March Madness Begins For Mazda Motorsports

Circuit of the Americas features a 251 feet (77 m) observation tower designed by Miró Rivera Architects and built by Patriot Erectors as a landmark for the venue. All racers have come away impressed, after their first laps, with the Circuit of The Americas, a 3.4-mile facility built to host Formula One and other major events. Image Credit: Grand Am

Circuit of the Americas features a 251 feet (77 m) observation tower designed by Miró Rivera Architects and built by Patriot Erectors as a landmark for the venue. All racers have come away impressed, after their first laps, with the Circuit of The Americas, a 3.4-mile facility built to host Formula One and other major events. Image Credit: Grand Am

GRAND-AM Road Racing teams got their first look at America’s newest motorsports venue on Thursday with unofficial testing for Saturday’s GRAND-AM of The Americas presented by GAINSCO and TOTAL.

They came away impressed with the Circuit of The Americas, a 3.4-mile facility built to host Formula One and other major events.

- See more at: http://www.grand-am.com/News/GA_News/tabid/141/Article/53285/starworks-fords-fastest-at-circuit-of-the-americas-test-day.aspx?cid=6383&sid=1#sthash.J52i92ur.dpuf

March Madness Begins For Mazda Motorsports

With 15 races run in seven supported series taking place at three different race tracks located in two different states in only one month, Mazda is ramping up the 2013 professional racing season with their usual hectic month of March.

Starting with races on March 1st in Austin, Texas, before going on to overseeing two busy weekends in Florida, at Mazda Motorsports racing is not just a single series, but the majority of all sports car and open wheel road-racing classes in North America.  2013 highlights on the professional level will include:

There has never been a four-door diesel sedan in the Grand-Am series, until now: The blunt, bewinged grille of the Mazda6GX has blown right through that wall. It's said that racing improves the breed, but usually the breed has gone on sale when the racing begins. One of the unusual aspects of the Mazda6 GX, on the other hand, is that while the diesel won't go on sale to the public until later this year, it will already have tasted racing blood by the end of the day. Caption & Image Credit: Jonathon Ramsey/autoblog (2013)

GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series (GRAND-AM)

The GRAND-AM Championship will be the first professional series other than Formula 1 to headline at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The SpeedSource Engineering team will have a pair of totally new technology SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel powered Mazda6s competing in the new for 2013 GX class on Saturday, March 2nd. Twitter Hashtag - #COTAGA

The MAZDASPEED3 and MX-5s compete in the ST class of the Grand Am Continental Tire Challenge. Image Credit: MAZDASPEED

GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC)

Supporting GRAND-AM in Austin will be the fiercely competitive ‘Conti’ (for Continental Tires) series. At least a half dozen Mazdas from Freedom Autosport, i-Moto Racing, and CJ Wilson Racing will be challenging for the ST Class win in Austin. Twitter Hashtag - #COTAGA

Dyson Racing is celebrating its thirtieth year in professional sports car racing this year. It is fitting that long-time Dyson Racing driver, Butch Leitzinger, will be joining Chris Dyson and Guy Smith in the #16 Thetford/Norcold entry for the sixty-first annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring on March 16th. Caption & Image Credit: Dyson Racing

American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón (ALMS)

With its race starting in Florida, the final American Le Mans Series (as ALMS becomes merged with Grand Am Series) season will kick-off with the 61st Mobil-1 12 Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 16th. Dyson Racing will be returning to the series with their Mazda MZR-R-powered Lola. This is the same car that scored the ALMS LMP1 class win at the 2012 Sebring race.

The SCCA Pro Racing Mazda MX-5 Cup season got it’s unofficial start Feb.11, 2013 at Sebring International Raceway, with a number of teams and drivers gathered at the series’ official test session for two days on Monday and Tuesday. Caption & Image Credit Weber Photo via MX-5 Cup

SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup (MX-5 Cup)

The seventh season of MX-5 Cup competition will begin at Sebring. Joining the MX-5 Cup Championship for the second year will be a MAZDASPEED Challenge class for racers from the Skip Barber Racing School.

The Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires will debut in 2013 as a new series, replacing the Star Mazda Championship which ceased operation in 2012 after 22 years. The series is sanctioned by INDYCAR and owned and operated by Andersen Promotions. It is the second official step on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system with the series' champion awarded a scholarship package from Mazda to advance to Firestone Indy Lights competition the following year. Caption & Image Credit: Pro Mazda

Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires (Pro Mazda)

The Cooper Tires Pro Mazda Championship takes off where the Star Mazda Championship ended in 2012, as the linchpin in the Mazda Road to Indy (MRTI). The rotary-powered Pro Mazda racers will complete a double-header at the new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on March 1st/2nd before heading to the streets of St. Petersburg on March 23rd/24th. Twitter Hashtag - #COTAGA

Drivers today have a clearly defined ladder system as they aspire to reach the top echelons of the sport and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda represents the first official step on the Mazda Road to Indy. Caption & Image Credit: USF2000

Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship Powered By Mazda (USF2000)

The USF2000 Championship kicks off their season at Sebring on March 14th/15th, before joining up with the other MRTI series in St. Petersburg.  

The Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship Powered by Mazda was developed to support the American Le Mans series, one of the premier prototype and GT endurance racing series in the world. The series features global race car constructors Élan Motorsport Technologies and West Race Cars and offers racers from around the world the opportunity to compete at historic venues like Sebring International Raceway, Road Atlanta and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Caption & Image Credit: Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship Powered by Mazda

Cooper Tires IMSA Prototype Lites Powered By Mazda (IMSA Lites)

The IMSA Lites Championship kicks off their season at Sebring on March 14th/15th with a double-header.
(ht: MAZDA Motorsports)

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Lotus Honored At 4th Motor Sport Magazine Hall of Fame Event

Sir Jackie Stewart, Clive Chapman and Jackie Oliver at the Motor Sport Magazine event. Image Credit: lotuscars.com

Lotus Honored At 4th Motor Sport Magazine Hall of Fame Event

Colin Chapman CBE, the Lotus founder and engineer was recognized for his contribution to the automotive and motorsport industry at the 2013 Motor Sport Magazine Hall of Fame annual inauguration event, attended by Colin’s son and Classic Team Lotus founder, Clive Chapman.

The inaugural Motor Sport Hall of Fame evening took place in February 2010. Damien Smith, Motor Sports magazine’s editor, first came up with the idea, and it celebrated its fourth year at Covent Garden’s historic Royal Opera House – a suitably grand venue to honor some of racing’s greatest names.

The motorsport glitterati attended the star-studded evening honoring Mr. Chapman and Lotus where this outstanding engineer and visionary, who became known for his technical innovations and Formula 1 ‘firsts’, was celebrated.

Driven initially by his desire for motor racing, Colin Chapman built his first racing car in 1948 in a garage belonging to his girlfriend’s father. Now, over 60 years later Lotus has become both a class-leading manufacturer of desired sports cars and a globally respected automotive engineering consultancy. Team Lotus, the racing team Chapman formed went onto win seven Formula One Constructor’s Championships and six Drivers’ Championship titles. Today, the Lotus name in F1® has competed in over 500 Grand Prix races and had 80 Grand Prix wins. The 80th win was scooped last season when Lotus F1® driver Kimi Räikkönen stormed to victory during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Chapman’s genius saw him exploit engineering principles, applying them in new and innovative ways that would give his team the competitive edge on the circuit. Whilst a few of the innovations were banned, others went onto revolutionize the sport and still underpin F1® today.

The first Formula 1 race car to introduce managed airflow under the car and ground effects – Lotus Type 78 in 1977 driven by Mario Andretti. Image Credit: neilgrocock.deviantart.com

Lotus List of Firsts..

• First to use a sequential transmission in F1, Lotus Type 12 in 1957
• First to use reclining driving position – Lotus Type 21 in 1961
• First to put the spring damper units inboard for improved aerodynamics on the Lotus Type 21 1961
• First to use a fully stressed monocoque chassis – Lotus Type 25 in 1962
• First to introduce aircraft style bag tanks for fuel (big safety improvement) Lotus Type 25 1962
• First to “mould” the car precisely to the driver size and shape – Lotus Type 25 in 1962
• First to successfully use the engine as a structural member – Lotus Type 43 in 1966
• First in F1® to use full sponsors colour schemes – Lotus Type 49 in 1968
• First in F1® to use a wedge shape front – Lotus Type 63 in 1969
• First in F1® to use side mounted radiators – Lotus Type 72 in 1970
• First to use a multi-element rear wing – Lotus Type 72 in 1970
• First to introduce left foot braking and automatic clutch operation to F1 with the "four • pedal" Type 76 in 1974
• First to manage airflow under the car including ground effects – Lotus Type 78 in 1977
• First to introduced the concept of a rear diffuser on the Lotus Type 80 in 1979.
• First to design a carbon fibre monocoque – Lotus Type 88 in 1981
• First to use twin chassis – Lotus Type 88 in 1981
• First to use active suspension – Lotus Type 92 in 1983
• First to use aerodynamic bargeboards – Lotus Type 97T in 1985

This great accolade sees Colin Chapman alongside other 2013 hall of fame inductees Niki Lauda, Damon Hill OBE, Graham Hill OBE, and Tom Kristensen join other similarly revered motorsport greats.

