SPEEDSOURCE CASTROL SYNTEC MAZDA RX-8 WINS GT CLASS AT 2008 ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA

22nd Win in Endurance Classic for Mazda since 1975

After 24 hours of close competition among 41 cars, the SpeedSource Castrol Syntec Mazda RX-8 team won the GT class at the Rolex 24 at Daytona to kick off the 2008 GrandAm season. The SpeedSource driving team of Sylvain Tremblay , David Haskell, Nick Ham, and Raphael Matos started from the pole, and led 323 of 664 laps, on their way to ninth overall and the class win.

The race was a severe strategic challenge as there were intermittent rain showers for over half of the race and a total of 24 caution periods, many the result of on track incidents. The SpeedSource team was challenged by the slippery conditions with multiple spins, one of which resulted in minor body damage to the rear of the car including a broken taillamp. Other than the taillamp however, the rotary-powered Mazda ran flawlessly throughout the day-night-day race.

The SpeedSource Mazda team beat the runner-up Porsche by over five laps. The win was the 22 nd class win at the race for Mazda and a ended a lengthy winning streak by Porsche at the biggest 24 hour race in America.

Along the way, the SpeedSource number 70 car beat over two dozen Porsche 911 GT-3s, a handful of Pontiacs , a pair of Ferrari 430 Challenges, a Corvette, and a BMW M6. There were a total of 55 lead changes among 10 cars in the class, but no one could pass the RX-8 for the final 185 laps.

“This was a great win for the entire SpeedSource team. Endurance racing in particular is a team sport and I am so proud of our collective effort. Thanks especially to our new partners at Castrol, who believed in our ability to deliver. Thanks also to Fresh from Florida for their support of our in-car camera, as well as the many rotary enthusiasts who have supported our efforts, “ remarked SpeedSource owner/engineer/driver Sylvain Tremblay .

Backing up the Castrol Syntec RX-8 were two other SpeedSource-built RX-8s in the top ten. Finishing fifth in the GT class was the SpeedSource FXDD RX-8 of Emil Assentato, Jeff Segal, Nick Longhi, and Lonnie Pechnik. The final top-ten car was the RX-8 of Racers Edge Motorsports driven by Ken Dobson, Robert Thorne, Craig Stone and Drew Staveley.

2008 Rolex 24 at Daytona Mazda Team Recap

22 Mazda powered class wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona

1975 Ray Walle, Tom Reddy RX-3 1 st in GTU Touring (14 th overall)

1979 Yoshimi Katayama, Yojiro Terada, Takashi Yorino RX-7 1 st in GTU (5 th overall)

1982 Yoshimi Katayama, Yojiro Terada, Takashi Yorino RX-7 1 st in GTO (4 th overall)

1982 Kathy Rude*, Lee Mueller, Allan Moffett RX-7 1 st in GTU (6 th overall)

* First ever class win for a woman in IMSA history.

1983 Pete Halsmer, Bob Reed, Rick Knoop, Tom Gloy RX-7 1 st in GTO (3 rd overall)

1983 Lee Mueller, Hugh McDonough, Terry Visger RX-7 1 st in GTU (12 th overall)

1984 Ira Young, Bob Reed, Jack Baldwin, Jim Cook RX-7 1 st in GTU (12 th overall)

1985 Kelly Marsh, Ron Pawley, Don Marsh Argo-Mazda 1 st in Lights (10 th overall)

1985 Amos Johnson, Jack Dunham, Yojiro Terada RX-7 1 st in GTU (12 th overall)

1986 Frank Rubino, Ray Mummery, John Schneider Argo-Mazda 1 st in Lights (7 th overall)

1986 Amos Johnson, Dennis Shaw, Jack Dunham RX-7 1 st in GTU (8 th overall)

1987 Amos Johnson, Dennis Shaw, Bob Lazier RX-7 1 st in GTU (10 th overall)

1988 Amos Johnson, Dennis Shaw, Bob Lazier RX-7 1 st in GTU (15 th overall)

1989 Al Bacon, Bob Reed, Rod Millen RX-7 1 st in GTU (12 th overall)

1990 John Grooms, Michael Greenfield, Frank Jellinek Jr., Peter Greenfield Argo-Mazda 1 st in Lights (9 th overall)

1990 Peter Uria, Bob Dotson, Jim Pace RX-7 1 st in GTU (12 th overall)

1991 Dick Greer, Al Bacon, Mike Mees, Peter Uria RX-7 1 st in GTU (13 th overall)

1992 Al Bacon, Dick Greer, Mike Mees, Peter Uria RX-7 1 st in GTU (7 th overall)

1993 John Grooms, Frank Jellinek Jr., Jim Downing, Tim McAdam Kudzu-Mazda 1 st in Lights (7 th overall)

1993 Dick Greer, Al Bacon, Peter Uria, Mike Mees RX-7 1 st in GTU (9 th overall)

2001 Howard Katz, Jim Downing, AJ Smith, Chris Ronson Kudzu-Mazda 1 st in SRP (11 th overall)

2008 Sylvain Tremblay , David Haskell, Nick Ham, Raphael Matos RX-8 1 st in GT (9 th overall)

Mazda is the brand of choice for road-racers across North America . More than 9,000 grassroots racers compete in various classes with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the National Auto Sport Association (NASA). Racers who are years away from earning a driver's license can now begin their professional motorsports careers in the Mazda family. A driver can begin in karts and progress through the Skip Barber series, Club Racing Formula Mazda, professional Star Mazda and finally to Formula Atlantic, ALL with Mazda. No other car company has ever connected the dots this way.