Racing Cages News

Franck Wins Wild Monterey Race - Foss Earns MX-5 Cup Championship

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:51:24 -0700

MONTEREY, Calif. (Oct. 20, 2008) - Christian Franck, of Simi Valley, Calif., survived a thrilling SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to earn his first-ever race win. Todd Buras, of Melbourne, Fla., and Robert Huffmaster, of Clarkston, Mich., completed the podium. Finishing fourth, Eric Foss, of Fort Worth, Texas, claimed the 2008 Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship.  Franck's wild ride began on the start, as he immediately shot past Huffmaster for fourth and found himself at the tail end of a four-car battle for the lead. Ahead of Franck, polesitter Foss was doing his best to hold off Brad Rampelberg and Buras. The constant side-by-side action in front of him allowed Franck to pick his spots, motoring past Buras on lap five and stealing second from Rampelberg a lap later.

Attached image: Christian Franck leads Todd Buras to the finish line at Mazda Raceway. Credit: Juha Lievonen
After a quick back-and-forth with Rampelberg's No. 14 Hooverspeed/Mazda MX-5, Franck's radar was set on then-leader Foss. While in pursuit of the No. 28 Team MER/Autobarn Mazda MX-5, Franck set the Hawk Hot Lap of the race, turning a 1:41.731 (79.197 mph) on lap 10, a new race lap record.  On lap 12, Franck made his move, pulling alongside Foss in Turn Two, but Foss had the right line for Turn Three and held his lead. Foss couldn't hold off Franck's No. 16 Alara Racing MX-5 in Turn Five though, where Franck took a solid hold on the race lead for the first time.  "I got a pretty good start," Franck said. "I moved up to fourth right away. I just sat there and tried to be patient and let everything work itself out for a few laps. I ended up just waiting and waiting and I finally got the lead."  His mirrors filled with Rampelberg's nose for three-consecutive laps straight, Franck would eventually make a mistake, sliding off course briefly at Turn 11 and falling to third behind Rampelberg and Foss.  Winning a race often involves a bit of luck, and that's exactly what came Franck's way shortly after his off. Not only did Foss spin in the Corkscrew on the following lap putting Franck in second, but a full-course caution came out on lap 18 for the No. 23 Team MER/Loth Endodontics MX-5, which had spun into the gravel at Turn Three.  On the lap 21 restart, Franck grabbed the lead from Rampelberg in Turn Five, only to have Rampelberg pull the same move on the following lap to retake the spot.  "I was very happy to see the caution," Franck said with a smile. "I was just a little worried about Todd Buras behind me. I figured he'd try to pass, but I was able to get by Rampelberg." Race officials had taken issue with contact Rampelberg made with Franck in-between the lead exchange, and as the pair crossed the start-finish line to begin lap 24 of the 25-lap, 55.95-mile race, a black flag was displayed for Rampelberg.  While the white flag waved for Franck, Rampelberg hit pit lane. Keeping his focus, Franck carefully navigated the final 2.238 miles of the 11-turn course and crossed the finish line 1.269 seconds ahead of Buras. Seventeen year-old Franck became the fifth different winner of the 2008 MX-5 Cup season.  "I thought I threw it away in Turn 11," recalled Franck. "I just had a little hiccup, but I picked it back up because of the full-course caution and here I am now, the winner. I kept telling myself to keep calm and keep consistent and not worry about the guys behind me.  "After missing the last two races, I wanted to get a podium finish and I'm very happy to take the win."  Though he finished second in the No. 56 pancreaticcure.org MX-5 Cup, Buras spend much of the race fighting for the third and fourth, which gave him one of the best seats in the house.  "The racing was unbelievable in front of me," Buras said. "I had a great view of the racing. It's going to make for great TV."  The full-course yellow was just as beneficial for Buras as it was for Franck.  "It was fantastic to see the yellow come out. Early in the race, I couldn't get the car into a gear. I tried several gears and it just wouldn't do anything and then, all of a sudden, it just went into third. I've never had that happen."  The only driver with a mathematical shot at beating Foss for the Championship, Buras needed to win at Mazda Raceway coupled with a Foss DNF to overtake him. When Buras witnessed Foss' spin in the Corkscrew, which handed him third on lap 17, he began to wonder if the Title was still a possibility.  "When I saw Eric spin in the corkscrew, I thought 'I wonder where we are in the points right now? Maybe he'll get stuck in the gravel or blow up a tranny or something.' If he would have fallen out, then I probably would have tried a little harder for the first place finish. But, it didn't happen. Eric's done a great job all year. So, for me, it was second place again."  After dropping a spot to Franck on the start, Huffmaster began a lengthy battle with Eric Curran's No. 30 Hale Motorsports/Whelen Motorsports MX-5 for the fifth position.  "Eric Curran and I were running about the same pace," Huffmaster said. "We had a little battle--a little contact. I talked to him after the race and know he didn't do anything intentionally. It was a little frustrating at the moment but we got through it and we're okay. We had a good battle later on in the race too. It was a lot of fun.  "The full course yellow was a huge, huge break," Huffmaster added. "I knew Todd was right up there and we're fighting for second in points. I figured it would give me a shot at him at least to try to pass him and maybe pick up the runner-up position."  Passing Foss shortly after the restart and picking up an additional spot when Rampelberg hit pit lane for his penalty, Huffmaster's No. 27 Team MER/Huffmaster Co. MX-5 took the checkered flag in third, which is also where we ended the season in the point standings.  Foss may have just missed the podium, despite leading the first 11 laps, but a fourth-place finish was enough to secure the 2008 SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship.  "It hasn't sunk in yet," Foss, who also won the SCCA Spec Miata Championship last week at the Runoffs® said. "It's been an amazing week. Team MER and Autobarn Mazda have just been great all year. I can't than them enough. My teammates are just awesome. They helped me all year long.  "I was pushing really hard early. I really wanted to win here. I thought it would be a great way to cap off the year. But, I made a couple mistakes. The car was great, but I probably pushed too hard. Later in the race, I changed my mentality a little bit to be safe with the Championship in mind."  As the 2008 MX-5 Cup Champion, Foss has earned himself an SCCA Pro Racing SPEED Touring Car ride with Mazda next season.  "This is an amazing opportunity, to be able to race here and win the Championship and everything that it brings," Foss beemed.  Buras trailed Foss by 56 points in the final Championship standings (462 to 406). Huffmaster was third with 399 points, followed by Ryan Schimsk (308 points) and Ara Malkhassian (371 points).  SCCA SPEED GT driver Curran, of East Hampton, Mass., finished his first MX-5 Cup race fifth. He was followed across the line by Californian Ara Malkhassina, from Sonoma.  Mark Jenkins and Brad McAllister were seventh and eighth, respectively.  Ryan Schimsk recovered from an early run-in with the Turn Eight wall to finish ninth.  Barry Fromberg completed the top 10.  The SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup finale will air on DirecTV, Dish Network and regional cable sports networks the week of November 10. Check www.mx-5cup.com for broadcast times as well as full results from the 2008 season.  MONTEREY, Calif. - Results from Sunday's 25-lap, 55.95-mile SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Round Eight race, part of the 2008 Monterey Sports Car Championship Presented by Patron at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, with finishing position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out (if any). 1. (5), Christian Franck, Simi Valley, Calif., MX-5, 25. 2. (2), Todd Buras, Melbourne, Fla., MX-5, 25, -1.269. 3. (4), Robert Huffmaster, Clarkston, Mich., MX-5, 25, -1.595. 4. (1), Eric Foss, Fort Worth, Texas, MX-5, 25, -2.072. 5. (9), Eric Curran, E. Hampton, Mass., MX-5, 25, -2.807. 6. (7), Ara Malkhassian, Sonoma, Calif., MX-5, 25, -3.532. 7. (8), Mark Jenkins, Fairview, Texas, MX-5, 25, -4.205. 8. (13), Brad McAllister, Portland, Ore., MX-5, 25, -5.340. 9. (3), Ryan Schimsk, Austin, Texas, MX-5, 25, -9.539. 10. (14), Barry Fromberg, Plano, Texas, MX-5, 25, -16.991. 11. (15), Harrison Williams, Houston, Texas, MX-5, 25, -15.545. 12. (21), James Rhoades, Dallas, Texas, MX-5, 25, -17.701. 13. (19), Donald Barnes, Chapel Hill, N.C., MX-5, 25, -16.217. 14. (24), Tim Probert, Houston, Texas, MX-5, 25, -21.730. 15. (26), Randy Hale_III, Haddam, Conn., MX-5, 25, -22.797. 16. (17), Steve Bottom, Newport Beach, Calif., MX-5, 25, -24.309. 17. (23), Laura Olson, Costa Mesa, Calif., MX-5, 25, -24.913. 18. (20), Christopher Rhoades, Dallas, Texas, MX-5, 25, -22.006. 19. (22), Brad Adams, New Orleans, La., MX-5, 25, -26.688. 20. (27), Sonny Whelen, Old Saybrook, Conn., MX-5, 25, -34.379. 21. (18), Forest Barber, Fort Worth, Texas, MX-5, 25, -26.105. 22. (16), Alison Malkhassian, Sonoma, Calif., MX-5, 25, -37.610. 23. (6), Brad Rampelberg, San Jose, Calif., MX-5, 24, -1 lap. 24. (10), Bobby Carter, Brentwood, Calif., MX-5, 22, -3 laps. 25. (25), Kim Ouye, Montery, Calif., MX-5, 22, -3 laps. 26. (12), Deborah Loth, Fort Worth, Texas, MX-5, 19, Crash. 27. (29), Kenny Kun Yin, Los Angeles, Calif., MX-5, 24, -1 lap. 28. (28), Carlos Tesler-Mabe, Vancouver, British Columbia, MX-5, 0, Crash. 29. (11), Robert Michaelian, Seal Beach, Calif., MX-5, 25, -6.578.  Time of race: 45 minutes, 0.115 seconds. Average speed: 74.596 mph Margin of victory: 1.269 Seconds Lap leaders: Laps 1-11, #28 Eric Foss; laps 12-15, #16 Christian Franck; laps 16-20, #14 Brad Rampelberg; laps 21-21, #16 Christian Franck; laps 22-22, #14 Brad Rampelberg; laps 23-25, #16 Christian Franck Hawk Hot Lap: #16 Christian Franck, 1:41.731 (79.197 mph) Fastest qualifier: #28 Eric Foss, 1:41.184 (79.625 mph) Cautions: One caution for three laps Notes: #19 Disqualified, Underweight #00 2 position penalty - Pass Under yellow #06 3 Position penalty, 2 race probation - Avoidable contact #24 2 Position penalty - Pass Under yellow #29 3 Position penalty - Avoidable contact #59 3 position penalty - Avoidable contact  Final SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Point Standings Pos., Driver, Points (Wins) 1, Eric Foss, 462 (2) 2, Todd Buras, 406 3, Robert Huffmaster, 399 (2) 4, Ryan Schimsk, 379 (1) 5, Ara Malkhassian, 371 6, Brad Rampelberg, 329 (2) 7, Christian Franck, 273 (1) 8, Robert Michaelian, 267 9, Randy Hale III, 228 10, Harrison Williams, 228 Note: Tie for ninth broken by highest race finish

