Mazda has announced the 2018 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires schedule. The schedule features four INDYCAR weekends, including a return to the popular Portland International Raceway, in Portland, Oregon, for the first time since 2008. The championship season will conclude in October at the Monticello Motor Club, just 90 minutes from New York City.

Each of the six weekends features two 45-minute races for a 12-race championship. The MX-5 Cup champion earns a $200,000 Mazda Road to 24 (MRT24) Scholarship. The Rookie-of-the-Year will earn a $75,000 MRT24 scholarship, making this the best value in sports car racing.

There will also be a pre-season “Spring Training” in conjunction with the Mazda Road to Indy at Barber Motorsports Park on March 3-4.

David Cook, business development manager, Mazda Motorsports, noted that: “Our racers want bucket-list tracks, relatively short race weekends, and events spread apart by a few weeks since many also have very demanding professional non-motorsports career schedules. The 2018 schedule includes six tracks that meet these criteria. This will be our third season with the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup car and we will continue to add elements to bring more value to the racers, teams, and fans. We are working on details for a master’s class championship to be announced in the weeks ahead.”