Goring won the inaugural MAZDASPEED Skip Barber division race held along with the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup race Saturday in an epic, hard-fought duel. The thrilling race-within-a-race was decided in a three-wide photo finish between the two-time National Champion Goring, and Skip Barber MX5 veterans Angelo Dinkov and Tyler Cooke.

The Skip Barber Race Series furnished the cars for the race, and notes that “each Mazda MX-5 Cup car is built by the Skip Barber team, with specifications closely matched to those of the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Series. Skip Barber professionals conduct all the testing and equalization.”

Apart from this week’s practice at Homestead, Goring had never driven any Mazda MX5 in competition before today, making the win all that more significant. Like a singer who can “even sing the phone book and make it sound great,” Goring once again demonstrated that he has the innate talent to be competitive in any type of racing, with any type of car. Goring also owes his win to the help and support of some critical last-minute sponsorship, which made the trip possible.

Starting third, Goring stayed with Dinkov and Cooke nose-to-tail, getting up to first, then swapping the lead numerous times, and the race was not decided until the last few feet of the last lap, when Goring used the draft to just nip ahead over the start-finish line, in a remarkable race that stayed green for the whole 45 minutes. After the race, Goring said he had to fight every step of the way to take the win but it was the most fun he has had in a race car in a long time.

Goring has been working hard to secure a sponsored drive ever since winning the 2008 IMSA Lites Championship when the global recession hit, and the difficult economy has been as tough on him as it has been for many other well-qualified racers. If Jonathan can obtain the sponsorship he needs and deserves, though, watch for him to be a serious contender in any event he enters.

Goring has been working hard ever since winning the 2008 IMSA Lites Championship to secure a sponsored drive, but the difficult economy has been as tough on him as it has been for many other well-qualified racers. In the meantime, he has concentrated on an intensive fitness program as well as occasional guest drives to keep his skills sharp. In addition to coaching other drivers, Jonathan seizes every opportunity to get on the track, while actively pursuing sponsorship packages. He remains serious and focused, despite adversity, to pursue a career in Grand-Am, ALMS or other premier series and he certainly has the talent, ambition and resume to reach that goal. With a very grateful thanks to his sponsors, he was able to field an entry in this year’s inaugural MX5 cup race at Homestead.

Jonathan was introduced to racing at Lime Rock literally before he could walk. Raised in a family of racers, he grew up surrounded by cars and immersed in racing history. As with most competitors, he began karting at age ten, winning nine championships and multiple National WKA events. Switching to Skip Barber formula cars at age fourteen, he went on to win their National Championship in 2006. He went on to compete in the Star Mazda Pro and IMSA events, winning the IMSA Lites Championship for Comprent Motorsports in 2008. He was on pole for all twelve races of that series, shattered track records at every track including Mosport and Road Atlanta, and convincingly clinched both the team and driver championship even before the final race. More recently, he has competed in and won races at Lime Rock, and was an official spotter of the SpeedSource Mazda team that won the 2010 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona GT class.

To summarize, in four years of national caliber competition, his statistics show 43% races won, 50% pole rate, and 61% podium finishes. In addition to his behind-the-wheel talent, Jonathan is a gifted instructor and talented coach. Before becoming a staff member of the Lime Rock Club, he had five years experience as an instructor for Skip Barber and has had numerous private coaching clients throughout the country.

If Jonathan can obtain the sponsorship he needs and deserves, watch for him to be a serious contender in any event he enters.