Mazda Furai Concept

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:27:40 -0800

DETROIT – As the latest in Mazda’s award-winning and highly acclaimed series of Nagare concept cars, the Furai P2 concept vehicle celebrates 40 years of rotary engine and international motorsports heritage with the raciest interpretation of NAGARE design language to-date.

NAGARE: (pronounced “na-ga-reh”), Japanese for flow and the embodiment of motion
FURAI: (pronounced “foo-rye”), Japanese for sound of the wind

Furai is the sort of car that could only come from a company that incorporates the “Soul of a Sports Car” into everything it builds, but with an eye toward the future and the environment through the use of renewable fuels. Driving toward sustainability, Furai was initially tuned to operate on 100 percent ethanol fuel, the first time a racing three-rotor rotary engine has been fueled by ethanol. Research continues in earnest with partner BP into other renewable and future fuels, including ethanol gasoline blends like E10.

On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas and Mazda-powered cars road-raced in North America than any other brand of car. This is because every Mazda sedan, coupe and sports car really is developed with the highest possible dose of the company’s trademark Zoom-Zoom – truly the Emotion of Motion.
However, Zoom-Zoom is more than simply vehicle performance. The look and style that is Zoom-Zoom can best be seen in previous NAGARE-based efforts, including the Mazda Nagare concept that debuted at Los Angeles in 2006; Mazda Ryuga, which was first shown a year ago in Detroit; Mazda Hakaze, which appeared in Geneva last year; and Mazda Taiki, the star of the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.

“Nagare” is how Mazda’s future models will sustain the Zoom-Zoom spirit by exhibiting their strong affinity for motion.
Manufacturers commonly showcase design studies with little or no intention of actually using the theme presented. Mazda’s approach is the opposite: All of the Nagare concepts, including Furai, help evolve this evocative surface language for future use. Every vehicle Mazda sells embodies the soul of a sports car to achieve a true Zoom-Zoom dynamic character. Nagare is how this celebration of motion will be portrayed on interior and exterior surfaces in future models. Instead of form following function, the two merge as one.

Franz von Holzhausen, Mazda North American Operations’ (MNAO) Director of Design and the person who lead the team that created the Furai, explains the concept behind the concept, “We were looking for a way to bridge the gap between Mazda Motorsports and the production vehicles in our lineup. The mindsets of road-car and racing car fans are quite different, so the purpose of Furai is to find a meeting point for these disparate interests.”
He continued, “Furai achieves this by purposely blurring boundaries that have traditionally distinguished the street from the track. Historically, there has been a gap between single-purpose racecars and street-legal models — commonly called supercars — that emulate the real racers on the road.”

Track cars are, by their competitive nature, ill-suited for practical highway use, as well as generally far from road-legal. Some supercars visit the track on occasion, but they are primarily road cars not properly equipped for racing. The aim of Furai is to bridge this gap.

That said, Mazda neither intends to race Furai, nor is it a supercar the company plans to build and sell in the near future. Rather, Furai is a design study that lives between those extremes. Without the restrictions imposed by serial production models, and with the freedom of an autoshow environment, Mazda is using the opportunity to evolve the company’s Nagare design theme one more step closer to reality.

Instead of mimicking racecar components and design elements in a road car – the strategy preferred by supercar manufacturers – the “Mazda way” was to begin this project with the real McCoy: a Courage C65 chassis that earned its stripes during two seasons of LMP-2 endurance racing in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). This sports car was successfully campaigned under the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development banner by B-K Motorsports during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Drivers Jamie Bach, Guy Cosmo, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, and Raphael Matos piloted the car to one victory and a total of nine podium finishes in 15 ALMS events. B-K finished third in championship standings both years; Bach and Cosmo were co-Rookies of the Year in 2005.
“Anticipating future rules changes in the ALMS, we created a new closed cockpit which would be more appropriate for a future production model,” said von Holzhausen. “The major element we did not change is the 450-horsepower RENESIS-based R20B three-rotor rotary engine that provides Furai ample Zoom-Zoom. The ultimate Mazda in our minds is rotary powered; as a company, we have no intention of abandoning that valuable asset. When people think of the very best sports cars in the world, the rotary powered Mazda RX-7 is always on that list.”

