The country’s only one-make sports car racing series, the MSCC Miata Spec Series, returns for a third season this 2024. Organized jointly by Mazda Philippines and the Manila Sports Car Club (MSCC), and supported by Pilipinas Shell, GT Radial, and BRM Chronographes, the first two races for the 2024 calendar starts on May 25 at the Batangas Racing Circuit.
The next legs are scheduled on July 13 at the Clark International Speedway (races 3 and 4), Sept. 21 at the Batangas Racing Circuit (races 5 and 6), and on Nov. 16 at the Clark International Speedway (races 7 and 8).
As a circuit racing platform, the MX-5 has proven to be both fun, affordable, and reliable. It has won 4-, 8-, and 12-hour endurance races no less than five times in the Philippines. The same can be said in the MSCC Miata Spec Series, where race cars have had a 100% finishing record, without race incidents. The majority of MX-5 Spec Series race cars, even from Season 1 in 2022, will go through an entire season only requiring consumables such as change of engine oil, filters, and brake pads. As with the previous years, all fuel, engine oil, and tires are fully sponsored by Pilipinas Shell and GT Radial.
“The MSCC Miata Spec Series is inspired by the largest one-make grassroots race series in the world, the Mazda MX-5 race series across Japan, Europe, and the United States. It is a one-make racing series that puts emphasis on driver skill and talent, and one that is inexpensive and safe,” said Mazda Philippines president and CEO Steven Tan. “And because it is co-organized by the MSCC, the entire atmosphere is one of family and community. We hope to get younger and older generations to enjoy the sport of racing together in the MSCC Miata Spec Series.”
As with previous seasons, the MSCC Miata Spec Series is split into three classes—the GT Radial Sportsman Class (drivers who are learning race craft), Shell Pro Class (racers with professional racing experience), and the BRM Chronographes Masters Class (racers 55 years old and above, regardless of past racing experience).
Expect the races to be even more competitive with the return of former Formula 3 driver Tyson Sy and last year’s overall champion and former international karting champion Juha Turalba. Professional drivers at the top of their game, Angie King and Red Diwa, will also challenge for the top spots.
For those who want to join the MSCC Miata Spec Series this season, three newly-built MX-5 Spec Series race cars are available. For ₱2,830,000, the MX-5 Spec Series race package includes all related track fees for the entire 12/14-lap, 4-round, 8-race season. Each race weekend, each car will receive 65 liters of Shell V-Power Racing fuel, Shell Helix Ultra engine oil, and a new set of GT Radial Champiro SX2 tires.
The sports car’s platform has been made stiffer with the use of a Mazdaspeed upper stress bar and front lower arm power brace. Each suspension component has been enhanced with Cusco Sport S 24-way adjustable coil overs and sway bars (24 mm at the front, 14 mm at the rear) to maximize handling and performance on the track, while ensuring drivability on the road. All MX-5 Spec Series cars race with GT Radial Champiro SX2 215/45R17 tires mounted on Rota Strike 17 x 8.0 J wheels. Repeated hard braking on the circuit also meant improving the brakes, using AutoExe stainless steel braided hose lines and Winmax brake pads.
A custom stainless steel exhaust system, developed by local company Drift Xaust, maximizes air flow and augments the racing note emanating from the MX-5’s 181-hp engine. A Sparco R345 competition steering wheel, Grid-Q racing seats, and 4-point harness, as well as a Cusco 6-point roll cage and safety net, are installed to secure the driver’s control and safety on and off the track.
Being a grassroots sports car racing series, the MSCC Miata Spec Series only has two requirements: Owning an MX-5 Spec Series race car and membership to the MSCC. Since the MX-5 Spec Series race car is a recognized sports car by the MSCC, all the racer needs is an endorsement letter from a current MSCC member.
For anyone interested in acquiring a new Spec Miata, they may inquire at Mazda Makati located at Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati City. For MSCC membership, they may e-mail msccsecretariat@gmail.com.
MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd anniversary edition revealed
Meanwhile, in commemoration of the 23rd anniversary of the Miata Cup, Mazda Philippines and the Miata Club of the Philippines (MCP) jointly launched the special, limited-edition MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition. Limited to just 23 units, the MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition celebrates Mazda’s rich motorsports heritage and the oldest, continually held one-make race in the country.
“For 23 years, the Miata Cup has provided a venue where MCP members can deepen the emotional bond they have with their MX-5s,” said Tan. “In celebration of our long-standing relationship with MCP, as well as Mazda’s rich motorsports heritage, we have developed this special, limited-edition 2024 MX-5.”
Based on the new 2024 MX-5 2.0L MT Black Top Black Leather variant, the MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition is dressed in bespoke racing livery designed by local artist Jaykee Evangelista, and inspired by classic motorsports liveries.
The MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition is offered in three distinct colorways: 19 units in Aero Gray with white-painted front and rear bumpers and white, black, and Aero Gray decals; 2 units in Snowflake White Pearl with Laguna Blue-painted front and rear bumpers, and white, black, and Laguna Blue decals; 2 units in Deep Crystal Blue with white-painted front and rear bumpers and white, sky blue, and Deep Crystal Blue decals.
All MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition roadsters have orange side mirror caps, color-matched to Orange Mazda decals on the sides. The full livery comes with a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Further emphasizing it as a limited-edition model, each unit will come with an aluminum satin-finished commemorative badge with a unique serial number. Upon purchase, buyers will also be able to customize their car by selecting their preferred competition car door number.
The MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition was uniquely developed by Mazda Japan for the Philippine market specifically in honor of the 23rd Anniversary of the Miata Cup. As a track-oriented model, it removes some i-ActivSense safety and driver assist features such as adaptive LED headlights, smart brake support-rear, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert with rear cross brake support.
However, in keeping with the MX-5’s ethos as a daily-use sports car, the MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition is still equipped with modern niceties such as an 8.8-inch Mazda Connect infotainment screen with dual USB Type-C ports, a 9-speaker Bose sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay, automatic climate control, and a reverse camera.
Further amplifying Mazda’s Jinba-Ittai—horse and rider as one—philosophy, the MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition offers the same performance features found on the 2024 MX-5 2.0L MT Black Top Black Leather variant such as Bilstein Dampers, a front strut bar, and Kinematic Posture Control (KPC). New for 2024 are dynamic stability control with track mode (DSC-Track) and asymmetric limited slip differential (A-LSD).
DSC-Track is a new control technology that affords maximum control to the driver by limiting the operation of the stability control system, only intervening when it detects a potentially hazardous spin that the driver is unable to control. This allows drivers to continuously push their limits with an extra sense of security. This new functionality does not come with any significant weight penalty as it uses a unique control software along with a new ABS hydraulic unit.
Meanwhile, A-LSD adds a cam mechanism to the standard conical clutch LSD which is lightweight, compact, and highly durable. The cam angle is set differently for the deceleration side and acceleration side, achieving optimal limiting force of slip during both processes. This results in smoother and more linear turning performance.
Powering the MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition is the same naturally aspirated 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine with 184 PS at 7,000 rpm and 205 Nm at 4,000 rpm. Exclusively routed through a close-ratio Skyactiv-Drive 6-speed manual transmission, it offers a 0-100 kph time of just 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 219 kph.
Priced at ₱2,230,000, the MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition is the most affordable variant in the new 2024 MX-5 range. It is available to all customers with first deliveries to start this month.
Commemorating the launch of the MX-5 Miata Cup 23rd Anniversary Edition, MCP has also announced the ND Stock Series, a new racing class within the Miata Cup open to all stock 4th-generation MX-5 roadsters. All stock ND series MX-5s—both soft top and RF—are eligible to race in this class for as long as owners secure membership with the MCP.