USERA announced today the addition of a new class for the 2006 USERA Spec Miata Endurance Championship. The new class, designed specifically for the 2006 Mazda MX-5 sports car, will carry the designation "Spec MX-5" (X5) and will permit teams to compete using the latest version of the Mazda MX-5 sports car.

The rules for the Spec MX-5 class have been structured to allow teams with pro and showroom stock versions of the 2006 MX-5 to participate the USERA Endurance Championship. The new class is an addition to the current Spec Miata (SM) class which allows teams and drivers to compete in professional endurance racing events using 1990 through 2005 Mazda Miata sports cars built to "spec" rules.

The Spec MX-5 class will compete separately for event purses and season Team and Driver Championships.

As with the Spec Miata class, the tire rules for the Spec MX-5 class will remain open allowing teams a wide choice of tire options on race weekends. Further announcements concerning tire and other sponsor contingency programs for the Spec MX-5 class will be forthcoming.

The first event which the new Spec MX-5 cars will be eligible to compete will be Round 3 at the famous Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada on May 20, 2006.