The Furai concept serves as a turning point in the Nagare developmental process. While the four previous concept cars explored different ways to express Mazda’s emerging design philosophy and to explore an aesthetic, this one is all about function – every last texture and detail serves some functional purpose. In essence, the Furai creative process boiled down to guiding air over and through the body in fruitful ways. To prove that this concept goes far beyond static aerodynamic analysis, Mazda’s design, motorsports and R&D teams worked together to construct Furai as a 180-mph rolling laboratory to demonstrate its functional capabilities on demand.

“The basic proportions of contemporary race cars are every designer’s dream,” enthused von Holzhausen. “Furai is less than 40-inches high but nearly 80-inches wide.”

While Furai strikes an incredibly strong presence, the real beauty of the project – and it’s most valuable asset as a real-world test-bed – is in the details that von Holzhausen and his team incorporated:

The body surface provides ample opportunity to feature core design elements such as aggressive headlamps and Mazda’s trademark five-point grille.
The headlamp trim pieces function as guide frames to help cancel aerodynamic lift.
High-pressure zones just above the front wheels are relieved to serve the same end.
The air flow package takes air moving under the front of the car and guides it inside the body to the engine-cooling radiators.
Nagare textures incorporated in the side surfaces feed air to the rear brakes, the oil cooler and the transmission cooler.
An under-car diffuser that begins rising aft of the cockpit helps draw the volume of air flowing through the heat exchangers and engine bay out the rear.

The Mazda design and R&D teams worked closely with Swift Engineering to refine the aerodynamic characteristics, assuring that Furai remains glued to the ground at high speeds. Through its existing relationship with Swift Engineering, forged through development of the Mazda/Cosworth-powered Champ Car Atlantic chassis, the team used complex Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software to tune various Nagare design elements to function at a high degree of efficiency. Drag, downforce, lift and overall esthetics were all key considerations.
Sourced straight from the race track, the Courage carbon-composite tub is essentially intact under the new Furai body, including the right-side driver’s seat. Instead of the stark interior typical of race cars though, this cockpit is finished with more comfortable but still highly functional surfaces. An electronic display screen and shift paddles are built into the steering wheel.
In the chassis’ original racing configuration, the passenger seat is filled with electronic gear, so those components were relocated elsewhere to provide adequate space for two occupants. The greenhouse is somewhat wider than the original cockpit to provide adequate head and shoulder room and suitable outward visibility. Doors attached with butterfly hinges provide a very efficient means of entering the cockpit. In this instance, the design team followed an approach that has proven very effective during years of endurance racing.

“One thing we learned from CFD studies is that we don’t need much rear wing to balance the down force created by the front splitter and the Nagare features we’ve sculpted into the body” offered von Holzhausen. “Combustion air is provided by a variation of the Turbo Tongue device that Swift developed for Indy car use a decade ago. It rises slightly
higher than the surrounding roof surface to ingest clean air above the boundary layer. Our final design works so well that we applied for a joint patent with Swift. Of course, it helps that it’s a real piece of art, too, and one we had to incorporate into the design.”

Irvine, Calif.-based Aria Group was responsible for creating new composite panels and they worked hand-in-hand with Mazda North American Operations’ own in-house fabrication team to mate them to the Courage chassis. The dark matte finish with red and orange accents harkens back to the livery worn by Mazda’s legendary 787B when it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991, making the company the first – and still only – Japanese company to ever win the endurance classic.

Furai not only probes future design possibilities, it also ventures ahead with alternative renewable fuels. Consistent with Mazda’s recently announced “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom” initiatives, Furai’s three-rotor powerplant has been tuned to run powerfully on ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and ethanol gasoline blends. There are exciting advances being made in renewable fuels, from current blends like E10 (10% ethanol and 90% gasoline) with research ongoing in making Ethanol from cellulostic materials, to future renewable gasoline components like Butanol, a higher order alcohol which is fungible with gasoline. The addition of these renewable components improves Mazda’s understanding of how these fuels work with the company’s technology. and reduces the consumption of fossil hydrocarbons and the emission of harmful greenhouse gasses.

John Doonan, Mazda’s manager of motorsports team development, explains the thinking behind Furai’s use of alternative renewable fuels: “One of our key technical partners in our motorsports activity — BP — helped facilitate our use of renewable fuels for this concept vehicle. Going forwards, we are working with BP to determine appropriate renewable fuels for the vehicle and potentially our team entry for the 2008 ALMS series. BP is a strong leader in the renewable fuels areas, recently announcing a $500M investment in the Energy Biosciences Institute, and we are proud to partner with them.”

Doonan continued, “In 2007, ALMS required use of renewable fuels, so we’re projecting ahead with this application to gain experience. BP has a very green focus in the marketplace, and it’s Mazda’s intention to sustain its Zoom-Zoom performance image on and off the racetrack. While Mazda’s rotary has proven readily adaptable to various alternative fuels, including considerable work with hydrogen fuel, this is the first time it’s been engineered for other renewable Ethanol blends.”

Through the BP partnership, Furai has been specially tuned to operate on renewable fuels. BP engineers continue to work to optimize other fuels, including investigating new future renewable fuel components. This is Mazda’s first experience with ethanol fuel in a three-rotor racing engine, and the results have been convincing that, once again, the Mazda rotary engine is unique in its ability to run well on multiple fuels.

Ethanol is derived from grains such as corn and wheat or soybeans. Corn, the predominant feedstock, is converted to ethanol in either a dry or wet milling process. Future advances for renewable gasoline components include utilizing a wide variety of cellulosic biomass feedstocks, including agricultural plant wastes (corn stover, cereal straws, sugarcane bagasse), plant wastes from industrial processes (sawdust, paper pulp) and energy crops grown specifically for fuel production, such as switchgrass.

But what Furai has shown the Mazda team is the real value of teamwork and key partners:

Racing Beat worked tirelessly to develop the world’s only ethanol powered three-rotor rotary engine.
Mother’s Waxes and Polishes supplies an extensive range of waxes, polishes, and cleaners to keep the car looking its best at all times.
Together with Liferacing, AER developed a six-speed paddle-shift mechanism.
Brembo worked with the Mazda team to ensure the brakes were as effective on Furai as they were in competition
Sachs and Eibach worked together to bring an aggressive, but steetable, shock and spring package.
Nippon Paint provided the amazing three-feet-deep paintwork.
Castrol supplies all the high-performance lubricants.
Mazda’s 2006 and 2007 ALMS tire development partner Kumho created the special tread patterns necessary for Furai’s tires.
Wheels are from partner BBS, and are 14-spoke, centerlock aluminum.
Seatbelts come from Sparco Motor Sports.
Data acquisition and powertrain controllers are manufactured and tuned by MoTeC, one of the world’s leaders in racing electronics.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

MAZDA OWNERS CLUB OF AMERICA

Thu, 3 Jan 2008 17:01:42 -0800

HOLLAND, MI (January 3, 2008) – It was announced today that a new organization has been created for Mazda owners, racers and enthusiasts throughout North America. The Mazda Owners Club of America (MOCA) is a new united community devoted to bridging the gap between Mazda owners, enthusiasts and racers from across the country.

“Mazda has enjoyed tremendous support among enthusiasts and the car club community, including many Miata and rotary engine clubs from coast-to-coast and around the world,” said Robert Davis, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Quality, and the man responsible for Mazda’s North American motorsports operations under the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development banner. “Now we have a group working to link them all together.”

