[h=2]Pardus takes Spec Miata at SCCA Runoffs[/h] Saturday, 30 September 2017




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Keith Grant and Eric Prill make it three Mazda victories on the first day of races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway




Keith Grant became the first Mazda-powered winner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 2017 SCCA National Championship Runoffs, taking the Formula Atlantic title in his Mazda/Hoosier/Polestar Swift 016a Mazda. Polesitter Sedat Yelkin, also in a Swift 016a Mazda, led the first six laps until Grant took the lead in Turn 1 to begin lap 7. Once in front, Grant stretched the lead to claim his first Formula Atlantic title, and his second National Championship.
Contrary to some paddock predictions, 72 Spec Miatas made it through Turn 1 relatively cleanly as they began a caution-free race. Polesitter Chris Haldeman held the lead early in his X-Factor Racing 1999 Miata, with Preston Pardus' No. 42 Danus Utilities/5X Racing/ESR/PR Mazda Miata and the No. 39 Adept/Rossini/OPM/G-Loc Mazda Miata of Danny Steyn in tow. But within only a couple of laps, things started to change rapidly – and often.
For most of the 19-lap event around the 15-turn, 2.592-mile Indianapolis road circuit, there were as many as six SM challengers who made up the front pack. Contenders throughout included Tyler Kicera, Michael Gagliardo, Daniel Bender, and Michael Carter and, up from his 10th starting position, Sellin Rollan.
Rollan held the lead as the pack came down the front straight on the final lap; Rollan, holding the slightest advantage over Steyn and Pardus. Going into Turn 1, Pardus positioned himself outside Rollan and right up against the outside wall while Steyn moved to Rollan's inside. Pardus held his braking until the last moment to gain the advantage – and a lead he never relinquished – as he went on to become the 2017 Spec Miata Runoffs champion.
"This is big – this is awesome," Pardus said after the race. "The historical significance of this track is major. It's paved the way for the past 100 years. To say I've actually got to race here is incredible. And to make it a Runoffs win is even more incredible."
[h=3]Read the full story at MazdaMotorsports.com[/h]