“There is nothing after this. I am going out there to win it.”
— Nathan Nicholson, TeamWWF
By Kris Mills, Social Media Coordinator
TeamWWF Driver Ambassador Nathan Nicholson is going all in.
Rounds 13-14 of the Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship will take place at Road Atlanta this week, and Nicholson, who is second in the standings, is not shying away from the pressure of potentially winning the title. Why would he? He knows how hard he has worked to get to this moment.
“Most of the season you are playing the points game. You are just trying to stay in it,” Nicholson said. “There is nothing after this. I am going out there to win it. I want nothing less. I have worked all season to be in this position.”
Nicholson (No. 56 Advanced Autosports) has spent the most time at the top of the standings this season but is currently 50 points behind the leader — Jeremy Fletcher (No. 22 McCumbee McAleer Racing). Oddly enough, Nicholson has not won a race. Instead, consistency has been the name of the game for the Bloomington, Ind. native who finished seventh in the series last season as a rookie.
“It would be pretty special to get my first win and a championship (at Road Atlanta),” Nicholson said. “It has happened before in IMSA, with this points system, the person who won the championship hadn’t won a race. It is definitely unique, consistency really matters.
“If you look back, I probably could have won four races if things went just a little different at the end. Almost every race I executed and almost every race the team executed. Even when we made mistakes, we recovered the best we could from them. Through everything, I am really proud of the team. Hopefully, after the weekend I can still walk away and be proud of myself for how I did.”
Tyler Gonzalez (No. 57 BSI Racing) has won the most races this season (five) but comes into the finale third in the points standings — 100 points behind Nicholson.
Road Atlanta: What to Expect
Nicholson called Road Atlanta a “tricky track.” The 2.54-mile, 12-turn road course is renowned for its demanding layout, which features elevation changes and challenging turns.
“I think it is one of the most historic in sports car racing,” Nicholson said. “It bites hard and is very rhythm-based. The section from Turn 1 all the way until you exit in Turn 5 is non-stop load. You are on the limit of the car the whole time. It has a really long backstretch and is really drafty with our cars. It will be great racing.“
With $250,000 and a potential championship on the line, Nicholson is understandably feeling numerous emotions before the final rounds.
“I am excited for the opportunity. I am a little nervous, but I think that comes with it,” Nicholson said. “Pressure is a privilege, right? Last year, I would have killed to be in this position. So, this year is special. All you can do is put yourself in a position to win in those final two laps.“
Rounds 13-14: How to Watch
Race 1 is set for Thursday at 2:05 p.m. ET. Race 2 will be on Friday at 9:30 a.m. ET. Below are the YouTube links for each race:
Race 1: www.youtube.com/live/I63pCUCiC4s?si=QBDfknaVrmjELMNn
Race 2: www.youtube.com/live/GMH5qVrW08I?si=jmZ8pMSGHAR3TS7t
Don’t forget to follow our TeamWWF social media platforms for updates.
Photos courtesy of Nathan Nicholson Racing © 2025. Used by permission for editorial.
