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| Miller Wins Thrilling MX-5 Cup Season Opener at Road Atlanta |
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"I feel unbelievably ecstatic," Miller said. "I'm extremely excited to be representing a team that [previous Champions] Jason [Saini] and Eric [Foss] have done such a good job representing over the last two years. I'm happy to have the opportunity to race and equally to have Race Now For Autism and the Mazda Owners Club of America on the car. I feel like this car represents a good group of people and it makes me feel extremely proud to get the win and get some exposure for them."
Jenkins made it a one-two finish for Team MER at Road Atlanta. The driver of the No. 25 Team MER/JBR/Traxxas/BFG/Simpson MX-5 started the race in third and led for several laps following the full-course caution, but dropped out of the top five with four laps remaining. Jenkins set the fastest lap of the race, a 1:42.517 (89.195 mph) in his charge back to the front.
"When I was up front for a good part of the race, I was trying to break free from the draft of the guys behind me," Jenkins said. "I was working the car pretty hard and I needed to back off of it a little bit, but I backed off too much and was right back in shark-infested waters. Someone caught bm from behind at 10A and sent me for a ride, which put me back, but I was able to work back up to second.
"The draft here is huge, so it was like a merry-go-round of a race, there was a lot of give-and-take for position. But, with five minutes to go, you take the Gloves off and you just lay it down, go for it and give it what you got."
Currently in his third season of MX-5 cup, the runner-up finish was a career-high for Jenkins and his first-ever podium finish.
Driving the No. 89 ALARA Racing/DAMG Racing MX-5, Piscitell finished third in his first MX-5 Cup race. The winner of the MAZDASPEED MX-5 Cup shootout fell victim to the draft in the closing laps, but then used it to his advantage to earn a podium finish.
"This is a big drafting track, so it has a lot of give and take," Piscitell said. "We were all working together to pull away from the mid-pack, so I think I have to thank a few MER drivers and they've got to thank a few of ours.
"I think at four to go I was in first, then I was in second and then I was in fifth. On the last lap, in the last turns, I was able to squeeze my way in, three-wide up the middle, pop back into third and hold it until the finish."
Mark Jenkin's brother Mike, of Fairview, Texas, also earned a career-best finish at Road Atlanta, finishing fourth in the No. 47 Team MER/JBR/Traxxas/BFG/Amsoil MX-5. Starting 10th, Jenkins earned the Carbotech Hard Charger award for advancing the most positions in the race.
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