The Mazda MX-5 Cup Is Getting the ‘Drive to Survive’ Treatment
"First to the Finish" will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the MX-5 Cup through the lens of two young drivers, including an up-and-coming rookie. The post The Mazda MX-5 Cup Is Getting the ‘Drive to Survive’ Treatment appeared first on The Drive.
The beloved Mazda MX-5 is getting its own reality TV show. From the producers of Welcome to Wrexham and Cheer comes First to the Finish, a new original series about the longstanding MX-5 Cup. Yep, Miata racing is getting the Drive to Survive treatment.
First to the Finish will focus on three protagonists sharing their behind-the-scenes POV of the 2024 championship: two drivers, rookie Sally Mott and second-year Heather Hadley, along with team owner Shea Holbrook of BSI Racing. As if the stress of racing weren’t enough, Hadley is also juggling college life as a senior at UNC-Charlotte while Mott, a recent high school grad, has gone all-in with her racing career (i.e., no backup plan—racing is life).
Although we’re not talking about $100 million salaries like that of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton or Formula One-level speeds that exceed 200 mph, the stakes are no less important to those competing in the MX-5 Cup. As an IMSA sanctioned series, every road race is streamed and available globally. That means the eyes of pro teams watch your every turn, corner, pass, and spin. Hey, it’s racing. It’s gonna happen. Either way, that’s a lot of pressure for anyone, especially teenagers.
When the MX-5 Cup debuted in 2006 as a replacement for the two-division Miata Cup, there were 22 up-and-coming racers on the grid. Since then, the single-make series has paid out millions in scholarship and prize money as well as developed scores of young drivers into furthering their professional racing careers. Currently, more than $1.2 million is awarded annually to MX-5 Cup drivers, including a $250,000 prize payout to the season champion.
A compelling fact gleaned from the show’s trailer is that no woman has ever won the MX-5 Cup Championship, though several have placed in the top 10. In 2020, Savanna Little became the first woman to win the MX-5 Cup Shootout, which earned her a spot to compete in the Cup.
First to the Finish will premiere on March 25 on Prime Video.
The post The Mazda MX-5 Cup Is Getting the ‘Drive to Survive’ Treatment appeared first on The Drive.
