Is The Mazda Miata Really The Most-Raced Car In The World?

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The issue of whether or not the Mazda Miata is really the most-raced car in the world originated with a statement made in a press release by Mazda Motorsports in 2015. Mazda Motorsports called the Miata "the most road-raced production car in the world." The Mazda Miata is also one of the best track day cars for beginners. According to The Robb Report, which selected the Mazda Miata as its No. 9 choice for its September 2024 list of "The 50 Greatest Sports Cars of All Time," the Miata is "...the most-raced car in the world, claiming over 4,000 members in the SCCA's Spec Miata class." Mazda itself, in an article highlighting The Robb Report's selection of the Miata, agreed with both Robb's claim and the number of members in the Spec Miata class. 

Mazda's ongoing support of these Miata-focused grassroots racing series, along with the generous prize money that it has provided, has helped the Spec Miata and MX-5 Cup series to attract a steady stream of up-and-coming drivers from around the U.S. and Canada, where the races take place. In fact, the Spec Miata and MX-5 Cup series are just the initial levels of the Mazda Motorsports Development Ladder Program, in which the top drivers from these grassroots series can move up to scholarship programs in either open-wheel racing (the Mazda Road to Indy program) or sports car racing (the Mazda Road to 24 program). 

For 2025, the Mazda MX-5 Cup cars will be built by a single supplier, Flis Performance of Daytona Beach, Florida. Flis starts with fourth-generation, "ND" Miatas, which our reviewer found to be a blast of common sense in an age of AI and fat EVs. These particular NDs start out as white production cars that have been built to the Club trim level. Once they arrive at Flis Performance, the cars are taken apart, with the sound insulation material and the seam sealer being removed. Next comes the installation of a full roll cage that is TIG-welded into place and meets SCCA, IMSA, and INDYCAR (which is different from Formula 1) standards. At this point, both the tub and its new roll cage are painted.

Once the structural reinforcements and the painting are completed, each MX-5 Cup race car is put back together, this time with more than 250 parts that are perfectly suited to the increased power, handling, endurance, and safety needs of dedicated racing use. As to the rubber they roll on, the MX-5 Cup race cars use Michelin Pilot Sport Competition 20/61-17 racing slicks. After reassembly, certain components of the car, including the 2.0-liter spec race engine, are sealed to eliminate any possible cheating and keep these cars' performances as equal as possible.

The 2025 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup is Mazda Motorsports' leading racing series, responsible for giving out $1,178,500 in prize money during the 2024 season. The 2025 MX-5 Cup schedule covers visits to seven different race tracks during its season, which lasts from January through October. At each track, there are two rounds of competition, a total of 14 races that provide the points that determine the winner of the MX-5 Cup championship.

MX-5 Cup prize money is distributed to the drivers placing in first through 10th places in each round of competition. Championship payouts are also given to the first through 10th place finishers at the end of the season. Additional prizes are provided to the Rookie of the Year, and there are also Shootout Scholarships. Bonus points are also awarded for reaching pole position, leading the most laps, and the fastest lap of the race.

In addition, cash prizes are given to the highest-finishing female in each race, which helps to encourage women who are racing drivers to participate in this male-dominated sport. A six-episode TV series focusing on the MX-5 Cup racing series, titled "First to the Finish," has streamed on Amazon Prime.