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** Article first published as Lotus Honored At 4th Motor Sport Magazine Hall of Fame Event on Technorati **

Seven Questions With ALMS Extreme Speed Motorsports P2's Guy Cosmo

Scott Sharp is moving his Extreme Speed Motorsports Tequila Patron team up to P2 Honda Performance Development from GT Class with Ferrari F458 Italia for 2013 with co-drivers Guy Cosmo, Johannes van overbeek and Ed Brown. Image Credit: ESM

Seven Questions With ALMS Extreme Speed Motorsports P2's Guy Cosmo

Guy Cosmo, co-driver of the Tequila Patrón-sponsored Extreme Speed Motorsports (ESM) P2 racing machine, took to the track for the first time during a private test at Sebring International Raceway last week.  Cosmo eagerly approaches the season already a P2 race winner with a 2005 victory in a Mazda-powered prototype.  Cosmo talks about the pre-season test session, the difference in racing P2 and his goals for the season.

In mid-February, ESM announced it would compete in American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patrón P2 class in 2013.  ESM will campaign two purpose-built Honda Performance Development ARX-03b prototypes beginning with the 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida March 13-16, 2013.

Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-03b P2 prototype. Image Credit: ESM

LAST WEEK’S ESM P2 TEST SESSION AT SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY WAS YOUR FIRST TIME ON TRACK THIS SEASON.  HOW DID IT GO?
“It went really well.  I was so happy to get back behind the wheel and do what I do best.  It’s been really strange to have not driven for a couple of months, so now I’m feeling back to normal.”

AS A DRIVER THAT HAS BEEN IN ALL TYPES OF RACE CARS, HOW EASY IS IT TO TRANSITION INTO THE P2 CAR?
“Hopping back into a P2 car is just great.  They are incredible machines.  The transition to the P2 from the ALMS GT car is actually quite a bit easier than expected, which I believe is a testament to just how extraordinary the ALMS-GT-spec cars are.  On the other hand, however, the P2 car definitely has a different set of capabilities and strengths, so adapting to them and learning how to capitalize on them is always a fun challenge.  I love it.”

AS THE FINAL ALMS SEASON BEFORE THE NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS CAR MERGER, WHAT GOALS/EXPECTATIONS HAVE YOU SET FOR YOURSELF AND FOR THE TEAM?
“My goals for this final season of the ALMS as we know it, is to put myself in the record books somehow.  Pole positions, class track records and fastest race laps - along with some race wins and possibly a championship.  You know, I’d like to just be in front of everyone all the time and win everything too!”

IS AN OVERALL WIN POSSIBLE FOR ESM NOW THAT THE TEAM IS IN THE P2 CLASS?
“It is a possibility.  But the P1 cars are definitely a good amount faster than the P2s still, unlike a few years ago.  It would likely take for the P1s to have some setbacks during the race for us to have a shot at it, but you keep pressing.  No matter what, we’ll do our best to put ESM near the top as we can.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT DRIVING THE P2 CAR SO FAR?
“Being able to pass all my previous GT competitors real easily, which was formerly a very difficult task.”

MOVING FROM GT TO P2 IS A BIG JUMP IN CAR CLASSES AND PLACEMENT ON THE TRACK.  IS THERE AN ADJUSTMENT IN DRIVING STYLE?
“There will be an adjustment for sure. In GT, you’re really in the lower part of the performance chart. You’re faster than the GTCs, but have PC, P2 and P1 all faster than you and passing, while you’re racing your own fierce battle. In GT, you’re nearly looking in your mirrors more than you’re looking in front of you.  In P2, we’ll have the luxury of being one of the fastest cars on track, but working your way through all the slower traffic will be very tricky for sure.  You’ll have to be aggressive but very careful.”

