With the 2022 Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires (MX-5 Cup) season-end on the horizon, Hixon Motor Sports (HMS) continues to grow their driver-winning program. With multiple wins this season, a new name will be added to the team’s roster with Thomas Annunziata as he makes the move up to an IMSA Pro license for his national motorsports campaign and joins a championship-caliber team.

“As a Spec MX-5 Shootout finalist and the current points leader in the Spec MX-5 National Championship, the goal and dream have always been to take a seat at the highest level with Mazda, the MX-5 Cup,” explained Thomas Annunziata. “I was recently nominated as an MX-5 Cup Shoutout driver; being able to race in one of the MX-5 Cup events this year at VIR is something I am very excited about. Having the opportunity to do it with an elite team like Hixon Motor Sports will give me an advantage over most other drivers. I want to thank Shea Holbrook and Bryan Hixon for helping me get to this point and Mazda Motorsports for all they have done for me. I look forward to seeing how I stack up against this incredibly competitive field.”

Coming from a colorful karting career that featured multiple race wins and championship performances, Annunziata climbed to the top step of the podium in several of North America's largest karting programs. Making the move to sportscar racing in 2021, Annunziata was a Mazda Motorsports Spec Miata Scholarship finalist. With multiple top-five results, Annunziata also earned the Vice Championship Honors in the Lucas Oil Scholarship program. Most recently, the newly announced HMS driver earned a pair of race wins at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in May.

Annunziata added, “I am so grateful for all of my racing career partners: Nerd Focus Energy Drink, Towson Watch Company, Bayshore Mortgage Funding LLC, and PHL Racing. I hope that I can make them, my family, and Hixon Motor Sports proud with a race win.”

Thomas Annunziata and the rest of the Hixon Motor Sports program will be back on track at the VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) over the August 26-28 weekend leading up to the headliner event, the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR.

For more information on Hixon Motor Sports and for news, information, photos, and results from event weekends, please follow Hixon Motor Sports via their social media channels or visit them online at www.HixonMotorSports.com.