Mazda has announced details for the inaugural Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Invitational where racers from Europe, Asia and North America will compete against one another at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California. This event is a non-points, invitation-only race, outside of the U.S.-only 2016 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BF Goodrich Tires. The invitational races will be held September 9-11, 2016 as part of a Mazda-exclusive weekend that features both the Mazda Road to Indy and the Mazda Road to 24.

John Doonan, director of motorsports, Mazda North American Operations, said, “When we launched the 2016 car and series, we included ‘Global’ for a reason. Mazda affiliates and racers from abroad have wanted to get involved in what had previously been North American exclusive. We can’t wait to have our overseas friends join us at our home track for what we hope will be the first of many such events in the years to come. Combining the weekend with our Mazda Road to Indy and Mazda Road to 24 championships means that we’ll likely have more than 100 Mazda-powered race cars on one weekend. With all cars being as identical as possible, it’s a perfect showcase for racers to prove that no matter if you are on the highway, or on the track, driving matters.”

The Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires is the signature spec series for the Mazda Road to 24 (#MRT24), the sports car counterpart to the Mazda Road to Indy (#MRTI). On both paths, Mazda-powered champions earn a Mazda scholarship to advance their career. The MX-5 Cup champion earns a $200,000 scholarship.

The 2016 season features the all-new fourth generation Mazda MX-5 Miata. For the first time, Mazda has commissioned complete turnkey race cars, with the goal that all cars are as close to identical as possible, ensuring the best drivers rise to the top. Over 80 of the $53,000 race cars have been delivered to date. Information on the car is online at www.mazdamotorsports.com