MAzda RX-8--Rolex Sports Cars Series

[Phoenix7]

DOOD!!!! Great pics!!! Thanks for adding them. I'm trying to buy tickets for the Laguna Seca event in a few weeks.

[Turbo II]

A few more... I still have a ton of pics to upload. Lots of DP cars in the rest.











Some video off the camera, not that good but you get the idea.

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...LEX2008341.flv

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...LEX2008346.flv

[blwnrtr93]

Great pics, Turbo II. I wish they were coming somewhere closer to me this year.

[Turbo II]

Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed them! Here's a link to everything I've uploaded, If you're not familiar with picasaweb you can enlarge the pics with the little magnifying glass next to what looks like a head to the right side of the back and forth arrows above the pics. You can then right click on them to view the image and get the BIG version.

I've been lucky to see the series twice now (which reminds me I should upload last years pics hah!) at VIR. Being able to just wander around the paddock area is way too much fun. Especially when they're warming up the cars, the sound is awesome. It's worth a road trip to do if you have a chance. Then the racing, what can I say. It was a 45 car field, lots of action. Can't wait to watch it on Speed this weekend.

[blwnrtr93]

I'm definately gonna check it out on Speed. I may have to kick my wife out of the living room while I watch, but I'm "there".

[Oliver]

Some fantastic photo taking, thanks for sharing!
Interesting car lift post #17
Regards
Oliver

[McVicker]

Who builds that engine? Is it a mazda built engine (mazda part number) or does speed source build them?

[afgmoto1978]

Speed Source builds them, but I believe with the help from some well know rotary engine builders, like CLR. Be interesting to see what modifications they did internally, cooling, porting, cermet coated housings, etc.

[RXtreme8]

If anyone wants to meet the Racers Edge guys (red #30 in pics above), get a personal tour of the car and their new shop, and everything they do... then keep reading.

Rotary4Life is hosting an event December 6th at Racers Edge Motorsports in Deland, FL (just out side of Daytona). They are giving us a full tour of the shop, tech insight on suspension and performance settings. Demonstrations, diagnostic information and data logging... and Free FOOD. If you're interested.... post up on the thread below!!

In the rotary events section:
http://www.rotarycarclub.com/showthread.php?t=4934

[Kwerks]

next year will be very hard with the updated rules limiting rpms. wish only the best for the team but its very unfair to constantly see rotary cars being limited in every major racing series...maybe mazda will someday field more cars to hold their ground on the rule changes

[j_tso]

Speedsource #70 starts on pole and #69 in 4th for the Daytona 24
From the Grand-Am website

In GT, Sylvain Tremblay captured the Rolex 24 pole for the second consecutive year in dramatic fashion, waiting until near the end of the session to turn a track record lap of 1:49.455 (117.100) in the No.70 SpeedSource Castrol Syntec Mazda RX. Tremblay and Nick Ham will be seeking their second consecutive GT victory in the Rolex 24, and fourth consecutive triumph at Daytona - all from the pole position. David Haskell and Jonathan Bomarito will co-drive in the Rolex 24.

"We were short by about three- or four-tenths, and I had to do quite a bit of work to make it happen," Tremblay said. "I could see that that last lap had potential. I kept my head down and drove as hard as I've ever driven here to try to get that lap. I know it doesn't mean much for a 24-hour race, but it means a lot to the team, it means a lot to my boys and it means a lot to me."

Tremblay knocked Andy Lally off the pole, after the driver of the No. 67 TRG Porsche GT3 turned in a lap of 1:49.450 (116.998 mph) early in the session.

Martin Ragginger, Jeff Segal and Wolf Henzler rounded out the top five GT qualifiers.

GO SPEEDSOURCE

[Turbo II]

I spent the day at Virginia International Raceway hanging out with SpeedSource in the paddock and pits during the ROLEX Bosch Engineering 250. Sylvain Tremblay decided I needed a new Mazda hat since mine is looking old. Then the guys at Dempsey/Hypersport Racing (#40) tried to give me another one! Also met the owner of Racers Edge #30 who came by to talk to us in the Mazda Corral. I have lots of pics I need to upload.

*edit* Day two consisted of hanging out in the Mazda hospitality tent, Mazda team Goshen's trailer, a few laps on the track, sitting in an SRT-8 Dodge Challenger and watching more races.

[Turbo II]

A few teasers from the weekend.







The rest can be found here!

[RCCAZ 1]

Any word on how the demise of Pontiac will affect the current Rolex teams running that platform??

[bbarnes870]

Funny the top picture you can see me in the reflection of the transporter. I was the one shooting the video for SpeedSource. Well some of the video is up online and I thought you guys might like to see it.
SpeedSource TV