Article written by Marty Cmejla

It is with great privilege and honor to welcome up-and-coming iRacer Zayden Cortinas to the MC Motorsports stable FULL-TIME in ASPHALT MEDIA driving the #86 Ford for MC Motorsports. Zayden Cortinas was solid in his first 2 ASPHALT MEDIA starts not being on MC Motorsports, with two Top 20s.

Zayden Cortinas was told by good friends Marty Cmejla and Patrick Connell that if he got the Truck, Atlanta, and Trading Paints Pro, that MC Motorsports would give him a one-off race. He made the ~$47 purchase for these 3 things, and Cmejla cooked up a quick little scheme for him, debuting a new number: #86; to the team. 

Zayden got involved in early trouble and had minimal damage, but due to the chaos of Atlanta Motor Speedway, he was able to stay in it. With cautions coming out, Zayden would get right back up into the field. He would race with teammate Bradley Cmejla for most of the race. Until coming to the white flag, a big wreck happened exiting 4. Luckily, the officials threw the caution flag. Zayden Cortinas had teammate Patrick Connell land on his roof, and unfortunately he would have to use a fast repair.

At this point Marty Cmejla would restart from the lead. Cortinas and Brad Cmejla would start 12th and 13th, and Connell who had only 3 functioning tires would start 17th. The green waved, and when they hit the white flag again, chaos ensued. Former MC Motorsports All-Star driver Casey Bristow spun the outside car of Jim Planey into Cmejla. Cmejla slid to the apron. Unfortuntaely, Nathan McLaughlin was the lucky one to escape. Due to the speed he had, he passed Cmejla and said goodbye. Cmejla ended up 2nd after leading 39 of the 44 laps.

But, in the back, Zayden Cortinas had INCREDIBLE wreck avoidance along with Brad Cmejla to wrap up a podium finish in 3rd for Cortinas, and Brad Cmejla's 3rd-Top 5, just a night after he led 11 of 23 laps at Daytona. Patrick Connell salvaged a solid 12th-place finish with 3 wheels.

Luckily for Marty Cmejla, he had snapped a 59-day winless-streak the race prior at Michigan, so the Atlanta 2nd-place didn't hurt as bad, but it still sucks to lead 89% of the laps and lose.

But, due to Zayden's 3rd-place finish, Marty Cmejla instantly signed him to MC Motorsports FULL-TIME in the #86 in ASPHALT MEDIA. Cortinas doesn't have a lot of cars and tracks, so you won't see him make an appearance often unless funding comes. This race was Zayden's 3rd ASPHALT MEDIA race ever. It's the 2nd best start an MC Motorsports driver has had in a series after their signing, behind Patrick Connell who WON in his first ever ASPHALT MEDIA race with MC Motorsports.