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Glenn Long, principal of Mazda’s partner in developing the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Cup car, Long Road Racing, shares some of the technical highlights of the development process; in this video he discusses kinematics and compliance. Mazda didn’t just take a 2016 MX-5 chassis and start throwing parts at it before putting it on track […]”

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This week’s Behind the Zoom blog comes from Jeff Braun, the competition director at Mazda’s factory team, SpeedSource. Braun brings his immense expertise and experience from open-wheel, sports cars and more to make the Prototype team more competitive than ever before. This is my 55th year in racing… yep, the old guy. That means I […]”

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Andy McKee’s RX-7 has gone through several classes, wining at every stage. It’s now a 350hp, 2000lb. winged and very fast  beast. Andy McKee’s X Prepared 1993 RX-7 has spent most of its life as a dedicated SCCA Solo competition vehicle, getting more extreme along the way. As it sits now, prepped to the X […]”

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Glenn Long, principal of Mazda’s partner in developing the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Cup car, Long Road Racing, shares some of the technical highlights of the development process. The test cars of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 racecar that will form the basis of the Mazda MX-5 Cup along with the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 […]”

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Western Conference Majors event in the heat of the Southern California desert sees several records fall at Buttonwillow Raceway Park. With temperatures scorching into the mid-90s in the California desert, it felt more like the first weekend of August than the first weekend of May. But the track records that fell on Saturday felt a […]”

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Sunshine and rain mess with racers at Blackhawk Farms as the Northern Conference Majors Tour begins its season in Illinois. On a weekend where the  Southeast Conference was crowing its champions, the Northern Conference season was just starting at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Illinois. Not starting until May ensures no snow, and in this case […]”

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There are more than 392 options to find the optimal setup for 2016 MX-5 Cup racecar. Mazda rolled out a pair of engineering development models of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Cup racecar for testing at Mazda Raceway on Thursday. As a part of the development process, the cars will be tested in public on the […]”

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Held as part of the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich® Tires Round Six, the race featured 20 NASA champions in identically prepared MX-5s. Matt Powers of San Rafael, Calif., won the inaugural Mazda Race of NASA Champions at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to be crowned NASA Grand Champion. He was followed to […]”

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Dean takes a narrow points lead over Gallagher in the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich® Tires. John Dean took his second win of the season in the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich® Tires to leave Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with the points lead, while Patrick Gallagher, who led most […]”

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Mazda podium sweep in Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and the largest MX-5 Cup race highlight the weekend. The 2.2-mile racetrack just outside Monterey, Calif., city limits has carried the name Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca since 2000. But this weekend it was more like Mazda MX-5 Raceway. On Saturday afternoon, U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer […]”

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Long Road Racing brings two of its test cars to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, running sessions on track with current MX-5 Cup racers. The current Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich® Tires competitors got their first close look at the test platforms for what will be the 2016 MX-5 Cup car. That car […]”

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Twenty 2014 NASA Champions will compete Sunday as part of the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich® Tires race to crown the Grand Champion. Mazda Motorsports and the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) will run the first Mazda Race of NASA Champions at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday in conjunction with the […]”

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This week’s Behind the Zoom blog is from Jonathan Bomarito, who explains what it was like to grow up within earshot of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Here are some of his fond memories – and recommendations on the best locations to watch this weekend’s Continental Tire Grand Prix powered by Mazda. The race this weekend […]”

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Namesake track  ideal for diesel-powered Mazda Prototypes; Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca plays to the cars’ strengths. There’s a new kind of pressure on the Mazda Prototypes for this weekend’s Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda. Race number four for the TUDOR United SportsCar Series will take place Sunday, May 3 at Mazda Raceway […]”

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Number 5 in a countdown of the things that racers must do to achieve greatness is to be known for what you are off the track as well as your prowess behind the wheel. “The number one mission in sports is to make people care how it turns out,” says Paul Pfanner, president and CEO […]”

