Mazda's Getting serious about motorsports again

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Thu Dec 04, 2003 11:08 am

Quote:

Protege Turbo to Debut in 2004 Grand-Am Cup
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (December 3,2003) -- Supported by Mazdaspeed and Mazdaspeed Motorsports,
Doc B Racing announced plans today for the professional racing debut of a turbo-charged version of the
Mazda Protégé, the Mazdaspeed Protégé, in Grand-Am Cup's Sport Touring class for 2004.

"We are excited to be a part of the bid to bring Mazda the Manufacturer's Championship for 2004,"
commented Doc B Racing team owner and lead driver Thomas Bork. The outstanding support we have
received from Steve Sanders, Manager of Mazdaspeed Motorsports, and Tod Kaneko, Manager of
Mazdaspeed, has enabled us to turn this vision into reality."

Over the past 25 years, Mazdaspeed has built a winning motorsports program at the track and in
accessories for the street. The Mazda Protégé has been proven a winner in SCCA's World Challenge
series. Now Mazdaspeed is bringing their magic to a line of factory-tuned vehicles, the first being the
Mazdaspeed Protégé. It features a turbocharged 2.0 L DOHC 16 valve 4 cylinder engine.

Team drivers, Thomas Bork and Paul Stoddart, have raced together since 1994, producing multiple class
and overall wins as a team. Bork has 10 years of experience driving and managing a race team. Stoddart
is the 1982 Skip Barber Series Rookie of the Year with more than 12 years of driving experience.

Under the supervision of Frank Swiader, Doc B Racing's crew chief, much of the engine and suspension
development will be done in-house. The team made major investments in 2003 to prepare for the
upcoming year's challenges, including chassis and engine development facilities as well as upgrading
their pit stop equipment.

Additional support for this project is provided by Hawk Performance Brakes, Eibach, Torco Racing Oils,
Rota Wheels, Swain Tech Coatings, Impact Racing Products, Austin-Spencer Collision, John Holtz Auto
World, Cartel Performance Brake Fluids, Kartboy, Wiseco, Koni, Trackmasters, Goodson Machine Shop
Supplies, and PPG.

Rob Keehner · **Posted:** Thu Dec 04, 2003 4:57 pm

I wouldn't call racing in Grand Am serious business. That series sucks. They've been running the proteges in Speed World Challenge for 3 years now.

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Thu Dec 04, 2003 5:16 pm

I wouldn't say that Grand Am sucks. Actually I think that the VIR 500 that I saw last year (2002) was some really good racing. They had a large field. And the only small class was SRP. I know, that is their premier class, but they had 5 cars in class with 3 going out with various mechanical and contact problems. The good teams (Dyson and Judd) both finished.

Go see a race. You night actuallt like it. And remember, watching a bad race is better than having to watch football all day!!;)

Rob Keehner · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2003 2:45 am

You are kidding right?? I was at that race too working station 12. The only reason Dyson won over the Doran Racing Dallara was the Dallara went off course 3 times. They had no reason too either, thier car was clearly faster than the Crawford chassis Dyson was using. The feild was mostly filled with obsolete cars of very very poor prep. There wasn't a lick of racing for position anywhere in the feild after the first few laps. It's rich guy club racing.

You do know that the Premiere class of Grand Am is now the Daytona Prototype. These cars are no faster than a well prepped SCCA DSR. It's a complete joke. Why pay good money to see cars run that you could beat yourself with a car you could build in your garage. Try an ALMS race sometime, it's well worth the trip to atlanta. Not only are the cars some of the best in the world, they are actually fast and driven by true pros. At the Petit leman the top 3 finishers in each class get an automatic invite to lemans the following year too. I wish grand am would just go under so some of the bigger grand am teams would move to ALMS GT class.

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2003 4:21 pm

I disagree that Grand Am sucks. Yes, their cars aren't the most technology advanced in the world, but that does not automatically make a good deries. Look at F1, those crs are THE MOST advanced in the world, but they don't RACE. They parade around the track. NASCAR is a far more competitive series and their cars are using comparatively ancient technology. F1 has even talked about eliminating wings, radios, ABS, traction control and other driver's aids to help "equal" the field. They have already gotten rid of pit to car telemetry. As for ALMS, I like watching those races also and would LOVE to see one in person, but, it too is a parade within the classes.

Technology does not make a great series or a great race. Watch the Runoffs on speed, there you will see truly great racing in cars that are as much as 25 years old (formula vee).

And yes, Rob, I do know that Grand Am got rid of the SRP class in favor of the DPs. I'm not that dumb.

Rob Keehner · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2003 1:22 pm

Todd if you are going to an endurance race looking to see cars run nose to tail for 10 or more hours you won't find it anywhere. It's endurance racing it just doesn't happen. That said I've seen LOTS of very close finishes with cars passing for the lead in the waning laps of inumerable ALMS races. I don't think we are watching the same series. Secondly watching an ALMS race on TV isn't the right place to see one as the coverage is horrible. Once you've been to one you could realistically make a comparison. I've found the cars to be very competative with one another.

Also you mention Formula Vee and Asscar as examples. Of course they'll be tight races everybody is driving the same thing. the cars at a sportscar race should be different than one another, that's what makes it great. It's about the machines and mistique not the rubbin is racing bullcrap that most folks like to watch. And this is precisely what Grand Am is trying to make out of roadracing.

As far as Mazda getting back involved with major motorsports, they've been back for several years. This is just an effort to try and market the new model of Protege. Mazda and Dodge had tried to push their new turbo models into world challenge but SCCA decided for now to keep the Touring Car series as N/A only for whatever reason.

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Tue Dec 09, 2003 3:35 pm

Rob,

I am, and always have been, a fan of GOOD racing. To me, that means CLOSE racing. I don't get that from CART, F1 and normally ALMS. I don't think that "rubbin' is racin'." I do watch every hour of LeMans, Sebring, and the Petite LeMans, as well as the Daytona 24. Those are great races because of the mystique, not because fo the technology involved. They would be just as great if they were driving powered shopping carts. I couldn't care less if they can change the whole rear end on an Audi in 3 1/2 minutes. Part of the fun of endurance racing is the "on the fly engineering" that has to take place. Seeing the Prosche 911 have to take a lap at LeMans with his head out the door because his hood wasn't pinned down properly is what makes endurance racing fun.

One other thing that make Grand Am a good spectator series is, you don't have to pony up $50 - 75 to go to a race. I paid $30 to see the VIR 500. You can't beat that deal. Most of us would rather spend the extra money on our own driving habit.

Also, I guarentee that if YOU were asked to drive in the Daytona 24 (in a DP) or the Daytona 500 in their crappy (as you seem to think) cars, you would not pass it up. I don't thing that any gearhead would pass that up.

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