From motorsports & industry news to discussions of current & classic vehicles with experts in the field, MazdaOCA.org is a place to discuss anything Mazda related. MOCA’s site currently offers regularly updated Mazda related news stories and an online community/forum with discussion topics for nearly every Mazda related item.

“We applaud the effort, enthusiasm, and passion for our cars,” continued Davis. “The founders of MOCA are very well respected in the Mazda enthusiast and motorsports community. We look forward to seeing even larger Mazda car corrals at the races in the years to come.”

For 2008, MOCA will begin showcasing membership benefits as well as announcing MOCA events where members can get together for performance track time and have the opportunity to win great prizes. Sign up, join the online community and in the near future - come to one of our get-togethers or performance driving events. An E-Newsletter will also be added to keep members informed of event dates and special offers.
For more information, visit www.mazdaoca.org. Register today to be eligible for member specials. If you are interested in becoming involved in MOCA in any capacity, contact us through our website. Regional representatives, editors & volunteers are all welcome.

About MOCA (Mazda Owners Club of America) The Mazda Owners Club of America (MOCA) is a united community devoted to bridging the gaps from Mazda owners, enthusiasts and racers from across the country. The goal is to become the most comprehensive online community and organization devoted strictly to Mazda enthusiasts from all walks of life. From motorsports & industry news to discussions of current & classic vehicles with experts in the field, MazdaOCA.org is the place to discuss anything Mazda related. Sign up, join our community and in the near future - come to one of our get-togethers or performance driving events. Get the most out of yourself & your Mazda.

Disclaimer: The Mazda Owners Club of America and www.mazdaoca.org is an independent organization and is not affiliated with Mazda North American Operations.

3rd Place in E2 at 25 Hours of Thunderhill

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

The AWR/ K1 Speed #69 Miata qualified third in class for the 2007 US Air Force 25 Hours of Thunderhill, starting 23rd on the grid of 72 entries. After 25 hours filled with close racing, crashes, mechanical failures, rain and snow, the team emerged with a podium finish despite having only fourth gear for the last 12 hours of the race.

During the first 4 hour double stint, driver Dennis Golden was hit hard in the driver's door by an out of control Mustang that lost it going in to turn 9.

“The guy just never saw the turn I guess, never hit the brakes,and just plowed right into me as I entered the turn “stated Golden.

Luckily for the AWR /Racing Cages door bars were up for the task, and the #69 never missed a beat and just kept on pounding out the laps. Unfortunately the door itself didn't fair as well, and refused to open after the impact, requiring driver's changes to happen through the window opening for the entirety of the race.
'"This was a real challenge,”said team owner, Dr. John Reed, “as 3 of our drivers are well over 200 pounds! The first driver's change took us awhile as we tried to get the door to work, and I wanted to check the door bars before we put someone else out on the track."

Noted for its high rate of vehicle carnage, the 25 Hours of Thunderhill is no place to be running in a damaged or substandard cage. Inspection of the AWR/ Racing Cages bars showed no sign of damage, and the next driver, Jeff Lyon was given the OK to get #69 back on track. The team had fallen back several spots with the time spent in the pits, but after a stellar double stint, Lyon had the team up to sixth in class, 18th overall.
Mazda Formula Atlantic driver, Carl Skerlong was next up. The 19 y.o. phenom skillfully moved the car back into third place by the end of his double stint, with fourth place several laps behind.

"I was under team orders to just be easy on the car and just make sure we had something we could race come the final hours”said Carl. “The traffic was crazy with the Daytona Prototype, the Radicals and a swarm of Miatas, but the #69 was responsive and easy to drive".

Solidly in third, with still over half the race to go, team owner, Dr. John Reed got in for what would turn out to be a brutal single stint. Not in the car for but two laps, Reed was forced to go off roading in turn 10 to avoid an on track pile up, and bounced through the rough to turn 11.

“Something wasn't right with the car after that, I couldn't find third or fourth gear, so I drove it in 3rd and fifth, but even that was rough shifting. While still trying to get the car to upshift properly I was rear ended hard 5 or 6 times. Sadly I think a few of those other guys had some real damage from the contact, but our car was doing fine...but my nerves were shot!”Happy to get out of the car and to the safety of the paddock, Reed turned the car over to Graydon Orr.

“Luckily for me there was a lot of yellow flag laps during my stint and I was able to maintain our position despite the failing transmission. The track was cold, wet and slippery so many cars went off never to be seen again. We just played it safe and kept putting the hours in hoping we could make it all the way to the end, and it paid off”said Orr.

Jeff Lyon then got back into the #69, and pulled off a heroic stint of over 5 hours. Sensing the transmission was in eminent danger of complete failure, at Lyon's urging the decision was made to just keep the car in 4th gear for remainder of the event. Despite this handicap, Lyon was able to put down some very fast laps in the 2:09 range consistently, which actually extended the team's lead over the fourth place entry. The fuel savings from using only 4th gear, along with some extended yellow flag laps due to snow, freezing rain, and some nasty offs, kept Lyon on track for over 5 hours with only one fuel stop.

As daylight approached, Carl Skerlong climbed behind the wheel for what looked to be a very long final stint. A quick behind the wall stop for four fresh BFG tires gave Carl a fighting chance to hold on to third and perhaps catch the leaders.

According to Reed, “Carl went out and put on a clinic for us all. I told him to let it all hang out as best he could with only one gear, and he did amazing laps, but not just a few. He did it lap after lap, putting down times faster than we had qualified. It was humbling to say the least to see a single gear car doing laps faster than I had ever run with a full gear set. The kid is a serious shoe".

With just under 2 hours left in the race, Skerlong called in with a report of trouble with the front end, a severe wobble. Skerlong pitted and the crew went to work to replace a fractured front hub. The work was done in record time, and Dr. John Reed was recruited by the team to finish off the race.

“Carl handed the car over to me with a 20 lap lead over fourth place. All I had to do was stay out on track, stay out of trouble, and we had a podium, even I thought I could handle that one. It was a trip driving in just one gear while keeping an eye out for the E1 cars still running nose to tail for position after 23 hours, they were taking no prisoners".

Reed was given a celebratory dousing of Champagne by the team after taking the checkered and bringing home a third place finish in E2. Not bad for a car with only one gear.

25 Hours of Thunderhill 2007

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:28:28 -0800

The fifth annual running of the United States Air Force 25 Hours of Thunderhill™ came to a close on Sunday, December 2, 2007 after over a day's worth of severe endurance racing. The event saw 72 teams enter with 67 of them taking the green flag at the Thunderhill Raceway Park complex in Willows, CA. The field for this year was extremely diverse and included racecars ranging from Daytona Prototypes to Mazda Miatas.

This year’s race had much better results than in 2005 when an MX-5 was rolled end over end.. See Story

AWR/Racing cages prepared the E1 class winning 2006 MX-5, which also took 3rd place overall, beating out the Honda S2000 team by 1.6 seconds after 25 hours and 628 laps of racing.

The car was driven by a combination MAZDASPEED MOTORSPORTS/MER Racing team.

Another 2006 MX-5 driven by the MAZDASPEED/MER Racing team came in 8th place, finishing 615 laps.

In all there were 8 third generation Mazda MX-5s in the race and all of them finished the race. Mazdas proved very popular with 41% of the field with an additional 11 Mazda Miatas, 5 RX-7s and 3 RX-8s and a Protege. 28 out of 67 cars.

PLAYBOY JOINS MAZDA MX-5 CUP PROGRAM

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:01:17 -0800

Mazda MX-5 Cup Series an important new rung on motorsports development ladder
December 6, 2007 (Orlando, Fla. ) Using the largest motorsports trade show in the world as the venue, the world's most popular sports car has joined forces with one of the world's most popular brands, as Playboy becomes the title sponsor for the 2008 SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup . The MX-5 Cup saw thirty-percent growth in 2007 and is projected to become the number one spec professional series in the world. The series is also an integral part of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder that promotes champions of Mazda series to the next level of their career.