IN ADDITION TO TESTING THE NEW P2 CAR LAST WEEK, ESM TESTED SOME OTHER RACE CARS INCLUDING THE GRAND-AM, FERRARI CHALLENGE CARS. HOW DID THAT GO?
“The testing went well for both teams.  ESM remains committed to running the GRAND-AM GT Ferrari and the Ferrari Challenge team in addition to the full-time ALMS P2 program, so the shop and crew stay extremely busy.  Improvements were definitely made in both cars and we're ready to race in all series!”

ENDS

The American Le Mans Series gets 2013 underway with the first race of the season starting in about 17 days with the 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida.

For ESM, moving into the purpose-built Honda Performance Development ARX-03b prototypes, Extreme Speed Motorsports and Tequila Patrón will run for the P2 championship after posting a team best performance last year. Scott Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek in the No. 01 Ferrari F458 Italia finished second in the GT championship for 2012, which included victories at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Petit Le Mans.

The ESM driver lineup remains the same with Scott Sharp and Johannes van Overbeek co-driving the No. 01 Tequila Patrón racing machine, and Ed Brown and Guy Cosmo in the sister No. 02 Tequila Patrón prototype.

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K-Rail Blocks And The Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach Are A Match Made In Motor Culture Heaven

Green flags were set flying along Shoreline Drive signaling the start of construction for the 39th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, which will run April 19-21, 2013 (L to R - Jim Michaelian, Bob Foster, Jim Liaw, Stephan Papadakis). Image Credit: TGPLB

K-Rail Blocks And The Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach Are A Match Made In Motor Culture Heaven

Yesterday, February 19, 2013, the 39th Toyota Grand Prix got underway in earnest. The process is the same every year and it would never happen without K-Rails. The temporary track through the streets of Long Beach, California got started with a ceremony before noon near Turn 10. It's the time of year where the demand for 'K-Rails' begins to increase as the temporary street circuit for the first race of the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season in St. Petersburg, Florida began just last week.

Sebastien Bourdais (third from left) has a tangible countdown to the IZOD IndyCar Series season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg every time he rides his bike on portions of the 1.8-mile, 14-turn circuit. Construction of the temporary street circuit for the ninth annual event March 22-24 began Feb. 15, 2013. Image Credit: IndyCar.com

The honorary construction foremen for the ceremony were Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, Papadakis Racing owner Stephan Papadakis, Formula DRIFT President & Co-Founder Jim Liaw and Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President & CEO Jim Michaelian. Also on-hand were the Papadakis Racing Scion tC, which will be driven in 2013 by top Drifting driver Frederic Aasbo, and, courtesy of Toyota Motorsports, an all-new, race-prepared Scion FR-S that will be driven in the 2013 Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.

“Our race circuit will feature something extra this year as we will be hosting the first-ever night racing in the Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge on Friday and Saturday,” said Michaelian. “Along with the six other racing events here in April, this should make for one of the most entertaining weekends in our history.”

The setting of the first of more than 14 million pounds of concrete K-Rail blocks that line the 1.97 mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit track marks the beginning of two months of work preparing for the 175,000 fans expected during race weekend. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

“It’s three days of great parties and great racing,” said Foster. “The Grand Prix brings a lot of people to Long Beach. Our hotels get filled up, our restaurants get filled up and people understand that Long Beach is a really a great city, a great place to have a good time.”

More than 30,000 working hours will be spent installing the  K-Rail blocks, three miles of fencing and 16,000 bolted-together tires, along with 16 huge spectator grandstands, seven pedestrian bridges and giant-vision boards for full-circuit TV coverage.

The heavy-duty concrete blocks and fencing, however, are merely a start.

“Leading up to race weekend, our staff will also install hospitality suites, tents, electrical equipment, phones, porta-johns, trash containers and a hundred other little things up until race weekend,” said Dwight Tanaka, director of operations for the Grand Prix Association.  “Then, when the last checkered flag falls on Sunday night, we start to take everything down, inspect it and get ready for next year.”

All businesses along the race circuit, which includes Shoreline Drive, Aquarium Way and Pine Ave., will remain open during construction of the racetrack.

