The Contenders: John Dean

John Dean II is no stranger to winning and has made a name for himself in MX -5 Cup. Dean is the winningest driver in the series and has been on the podium more times than any other driver, holding many of the track records. He has the record for most poles and has finished four of four championships in the top three, including his 2015 championship win, which earned him the $200,000 Mazda scholarship allowed him to expand the cars running for his team Sick Sideways this year.

This year, he continues to make his stamp on the series as he currently sits in fifth of the championship points while his teammate Nathanial "Sparky" Sparks leads. Despite being on the podium 6 times this season, Dean II had some unfortunate penalties at Watkins Glen and VIRginia International Raceway that would cause him to fall back in the championship hunt; however, don't count him out. John Dean II's natural speed, mechanical knowledge, years spent as a test driver, and his more than a decade of involvement and experience as a Skip Barber Racing School instructor, give him a skill set few can match.

Entering the finale, Dean's goals are simple: "My goals remain the same for 2016: Sick Sideways to win the MX-5 Cup championship; have all our team members achieve or exceed their personal goals; continuously improve upon our core competencies to provide the value our partners seek; and finally, build Sick Sideways into a well-known Mazda racing team across multiple series."