Turbo Miata wearing Beetle hat pulls off repeat $2000 Challenge win
Go as fast as possible without spending more than $2000. Impossible? No, but it is a challenge–a $2000 Challenge, to be exact.
Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida, once again hosted our Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge presented by Tire Rack, Powered by AutoBidMaster and Built by Carlyle Tools, which saw teams race their low-dollar creations in autocross and drag racing sessions, as well as attempt to impress our judges in a concours-style judged show.
And the entrant that out-autocrossed, out-drag raced and out-concoursed the competition? Derek Penner, who returned with an improved version of an already-wild Mazda Miata wearing a Volkswagen Beetle as a hat.
For his efforts, Derek Penner won our biggest trophy and a $1000 gift card from Tire Rack.
2026 Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge results:
Overall
1st Overall – Biggest trophy and a $1000 Tire Rack gift card: Derek Penner, 1970 Volkswagen Beetle
2nd Overall – Bigger trophy and a $500 Tire Rack gift card: Wreck Racing, 1986 Dodge Conquest TSi
3rd Overall – Big trophy and $250 Tire Rack gift card: Jonathan Whitaker, 2001 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
GTN$ Winner – Trophy and a $250 Grassroots Motorsports Store gift card: Colin Sorensen, 2004 Mazda RX-8
GTW$ Winner – Trophy and a $250 Grassroots Motorsports Store gift card: Rob Rabenstein, 2004 Mazda RX-8
GTU$ Winner – Trophy and a $250 Grassroots Motorsports Store gift card: Derek Penner, 1970 Volkswagen Beetle
Autocross
GTN
1st Place – $500 Tire Rack gift card: Dene Schulze-Alva, 2013 Mazda Miata Club
2nd Place – Trophy: Gabriel Londres, 2008 Volkswagen GTI
3rd Place – Trophy: Robbie Cutcliffe, 1981 Fiat X1/9
GTN$
1st Place – $500 Tire Rack gift card: Colin Sorensen, 2004 Mazda RX-8
2nd Place – Trophy: Motorsports At UAH, 1999 Nissan Sentra
3rd Place – Trophy: Michael Crawford, 2014 Ford Fiesta ST
GTW
1st Place – $500 Tire Rack gift card: Dan Simionescu, 2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata
2nd Place – Trophy: Brad Alderman, 2020 Mazda Miata
3rd Place – Trophy: Beau Beery, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata
GTW$
1st Place – $500 Tire Rack gift card: Rob Rabenstein, 2004 Mazda RX-8
2nd Place – Trophy: Matthew Stively, 1991 Chevrolet S10
3rd Place – Trophy: John Sommersdorf, 1998 Ford Mustang
GTU
1st Place – $500 Tire Rack gift card: Nick Dunlap, Oscar
2nd Place – Trophy: Caitlin Dunlap, Oscar
3rd Place – Trophy: Aaron Politsky, 2008 Chevrolet Z06
GTU$
1st Place – $500 Tire Rack gift card: Derek Penner, 1970 Volkswagen Beetle
2nd Place – Trophy: Wreck Racing, 1986 Dodge Conquest TSi
3rd Place – Trophy: Jonathan Whitaker, 2001 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Drag Racing
GTN
1st Place – Trophy: Max Tannenbaum, 1990 Hyundai Sonata
GTW
1st Place – Trophy: Dante Dimenichi, 1985 Buick Regal
GTU
1st Place – Trophy: Kyle Cox, 2021 Ford Mustang GT500
GTN$
1st Place - Trophy and a $250 Grassroots Motorsports Store Gift Card: Kyle Cox, 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
2nd Place – Trophy: Motorsports At UAH, 1999 Nissan Sentra
3rd Place – Trophy: Charles Graham, 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII
GTW$
1st Place – Trophy and $250 Grassroots Motorsports Store Gift Card: Matthew Stively, 1991 Chevrolet S10
2nd Place – Trophy: John Sommersdorf, 1998 Ford Mustang
3rd Place – Trophy: Anthony Vallancourt, 1993 Nissan 240SX
GTU$
1st Place - Trophy and a $250 Grassroots Motorsports Store Gift Card: Bandit Willoughby, 2004 Ford Mustang
2nd Place – Trophy: Matt Maulfair, 2002 Ford Mustang NASA Edition
3rd Place – Trophy: Jonathan Whitaker, 2001 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Drag Racing Special Awards:
The quickest car competing in an over-budget class – Trophy and a prize from BendPak: Kyle Cox, 2021 Ford Mustang GT500 (8.859)
The quickest car competing in a budget-limited class – trophy and a $500 cash prize from Knight’s Automotive: Bandit Willoughby, 2004 Ford Mustang (9.342)
Concours
GTN$
1st Place – Trophy and a CRC SmartWasher BenchtopPRO Kit from CRC Industries: Colin Sorensen, 2004 Mazda RX-8
2nd Place – Trophy and a $100 Gas Card from CRC Industries: Michael Crawford, 2014 Ford Fiesta ST
3rd Place – Trophy and a case of assorted products from CRC Industries: Alan Lani, 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser
GTW$
1st Place – Trophy and a CRC SmartWasher BenchtopPRO Kit from CRC Industries: Daniel Cummings, 2006 Mazda 5
2nd Place – Trophy and a $100 Gas Card from CRC Industries: Rob Rabenstein, 2004 Mazda RX-8
3rd Place – Trophy and a case of assorted products from CRC Industries: Ray Ferreira, Nissan 350Z Champ Car
GTU$
1st Place – Trophy and a CRC SmartWasher BenchtopPRO Kit from CRC Industries: Derek Penner, 1970 Volkswagen Beetle
2nd Place – Trophy and a $100 Gas Card from CRC Industries: Wreck Racing, 1986 Dodge Conquest TSi
3rd Place – Trophy and a case of assorted products from CRC Industries: Patrick Caherty, 1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza
Special Awards
Challenger’s Choice – Trophy and a $500 Tire Rack gift card: Trigonia Racing, 2002 Ford Mustang NASA Edition
Fastest Dynamic Time – Trophy and a Tier 1 Membership from AutoBidMaster: Derek Penner, 1970 Volkswagen Beetle
Highest Scoring $1000 Budget Car – Trophy and $250 Grassroots Motorsports Store Gift Card: Michael Crawford, 2014 Ford Fiesta ST
Editor’s Choice – Trophy and a $250 Grassroots Motorsports Store gift card: Night Owl Racing, 1959 Autobianchi Bianchina Transformabile
Fastest Student Team – Trophy and a stocked tool cart from Carlyle Tools valued at over $5500: Wreck Racing, 1986 Dodge Conquest TSi
Fastest FSAE Team – Trophy and a $250 Grassroots Motorsports Store gift card: ERAU Motorsports, 2026 FSAE ER-X
Look for full coverage of the $2000 Challenge in an upcoming issue of Grassroots Motorsports. Visit 2000challenge.com for future updates.
The Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge is presented by Tire Rack, powered by Autobidmaster and built by Carlyle Tools, in Association with CRC Industries, Knight's Automotive and BendPak.