Sam Paley (No. 28 McCumbee McAleer Racing) earned his second Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires pole position on Wednesday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. He will share the front row with Connor Zilisch (No. 72 Hixon Motor Sports) for Thursday’s Round 13 race, the first half of a championship-deciding double-header with $250,000 on the line.

Defending Champion and Promising Rookie chasing Championship leader with $250,000 on the line

New per-race payouts added to current, generous prize fund brings total to $1,178,500

With seven drivers under the Hixon Motor Sports banner, it was a total of one win, two podium results, and five top-ten finishes over the two-race Idemtisu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires (MX-5 Cup) weekend. Taking place at the ultra-fast VIRginia International Raceway (VIR), it was Connor Zilisch who led the HMS squad with a second-place podium result Saturday before leveling up Sunday to take the win.

When the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich® Tires 2023 schedule was revealed on August 5, there was one event missing from the calendar. That date is now confirmed to be WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.