Race fans will certainly get an eyeful as the Stadium SUPER Trucks go to battle, powered by 600-horsepower engines, going door-to-door on the 11-turn, 1.97-mile street course circuit for this special one-of-a-kind event. The Grand Prix exhibition will serve as the build-up to the Robby Gordon OFF-ROAD Stadium SUPER Trucks event scheduled the following weekend (April 26-27) at the famed L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The series then moves to San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium on May 4 and May 18 for two thrilling venues to round out the commemorative California portion of the inaugural 2013 season. Image Credit: TGPLB

The 2013 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach will feature racing from the IZOD IndyCar Series, Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Pirelli World Challenge, Formula DRIFT, Robby Gordon OFF-ROAD Stadium SUPER Trucks and the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race.

SLIDESHOW

Fans can select and pay for their seats, parking and paddock passes online at gplb.com.  Tickets can also be ordered by calling the toll-free ticket hotline, (888) 82-SPEED, and callers can request a printed ticket brochure that includes a circuit map, ticket prices, order form and other information.  Also featured on gplb.com is the latest Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach news, downloadable ticket brochure and racetrack information, photos and ongoing announcements of special race week activities.

Ticket prices range from $28 for a Friday General Admission ticket to $130 for a three-day ticket that includes Sat./Sun. reserved seating in grandstand upper levels.  Pre-paid parking packages are also available, along with handicapped seating, IndyCar Paddock passes, Super Photo tickets and a wide variety of Hospitality Club packages.

Fans can also follow the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Facebook at GrandPrixLB and on Twitter @ToyotaGPLB.

The track takes shape on the streets of downtown Long Beach surrounding the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and encompassing the Aquarium of the Pacific and a portion of the Pike at Rainbow Harbor complex. The start/finish line is on Shoreline Drive.

For the Southern California automobile race enthusiast, motor culture heaven begins Friday through Sunday, April 19-21, 2013 with the 39th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on 1.97 miles of pavement defined between the lines of K-Rail blocks of concrete.

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Rumors Race On IZOD IndyCar Series Euro Event Date

Is there a more beautiful setting for a race circuit? I don’t think so. Here is Mugello portrayed as an oil painting. Caption and Image Credit: RacePainter via intentsgp.com

Rumors Race On IZOD IndyCar Series Euro Event Date

Rumors are in full swing about a race in the 2013 season to be held in Europe in the late summer. It appears that on September 15, 2013, an IZOD IndyCar Series (IICS) race has been posted on the Mugello circuit near Florence, Italy.

Found On Twitter:

Graham Rahal
22 minutes ago via Twitter ·
Anyone else find it interesting that the Mugello circuit in Italy has an @IndyCar race listed on its website for Sept. 15th all the sudden?

Mugello Circuit (Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello) is a race track in the Mugello region of Italy near Florence. Its length is 5.245 km (3.259 mi). It has 15 turns and a long straight.Grand Prix motorcycle racing host an annual event here (MotoGP and smaller classes). Also, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters hold an annual event. The track is property of Scuderia Ferrari which uses it for Formula One testing. The first race of the A1GP 2008/09 season was originally planned to be held at the Mugello circuit on 21 September 2008. However, the race had to be cancelled due to the delay in building the new chassis for the new race cars. Caption Credit: Wikipedia - Image Credit: Wallpapers via mugellocircuit.it

This excerpted and edited from mugellocircuit.it

Event 

Title: Indy Car Series 

When: 15.09.2013 

Category: Races 

Description Sorry, no description available 
[Reference Here]

Testing begins this week in Sebring, Florida ... followed next week at Sonoma Raceway in Northern California. These rumors will continue as the pre-silly season hits full stride.

UPDATE (from Twitter):

Matt Breeden

Graham, there were some discussions, but there will not be a race in Italy in 2013 or the foreseeable future.

Matt Breeden is the current Vice President of Business Affairs at IndyCar Series. If anyone may have the real inside scoop, it's Matt (at least until IndyCar changes its mind - example: read that as the Randy Bernard tenure).

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Mazda And SpeedSource Bring Something New To Race At The 51st Rolex 24

The trio of SpeedSource-built, Mazdaspeed Motorsports-manned, twin-turbo, 2014 SKYACTIV Diesel Mazda6 GRAND-AM Road Racing fighters, looking hungry for GX-class competition in this weekend's Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona! Image Credit: Via Facebook - Faulkner Mazda

Mazda And SpeedSource Bring Something New To Race At The 51st Rolex 24

Last year, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) introduced a new approach to the engineering design of engines and transmissions designed to gain torque and miles per gallon ratings of their automobiles. This approach is marketed under the overall name of SKYACTIV and has two engine types that will be for sale to the public by the end of 2013 - SKYACTIV-G (for gas) and SKYACTIV-D (for diesel).

