Meet the Contenders: Matt Machiko

Matt Machiko of Machiko Motorsports Development is one of eight contenders headed to NOLA Motorsports Park to compete for the $100,000 Mazda Road to 24 (MRT24) scholarship next week. The winner will compete in the 2017 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires, sanctioned by IndyCar.From an early age Machiko raced karts near his family's residence in Pittsburgh, Pa where he captured three championship titles right out of the gate. Machiko's second title earned him his first test drive in a Pro Mazda at the age of 16, which jump-started his career in SCCA competition. Matt went on to shatter a long-standing track record at his driver school before capturing his first divisional championship title.Between 2009 and 2013 Machiko completed dual degrees in Finance and Economics at Penn State while continuing to garner top results in SCCA sports racing and F2000 competition. His belief was that in order to deliver a well-rounded, top-quality marketing product, he would have to be talented on the track and have an even more refined business acumen off of the track.