Central Florida Region SCCA® member Noah Harmon is headed to the IMSA-sanctioned Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin in 2025 after he was named the winner of the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout and snagged the prize package valued at $150,000.

Helio Meza, a Houston Region SCCA member and 2024 recipient of the Spec MX-5 scholarship, earned the runner-up prize of $100,000 toward his 2025 season. The Mazda Women in Motorsport Initiative Scholarship was won by Ashlyn Speed who will have $100,000 to put toward her racing career in MX-5 Cup next year. The appropriately named Speed is a Texas Region member who captured the 2023 Formula X U.S. Majors Tour® Southern Conference Championship.

The 12 finalists for the award, all of whom are SCCA members, spent three days at Homestead-Miami Speedway this week competing for the prize.

“I say it every year, but this year’s MX-5 Cup Shootout finalists keep getting more and more impressive,” said Jonathan Applegate, Senior Manager of Mazda Motorsports. “For both Noah and Helio, we’ve watched them take all the right steps to get where they are and grow as drivers. It’s a proud moment for everyone at Mazda. And for Ashlyn, we’re thrilled that Whelen Engineering saw the same potential in her as we do and will take her under their wing as part of the Whelen Motorsports family next year.”

Harmon’s path to the victory and the launch of his pro career came in his second year at the Shootout. He also finished fourth in both the Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour and at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs® presented by Sunoco this season in the Spec MX-5 Class.

“Last year definitely helped,” Harmon said. “I kind of knew what to expect when I came here, and just knew I had to put everything together; driving technique, how to present myself around the paddock, what I needed to run, what I needed to do, all around all year. So, I think it worked.”

Harmon, Meza, Speed, and the entire Mazda MX-5 Cup field will begin their season at Daytona in January, as part of the Rolex 24 at Daytona race week.

Photo caption: With help from Mazda Motorsports, SCCA members Noah Harmon (center), Helio Meza (right), and Ashlyn Speed (left) will head to the Mazda MX-5 Cup series in 2025.
Photo courtesy Mazda Motorsports

(Editor's note: This article was updated with a new picture, replacing a photo which didn't show the winners.)