Mazda Motorsports will be using the 51st Rolex 24 at Daytona to preview a new racing platform that uses the revolutionary SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel technology engines with added racing technology to bring them up to producing 400 hp @ 5000 rpm from a 2.2L displacement inline 4 cylinder turbo diesel block.

Mazda will be seeking its 24th class win at the Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance race with three all-new 2014 Mazda6 race cars powered with the SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel engine. This will be the first-ever diesel power plant to compete in GRAND-AM racing. The SKYACTIV-D engines are a majority production-based employment, with more than 60-percent stock components, including the engine block and head.

Cars line up to run first practice session laps for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The historic #00 Mazda6 SKYACTIV-D gets pushed into line at far right. Mazda makes a statement for clean diesel technology and their SKYACTIV approach by placing three cars in the field for the Rolex 24 at Daytona this weekend. Image Credit: Via Twitter @michaellgoodwin

This excerpted and edited from Mazda Motorsports -

WHAT’S NEW WITH MAZDA MOTORSPORTS?  EVERYTHING!
New car, engine, fuel, teams, and drivers join Mazda and SpeedSource at Daytona
By Mazda Motorsports - January 25, 2013 (DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.)

The Car: Model Year 2014 Mazda6 SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel Racecar

The Engine:   A production-based racing version of the same 2.2-liter SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel engine that will be available in the second half of 2013 for retail sale.  The race engine includes over 250 stock components.  The block and head are Mazda production parts, identical to that used in their production cars.

The Teams/Drivers:

#70      SpeedSource: Jonathan Bomarito, Marino Franchitti, James Hinchcliffe, Tom Long and Sylvain Tremblay.  The two-time GT class winning team (2008 and 2010) will be seeking their third set of Rolex watches.


#00      VISIT FLORIDA Racing/SpeedSource/Yellow Dragon (Video Laps): Joel Miller, Tristan Nunez, Spencer Pigot, Yojiro Terada, and Tristan Vautier.  Terada is the veteran Mazda racer who has competed in more than two dozen 24 Hours of Le Mans races, and scored class wins with Mazda at Daytona in 1979, 1982, and 1985 .  The others are all racers who have won recent championships within the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Ladder and the Mazda Road to Indy.

The Freedom Autosport #25 Mazda6 with SKYACTIV-D power takes to the track during opening day practice at the 51st Rolex 24 at Daytona. Image Credit: Via Twitter @michaellgoodwin

In addition to the two SpeedSource cars, there is one customer team:

#25      Freedom Autosport with Andrew Carbonell, Tom Long, Rhett O’Doski, and Derek Whitis.  Freedom Autosport has been a winning team in the Continental Tire Challenge with Mazda.  They are moving up as a complete team.

The Soundbites:

John Doonan, Director, Mazda Motorsports, Mazda North American Operations -- "This is an amazing moment in Mazda Motorsports history because we are once again bringing innovative technology to the race track to demonstrate the performance, quality, durability and reliability of our brand.  While many know us as the ‘rotary engine’ company, and we love that part of our heritage, to race our latest SKYACTIV-D Clean Diesel technology in our newest car, in the race where we have scored our largest number of wins, is amazing.  To get to this point, thousands and thousands of hours by engineers within Mazda in both Japan and the U.S., along with the amazing team at SpeedSource, has produced what we see as our prime mover for the next decade, SKYACTIV engines for racing."

Sylvain Tremblay, Owner, SpeedSource Engineering, and two-time Rolex 24 GT class winner – "I feel fortunate to have been a part in adding a few pages in the history of Mazda Motorsports. Now I am humbled to be part of a whole new chapter! New engine, new car, new everything, SKYACTIV is the way forward for us at the racetrack, like it is for the 2014 Mazda6, better performance and better fuel economy, what’s not to love about that. Very excited and proud of all the work by Mazda and our team here at SpeedSource in bringing this fantastic program to fruition."

Streaming Video to Complement TV Coverage:

To complement the SPEED TV coverage, Mazda will be providing a ‘second screen’ of coverage via streaming video from onboard the Mazda cars as well as some behind-the-scenes access to the Mazda teams.  Mazda fans can log on at www.MazdaUSA.com/motorsports at anytime during the race.

