Claiming the championship in 2019, Copeland Motorsports in returning to the Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich in 2021 with the same goal in mind. Entering five drivers including rookies, veterans and that 2019 champion, the elite level Mazda MX-5 Cup program will hit the track Wednesday for their first event in a new season of competition.
“We are super excited about the 2021 race season as I personally feel we have established a strong driver lineup across all of our programs,” explained Dean Copeland. “We have fast rookies that have just moved from karting to cars as well as more experienced drivers and of course, the 2019 champion has returned for another year of competition. We look forward to racing wheel-to-wheel with our competitors and climbing to the highest step on the podium when it is all said and done.”
Headlining the Copeland Motorsports Mazda MX-5 Cup driver lineup will be Bryan Ortiz. Ortiz, who was the 2019 series champion, has returned to Copeland Motorsports and will help lead a crop of drivers. Luca Mars, multi-time national karting champion, and Joey Atanasio, multi-time kart and car podium winner, will look to learn from Ortiz as they fight it out for Rookie of the Year honors, podium results and race wins. Peter Atwater and Dan Williams will also compete under the Copeland Motorsports banner in a five-driver strong team as they kick off their campaigns at the Daytona International Speedway.
Copeland added, “We have our goals set high. We have experienced what it is like to win both a championship and the Rookie of the Year in Mazda MX-5 Cup competition, and we will be looking to do that again. We have the equipment, crew and drivers to get it done and now it is time to execute and see what 2021 brings us.”
With the first event taking place January 28-29 at the famed Daytona International Speedway, drivers will hit the track on Wednesday for their first official session of the 2021 season. With one practice session at 3:00pm, the five-driver squad will return on Thursday the 28th for practice two at 9:00am before qualifying and the first wheel-to-wheel action of the weekend roll off at 12:25pm and 5:00pm. The second and final race of the weekend will take the green flag on Friday, January 29th at 10:15am. Stay tuned to the Copeland Motorsports social media channels for news, information, photos and results from the event.
Photo Credit: Copeland Motorsports