“This is a great way for us to grow the series and reach an audience of enthusiasts who may not have had the chance to see an MX-5 Cup race in person”, noted Jim Jordan, Alternative Marketing Manager, Mazda North American Operations.
“We are excited to be working with Mazda on this program and can't wait for the season to begin,” said Playboy Vice President and Publisher Lou Mohn. “We look forward to putting all of Playboy's brand assets into high gear to leverage this initiative and reach racing enthusiasts and Playboy fans alike.”

SCCA Pro Racing President and CEO Robert Wildberger remarked “We're excited to have such an established brand associated with what is quickly becoming one of the most exciting new series.”

The most raced car in the world is the Mazda MX-5 Miata. On any given weekend, half of the cars competing in SCCA Club Racing events are Mazda-brand vehicles, while thousands more autocross their daily driver Mazdas.

The MX-5 can be raced in a variety of configurations within many different clubs, with classes for every vintage of Mazda from showroom stock to all-out racer. For those looking to try their hand in professional racing, the MX-5 Cup is the ideal place. The cars are affordable, the racing is close, the venues are fantastic, and the races are televised.

The MX-5 Cup champion also receives a Mazda-supported ride in the following year's SCCA SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship. This prize is valued at $250,000. 2007 MX-5 Cup Champion Jason Saini will be racing in the 2008 SPEED World Challenge in a MAZDA 6.

2008 Schedule:

The 2008 SCCA Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup schedule is a great balance of North American locations. The season begins with the Houston Grand Prix and concludes six months later at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

April 25-27, 2008 Houston Grand Prix, Houston , Texas (with ALMS, Champ Car, Champ Car Atlantic , Star Mazda)
May 2-4, 2008 Road Atlanta , Braselton , Georgia (with HSR Mitty)
May 17-19, 2008 Mosport (with Canadian Touring Cars)
June 20-22, 2008 Cleveland Grand Prix, Cleveland , Ohio (with Champ Car, Champ Car Atlantic , Star Mazda)
July 25-27, 2008 Portland Grand Prix (with Champ Car, Champ Car Atlantic , Star Mazda)
Sept. 19-21, 2008 Miller Motorsports Park , Tooele , Utah (with Grand Am, Champ Car Atlantic )
Oct. 17-19, 2008 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey , California (with ALMS, Star Mazda, IMSA Lites)

One additional race will be added to complete an eight race series.

Improved Kumho Tire for 2008
"We're excited to be back with the Mazda MX-5 Cup series," said Rudy Consolacion, Motorsports Manager for Kumho Tires U.S.A. "This series features some of the closest racing in the U.S. , and we've made some improvements to the ECSTA V710 that should help make the races even tighter. We simply tweaked the compound and construction to improve the tire's performance."
Competitors will run an improved Kumho ECSTA V710 in the dry and the Kumho Victoracer in the wet.

The Ideal Entry-level Pro Series
The MX-5 Cup is a series where a good club racer can succeed without having been born rich.
Drivers with no club racing experience can attend courses and advanced lapping days at the Skip Barber Racing School in similarly equipped MX-5s to obtain a provisional license.
Club racers with suitable licenses can contract a car on a race-by-race basis from one of several multi-car teams, including Alara Racing, Hale Motorsports, Hooverspeed and Motorsports Enterprises Racing (MER).

On December 12th, nine national champions from club racing will gather at the Buttonwillow race track north of Los Angeles , Calif. They will be competing to win a brand-new MX-5 Cup car and the MAZDASPEED parts to prepare for the 2008 season. The 2006 SCCA Spec Miata Club Champion, Andrew Caddell, won the previous shootout and went on to win two MX-5 Cup races in 2007, finishing second in points.

Skip Barber Regional MX-5 Cup races
New for 2008 will be regional series for Skip Barber MX-5 Cup cars. Successful graduates of the Skip Barber MX-5 Cup school will be able to gain useful racecraft experience at an affordable price. Regional series will be based out of the schools at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Road Atlanta. Additional locations are under study and will be added based upon customer demand.

Great TV this December:
While it may be too cold to race in most parts of the country, the action is hot on the SPEED channel this month. Each of the eight races from the 2007 MX-5 Cup is being shown in an edited 30-minute format, with races shown in pairs for four consecutive Saturdays. Six of the eight races have yet to air.

Race Broadcast time (EST):
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca & Portland Saturday, December 8 @ 2:00 PM  Cleveland Doubleheader Saturday, December 15 @ 2:00 PM  Trois-Rivieres & Miller Motorsports Park Saturday, December 22 @ 4:00 PM

About Mazda
Mazda is the brand of choice for road-racers across North America . More than 9,000 grassroots racers compete in various classes with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the National Auto Sport Association (NASA). Racers who are years away from earning a driver's license can now begin their professional motorsports careers in the Mazda family. A driver can begin in karts and progress through the Skip Barber series, Club Racing Formula Mazda, professional Star Mazda and finally to Formula Atlantic, ALL with Mazda. No other car company has ever connected the dots this way.

On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle. At the track, you'll see MX-5 Miata, RX-8, MAZDA 3 , MAZDA 6 , RX-7 and other vintage Mazda models competing, because every Mazda has the Soul of a Sports Car. In fact, the largest road-racing class in the world is Spec Miata, with more than 1,500 first- and second-generation Miatas tearing up America 's racetracks, making it the most-raced production car in the world. Mazda's involvement in motorsports extends to its relationship with Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, one of the world's premier road-racing circuits, and the Skip Barber Schools for driving and racing.

Headquartered in Irvine , Calif. , Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States , Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario , Canada , and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

About Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
Playboy Enterprises is a brand-driven, international multimedia entertainment company that publishes editions of Playboy magazine around the world; operates television networks and distributes programming globally; owns Playboy.com, a leading men's lifestyle and entertainment web site; and licenses the Playboy trademark internationally for a range of consumer products and services.

About SCCA Pro Racing
A wholly owned subsidiary of Sports Car Club of America, Inc., SCCA Pro Racing Inc. is a leading sanctioning body for motorsports events in the United States . A member of the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States (ACCUS), SCCA Pro Racing owns, operates and sanctions the SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships and the SCCA Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, as well as provides sanctioning and various operational services for other series. For more information, please visit www.sccapro.com

SKIP BARBER ANNOUNCES NEW REGIONAL RACE SERIES

Thu, 6 Dec 2007 20:55:41 -0800

Mazda MX-5 Cup Series an important new rung on motorsports development ladder
ORLANDO , Fla. (December 6) - Skip Barber Racing School announced today the formation of an all-new regional race series featuring the Mazda MX-5 Cup car, one of the most popular sports cars used in amateur and professional road racing today.
The Skip Barber Mazda MX-5 Cup Regional Race Series will use MX-5 cars converted by Skip Barber Racing to similar specifications as those raced in the professional SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup. Skip Barber's long history of producing regional and national race series events will enable the new championship to run its inaugural season on some of the country's most prestigious road courses, including Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Road Atlanta. A full schedule of race dates and locations will be announced early in 2008.

“The MX-5 Cup Race Series is an important new rung on the Mazda-built motorsports ladder,” said George Ayres, Skip Barber Chief Operating Officer. “Drivers can now move from our Mazda MX-5 Cup Three-day Racing School to the new MX-5 Cup Regional Race Series and from there into the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, Grand-Am, ALMS, SCCA and other sedan and sports car championships. Our new Series will provide a highly professional environment that emphasizes skill development and great racing at competitive prices. And because Skip Barber provides the cars and crew, all drivers need to do is bring their desire to win.”

