News Releases
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (August 6, 2016) – The No. 55 Mazda Prototype team won their league-leading third pole position of the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season today at Road America. This is the second consecutive pole for the team. Jonathan Bomarito drove to a track record lap of 1:54.507 in the final moments of qualifying, and will lead the field to the green flag tomorrow in the two-hour, 40-minute Continental Tire Road Race Showcase. The No. 70 Mazda Prototype qualified fourth with driver Tom Long. Long’s progress was hampered by a mid-session red flag just as his tires were reaching their optimum temperature and pressures.
The two previous poles, won by Bomarito’s co-driver Tristan Nunez, were at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and the most recent race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. This is the first career pole in the Prototype category for Bomarito. Long will team with co-driver Joel Miller tomorrow in the No. 70.
The race can be seen live Sunday at 4 pm ET on FS1.
Jonathan Bomarito, Driver, No 70 Mazda Prototype
“It’s been a fantastic day – in fact, a couple of fantastic days so far for the team. Tomorrow, we just have to keep our heads down. The guys have been working constantly through the week with pit stops and race strategy, and the drivers need to go do our jobs like we’ve been doing. We just need to put the whole race together, which I’m confident of tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s a great track for our car and Tristan [Nunez] has been awesome in the car so far this weekend. I can’t wait. It’s good get the pole – he [Nunez] has been taking all of the glory from me with two poles already in the season. He was good to let me qualify the car and he’ll do a good job finishing the race tomorrow.”
What would it mean to win here at Road America, the home track of John Doonan, director of Mazda Motorsports North America? “It would be huge for everybody, and in particular John. His family, his kids, his sister and everybody have been here. For the whole Mazda family, who put so much time, effort and energy – and passion – into this program, so we’re going in with all guns blazin’ tomorrow. We feel very confident with the car and the team’s ability. It would be incredibly special, especially in John’s backyard. I think you’ll see tears flowing here tomorrow (if we win).”
Mazda Motorsports
Mazda Motorsports boasts the most comprehensive auto racing development ladder system of any auto manufacturer in the world. The Mazda Road to 24 (#MRT24) 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 (#MRTI) is a similar program that includes Mazda-powered categories of USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights. In grassroots road racing, more Mazdas race on any given weekend in North America than any other manufacturer. Mazda is also the title sponsor of the renowned Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. Follow all of the latest news at MazdaMotorsports.com, @MazdaRacing on Twitter, and MazdaMotorsports on Instagram and Facebook.
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Contact:
Jade Gurss, Mazda Motorsports (317) 517-4121
MazdaMotorsports@icloud.com
Dean Case, Mazda Motorsports (310) 318-4582
Mazdaspeed@MazdaUSA.com
