Shift Up Now Athletes Sally Mott and Ashlyn Speed had a weekend to celebrate with impressive performances, each earning the “Top Finishing Female” award - Speed on Saturday and Mott on Sunday - in rounds nine and ten of the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin, at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Mosport) on July 11-13, 2025.
Driving the No. 31 Whelen Engineering entry for Hendricks Motorsport, Speed was the 2025 MX-5 Cup Women’s Initiative Scholarship winner.
Mott, who was last year’s scholarship recipient, piloted the No. 15 Iron Dames livery for JTR Engineering and is supported by Collision Careers. She was anxious to return to Mosport, where she had a breakthrough weekend in 2024, earning her first top-ten finish in the series.
The race weekend began on Friday with two practice sessions on the 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course. Mott immediately set the bar high, running tenth in the first session among an ultra- competitive field. She looked to repeat for the second session but a slow puncture hampered her outing. Meanwhile Speed, in her first outing on the Canadian track, made progress in both sessions as she learned yet another track in her rookie season.
A short, 15-minute qualifying session took place on Saturday morning under strict policies from the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) designed to prevent unfair tow advantages. Despite cars shuffling throughout the pack, Mott found herself in a good spot in traffic with just a few minutes left on the clock. She posted two fast times, putting her in the top ten for both races - her best qualifying performance to date in Mazda MX-5 Cup.
Speed also had one of her best qualifying sessions of the season, and would start races one and two inside the top 20.
Later that day, Mott was lined up on the outside of tow three, with Speed on the inside of row 10, for the start of race one. After one pace lap, the field ran side by side for the green flag, then fanned out to three-wide heading into turn one.
Just past the corner entry into turn five, Mott’s car took a direct hit to the right rear. She managed to save it but lost all momentum, getting passed on both sides through the center and exit of the corner. The contact also resulted in difficult handling, which became even trickier with rubbered-in track conditions. Mott noted that it felt like all four corners were flat- spotted.
Meanwhile, Speed continued to battle for position as the next car behind the lead pack.
With 15 minutes remaining in the 45-minute race, a full-course yellow emerged for a stopped car on track. Cleanup left only two minutes in the competition, and the field closed up for a green-white-checkered sprint to the finish line.
Mott and Speed were together sat the bar, of the lead pack, battling each other for the Top Finishing Female award. First, Speed passed Mott before Mott passed back on the final lap, putting herself back into the top 15. However, the move set up Speed heading into the final corner, allowing her to make the pass for her best MX-5 Cup finish yet, and earning the Top Finishing Female award by less than one-tenth of a second.
“This was definitely one of my best, if not my best, race performances yet in my debut Mazda MX-5 Cup season,” said Speed. “I was so excited to be racing with Sally to the checkers that I actually missed a shift! But thankfully this time, it worked out. I love the competition this series provides and how much I’m learning. I can’t thank Hendricks Motorsport enough for the great car they always give me.”
On Sunday morning, Mott started race two from the outside of row four, with Speed on the outside of row 10.
An incident on the formation lap added another pace lap before the green flag. Once again, the field ran two-by-two for the start, then fanning out to three-wide. This time, Mott capitalized with a stronger start. She was only shuffled back minimally, but kept her car clean and in the lead pack of 20 cars, with Speed on the tail end.
Approximately 15 minutes into the race, a full-course yellow emerged for a car in the wall, calling for track repair. With 20 minutes remaining in the competition, the pack was closed up for the restart. Mott was 15th and Speed 19th.
The restart was clean, but dark skies threatened to bring inclement weather. As the field began to separate into two packs, Mott tucked in directly behind the car ahead so they could dump- draft their way back to the tail of the lead pack. Their efforts were successful, creating one pack again, with Mott in 14th.
With 10 minutes to go, contact near the front bunched up the field. Mott read the situation well, using the opportunity to advance another spot. She then passed another slowing car and moved into 12th.
When lightening brought out the red flag with five minutes remaining, the current running order was locked in. Mott finished 12th and earned the Top Finishing Female award, with Speed in 18th.
“I’m super happy with my pace this weekend,” said Mott.” I feel like I’ve definitely taken a step forward - top ten in practice and my best qualifying yet, starting P6. My confidence in the car
and myself is growing every weekend. But I also learned a lot. Racing mid-pack is one thing; racing at the front is another. You have to be more assertive - more of a force of nature. The weekend showed that the pace is there. Now it’s about sharpening my race craft and experience up front.”
Next up, the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Series heads to Alton, VA for rounds 11 and 12 of the championship, at VIRginia International Raceway on August 22-24, 2025.