SPEED, SPEEDTV.com and the Motor Racing Network will combine to provide 25 hours of flag-to-flag coverage.  SPEED’s Rolex 24 coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 26, with a 30-minute pre-race show preceding the 3:30 p.m. waving of the green flag. When SPEED signs off on its opening day coverage at 11 p.m., SPEED.com will stream feeds throughout the night, including a rooftop camera, in-car cameras and radio calls by the Motor Racing Network.  SPEED returns at 9 a.m. on Sunday, with coverage including a 30-minute post-race show following the checkered flag at 3:30 p.m.  All 25 hours will be streamed live at www.grand-am.com and www.MotorRacingNetwork.com

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** Article first published as Mazda and SpeedSource Bring Something New to Race at The 51st Rolex 24 on Technorati **

Pro Mazda Championship Gaining SpeedSource Focus

 

As the primary constructor for the GRAND-AM Rolex GT RX-8, SpeedSource led a field of Mazda products in capturing the 2010 Manufacturers championship. Since the program's inception, SpeedSource has been the exclusive supplier of rotary engines to Mazda GRAND-AM Rolex GT teams. SpeedSource's latest project has been the development of the Mazda SKYACTIV-D compound turbo diesel motorsports engine for use in GRAND-AM's GX class in 2013. Image Credit: Pro Mazda Championship

Pro Mazda Championship Gaining SpeedSource Focus

The Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires has contracted the services of SpeedSource Race Engineering as the Official Engine Builder and Technical Consultant of the newly formed Mazda Road to Indy series which fills the opening vacated by Star Mazda. The Coral Springs, Fla., company will begin the re-manufacturing of all Mazda Renesis rotary engines currently used in the championship to 2013 specifications and also provide internal modifications to ensure parity between engines and greater longevity of a season or more.

In addition to a long and notable history of racing under the Mazda banner, SpeedSource is the exclusive engine supplier of rotary engines to Mazda-powered GRAND-AM Rolex GT teams and is currently developing the Mazda SKYACTIV-D compound turbo diesel motorsports engine for the 2013 GRAND-AM GX class. Founded and led by accomplished driver and team owner Sylvain Tremblay in 1995 to provide full-service race services and custom components to club level and professional drivers, the company operates out of a 50,000 square foot facility that houses both development and racing applications.

"I am very pleased to add SpeedSource to our list of high-quality partners," said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions, the series promoter. "Although I have not had prior dealings with SpeedSource, it is clear to me that they not only have an impressive resume and reputation but also have put together a great new Pro Mazda engine program. I am very confident that this will result in a better championship for our competing teams."

SpeedSource will begin the remanufacturing process on Pro Mazda engines this month. The program will be fully implemented by May 1. Prior to this date, competitors will have the option of using either SpeedSource engines or prior specification engines built and sealed by the former Star Mazda Series with SpeedSource mapping to ensure parity. All cars entered after May 1 and any one-off entries which have not been through the SpeedSource process will undergo a rev limiter adjustment to offset any disparity.

"We are very proud to have been chosen as the engine supplier for the Pro Mazda Series," said Tremblay. "The series itself has a great standing and we look forward to continuing the fantastic reputation of Mazda's Renesis rotary engine. Andersen Promotions has been great to work with and it is easy to see why they are the primary resource for Mazda's ladder program." 

The Mazda Renesis rotary engine used in Pro Mazda is capable of producing 260 horsepower – providing an additional 90 horsepower over the Mazda MZR powerplant utilized in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, the first step on the Mazda Road to Indy. The internationally award-winning engine also powers the Mazda RX-8 passenger car.

"With years of Mazda racing experience and specifically rotary engine experience on their resume, SpeedSource Race Engineering was the logical choice to serve as the new engine builders for the Pro Mazda Championship," said John Doonan, Director Mazda Motorsports, Mazda North American Operations. "They have put Mazda rotary engines to the ultimate tests in endurance racing and have hundreds of victories to show for it, including two Rolex 24 victories in the last five years. Mazda has every confidence that the work SpeedSource does for the Pro Mazda Championship will provide reliable engines that have a performance window that will continue the great, close racing that this series has been known for throughout its history."

A schedule for the 2013 Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires will be announced in the near future. Additional information can be found at www.promazdachampionship.com.
(ht: Pro Mazda Championship)

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** Article first published as Pro Mazda Championship Gaining SpeedSource Focus on Technorati **