Press Release
-Mazda Racers Dominate SCCA and NASA Championships-
September 26, 2011 (Irvine, Calif.) The heart and soul of MAZDASPEED Motorsports is club racing – men and women who race for the pure thrill and challenge of competition, without the fanfare and attention of professional motorsports. There are two larger-than-life club events that attract hundreds of racers, a surprising number of hardcore fans, and using the latest in technology, are broadcast live via streaming video.
Utilizing two of the most legendary and popular sports cars of all time, the RX-7, and the MX-5 Miata, plus performance sedans like the MAZDA3, and reliable Mazda engines in formula cars and sports cars, thousands of Mazda racers have built cars to compete in a wide variety of classes within the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), and the National Auto Sports Association (NASA). Both organizations have completed their annual signature events.
John Doonan, Director of Motorsports for Mazda North American Operations remarked, “Motorsports is a family affair for so many people, and the annual gatherings like we have with the SCCA and NASA epitomize that relationship. We have racers of all ages and backgrounds. Every year we enjoy the competition and perhaps more importantly, the camaraderie. It’s great that fellow competitors helped Eric Prill fix his car to make the race, and that Kent Prather won the GTL championship in a Miata that his son had previously raced to three championships, and in fact been a daily driver for 185,000 miles on the street. Everyone was dazzled by Chip Van Vursts amazing drive in Spec Miata. There are hundreds of these stories at every event. We have also identified a number of the racers who will be competing in the Mazda Club Racer shootout to earn a Mazda supported ride in the 2012 SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup.”
SCCA National Runoffs at Road America: Mazda Stats
- 156 entries – 26% of all cars at the competition, more than any other automaker
- Five race wins and five pole positions
- More contingency paid than any other automaker – $57,500
- 20 podium finishes, more than any other automaker
- Podium finishes in 11 of the 13 classes with Mazda competitors
The 2011 Mazda powered SCCA National Runoffs Champions are as follows:
- Kent Prather – GTL Mazda MX-5 Miata
- Justin Pritchard – E Production Mazda RX-7
- Elivan Goulart – Spec Miata
- Darryl Wills — Formula Mazda
- Scott Rettich – Formula Enterprise-Mazda
Other standouts from the weekend included:
- Eric Prill, Mazda MX-5 Miata, 2nd in FP, and fastest race lap
- Jim Downing, Peach Day-Mazda, 3rd in CSR, and Sunoco Hard Charger
- Chip Van Vurst, 4th in Spec Miata, and Sunoco Hard Charger (35th to 4th!)
NASA National Championships at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Over 50 Mazda competitors competed in the sixth annual NASA National Championships featuring 300 racers in
- Derek Whitis – PTB Mazda MX5
- Walter Carlos – PTF Mazda RX-7
- Nathanial Sparks — Spec Miata
- Darryl Wills – Formula Mazda
2011 SCCA Solo NASA Time Trial Champions
The most accessible form of motorsports is autocrossing, a.k.a., solo, or time trials. This is pure driving against the clock, often with cars that are 100% street legal daily drivers. Five Mazda racers were recognized as champions this year.
- SCCA G Stock L: Julie Heaton — MAZDASPEED Protégé
- SCCA Street Touring Sport: Andrew Canak, Mazda MX-5 Miata
- SCCA Street Touring R L: Kyung Wootton, Mazda MX-5 Miata
- SCCA D Prepared: Drew VanderPloeg, Mazda MX-5 Miata
- NASA TTD Bill Brees — Mazda Protégé
NEXT UP:
Sept 28 – Oct 1 Petit Le Mans @ Road Atlanta
American Le Mans Series Presented by Patron – SEASON FINALE
SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup – SEASON FINALE
Pirelli World Challenge – SEASON FINALE
October 6-8 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda SEASON FINALE
@ Lime Rock
October 7-8 Formula D – SEASON FINALE @ Toyota Speedway
About Mazda MAZDASPEED
Mazda is the number-one brand for road-racers across North America. Thousands of Mazda powered grassroots racers compete in various classes with the SCCA and NASA highlighted by Spec Miata, the world’s largest spec class with over 2,500 cars built. In 2006 Mazda established the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder to assist racers in moving up through the ranks. In 2010 this was expanded to include the Mazda Road to Indy. Key to Mazda success is strategic partnerships with the Skip Barber Racing School and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
MAZDASPEED Motorsports is managed by Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). MNAO is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.
Consumer information can be found at www.mazdausa.com with press information at www.mazdausamedia.com Racers and fans can the action on facebook (Mazdaspeed Motorsports).
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