What's Mazda revealing on the 14th?
11-14-2013, 08:30 AM
#31
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Mazda Motorsports Announces Return to Elite Racing Prototype Program
November 14, 2013 (IRVINE, Calif.)—At Mazda, “Never Stop Challenging” isn’t just a catchphrase, it’s a company maxim. After nearly two years of planning, Mazda Motorsports will field a pair of factory-backed SKYACTIV-D Smart Diesel-powered racecars in the top Prototype Class for the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (USCC), beginning with the Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 25-26, 2014. This is a major step up for Mazda, having won the 2013 Grand-Am GX Manufacturers Championship. Mazda will be challenging for overall race wins against the toughest sports car competitors in North America.
“This is the most significant step Mazda has taken towards returning to the global racing stage since our overall victory at Le Mans in 1991,” said John Doonan, director of Mazda Motorsports. “And thanks to our SKYACTIV-D Mazda6 racecars winning nine of 12 Rolex GRAND-AM GX races and the GRAND-AM GX Manufacturers Championship this year, we’re confident that our two prototype cars will challenge the best North America has to offer.”
Long-time racing partner SpeedSource Race Engineering, the team that oversaw Mazda’s GX-class championship in 2013, will carry responsibility to develop and run the cars on track. Additionally, Mazda also is in discussions with customer teams interested in the prototype class, as well as teams interested in developing the championship winning Mazda6 into a GT Daytona class car.
Sylvain Tremblay, Owner, SpeedSource Engineering noted; “As a racer, you always want to be in the fastest class. The development of the Mazda SKYACTIV-D was a great deal of work by Mazda and SpeedSource and it will be quite the task to take this to the front of the prototype class in only our second year of competition. Mazda and SpeedSource will have a busy November and December of testing as we prepare for Daytona.”
As part of its challenger frame of mind, Mazda is the only OEM racing with a diesel engine. The SKYACTIV-D Smart Diesel race engine is a true production-based engine and a carry-over from the development work done with the Mazda6 GX-class racing cars. The engine is 51 percent stock by parts count, and 63 percent stock by weight. Mazda chose this path as it is the most honest way to demonstrate the performance, quality, durability, and reliability of Mazda powerplants.
Driver line-ups and team partners will be announced at a later date. The cars will make their first public appearance at the “Roar Before the 24” test at Daytona, January 3-5, 2014.
November 14, 2013 (IRVINE, Calif.)—At Mazda, “Never Stop Challenging” isn’t just a catchphrase, it’s a company maxim. After nearly two years of planning, Mazda Motorsports will field a pair of factory-backed SKYACTIV-D Smart Diesel-powered racecars in the top Prototype Class for the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (USCC), beginning with the Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 25-26, 2014. This is a major step up for Mazda, having won the 2013 Grand-Am GX Manufacturers Championship. Mazda will be challenging for overall race wins against the toughest sports car competitors in North America.
“This is the most significant step Mazda has taken towards returning to the global racing stage since our overall victory at Le Mans in 1991,” said John Doonan, director of Mazda Motorsports. “And thanks to our SKYACTIV-D Mazda6 racecars winning nine of 12 Rolex GRAND-AM GX races and the GRAND-AM GX Manufacturers Championship this year, we’re confident that our two prototype cars will challenge the best North America has to offer.”
Long-time racing partner SpeedSource Race Engineering, the team that oversaw Mazda’s GX-class championship in 2013, will carry responsibility to develop and run the cars on track. Additionally, Mazda also is in discussions with customer teams interested in the prototype class, as well as teams interested in developing the championship winning Mazda6 into a GT Daytona class car.
Sylvain Tremblay, Owner, SpeedSource Engineering noted; “As a racer, you always want to be in the fastest class. The development of the Mazda SKYACTIV-D was a great deal of work by Mazda and SpeedSource and it will be quite the task to take this to the front of the prototype class in only our second year of competition. Mazda and SpeedSource will have a busy November and December of testing as we prepare for Daytona.”
