Mazda MX5 Cup Championship Sebring’s John Dean II captured the Battery Tender Mazda MX5 Cup Championship Title.  Dean won it with a fourth-place finish in the final race of the season on Friday at Road Atlanta. Friday’s finish comes on the heels of a Sick Sideways podium sweep on Thursday.  John Dean took the win, Drake Kemper placing second and Nathanial Sparks finishing third.

Dean entered the final two races of the season with a seven-point lead over Patrick Gallagher.  Then Dean increased his lead to 12 points before the first race by capturing the pole position for both races. Thursday’s victory gave him a 23-point advantage heading into Friday’s race.  Dean was content to play it safe and win the season-long championship.

Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship Title Winner

“I knew I could finish in the top 10 or better,” Dean said.  “Also, Winning the title feels great.”  Friday’s race also gave Sick Sideways three drivers in the top four of the season standings, as Sparks finished third and Kemper was able to climb one spot and finish fourth for the year.  “We’re ecstatic,” Dean said. “I’m so proud of our guys. We’ve been fast all year and really proved it this week.”  Dean was pleased to see Sparks finish third in Friday’s race, giving him a pair of podium finishes for the week.  “Sparky deserved that podium,” he said. “I’m happy with my finish. I had fun and got to battle a little bit.”

With the season title, Dean will get a $200,000 scholarship from Mazda to race next year in the Battery Tender Mazda MX5-Cup Championship. While previous winners have jumped to another series, Dean is going to stay with the MX5-Cup for another season and buy two of the newest version cars that will be used for the series beginning next year.  “The new cars look pretty cool,” Dean said. “They went out when we did for qualifying and the only two drivers faster were Spark and me.”

Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship Title Sick Sideways Racing

The entire Sick Sideways team was strong right from the start, as the team posted the fastest times in both practice sessions and turned around and had the top three qualifying positions for the first race and were 1-2-4 for the second race.  “It was amazing to run 1-2-3 in qualifying and then run 1-2-3 in (Thursday’s) race,” Dean said. “I think that was the first time in the history of the series that has happened.”

Winning on the home track of Atlanta Motorsports Group, whose drivers include Gallagher and Peter Portante, who entered the final two races in fourth place, made the team’s showing this week that much more impressive.  Dean said he wanted to thank Mazda, Battery Tender, SCCA Racing and BF Goodrich for their support of the Battery Tender Mazda MX5-Cup Championship series.  Also, his sponsor’s Bulb Jacket, PPG, Chin Motorsports and Projections Research for all of their help during the season.  “I’m just happy,” Dean said. “I was able to prove to myself that I could go out there and race the way I know I could.”