Mazda MX-5 Cup 2024 | Round 3 - Sebring International Raceway | Race Highlights

Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup 2024 race highlights of Round 3 at Sebring International Raceway.
Watch race highlights of Round 4 here: bit.ly/3IOsgSd
Tune in May 10-12 for MX-5 Cup at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
For more information on the Mazda MX-5 Cup visit: bit.ly/4avH8ki
▬▬ Description ▬▬
Tyler Gonzalez (No. 57 Saito Motorsports) held off three formidable opponents at Sebring International Raceway to take his first Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin race win of the season. Gonzalez made a last lap pass and kept three charging drivers behind in a mad dash from the final turn to the checkered flag, winning by 0.079-second.
Not long after the start of the 45-minute race, Gonzalez was part of a three-car pack that pulled away from the rest of the field. He and polesitter Connor Zilisch (No. 72 BSI Racing) spent most of the race trading the lead, while Nate Cicero (No. 83 McCumbee McAleer Racing) bided his time in third.
The trio were able to pull out a gap of nearly six seconds over the next group of cars, led by Gresham Wagner (No. 5 McCumbee McAleer Racing).
It may have appeared that Gonzalez and Zilisch were impatient, swapping the lead in an aggressive battle so early in the race, but under the hot Florida sun, both knew it was important to keep their car cool by getting clean air. When you’re the one in front, however, you’re the one pushing the air out of the way for the car behind you.
Wagner was focused on keeping his car cool as well. When Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) and Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing) started to scuffle behind him, he was able to pull away and close the gap to the leaders, with plenty of clean air ahead of him.
The race changed from car preservation to attack mode with two laps to go when Zilisch grabbed the lead from Gonzalez. By then, Wagner had caught the group and was filling the mirrors of third-place Cicero. An impressive progression considering the race ran without any caution periods.
On the final lap, coming into the final turn, Gonzalez went to the inside of Zilisch. Cicero pulled in behind Gonzalez and Wagner behind Zilisch. Exiting the turn, Gonzalez had the edge over Zilisch, who tucked in behind. Cicero opted to pop out of the train and Wagner took his place.
Zilisch tried to pop out from behind Gonzalez at the last minute, but it wasn’t enough, and Gonzalez took the win by 0.079-second. In line behind them, Wagner crossed the line third, 0.083-second head of Cicero.
The win was the first for Gonzalez since Daytona in 2022.
The ending could have been much different had Zilisch blocked off the inside from Gonzalez, which he wanted to do, but believed he couldn’t.
Normally in an MX-5 Cup race, cars can work the draft together to make up lost ground, but that was not the case at Sebring.
Cicero finished fourth, 2.78 seconds ahead of fifth-place Workman, who was the highest finishing rookie.
#racer #mazda #mx5 #miata #autoracing #motorsport #imsa #sebring
Every event on the Mazda MX-5 Cup schedule will feature two, 45-minute sprint races to be livestreamed on RACER.com. The livestreams are produced by NASCAR Productions, and feature play-by-play and commentary from the IMSA Radio squad headed by John Hindhaugh and Shea Adam.

[@innerspace56]

Incredible race. That was a blast. A tight pack of 4 into sunset curve? Final Lap??

[@camisnyder3460]

😅