The Mazda MX-5 Cup car utilizes a Mazda 2-liter power plant that delivers 200hp and 190 ft lbs of torque. The drivetrain is a 5-speed manual transmission with a Mazda racing clutch assembly. All cars will run BFGoodrich G-Force tires. The new MX-5 Cup Regional Race Series will be modeled on the long-running Skip Barber open-wheel regional race series that features the winged and sequential shifted Skip Barber Formula 2000 race car. A season-long points system will track driver standings and recognize individual drivers for their achievements.

The new Regional Skip Barber Series also complements the fast-growing SCCA Spec Miata class, with nearly 1,500 first and second generation Miatas running on any given weekend in the U.S. The third generation Miata is known as the MX-5, and in 2005, the Sirius Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup was created as the entry level of production car-based competition in SCCA Pro Racing.

Headquartered in Lakeville, Conn., and operating out of five base locations (Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California; Lime Rock Park in Connecticut; Road America in Wisconsin; Road Atlanta in Georgia; and Sebring International Raceway in Florida), Skip Barber is the world's largest racing and driving school, available at more than 20 race tracks across the U.S. and Canada. In addition to the Skip Barber Racing School , the company also runs the Skip Barber Driving School and the new High Performance Driving School . The company also operates five separate open-wheel racing championships. Skip Barber recently signed a long term agreement with Mazda North American Operations; Mazda sports cars are used in the Driving School programs and beginning in 2008, Mazda engines will power the Skip Barber fleet of more than 100 formula race cars, strengthening the North American motorsports ladder system of Skip Barber, Star Mazda and Champ Car Atlantic Powered by Mazda.

More information on Skip Barber Racing is available by calling 860-435-1300, and at www.skipbarber.com

2008 Race Schedule

Thu, 6 Dec 2007 20:41:50 -0800

SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup
Accompanying the announcement of Playboy Enterprises as the new title sponsor of MX-5 Cup, SCCA Pro Racing and Mazda North America presented seven of eight venues that will compose the 2008 schedule.
The 2008 SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup schedule begins as 2007 did, at the Grand Prix of Houston. MX-5 teams will join the Champ Car World Series and American LeMans Series in tackling the tight and tricky confines of JAGFlo Speedway at Reliant Park April 25 - 27.
From a recently developed temporary circuit to a classic American road racing venue, the series head to Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., for Round Two. For the second year in-a-row, the MX-5 cup will showcase what modern racing has to offer to the competitors and fans of Historic Sportscar Racing's Walter Mitty Challenge May 2 - 4.

Round Three heads north of the border when the series joins the Canadian Touring Cars at Mosport International Raceway in Ontario. After an appearance at the famed Canadian circuit during the inaugural season in 2005, MX-5 Cup did not make the trip to Bowmanville, Ont., last season, but is ready to wow its diehard fans once again, May 17 – 19.

Teams don’t have too far to go for Round Four at Burke Lakefront Airport. MX-5 Cup returns to the Grand Prix of Cleveland with Champ Car, June 20 – 22. Last year's doubleheader at Cleveland was some of the best racing all year and although it will only be a single event in 2008, don’t expect any less action on the track.

MX-5 ventures west for Round Five at Portland International Raceway. The series sticks with Champ Car for the Portland Grand Prix, where the Festival Curves will make for some hair-raising moments, July 25 – 27.
The 2007 season finale was played out at Miller Motorsports Park, but in 2008 the grandiose 4.5-mile track will host the penultimate round. MX-5 Cup arrives in Tooele, Utah, to join Grand-Am for some spectacular road racing in the desert, Sept. 19 – 21.

Fittingly, the 2008 MX-5 Cup season comes to a close at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, Calif., Oct. 17 – 19. The famous Pacific Coast road course hosted the very first MX-5 Cup race in 2005 and will set the stage for what will no doubt be a spectacular 2008 finale.

An eighth event will be added to the 2008 schedule in the near future.

If you can't wait until April for MX-5 Cup racing, make sure you watch SPEED, Saturdays at 2 p.m. (EST) in December to relive all the racing action from 2007.

2008 SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Schedule

Date Track/Venue With
April 25 – 27 Houston Grand Prix Champ Car / ALMS  May 2 – 4 Road Atlanta Historic Sportscar Racing  May 17 – 19 Mosport Int’l Raceway Canadian Touring Ca  June 20 – 22 Cleveland Grand Prix Champ Car  July 25 – 27 Portland Int'l Raceway Champ Car  Sept. 19 – 21 Miller Motorsports Park Grand-Am  Oct. 17 – 19 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca ALMS

SCCA Pro Racing SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:55:24 -0700

SCCA Pro Racing SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup
Round Eight
Sunchaser 1000
Miller Motorsports Park
Tooele, Utah

Media Contact: Eric Prill, VP Marketing & Communications, (785) 250-7920, eprill@scca.com
                   Erin Cechal, SCCA PR Specialist, (785)608-9522, ecechal@scca.com

Event/Circuit    Sunchaser 1000
                        Miller Motorsports Park
                                    24-turn, 4.5-mile road course

Qualifying:       Friday, September 14 at 11:00 a.m. (MDT)

Green Flag:      Saturday, September 15 at 9:45 a.m. (MDT)


Race Length:    45-minute timed race.

Television:       All races to be aired on SPEED. Dates and times TBD.

Media Notes:   Results are available on the AP SportsWire, via e-mail and on the Internet at www.mx-5cup.com .

Timing/Scoring: Live Timing & Scoring and lap notes via the SCCA® Pit Board are available for all sessions through www.mx-5cup.com .

Records:               Qualifying Lap: 3:19.755 (80.847 mph), Jim Daniels, 2006
                              Race Lap: 3:20.955 (80.364 mph), Ara Malkhassian, 2006
                              Average Speed: 79.988 mph, Jim Daniels, 2006
                              Closest Margin of Victory: 0.226-second, Jim Daniels over Jason Saini, 2006

Storylines:

THE CURTAIN FALLS ON SEASON TWO
Season two of the SCCA Pro Racing SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup comes to a close much the same way season one did. Like Jim Daniels in 2006, Jason Saini enters the final round with the championship already clinched. The venues for the two season finales is also similar. Last year’s finale took place at the long and fast Road America, this year the series takes it up a notch, to the country’s longest road course – Miller Motorsports Park.

Saini might have the Championship in hand, but don’t expect him to take it easy by any means. The Team MER driver’s first series victory came at last year’s season finale and he finished second here in 2006 following a tight battle with Jim Daniels and Anders Hainer. Saini will also be on a quest to ensure he finishes the season with a top-three finish at every single race, an impressive accomplishment in such a competitive series and the foundation of his 2007 Championship.

The newly-crowned Champion will have to battle the largest field in MX-5 Cup history this weekend. Should every car make it to the starting grid, 31 cars will take part in Round Eight of the MX-5 Cup. The surge in entries is courtesy of an season-ending all star line-up that include Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey, Frankie Muniz current Champ Car Atlantic driver and former star of Malcom in the Middle, Ian Ziering of Beverly Hills 90210 fame and recent contestant on Dancing With the Stars, as well as Champ Car Atlantic standout and one of the top female racers in the country, Simona De Silvestro.

The celebrity ensemble will find themselves in the midst of several Championship point battles. This includes Saini’s MER teammate, Andrew Caddell, who currently sits second in the points, only seven points ahead of ALARA Racing team leader Ara Malkhassian. Both drivers earned their first-career wins this season and Caddell has yet to finish outside the top three since his win at Portland. Malkhassian certainly has the speed to catch Caddell this weekend, he’s collected three Hawk Hot Laps this season and finished fourth here last year.

