Mazda dropped down to 8th in P2 now.

Maybe this caution will save that from happening for a little bit.

 

the #8 is going to get laped by the porches in this lap

 

#8 retires
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OldBustyMilf live

 

Looks like another DNF for Mazda. Engine problem.....

Update: Now the Mazda is back on the track.

 

really BAD finish to a really BAD season

 

Sigh.... and I bet they don't have Direct Injection in the motor! (Forget about relating the car to a Mazda product/ PR BS). They've taken a year to play with the new car, and they're still having problems with an awesome chassis and a proven motor.

If B-K really wants to race, they should just go with Lola/AER like Intersport. Get the Mazda name off the car. Why does MNAO fund the ALMS program anyways? I can't list a single reason.

Put a turbocharged 16X in next year, to test the potential of it.
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Web shows

 

That's what I am hoping for. That all this season the real reason was for the 16x to show up in 2008. Would the packaging requirements of a 2.0 inline 4 and a turboed 16x have any similarity?

 

They've invested a lot of money into a car that doesn't compete.

That is what I hope for too apc_monk, but it is very doubtful. They could've taken a season off (I guess thats really bad for PR, since the car was not competitive in its 2nd year), or went with another alternative cheaper method (FI-3rotor, or even the current renesis to 500hp).

Wat is with the ties with AER anyways? Is their plan to test the new DI motor for AER? But then again, we still don't know why the rotary was axed (waiting for RG)
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KissMeWell

 

Well the announcers on speed this evening were saying that there are plans to have more mazdas on the track next year. Now I'm not sure if they were talking out of their butts or eluding to something. Only time will tell I guess.

 

I dont think they will get any more cars on track if they cant handle one

 

true, it isn't like the speedsource 3-rotor that is successful. This package is currently not competitive and plague with problems.
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COLORADO MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

 

Waiting on RG too.....

 

The only way that we'll see a highly modified turbocharged 1.6l rotary is if Mazda corp (Japan) has any interest in such a thing.

Seal.

 

And mazda jp is more intrested in a Daytona 24 win than a lemans win

 

Correct. They want to win the 3 big 24 hour races. They've already got 2 of them. Only Daytona remains.

rotary crazy: Do you know what CLR's website is? I can't find it.

 

I have to talk to him tonight, ill ask him and post it here

 

I wish Gran Am would allow a 4 rotor DP, that would be GREAT!!

 

Yes, even thought that'd be one ugly mazda. DPs look very ugly IMO.

mazda engine w/ Lola chassis? I think I've seen that from somewhere....
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MissClarice

 

^^1984 lemans^^

well theres a redesing of the dp's coming, but I agree they dont look too good

I do like the yellow kodak car, im sorry that is allways in the back

 

Lola's new closed lmp2 car is looking good.


http://www.planetlemans.com/cmsv2/in...k=view&id=3408

 

I'd like to *bump* this puppy in hopes of getting some of the info RG teased us with.

 

Haha

Some related news. It seems like we'll see the closed cockpit Lola next year, they say they might have a porsche spyder beating car. Much of the improvements come from improved aero. But this car will be even more expensive than the Porsche LMP2.

Can you modify a B07 open cockpit to a B08 closed cockpit? BK might need that extra speed to compete. They should be able to afford it having all that $ to dump into a new engine and chassis. Its crazy expensive to run a single ALMS race anyways.

Other that this, I have no updates on BK or Mazda. I still hope that Mazda will test the 16X on the track before they release the new engine. It is the perfect place to do it, and they'll need a lot of testing on this engine to find its weak points. Everything is new in this engine!
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Vaporizer

 

I dont think we will get a lot of info for next season until early next year when mazda anounces its plans

 

Officially, you would be correct. I was referring more to the background on the ditching of the rotary for a rather average lola/aer package. And yes, I'm aware the car has shown moments of running in the top 5, but lessee:

1) Porsche found almost 3 SECONDS a lap in the EVO version of the Sypder over last summer. With Acura coming hard, do you think they're going to relax? Leading to...
2) Acura has the powerplant, now all the teams will be using the same chassis and there will reportedly be actual communication between the teams (this year was very much an internal competition with very little co-op between the three teams). Plus rumors that at least one team will field two cars.
3) Dyson has been finding more pace as they come to grips with their Spyders
4) Two other Spyders are rumored, one still might be driven by lehto/mowlem.
5) Penske will be back with the only big off-season rumor being a possible paint change.

So that's

4 (+2?) Porkas
3 (+1 or 2?) Acuras

Without a MASSIVE upgrade in performance, that's a solid 8-13th place in P2 before the race starts, and let's not even think of overall (which is really how the ALMS has been and hopefully will be next year) with Audi, Cytosport, and Intersport.

At least the GT1 Vettes most likely will only be around for the Sebring, PLM, and LS.

I don't mean to sound so negative, I just want to see Mazda pushing for wins, not getting props as the little team that really hung in there holding up the leaders for a couple laps.

And if they're not going to drop the scratch to be truly competitive, bring back the freaking rotary, so they'll at least sound badass!

 

Good post

But im sorry to say, if mazda keeps in the ALMS it will be with the current set up

It would be great to see a new car along with the current one fielding a FI 16X, that way we can get more R&D