Goulart Claims First MX-5 Cup Victory at Mid-Ohio
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – Rookie Ethan Goulart (No. 29 Saito Motorsports Group) showcased exceptional skill in wet conditions to secure his first victory in the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin during round eight on Sunday. The 16-year-old executed a daring three-wide pass on the final lap, edging out Nathan Nicholson (No. 56 Advanced Autosports) and Jeremy Fletcher (No. 22 McCumbee McAleer Racing), who finished second and third, respectively.
The race was defined by treacherous conditions following an overnight rain that persisted into the morning. The challenging weather led to four full-course cautions, limiting the race leader’s ability to create any significant gap.
Initially, polesitter Gresham Wagner (No. 81 Rafa Racing Team by MMR), who finished third in Saturday’s race, led until Tyler Gonzalez (No. 57 BSI Racing) overtook him on lap six. Gonzalez held the lead until Nicholson mounted a challenge, taking over with 15 minutes remaining, only to have his advantage washed away by caution.
At the final restart with under four minutes left, Goulart had advanced from 12th position, drawing on his past rain racing experience. His first attempt to capture the lead nearly put him at risk, as two-time champion Jared Thomas (No. 96 JTR Motorsports Engineering) sped past him.
On the last lap, as Thomas attempted an outside move on Nicholson, Goulart seized the opportunity to dive inside. The trio went through Turn 4 side-by-side, but Goulart’s grip enabled him to pull ahead into Turn 5.
“I knew that line was going to work,” Goulart explained. “When I saw Nathan and Jared touch a little bit, I knew this was my chance, and I made it work.” He held on to the lead to finish just 0.131 seconds ahead of Nicholson.
Goulart’s victory not only marks a significant breakthrough after a season plagued by mechanical issues and penalties but also strengthens his position in the Rookie of the Year standings, with a $80,000 prize at stake from Mazda.
Nicholson expressed mixed feelings on his performance: “I thought my first restart was alright, but I believe I could have broken away without that last caution.” He remains in contention for the championship, which offers a $250,000 reward.
Fletcher, Saturday’s race winner, recovered from a poor start to secure third place, now just 10 points behind the championship leader. “We progressively got faster throughout the race, and I was satisfied to finish strong,” he remarked.
Completing the top five were former Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout winners Nate Cicero (No. 83 McCumbee McAleer Racing) and Westin Workman (No. 13 BSI Racing). Woody Heimann (No. 82 JTR Motorsports Engineering) earned the Takumi Award for drivers over 40 with a ninth-place finish, while teammate Sally Mott (No. 15 JTR Motorsports Engineering) secured the $2,000 prize for the highest finishing female driver, placing 14th.
The Mazda MX-5 Cup will return for rounds nine and ten at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park from July 11-13, with both races streamed live on the RACER YouTube channel.