Currently fourth in the Championship, Jesse Combs is coming off a rough Round Seven at Trois-Rivières, where he finished 16th. Combs will need to return to his top-five form again this weekend to have a shot at finishing the season inside the top three in points and to hold off Matt Cross and Pratt Cole.

Cross and Cole are fifth and sixth in the Championship, respectively, separated by a mere two points. Like Combs, Cross had a rough go of it at Trois-Rivières, retiring early with transmission woes. Meanwhile, Salt Lake City native Cole was having one of his best runs of the season, qualifying second and finishing fifth. All eyes will be on Cole this weekend to see if the local driver can put in a performance that pushes him into the top five in points.

Also not so far behind, sitting seventh in points is 17-year-old Andrew Carbonell. The Team BSI driver has been improving with each round, notching a career-best fourth in Cleveland and fighting his way to ninth at the tight confines of Trois-Rivières. The wide open spaces of Miller Motorsports Park might give this young talent a chance to stretch his wings this weekend.

Speaking of young talent, the MX-5 Cup family is happy to welcome back 16-year-old Brett Smrz to the paddock this weekend. The young gun who caught everyone’s attention at the season opener in Houston by winning pole in his first professional car race, returns as a guest for the season finale after undergoing surgery in May to remove a portion of his left leg, the result of a trampoline accident. Smrz was recently outfitted with a prosthetic leg and foot and is already making preparations to return to MX-5 Cup next year.

Event Entry List
No., Driver/ Hometown, Team, Car
5, Dale Alexander/ Tampa, FL, Hale Motorsports, Mazda MX-5
7, Jesse Combs/ Houston, TX, Alara Racing, Mazda MX-5
8, Dr. Carlos Tesler-Mabe/ Vancouver, BC, Alara Racing, Mazda MX-5
10, Rick Bellew/ Mobile, AL, Team MER, Mazda MX-5
11, Ara Malkhassian/ Sonoma, CA, Alara Racing, Mazda MX-5
12, Alison Malkhassian/ Sonoma, CA, Alara Racing, Mazda MX-5
14, Simona De Silvestro/ Thun, Switzerland, Hooverspeed, Mazda MX-5
19, Bob Michaelian/ Seal Beach, CA, Hooverspeed, Mazda MX-5
21, Randy Hale, III/ Haddam, CT, Hale Motorsports, Mazda MX-5
22, Mark Jenkins/ Fairview, TX, Jenkins Brothers Racing, Mazda MX-5
23, Ian Ziering/ Los Angeles, CA, Hale Motorsports, Mazda MX-5
24, Frankie Muniz/ Los Angeles, CA, Team MER, Mazda MX-5
25, Rick Skelton/ Atlanta, GA, Team MER, Mazda MX-5
26, Tim Probert/ Houston, TX, Alara Racing, Mazda MX-5
28, Jason Saini/ Fort Worth, TX, Team MER, Mazda MX-5
29, Patrick Dempsey/ Los Angeles, CA, Team MER, Mazda MX-5
30, Andrew Caddell/ Graham, WA, Team MER, Mazda MX-5
39, Brad McAllister/ Portland, OR, Wired Motorsports, Mazda MX-5
43, Barry Fromberg/ Plano, TX, Alara Racing, Mazda MX-5
47, Mike Jenkins/ Fairview, TX, Jenkins Brothers Racing, Mazda MX-5
54, Brad Adams/ New Orleans, LA, Team MER, Mazda MX-5
56, Todd Buras/ Melbourne, FL, BSI Racing, Mazda MX-5
57, Mike Gatto/ Cumming, GA, BSI Racing, Mazda MX-5
58, Andrew Carbonell/ Miami, FL, BSI Racing, Mazda MX-5
65, Chris Sarian/ Littleton, CO, SarWood Racing, Mazda MX-5
80, Matt Cross/ Folsom, CA, Hooverspeed, Mazda MX-5
83, Kim Ouye/ Salinas, CA, Hooverspeed, Mazda MX-5
88, Pratt Cole/ Salt Lake City, UT, RP Motorsports, Mazda MX-5
01, Bill Sweedler/ Norwalk, CT, Hale Motorsports, Mazda MX-5
08, Ed Brown/ Denver, CO, Hale Motorsports, Mazda MX-5
09, John C. Kuitwaard/ Wantagh, NY, P1-Motorsports.com, Mazda MX-5

Erin Cechal
SCCA Public Relations Specialist
800/770-2055 ext. 354
ecechal@scca.com
www.scca.com

All-new Racing School: MX-5 Cup Three Day

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 21:20:06 -0700

SEBRING, Fla. - The Skip Barber Racing School is excited to announce an all-new iteration of its famous three-day competition course. The Skip Barber Mazda MX-5 Cup Three Day Racing School will use Mazda MX-5 race cars built by Skip Barber Racing to the exact same specifications as those raced in the popular SCCA Pro Racing SIRIUS Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup series.

That makes this the only three day racing school in North America where students drive the exact same cars as used in a professional racing series.

Scheduled to launch at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in April, the new program is based on the same proven curriculum as Skip Barber’s open-wheel formula-car school, but suitably modified to take advantage of not only the unique capabilities of the MX-5, but the vast experience of Skip Barber’s many instructors whom currently race closed-wheel sports cars. This is a new capability, unique to the Skip Barber Racing School. The cost, $3,995, is the same as its formula-car school.

“Sedan racing is growing very quickly in North America and we expect to see that trend to continue well into the future,’’ said George Ayres, Skip Barber chief operating officer. ‘‘This program will give an extraordinary advantage to the serious amateurs and professionals looking to advance their skills and gain a competitive edge. Much like our famous open-wheel school, we expect auto enthusiasts to gravitate to the program even if they are fully licensed or have already graduated from a Skip Barber open-wheel school.’’

The first Mazda MX-5 Cup School is April 27-28-29 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The second is scheduled for May 21-22-23 at Road America, with additional dates at Road America being explored. The MX-5 Cup School will return to Mazda Raceway mid-summer and be available year round there.

By the fall of this year, the MX-5 school will be available at Skip Barber’s Florida bases – Sebring International Raceway and Daytona International Speedway – then in the spring of 2008 it will come to Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, the fifth base location.
‘‘No one else has a three-day racing school of the type we do, in a car raced by pros. We’re confident there is a good market for that,’’ explains Ayres. ‘‘Its primary draw, we think, is that this is the only racing school using a car that’s currently raced professionally. It’s ideal for people looking to race in Grand-Am, ALMS, SCCA and other sedan and sports car championships.

‘‘And because the MX-5 Cup car is a two-seater, instructors and students can ride together for specific on-track exercises.’’

Like the successful formula-car three day school, the MX-5 Cup School will emphasize track time combined with the best, most experienced instructor corps in the industry. Participants who complete the school will receive a certificate they can send to the Sport Car Club of America (SCCA) to obtain a regional racing license, the same as for graduates of the formula car school.

Press Release Bullet Points
This is the first and only racing school in North America in which “raw” students – no experience needed – are learning the art and science of race car driving in the very same car as is used in a professional racing series: The SCCA Pro Racing Sirius Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup.
The renowned Skip Barber Three Day Racing School curriculum provides the basic structure for the new MX-5 Cup School, but is modified to account for the unique capabilities of the MX-5, including the opportunity for instructors and students to ride together.
The school leverages the vast experience of Skip Barber’s many instructors whom currently race closed-wheel sports cars.
The first two Skip Barber Mazda MX-5 Cup Three Day Racing Schools are scheduled for April 27-29 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca) and May 21-23 at Road America.

