 through Dec. 30.

The television package is the result of a joint effort between Mazda and Hankook Tires, with the package being finalized last week.

"In its first year of competition, the MX-5 Cup has been a huge success with fans and drivers alike," said Robert Davis, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Quality for Mazda North American Operations. "Now its time to share that excitement with race fans at home, as coverage of the series on SPEED Channel will allow many thousands more to see the door-to-door and bumper-to-bumper racing that makes the MX-5 Cup unlike any other series in North America."

"As the MX-5 Cup inaugural season has unfolded this year, the racing has been very competitive and should make for great TV," said Bill Bainbridge, Marketing Director for Hankook Tire America Corp. "Based on what we've seen across North America at the races, fans won't be disappointed."

The SCCA Pro Racing SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook season began at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in early May and wraps up its inaugural run at Road America Sept. 24.

For more series information, please visit www.mx-5cup.com.

<pre> 2006 SCCA Pro Racing SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by Hankook Television Broadcast Schedule

Race Date Circuit                               Air Date                Air Time
May 5     Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca             Saturday, Dec. 9        4:00 p.m.
May 26    Lime Rock Park                        Saturday, Dec. 9        4:30 p.m.
June 17   Mosport International Raceway         Saturday, Dec. 16       4:00 p.m.
June 23   Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course            Saturday, Dec. 16       4:30 p.m.
July 20   Portland International Raceway        Saturday, Dec. 23       4:00 p.m.
Aug. 4    Trois-Rivieres                        Saturday, Dec. 23       4:30 p.m.
Sept. 1   Miller Motorsports Park               Saturday, Dec. 30       4:00 p.m.
Sept. 22  Road America                          Saturday, Dec. 30       4:30 p.m.

-credit: scca