McCumbee & McAleer Head New Team ModSpace Motorsports in MX-5 Cup

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North Carolina’s Chad McCumbee will join forces with 2012 Playboy MX-5 Cup Champion Stevan McAleer to create a new racing team set to take on the 2015 MX-5 Cup by storm.  The new team will be named McCumbee McAleer Racing (MMR), but representing their partner, they will compete in the Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship as ModSpace Motorsports.

Based in McCumbee’s hometown of Supply, North Carolina, MMR features what is one of the most competitive driver pairings in North American road racing.  McCumbee (30) is a former stock car driver with four years of experience in the NASCAR Camping World Truck and Sprint Cup Series, and recently moved into the world of sports car racing, driving for Mazda. His first ever sports car race took place the same weekend as McAleer’s, in the 2012 Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, where Stevan would go on to win the Championship that year under CJ Wilson Racing. During the past few seasons, Stevan has been a first-hand witness to McCumbee’s rapid transition to road racing. 

“He has completed this transition into sports cars unbelievably, with a number of pole positions and running up front in the IMSA Continental Tire Series,” said McAleer. “I am very happy to have him as a team mate for the second year running.”

A resident of Cold Spring, New York, McAleer (30) is a native of Glasgow, Scotland who won the 2012 MX5 Playboy Club Championship with CJ Wilson Racing in dominating fashion. The 4-time Scottish Open karting champion was again at the wheel of an MX-5 in 2013 and 2014.  Competing in the IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Championship with CJ Wilson Racing and ModSpace Motorsports, Stevan has forged a reputation for sheer speed and precise aggressiveness. 

Last year, McAleer joined McCumbee in the ModSpace Motorsports MX-5, and the combination proved to be extremely competitive in the IMSA Continental Tire Series with a string of podium finishes at Sebring, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Lime Rock Park and Watkins Glen in the Street Tuner division. 

“ModSpace is proud to be aligned this year with MMR and Mazda,” stated William Mann, Vice President of Motorsports for ModSpace.  “This year marks the fourth season that ModSpace and Mazda have partnered in the Mazda MX-5 Cup series.  However, this is an exciting new venture for Chad (McCumbee) and Stevan (McAleer) as owners.  As team owners, this is a great opportunity for these drivers to pass along their knowledge to other young competitors coming up through the ranks.  Chad and Stevan are demonstrating that there is no limit to what you can achieve when you are dedicated and committed to this industry.  ModSpace knows that with their racing and business experience, they will be a winning team.  Our organization is excited to be a part of it.”

With an already successful chemistry, McCumbee hopes that the creation of McCumbee McAleer Racing will prove to be the right catalyst.

“This is an unbelievable opportunity to be teamed with Stevan, not only as co-drivers, but now as business partners,” he said. “As different as our career paths have been, it has created a very successful combination on the track and I see nothing but positives in our ownership roles. Since my move from professional stock car racing into sports cars, I have always been behind the wheel of a Mazda. The chance to become a larger part of the Mazda family is a very exciting opportunity.” 

“This will be a new step for Chad and myself starting off this new team and the start of another journey for ModSpace Motorsports,” said MX-5 veteran McAleer.

MMR will be ready for action this March 18th at Sebring, for the opening round of the SCCA Pro Racing Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup. Full website and social media to come soon.

Adam Sinclair
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