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Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing teammates Aaron Telitz and Nico Jamin split victories at Barber Motorsports Park. It was a weekend to remember for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing as it swept both Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda races at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. First, Aaron Telitz produced a stunning […]”

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Rounds Four and Five of the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires feature different winners at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. Weiron Tan has developed an affinity for Barber Motorsports Park. The 20-year-old Malaysian won once and finished second in the two Cooper Tires Winterfest races at the 2.3-mile, 17-turn road course in February, […]”

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Mazda scholarship driver takes two Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires victories to claim points lead. Spencer Pigot had a pair of nearly flawless Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires races at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Ala., a year after winning both races at the track in the Pro Mazda Championship. Pigot’s pair of […]”

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See some of the highlights of the amazingly close action from the opening rounds of the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich® Tires. The opening rounds of the 2015 Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich® Tires at Sebring International Raceway and NOLA Motorsports Park featured some incredibly close racing action in […]”

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THE SERIES: What is the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Cup series?     The next generation 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata will be raced in a new Global Cup series slated to be held in North America, Europe, and Asia; full details of the MX-5 Cup will be announced as they are confirmed. The series will culminate […]”

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This week’s Behind the Zoom blog comes from Tom Long. In addition to being in the driver lineup with the Mazda Prototypes, Tom is an accomplished driver instructor and the man behind the wheel in the development of the 2016 MX-5 Global Cup race car. Today, he offers pro tips for grassroots racers on the […]”

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Production of North America-bound ND MX-5 models means the wait is almost over for those itching to get their hands on Mazda’s latest roadster. America-bound 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata production has begun, signaling the imminent arrival of the next generation of the world’s most popular two-seat roadster at U.S. dealers. Additionally, Mazda North American Operations […]”

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Three Mazda racers double up with wins on two days while Spec Miata features two winners.

Day one of the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour at VIRginia International Raceway ran  under sunny skies, but halfway through Sunday, the skies opened up. The races served as Rounds Nine and 10 for the Southeastern Conference and was the season-opening race for the Northeastern Conference.

Drivers in each of the eight race groups, made up of 28 Runoffs-eligible classes, took to the 3.27-mile, 17-turn circuit for 25-minute sprit races on Saturday and 16-lap races on Sunday.

Spec Miata led Saturday off in a big way. With oil-dry on the course near the finish line, the opening moments saw six cars make contact just after taking the green flag. Three of those cars were able to continue the race, while three were not. The rest of the race, restarted on lap five, proved to be just as intense with a multi-car battle for the lead that included eventual race winner Dillon Machavern. Jonathan Goring won Spec Miata on Sunday.

Three drivers doubled up with a pair of victories, scoring in both the sprint races and the features on Sunday. Ken Kannard (Miata) won F Production both days, as did Ray Stephensen in GT-3 (RX-7) and Robert Noell in Formula Mazda.
 
SCCA Northeastern/Southeastern Conferences Majors
VIRginia International Raceway
Alton, Va., April 18-19, 2015

Saturday Mazda Winners

Class,Driver,Hometown,Car Formula Mazda,Robert Noell,”Cary, N.C.”,Formula Mazda F Production,Ken Kannard,”East Troy, Wis.”,Mazda Miata GT-3,Ray Stephenson,”Miami, Fla.”,Mazda RX-7 Spec Miata,Dillon Machavern,”Charlotte, Vt.”,Mazda Miata

Sunday Mazda Winners

Class Driver Hometown Car
Formula Mazda Robert Noell Cary, N.C. Formula Mazda
F Production Ken Kannard East Troy, Wis. Mazda Miata
GT-3 Ray Stephenson Miami, Fla. Mazda RX-7
GT-Lite Michael Kamalian Marietta, Ga. Mazda Miata
Spec Miata Jonathan Goring Norfolk, Va. Mazda Miata

Young Mazda racers are promoting distracted driving awareness. Racers in all three rungs of the Mazda Road to Indy will be carrying the Project Yellow Light message at this weekend’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, becoming ambassadors for highway safety. Over the past decade, Mazda Motorsports has established a leadership position in the development […]”

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