--- title: "The Mazda MX-5 Cup Is Getting the ‘Drive to Survive’ Treatment " date: "2025-03-01" modified: "2025-03-01" authors: - name: "Beverly Braga" job_title: "Weekend Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/beverly-braga" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/the-mazda-mx-5-cup-is-getting-the-drive-to-survive-treatment" categories: - "Mazda News" - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Racing" tags: - "Convertible" - "mazda" - "mx-5" - "sports car" --- # The Mazda MX-5 Cup Is Getting the ‘Drive to Survive’ Treatment  ![First to the Finish—a New Docuseries Focused on the Relentless Pursuit of the MX-5 Cup Championship—Will Premiere March 25 on Prime Video]() *Mazda* The beloved [Mazda]() MX-5 is getting its own reality TV show. From the producers of *Welcome to Wrexham* and *Cheer* comes *First to the Finish*, a new original series about the longstanding MX-5 Cup. Yep, Miata racing is getting the *Drive to Survive* treatment. *First to the Finish* will focus on three protagonists sharing their behind-the-scenes POV of the 2024 championship: two drivers, rookie Sally Mott and second-year Heather Hadley, along with team owner Shea Holbrook of BSI Racing. As if the stress of racing weren't enough, Hadley is also juggling college life as a senior at UNC-Charlotte while Mott, a recent high school grad, has gone all-in with her racing career (i.e., no backup plan—racing is life). Although we're not talking about [$100 million salaries]() like that of Ferrari's [Lewis Hamilton]() or [Formula One]()-level speeds that [exceed 200 mph](), the stakes are no less important to those competing in the MX-5 Cup. As an [IMSA]() sanctioned series, every road race is streamed and available globally. That means the eyes of pro teams watch your every turn, corner, pass, and spin. Hey, it's racing. It's gonna happen. Either way, that's a lot of pressure for anyone, especially teenagers. When the [MX-5 Cup]() debuted in 2006 as a replacement for the two-division Miata Cup, there were 22 up-and-coming racers on the grid. Since then, the single-make series has paid out millions in scholarship and prize money as well as developed scores of young drivers into furthering their professional racing careers. Currently, more than $1.2 million is awarded annually to MX-5 Cup drivers, including a $250,000 prize payout to the season champion. A compelling fact gleaned from the [show's trailer]() is that no woman has ever won the MX-5 Cup Championship, though several have placed in the top 10. In 2020, Savanna Little became the [first woman to win the MX-5 Cup Shootout](), which earned her a spot to compete in the Cup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVT-O7QDQg8 *First to the Finish* will premiere on March 25 on Prime Video. ## Author Born and raised in Hawaii, Beverly has been a prolific and published creative writer since her teens. As a contributor to The Drive, Beverly covers the weekend shift, blogging about all things automotive, mobility, transportation, and topics in-between. Currently a digital nomad, Beverly's only constant is her car, a second-generation Mazdaspeed3. Even though she's never in one place for too long, her hot hatch always feels like home. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()