During Race Industry Week by EPARTRADE, Jonathan Applegate, Senior Manager of Mazda Motorsports, breaks down the continued growth, competitiveness, and future direction of the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Whelan—one of the most respected driver development championships in global motorsport.Fresh off the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout, Applegate explains how Mazda evaluates and invests in young talent, why the series has become a destination championship, and how the MX-5 Cup ladder connects grassroots racing to professional careers in IMSA, sports cars, and beyond.A major focus of the discussion is Mazda’s decision to move the 2025 Shootout to Circuit Florida, a brand-new track unavailable on simulators—ensuring a truly level playing field where adaptability, feedback, and learning speed mattered more than prior knowledge.🔑 Key Topics Covered in This Interview:• Inside the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout• Why Mazda chose a no-simulator venue for talent evaluation• MX-5 Cup and Spec MX-5 scholarship selection process• How drivers are evaluated beyond lap times• Media, professionalism, and business skills in driver development• Meet the scholarship winners: Max Stallone, Ethan Lampe & Charlotte Traynor• Mazda’s Women’s Initiative and diversity in motorsports• The growing youth movement in MX-5 Cup• Why MX-5 Cup thrives inside the IMSA paddock• The NASCAR connection and Martinsville showcase• Earl Bamber’s MX-5 Cup appearance and what it says about the series• Jeremy Fletcher’s championship journey and return for 2026• What to expect from the 2026 season, including Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayApplegate also explains how Mazda Motorsports has refined its development ladder, from grassroots club racing and Spec MX-5 all the way to MX-5 Cup and professional sports car opportunities—while keeping the program accessible, competitive, and relevant for a new generation of drivers.Whether you’re an aspiring racer, team owner, sponsor, engineer, or motorsports fan, this interview offers a rare inside look at how OEM-backed driver development really works—and why MX-5 Cup remains one of the most competitive proving grounds in racing.RACE INDUSTRY WEEK was brought to you by:ETS Racing Fuels, Penske Racing Shocks, ARP, Inc., Scott Lewis Associates, Fifth Third Bank Motorsports, PEAK, Crower, & CTech Manufacturing.#MazdaMotorsports #MX5Cup #MX5Racing#IMSA #SpecMX5 #DriverDevelopment#GrassrootsRacing #RoadRacing#Motorsports #RaceIndustryWeek#EPARTRADE #FutureOfRacing#WomenInMotorsport #RacingScholarship#MazdaMX5