Disney has a Mouse, Kellogg's has a Tiger, and if Road & Track had a mascot, it'd probably be a plucky, weather-beaten NA Mazda Miata.
Oh, wait—we do.
That's because the MX-5 is everything that's right about sports cars—a clever, no-frills roadster conquering brute strength with a scant curb weight and well-honed handling characteristics. An ever-astute Jack Baruth points out that this, fundamentally, was the genesis for club racing, and Stevan McAleer of C.J. Wilson Racing has video evidence to prove it.
PHOTOS: 2016 Mazda Miata Prototype Test Mule Spy Shots
After starting from the back of the pack at Sebring International Raceway for last week's Continental Tire Series race, the former MX-5 Cup king surgically dissects a grid of more powerful Porsches and BMWs. Yes, McAleer out-brakes, out-maneuvers, and flat-out embarrasses everything in front of him. When all's said and done, he's picked off 15 cars in a single lap.
At race's end, McAleer and his co-driver managed second in their Street Tuner class, up from a 57th overall starting spot.
READ THIS: Introducing Road & Track's Million-Mile Miata
