It is widely known that Mazda started in Hiroshima, Japan. But these days, MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA has created an atmosphere depicting it as Mazda's second home. A large number of people including not only racing drivers and spectators, but also race officials, Mazda staff, the media and local volunteer workers seem to be enjoying the racing and their lives here. The cars those Americans own and gaze at are unmistakably Japanese-bred cars from Mazda.
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The 3.602-kilometre race track, MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA is located in the suburbs of the seaside resort town of Monterey, close to California's second-largest city, San Francisco. This low-middle speed technical race track was established in 1957. It is famous for its "Corkscrew," a downhill turn that plunges 15 metres. It is also the site of American Le Mans Series and MotoGP races. Since 2001, Mazda North America Operations has become a named sponsor of LAGUNA SECA, and since then, the circuit has been called MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA. Mazda recently expanded its sponsorship contract with LAGUNA SECA, so the strong relationship looks set to continue…
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Mazda North America Operations makes an effort to build and develop a variety of motorsports' disciplines in which Mazda cars participate, and as such, develops and supplies racing parts and equipment to teams, supports racers from the grass roots to semiprofessional levels, has established a number of one-make race series, and has managed top-level official racing teams. It also enables mass-produced MAZDA models such as MX-5 Miata, the MAZDASPEED 3, and the RX-8 to enter racing through alliances with race organizers and racetrack owners. In addition, Mazda North America Operations also supplies racing engines for teams competing in the STAR MAZDA CHAMPIONSHIP. Mazda North America Operations supplies a broad range of products for a variety of motorsports fields in the U.S.
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The Mazda Ladder System, put in place by Mazda North America Operations, is a young driver development program that provides drivers with Mazda and Mazda-powered open and closed-wheel cars throughout their careers. A champion driver in the US formula 2000 powered by Mazda series, a beginner category, will be offered a seat in Star Mazda, the category above. The championship-winning driver of Star Mazda is offered a seat in the Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda. Then, the driver who wins Atlantics is offered to drive in higher-level national class races like the Grand-Am Rolex GT series. Many national class drivers have gone through the Mazda Ladder System and have greatly improved themselves. In 2010, the Road to INDY program was started, paving the way for Star Mazda drivers the chance to drive in the IndyCar Series, the highest level open-wheel racing category in the U.S.
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In the U.S., motorsports has been widely accepted as a recreation for the entire family, and Mazda has established its brand image with motorsports enthusiasts. According to one theory, half of all motorsports users in the U.S. are Mazda car owners, and total more than 9,000 people. Just take up the MX-5, it has many categories in which it can race, from Sunday races at short racetracks scattered all across the U.S. to the Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup. Such an amazing scale of series and events, it can become a business in itself.
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Mazda North America Operations also carries out a wide variety of promotional activities in order to improve the enjoyment associated with the brand. Popular TV actors participate in the Grand-Am GT series in an RX-8, and famous former greats participate as spot entries in the MX-5 Cup. Many Mazda cars emblazoned with MAZDASPEED logos also gather and enter Drift events and Time Attack events, which have recently been gaining widespread popularity in the U.S. Of course, Mazda racing cars run remarkably well at major races such as the Daytona 24 Hours, the American Le Mans series and so on. Mazda's motorsports activities support system for Mazda cars is also very well managed.
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Mazda North America Operations have officially entered a team in the American Le Mans series with a Mazda LMP MZR-R car. The MZR-R is a Lola B10/80-based coupe with the Mazda MZR-R Inline Four 2.0 liter DOHC Turbo engine, and is managed by Team Dyson, a long-established and well known endurance racing team. The team is supported by BP Castol. It is a great topic that the team's campaign is fueled using BP's bio race fuel utilizing isobutanol and ethanol. The Mazda LMP MZR-R is painted its in BP team colours, consisting of a brilliant white and a vivid lime green. The paint scheme changes to the ARCO Brand colour scheme when the car races on the west coast.
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Once a year, the official Mazda team has the opportunity to run at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in one of the rounds of the American Le Mans Series. This year, the race took place in May, while it had been run in the autumn. The meet was held with a mix of support races such as the Playboy MX-5 Cup, USF2000, and the Star Mazda championship. There was a huge number of Mazda cars participating with Mazda or MAZDASPEED logos in almost every category. The official car was also the Mazda RX-8, CX-7 and MAZDA6.
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America's major races generally take place on Saturday evenings because of the nationwide broadcast schedules. Round 3 of the American Le Mans Series was the six-hour endurance event at Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway, scheduled to start at 2:00pm on Saturday. The finish would take place just at the end of dinner time in a lot of households, around 8:30pm. In twilight, fireworks were set off just after the end of the race. In this Internet-advanced country, live streaming video was also provided so that people could enjoy it even without a T.V. In addition to the live streaming video, a live voice-over report was also provided. Combining the live results with the live video and report, we could check out the race in great detail.
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At the autograph session in front of the pit, all the top drivers in the LMP class cheerfully say; "How are you doing?" to all the fans and take pleasure in accepting their requests for photographs. There is much to be learned from the Americans'complete exploitation of entertainment value. On the grid, American performance was in full evidence and the atmosphere steadily got more and more intense. When all the spectators stood to attention and put their hands on their chests, a soulful solo vocal of the National anthem started, and by the second half of the chorus, half the spectators had joined in. Then US Air Force jets flew overhead, directly above the home straight. Finally, the traditional command announced; "Gentlemen, start your engines."
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The ALMS' six-hour endurance race was really well worth watching. The ARCO Mazda MZR-R started from pole position and let its competitors lead in the first few laps. However, once retaking first place, once again lead the race until the middle stages. Unfortunately, it spun due to falling tyre temperatures caused by a caution lap that occurred at just past the three-hour mark, and damaged its nose after contact with the other car. The car came back on track in 2nd place and one lap down after having its nose replaced. Generally speaking, most of the team had given up on leading the race and were resigned to running 2nd. But their fighting spirit was unusual.
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They pushed themselves and recorded consecutive fastest laps to shorten the time difference between the Mazda and the leaders. Due to pressure from the Mazda MZR-R, the leader decided to pit for fuel without changing its tyres. Their superb battle continued to the final stages. However, with just a 20-second gap and 25 minutes left in the race, the Mazda MZR-R ran into mechanical trouble and stopped on track. The coveted victory had been within their grasp. The team would like to win at their home track, and probably will take victory there at some point in the near future.
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Almost all the spectators were inspired by Dyson Mazda's never-give-up spirit and their exciting race. The Dyson Mazda team congratulated the winning team and its drivers from their hearts and swore to win the next race. This is the real pleasure of sport and a beautiful scene. One of Mazda North America Operations' staff who works as one of the stagehands with the engineers looks bitterly disappointed, but he also managed to give a smile, showing hope.
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This author felt once again the freshness that is the fascination of motorsports. It was a very impressive message I saw on the bridge as I left MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA.
Racing isn't just in our business plan, it's in our blood.
