Supply, North Carolina (January 20th, 2021) - McCumbee McAleer Racing (MMR) announced today its lineup for the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires. The North Carolina based team will make its season debut next week at Daytona International Speedway during the first two rounds of the championship with an impressive lineup of six Mazda MX-5 race cars.
Jenson Altzman, Justin Piscitell, Sam Paley, Moisey Uretsky, Zach Lee, and John Jodoin will join MMR for the season, and with the guidance of team owners Chad McCumbee and Stevan McAleer, will look to secure the 14-race Championship, which will be featured predominantly in the IMSA paddock in 2021.
Jenson Altzman, a front runner on the national Karting scene, will make his car racing debut in IMSA’s Mazda MX-5 Cup championship in 2021. The Phoenix native had a successful test with MMR late last year and is looking forward to making the transition to sports car racing.
Jenson Altzman
Car #13
"I’m super excited to be joining MMR for the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup season! I had a couple tests with them in December and the transition felt natural. MMR is such a professional organization and everyone there has been very helpful in helping me expedite the process.
“To be honest, this wasn't part of my plan for this year, and even though this opportunity came together pretty late the team and I are confident we can bring home some strong results. sports car racing is where my heart is, I've always thought of it as the highest level of motorsports as it poses many different skill sets necessary to be successful.
“The fact that Mazda MX-5 Cup is now sanctioned and racing with IMSA just adds to the strength of the series and it presents a clearer path to endurance racing.”
Justin Piscitell is a proven winner in MX-5 Cup and won the 2020 Mazda Spec MX-5 Series, the New York resident is no stranger to IMSA as he also competes in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with Murillo Racing.
Justin Piscitell
Car #89
"I couldn't be more pleased to learn that I will be running this season with MMR. They are beyond a doubt one of the best teams in the paddock and this is in no small part due to the professionalism the team exudes both on and away from the track. In particular, I'm honored to drive a car in support of research conducted by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, in a car displaying the Matty's Light livery. This wouldn't be possible without the generosity of the Uretsky Family and Digital Ocean, both of whom should be acknowledged for their role in my seat at the wheel. With MX-5 Cup running IMSA this is sure to be one of the biggest seasons yet and I am honored to be running it with drivers and crew of this quality and caliber. I can't wait to see what we can accomplish in 2021 but whatever we do I'm glad to be doing it alongside MMR."
Sam Paley made his debut with MMR in 2020 at Road America, and also tested with the team at Daytona in December. The Kentucky native who hails from the open-wheel ranks will look to compete in his first full Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship in 2021.
Sam Paley
Car #28
“I'm really excited and honored to be teaming up with McCumbee McAleer Racing for the upcoming 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup season. We've already shown fantastic pace last year in Road America and throughout testing this offseason. I believe working with Chad, Stevan, Larry, and the rest of the MMR crew will provide me a very competitive car and a good shot at my goal this year, the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship. Really excited to be a part of such a professional operation, and I can't wait to get back on track later this month and show the speed we have."
Moisey Uretsky’s rookie year in the Mazda MX-5 Cup was in 2019 and he has raced with MMR ever since. He previously competed in the SRO America TCA and TC classes. He is also the co-founder of DigitalOcean.
Moisey Uretsky
Car #55
“I’m very excited to be with MMR, best team with great camaraderie, excited to be racing in 2021 after taking a year off due to pandemic, very excited to get to a bunch of new tracks because of the partnership with IMSA this year and thanks to DigitalOcean for making it happen."
Zach Lee has raced with MMR since 2018 and will begin his 2021 season at the second event of the season in the streets of St Petersburg, Florida. He will pilot the #48 Mazda MX-5.
Jon Jodoin will join the MMR squad later this year in preparation for a full run at the rookie of the year championship in 2022.
Jon Jodoin
"I am very excited to advance up the Mazda Motorsports ladder with McCumbee McAleer Racing. Coming from a background of Spec Miata, the opportunity to work with such a high-caliber team in Global MX-5 Cup is the logical next step for my career ambitions. The plan is to use the 2021 racing season as a development year while still maintaining my rookie status and looking forward to a full season in 2022. Competing in this highly competitive championship is something I have always wanted to do, and I am looking forward to more testing and my first race weekend.”
Stevan McAleer - Team Owner
"We’re very excited to get the season underway in at Daytona International Speedway. We have a ton of talent in our driver line up this year and working closely with all of them in the last few months I feel we can have multiple race winners under the tent. With a little luck and staying out of trouble, I expect a few of them will be in the hunt for the Championship at the end of the season Daytona will prove to be quite the challenge for all the drivers in the Series so certainly keeping the nose clean for my guys and getting as many points as possible without risking the car will be key."
All 14 Mazda MX-5 Cup races will be streamed live on IMSA.tv and TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold. Additionally, a one-hour recap show combining both races from an event weekend will be produced to air later on NBCSN.
Radio Le Mans will provide on-air talent for all presentations with John Hindhaugh and Shea Adam sharing the booth for live streams, and Hindhaugh voicing the NBCSN recap shows. This partnership also brings MX-5 Cup to IMSA Radio, RadioLeMans.com and trackside FM frequencies.
About McCumbee McAleer Racing (MMR)
Based in Supply, North Carolina, McCumbee McAleer Racing (MMR) was formed in 2014 by one of the most competitive driver pairings in North America with racers Chad McCumbee and Stevan McAleer. Chad McCumbee, whose roots lie in NASCAR and Stevan McAleer, an expert sports car racer, combined to create a multi-car, highly capable, and relentlessly fast team within the Mazda MX-5 Cup paddock. After earning awards and race wins in only their first year of competition, MMR brought home a championship in just their third year on track in 2017. That year, the team went on to dominate by winning 10 out of 12 races, capturing six poles, and they also earned the Team of the Year award.
Today, MMR continues to serve as one of the top, if not the top, teams in the MX-5 Cup garage and provides a level of professionalism only found at the highest tiers of motorsports. With years of competition, instruction, mechanical, and team owner experience, McCumbee and McAleer know the exact formula for success and utilize this to push MMR to the very top. Having already propelled the careers of Patrick Gallagher, Aurora Straus, and Max Faulkner to success in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), McCumbee McAleer Racing will continue to coach and develop all ranges of talent to the ultimate and most prestigious levels of the sport.
For more information: www.McCumbeeMcAleer.com