For Release: Tuesday, September 25, 2013

Congratulations to Cal Vandaalen
2013 Toyo Tires Spec Miata Champion
(Halifax, NS):

The Toyo Tires Spec Miata Championship wrapped up their Series on Sunday, September 22 at Atlantic Motorsport Park in Shubenacadie, NS with rounds 13/14/15 of the Championship. The points chase was very tight at the top and series contenders all qualified within 3/10's of a second separation. This definitely showed how competitive this Series has been all year. The Championship excitement went to the finale, where the overall Series Champion was not decided until the final lap.

Cal Vandaalen, Grand Lake, NS finished 4th in the last round to secure the overall Championship with 478 points, despite the hard charging efforts from Bruce McNutt, defending Series Champion, and Cal's father, Blu Vandaalen, 2011 Series Champion. McNutt and the elder Vandaalen actually ended up tied for second with 453 points, however Vandaalen secured more wins than McNutt, therefore securing 2nd place overall with McNutt relinquished to 3rd place overall after the tie-breaker. Competing with a gallant effort all year, the new teammates of Andy Mitchell (Rookie) & Brian Partridge secured 4th place overall, finishing in the points for all 15 races. Long-time competitor, Steve Ellis finished 5th overall. Series newcomer, Brian Bower finished a rock-solid 6th overall. Despite having some difficulties early on in the season, rookie Kevin Sibley clawed back to finish 7th overall. Long-time racer, Aaron Pettipas joined the Series late in the season and managed to collect a couple of wins to secure 8th overall. Scott Giannou finished 9th overall and rounding off the top 10 is rookie, Gerald Caseley Jr.

This year the competition in the Toyo Tires Spec Miata Championship was outstanding as many of the races were decided right at the finish line. The Spec Mazda Miata race car has proven to be the race car of choice for the Atlantic Region. During the 15 Races totaling 225 laps = 576 competition Kilometers, only 2 competitors suffered from DNF's throughout the entire year. That is remarkable statistics for any Road-racing Series.

The Spec Miata Championship Drivers Association would like to thank Toyo Tires Canada for supporting the Toyo Tires Spec Miata Championship. Toyo Tires is committed to be the spec tire of choice for this fantastic Road-racing Series and their Proxes Competition tires operated flawlessly throughout the season. We would also like to thank Mazda Canada & Mazdaspeed for their continued contingency support to this Series, a special thanks goes to the entire Mills Mazda Team for their dedicated support and vision right from the beginning. Thank You to Series Contingency sponsors; Ellis Import Service, Scotia Tire, Dairy Queen and Orange Julius. These companies support local motorsports, and we are proud to be partners with them.

Thank you to all of the Toyo Tires Spec Miata Championship competitors! We hope you all have had an amazing experience competing in this series and look forward to you joining our series once again for 2014.

Awards will be presented at the Atlantic Region Motorsports AGM & Awards Banquet at the Westin Hotel in Halifax on November 16th. The 2014 Toyo Tires Spec Miata Championship promises to be even more exciting as new competitors & sponsors are expected to join the Series. Until then, Congratulations goes out to the 2013 Toyo Tires Spec Miata Champion, Cal Vandaalen. Well done indeed! Cal now has the opportunity to be a potential candidate in the prestigious annual Mazda Club Racer Shootout Competition in California where they will select a winner for the MX-5 Cup Pro Racing Series. Good Luck Cal, in your Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout quest!

Spec Miata Championship Drivers Association

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GT1 - 88 Camaro 1LE/Nissan 200SX
GT2 - 90 CRX/Nissan 200SX
GT3 - 88 CRX/1975 Civic/1997 Acura Integra
GT4 - 93/2000 Mazda Miata
GT5 - 89 Suzuki Swift GTI
GT6 - 86 CRX
ITE - 88 Camaro 1LE
ITA - 89/90 CRX Si
ITB - 85 Civic 1500S/89 Suzuki Swift GTI
ITC - 85/86 Civic
SM - 93/2000 Mazda Miata
Targa NL - 88 CRX Si
Rally Sprint - 95 Del Sol VTEC
Unlimited - All of the above!

Congratulations Cal, and all the other drivers for a job well done.
And to the organizers who are doing a fantastic job of running the show.
Great job everyone!

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"On snow or ice or gravel, we all know that a car will not stop or steer. And yet rally cars do both of these things. That means the whole thing is sorcery, and the people who do the driving must be witches." - Jermy Clarkson.

Where's the 'like' button? I wanna hit the 'like' button!

Great job Cal, well deserved!