Gallagher secures $200,000 MX-5 Cup crown

The Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires staged two thrilling races at Watkins Glen International on Saturday. With 15 lead changes among seven drivers, over 400 passes for position, some mid-race rain, two different race winners, and the crowning of a new champion, the penultimate weekend of the championship season was an unforgettable one.

Claiming his sixth Mazda MX-5 Cup race victory of the season in Race 1 and backing that up with a run to fifth in Race 2 allowed Patrick Gallagher (No. 29 McCumbee McAleer Racing) to clinch the 2017 Global Mazda MX-5 Cup championship and the $200,000 Mazda scholarship that accompanies it, with two races remaining.

"Ultimately, our goal when we started the year with this ModSpace crew was to go out and win a championship, and we secured that today," said Gallagher, who dedicated his race the win to his Aunt Mary Ellen Gallagher and friend Chris Patrick, both of whom he lost recently. "Thanks to ModSpace, Howard Concrete Pumping and Mazda for giving us a chance to win $200,000. On top of that we have the Global Challenge in October to win another $75,000. Mazda does so much for this sport and so much for guys like me. Half the guys in IndyCar or Indy Lights have won scholarships and wouldn't have gotten some opportunities if it hadn't been for Mazda. Hats off to John Doonan and everyone at Mazda."

After scoring six wins and not finishing off the podium all season long, the run to fifth place marked the worst result of the season for Gallagher, but he was more focused on the big picture.