Skip Barber is the largest, most respected racing school in the world. Established in 1975, its list of now-famous graduates is long and enviable and includes winners and champions in virtually every form of major motorsport: NASCAR Nextel Cup/Busch/Craftsman Truck, Formula 1, IRL, Champ Car, Indy 500, Le Mans, 24 Hours of Daytona, Rolex Sports Cars, ALMS, 12 Hours of Sebring, A1GP, GP2 – even NHRA drag racing. Some of those grads are: Jeff Gordon, Marco Andretti, Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Speed, A.J. Allmendinger, Bobby Labonte, Bryan Herta, Michael Andretti, Bill Elliott, Sam Hornish, Helio Castroneves, Kenny Schrader, Scott Sharp, Tony Kanaan, Whit Bazemore, Kasey Kahne, Darrell Alderman and dozens of others.

With the just-announced news that the SCCA Pro Racing Sirius Satellite Radio Mazda MX-5 Cup champion will be awarded by Mazda a funded drive in the following year’s SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship, a ‘‘ladder system’’ for aspiring sports car racers is now in place.

Additional information on the MX-5 Cup, including the full season schedule, can be found at www.mx-5cup.com.

25 Hours of Thunderhill

Thu, 8 Dec 2005 21:25:39 -0800

We never want to wreck a car, however, this race turned out to provide us with good information.
The MX-5 rolled 4 times. Certainly a lot of punishment for any car or cage. All outer body panels and some suspension pieces were thoroughly destroyed.
The passenger compartment was in incredible shape though. The roll cage didn't even show any signs of deformation.
The driver only suffered a broken thumb and that was due to it being pinned between the vehicle and the ground.
Following, is the story of the weekend as told by driver John Kanavas.

Kanavas & Mazdaspeed's '05 "25" ...
 Laguna Niguel, CA (12.08.05): The Mazdaspeed Motorsports team faced every facet of true endurance racing at this year’s 25 Hours of Thunderhill.

The Mazdaspeed Motorsports Teams’ effort started out well with both cars sitting in the 1st and 2nd starting position for the E1 class. Charles Espenlaub set the fast time for the #19 car, which sat on pole, while Jim Daniels set the pace for #55, sitting on outside pole. Ken Dobson would start the 19 car with Jeremy Barnes starting the 55. Charles Espenlaub, Johnny Kanavas and Mark Gillies (of Automobile Magazine) were also driving car 19 and Tim Buck, Jim Daniels, Scott Kaluza, and Andy Bornhop (of Road & Track Magazine) were the additional drivers for car 55.
Dobson was off like a bullet and ran strong in his first stint. Passed by some of the other quicker E1 cars, Ken sat a solid third as he brought the car in for Mark Gillies to take over. Gililes held up a good pace, while battling an evil handling car. Around the 4-hour mark, Gillies brought the car in for Johnny Kanavas to take over. The 19 car now sat in 2nd place, while the 55 car was 3rd. Kanavas was also fighting an ill-handling car that began to have a very long brake pedal. “The car was all over the place and the brake pedal would go way down, almost to the floor, it was evil to drive.” reported Kanavas. Exiting Turn-10, a Cobra and one of the factory Honda SI’s came together in Turn-10, right in front of Johnny in the 19 car. Kanavas backed off and slid between the two cars and debris, making it out clean. Despite the car being a handful and the track becoming greasy, Johnny managed to bring the car up to 1st place in class and 7th overall. At about the 6 hour 15 minutes mark, the 55 car came in with a smoking differential. “I first saw the smoke in my mirrors as the lights of the cars behind me lit it up. Then it began to fill the car.” reported Daniels. The team quickly assessed the damage (right axle seal) and replaced the diff. The stop, with fuel, took about 40 minutes. Espenlaub was now on deck for the 19 car. Charles drove a consistent stint, keeping the car in 1st place, handing the car back over to Dobson. Ken ran a double-stint in what he described as “rain-like” conditions. It was about the 7.5 hour mark and Gillies was now back in the car.

During Gillies’ stint in the car, he radioed in to report that the 19 car was stuck in 3rd gear. The car was immediately brought in and the crew went to work. With only on spare transmission, the team quickly attacked the car, replacing the gearbox. Within 15 minutes from the time the 19 car came in, the 55 car reported the same problem with the gearbox. The crew managed to get the 55 car stuck into 5th gear, which allowed the 55 team to continue on, they were now in the 40th position overall. Kanavas prepared to enter the 19 car once the work was completed. The crew gave Johnny 3 new Hankook tires for what would be a double-stint and the car fell back to 27th overall due to the long pit stop. Kanavas settled into a consistent pace and worked his way through traffic. As the first half of the stint ended and Johnny was brought in for fuel, Crew Chief, Rick Weldon asked Kanavas to run the car in 4th gear only in order to conserve the gearbox. “The car felt much better with the new tires. We were able to lay down some good lap times even in conservation mode. These new MX-5’s make tons of torque!” said Kanavas. There would be two caution periods during Johnny’s stint. One was due to the #25 Porsche of Johannes Van Overbeek sitting on its’ roof outside of Turn-13. The second caution was brought out for some stalled cars that were stuck on course. Kanavas eventually finished up his double-stint and brought the car in for brake change and fuel and handed the reins over to Espenlaub. Meanwhile, Jim Daniels' prepared to hand the 55 car over to Scott Kaluza, which was now stuck in 6th gear. The 55 team just kept plugging away and were now up to 36th place overall.

Nearing the 20-hour mark, Kanavas took over from Gillies, received a new right rear tire, and was now on his way. At about 7:15am, the entire race would change for the #19 Mazdaspeed Motorsports team... While cresting the hill at Turn-5a, Kanavas pulled to the outside (left) of the #14 Factory-Five Cobra. Running side by side into Turn-6, the Cobra made a surprise turn to the left, directly in front of the 19 car. The two cars made immediate contact throwing both cars into the air. The 19 car rolled four times, while the Cobra went over three times. The impacts were hard and both cars were destroyed. Unfortunately for Kanavas, his left hand was pinned under the roll bar as the car stopped rolling. “I was stuck in the car and couldn’t move. All I could see was some of our photographers nearby and waved to them frantically for help. Thankfully, they came over and rocked the car off my hand.” reported Kanavas. The rescue crew eventually arrived and removed Johnny from the car. Kanavas immediately went to the ground as he was short of breath and very sore. The two drivers met in the ambulance and were both a bit shaken. The Cobra was making a left turn for an access road on the left side of the track as he was out of fuel and never saw the Mazda beside him. Kanavas continues, “I was very surprised to see the Cobra turn left. The initial impact was hard and I didn’t realize I was airborne until the first landing. The next few landings were faster and hard. It was not fun.” Both drivers were taken to the medical center at the track. Spencer Sharp, driver of the Cobra was released, while Kanavas was sent to hospital for x-rays. Johnny suffered only a broken thumb and sore neck. The 19 car ended up 36th overall and 8th in class.

The 55 car was still going strong, running around in 6th gear. Road & Track Magazine’s, Andy Bornhop, brought the dark gray MX-5 Miata home to the checker, finishing 25th overall and 6th in class.
Kanavas Kompetition thanks Mazda, Protomotive, Hankook, Road & Track Magazine, Automobile Magazine, AWR, eprodius.com, and the entire Mazdaspeed 25-hour crew for putting this effort together.

or official results, photos and more, visit: http://www.nasa25hour.com/2005-Report.php
For aftermath photos of the crash, visit: MX-5 photos For Photos of the MX-5 after it's return see gallery two.
For action captured live from the event, check out the KK blog at: http://jkana.blogspot.com/