LMP2 Mazda Update?
07-10-2006, 11:43 PM
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The tv coverage said the car got into some debris or oil and made pretty hard contact with a guardrail and then the GT2 Ferrari slammed into them. The damage looked pretty extensive and may have damaged the tub.
Last edited by simontemplar09; 07-10-2006 at 11:51 PM.
dont count on it entering any race soong
07-14-2006, 08:44 PM
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Official press release regarding the damage:
http://www.americanlemans.com/news/Article.aspx?ID=2272
http://www.americanlemans.com/news/Article.aspx?ID=2272
07-14-2006, 09:42 PM
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Last edited by Renesis_8; 09-11-2011 at 08:59 AM.
07-15-2006, 02:09 PM
#12
I could have sworn we ran a 3 rotor in IMSA GTP lights in 94 (Won the driver's championship for Wayne Taylor I believe) and then in the WSC class of what I believe was Grand Am. We ran in LMP675 with the 3 rotor in 95 and 96 in ALMS, actually winning at Le Mans that year. That was followed by the return of 4 rotor powered chassis in 97 that had some level of success at LeMans and winning SRP at Daytona 24 HR in 2001.
The 3 and 4 rotor powerplants have been legal in various sactioning bodies for quite some time, I guess the only recent allowance is for the 4 to be allowed to run in LMP2. I think my information is mostly accurate.
Paul.
The 3 and 4 rotor powerplants have been legal in various sactioning bodies for quite some time, I guess the only recent allowance is for the 4 to be allowed to run in LMP2. I think my information is mostly accurate.
Paul.
07-16-2006, 12:17 AM
#14
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They were only banned for a year or 2. That's it. Even the variable length intake manifold is still allowed. Today with restrictor plate rules the rotary is at a very big disadvantage unfortunately.
07-16-2006, 01:40 AM
#15
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Originally Posted by simontemplar09
Official press release regarding the damage:
http://www.americanlemans.com/news/Article.aspx?ID=2272
http://www.americanlemans.com/news/Article.aspx?ID=2272
07-16-2006, 11:09 AM
#16
Originally Posted by rotarygod
They were only banned for a year or 2. That's it. Even the variable length intake manifold is still allowed. Today with restrictor plate rules the rotary is at a very big disadvantage unfortunately.
07-16-2006, 03:45 PM
#18
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With the new Lola car coming out soon, we may see some big changes as far as powerplants go. We may not. They are rumored to be looking into hydrogen as a fuel but I personally see this as a waste of time and don't think it will get past the experimental stage. There are a limited number of original Mazda 4 rotors in the world and Dennis Spencer owns most of them. It's not my place to spread rumors but let's just say I don't see him giving any of these up any time soon.
It is true that a 4 rotor would need a smaller restrictor plate which hurt total power. The current car isn't even using all of the tricks to make power that they could be. They are not using a variable length intake manifold which is only legal on a rotary although the Courage just doesn't seem to have enough room for it. This is probably the biggest reason. We'll see what will happen with the Lola. If they can get weight down to minimums, cooling reliable and get a variable length manifold on it, it might actually be competitive in their class but I still don't see them touching the Porsche cars. Keep in mind that the competition will also grow quite a bit next season.
I personally want to see Mazda Japan step back into the program as a more dominant and controlling force rather than as support for private teams.
It is true that a 4 rotor would need a smaller restrictor plate which hurt total power. The current car isn't even using all of the tricks to make power that they could be. They are not using a variable length intake manifold which is only legal on a rotary although the Courage just doesn't seem to have enough room for it. This is probably the biggest reason. We'll see what will happen with the Lola. If they can get weight down to minimums, cooling reliable and get a variable length manifold on it, it might actually be competitive in their class but I still don't see them touching the Porsche cars. Keep in mind that the competition will also grow quite a bit next season.
I personally want to see Mazda Japan step back into the program as a more dominant and controlling force rather than as support for private teams.
07-17-2006, 06:56 AM
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Originally Posted by rotarygod
With the new Lola car coming out soon, we may see some big changes as far as powerplants go. We may not. They are rumored to be looking into hydrogen as a fuel but I personally see this as a waste of time and don't think it will get past the experimental stage. There are a limited number of original Mazda 4 rotors in the world and Dennis Spencer owns most of them. It's not my place to spread rumors but let's just say I don't see him giving any of these up any time soon.
It is true that a 4 rotor would need a smaller restrictor plate which hurt total power. The current car isn't even using all of the tricks to make power that they could be. They are not using a variable length intake manifold which is only legal on a rotary although the Courage just doesn't seem to have enough room for it. This is probably the biggest reason. We'll see what will happen with the Lola. If they can get weight down to minimums, cooling reliable and get a variable length manifold on it, it might actually be competitive in their class but I still don't see them touching the Porsche cars. Keep in mind that the competition will also grow quite a bit next season.
I personally want to see Mazda Japan step back into the program as a more dominant and controlling force rather than as support for private teams.
It is true that a 4 rotor would need a smaller restrictor plate which hurt total power. The current car isn't even using all of the tricks to make power that they could be. They are not using a variable length intake manifold which is only legal on a rotary although the Courage just doesn't seem to have enough room for it. This is probably the biggest reason. We'll see what will happen with the Lola. If they can get weight down to minimums, cooling reliable and get a variable length manifold on it, it might actually be competitive in their class but I still don't see them touching the Porsche cars. Keep in mind that the competition will also grow quite a bit next season.
I personally want to see Mazda Japan step back into the program as a more dominant and controlling force rather than as support for private teams.
I agreed completly, instead of developing such expensive proyect that might never work or be competitive why not get 2 or 3 cars runing with diferent setups to see what can be acomplish like acura will do next year.
07-17-2006, 07:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Mazmart
I could have sworn we ran a 3 rotor in IMSA GTP lights in 94 (Won the driver's championship for Wayne Taylor I believe) and then in the WSC class of what I believe was Grand Am. We ran in LMP675 with the 3 rotor in 95 and 96 in ALMS, actually winning at Le Mans that year. That was followed by the return of 4 rotor powered chassis in 97 that had some level of success at LeMans and winning SRP at Daytona 24 HR in 2001.
The 3 and 4 rotor powerplants have been legal in various sactioning bodies for quite some time, I guess the only recent allowance is for the 4 to be allowed to run in LMP2. I think my information is mostly accurate.
Paul.
The 3 and 4 rotor powerplants have been legal in various sactioning bodies for quite some time, I guess the only recent allowance is for the 4 to be allowed to run in LMP2. I think my information is mostly accurate.
Paul.
Paul, theres very little info on the lmp675 that won lemans in 1996, when I tell people about it even rotary enthusiast they say they never heard anything about it, maybe you can get some info out, some pics and even a little video if posible, it is a magnificent achivement that should be well known and not forgotten.
Leo loco.
07-17-2006, 10:29 AM
#22
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Mazda/Downing raced the Kudzu DLM that year. It was powered by a 3 rotor.I know they won their class and finishing a 24 hour endurance race is no small feat but in this case it was a matter of "you can't win if you don't finish". It was a rotary outlasting the competition type of victory. The Kudzu won it's class because it was the only car in it's class to finish the race. They placed 25th overall. There were only 25 cars that finished the race so they were the last place car that actually was still running. All of those cars that were behind them DNF'd.
Not much info available on that car but here is a picture of it.
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/dlm.htm
Not much info available on that car but here is a picture of it.
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/dlm.htm