News Releases
September 11, 2019
IRVINE, Calif. (September 11, 2019) – Mazda Team Joest arrives at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for this weekend’s Monterey SportsCar Championship race as winners of the previous three IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races.
In that span of those three races, each of the Soul Red Crystal Mazda RT24-Ps have captured victory.The No. 55 Mazda RT24-P driven by Jonathan Bomarito and Harry Tincknell came away from the previous race at Road America with their second win of the season following their breakthrough first victory at Watkins Glen. Their teammates, Oliver Jarvis and Tristan Nunez took their first victory at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in the No. 77 Mazda RT24-P.
The Monterey SportsCar Championship will also be a hometown race for Bomarito, who graduated from Palma High School in nearby Salinas. Bomarito and Tincknell led numerous laps in the 2018 IMSA race at Laguna Seca before finishing in fourth position, while Nunez captured the overall pole position in the IMSA race in 2016 in a Mazda.
Two wins and a runner-up finish in the last three races means Bomarito arrives at Monterey in third place in the Driver’s Championship, while Jarvis and Nunez are fifth and Mazda occupies the third spot in the Manufacturer’s Championship. With two races remaining, they all remain in contention for the Daytona Prototype international championship.
The Monterey SportsCar Championship will be broadcast live on Sunday, September 15 at 3:00 PM ET on NBC, with qualifying streamed live on IMSA.tv on Saturday, September 14 at 3:30 PM ET.
QUOTES
John Doonan
Director, Mazda Motorsports
“It has been an amazing month since we were able to score three in a row for our Mazda fans at Road America. We are really looking forward to being back at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in hopes of making it four in a row, but also hoping to avenge some unfinished business from last year. The Mazda RT24-Ps love the flowing nature of Laguna Seca and everyone in the program is focused on executing to our very best to keep our winning streak alive. As always, it will not be easy. But as always, we are ready to go.”
No. 55 Mazda RT24-P
Jonathan Bomarito
“I can’t wait to race at my home track again. I love WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as a track, but I also love having my family and friends coming out to be a part of the weekend. This is a tough race with traffic management but that has been a strong point for us in the last few races. We have had a long break since Road America, but we still have such great momentum and the team is working so well right now that we’ll be able to use that break to our advantage.”
Harry Tincknell
“We are on a great roll at the moment, and everyone’s spirits are up within Mazda. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a track that really suits the Mazda RT24-P. It won’t be an easy race, traffic always plays a role and like always we’ll need the right setup and good strategy to take on the competition, but I’m confident that we can fight for the top step of the podium this weekend.”
No. 77 Mazda RT24-P
Oliver Jarvis
“These three races have been a really special time for Mazda and everyone within the team, but we are all excited to get back to racing this weekend. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a difficult track to set up for, and while it is a good track for our Mazda RT24-P, traffic will always have a part to play in these races. If we are able to have a good qualifying result and can keep the car safe through the first couple of stints, we’ll be in contention at the end.”
Tristan Nunez
“WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has always been a special place to me. I got my first prototype pole position there in 2016 and always love the atmosphere of the circuit Itself. We are going there with some great momentum from the past three races, with one win for Olly and I and two for the sister car, which makes us even more excited to get back behind the wheel of the Mazda RT24-P.”
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