As part of its challenger frame of mind, Mazda is the only OEM racing with a diesel engine. The SKYACTIV-D Smart Diesel race engine is a true production-based engine and a carry-over from the development work done with the Mazda6 GX-class racing cars. The engine is 51 percent stock by parts count, and 63 percent stock by weight. Mazda chose this path as it is the most honest way to demonstrate the performance, quality, durability, and reliability of Mazda powerplants.
Driver line-ups and team partners will be announced at a later date. The cars will make their first public appearance at the “Roar Before the 24” test at Daytona, January 3-5, 2014.
11-14-2013, 09:08 AM
#32
no plans for Le Mans = no care.
Sure competing in Tudor lamesauce name is too long Championship is good, but if you want to show what your made of, you have to do it in France. Especially if you want to compete with Audi. The ALMS and WEC have only been practice sessions for Audi, Tudor will be no different.
Sure competing in Tudor lamesauce name is too long Championship is good, but if you want to show what your made of, you have to do it in France. Especially if you want to compete with Audi. The ALMS and WEC have only been practice sessions for Audi, Tudor will be no different.
Last edited by fuztupnz; 11-14-2013 at 09:12 AM.
11-14-2013, 09:39 AM
#36
After a reveal like that, they're just gonna be hush-hush and quietly show up?
To my knowledge, it's just an optional qualifier. I think they have to run X amount of ALMS or WEC races to qualify for entry. If petite was the only qualifier for invite it would have a 150 car field.
To my knowledge, it's just an optional qualifier. I think they have to run X amount of ALMS or WEC races to qualify for entry. If petite was the only qualifier for invite it would have a 150 car field.
11-14-2013, 11:50 AM
#40
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I gotta agree with Zoom on this one, they need to learn from last years mistakes and not jump into LeMans without first testing this new platform.
Losing the Mazda 6's in under 2 hours last year was not a great way to start the season.
I'm excited about this, as the 3 car GX class simply was un-watchable. This makes things much more interesting and should at least be more entertaining then last year.
I worry about the reliability of these motors given the output they'll be asked to deliver to run with the other teams but we'll just have to wait and see what happens
Losing the Mazda 6's in under 2 hours last year was not a great way to start the season.
I'm excited about this, as the 3 car GX class simply was un-watchable. This makes things much more interesting and should at least be more entertaining then last year.
I worry about the reliability of these motors given the output they'll be asked to deliver to run with the other teams but we'll just have to wait and see what happens
11-14-2013, 11:58 AM
#41
My post, in the Grand Am thread 8/17/13
I'm watching the "Racing Insiders" on MAV TV. They report first of all, that there aren't going to be any tube frame cars in GT next year. More importantly, they said, that Speedsource was not going to be in GT class next year. They were going to move up. No more information was given.
May we see a rotary in LMP2 again?
May we see a rotary in LMP2 again?
11-14-2013, 12:04 PM
#42
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It's a good point Al. Speedsource in LMP2 does help expose the later possibility that when a new rotary does appear, Speedsource would be better positioned to run it at Le Mans (rules permitting).
11-14-2013, 01:35 PM
#44
Autoweek says they have been doing private testing at Sebring (probably west palm too). The next public test date will be the Roar Before the 24. I think they are better prepared this time around. The diesel race engine is getting R&D help from Japan.
11-14-2013, 01:43 PM
#46
LMP1 is Audi's playground, LMP2 sees a bunch of real teams with real budgets fight for the lead each year...
The Le Mans series is the pinnacle of motorsport, a random diesel lm-style prototype couldn't even get close to a podium.
11-14-2013, 02:19 PM
#50
i agree to you all....but Mazda needs to get more visibility in EU, and Motorsport is the best way.
Mazda in US have/had a good bunch of programs...
in Japan and Europe is a desert...
Mazda in US have/had a good bunch of programs...
in Japan and Europe is a desert...