MAZDASPEED Motorsports Mid-Season Update - First ALMS LMP2 win by Mazda MZR-R Engine

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Dyson 20 wins at Lime Rock

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July 29, 2009 (Irvine, Calif.).  With factory-assisted teams in three series, four Mazda-exclusive professional series and 9,000 club racers, defining a mid-point in the year for MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development is no easy task.  Between late January and late November there are no 'off' weekends, just some that are 'less busy' than others.

"Given the overall economy, motorsports is in a tough position, thus we are extremely proud of the accomplishments of everyone racing a Mazda this year.  All of our factory-supported teams are winning races, and more importantly working with our engineers on the next generation of road cars.  We are also very pleased to watch the success of our young ladder drivers as they move up the rungs.  The heart of our program is grassroots roadracing and we remain the target to beat," noted Robert Davis, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Quality, Mazda North American Operations, as he reflected on the season to date.       

With over 60 professional races already completed through the end of July, Mazda racers are enjoying a solid season.

 Highlights include:

• First win by the Mazda MZR-R engine in international competition in the American Le Mans Series P2 class. The Mazda-powered BP Dyson team scored the historic win at their home track of Lime Rock, Connecticut on July 18. The engine also powered Mazda to their first podium finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in over a decade with OAK Racing.
• Two wins from the first six races in the SPEED World Challenge Touring Car Championship. Tri-Point Motorsports MAZDA6 driver Jason Saini is leading the drivers' championship with four races to go. Mazda is tied for the manufacturers' championship points lead with Acura. Eric Foss, the 2008 Playboy MX-5 Cup champion leads the rookie-of-the-year standings.
• The Castrol SpeedSource Mazda RX-8 Grand-Am GT team scored a solid win at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca race. The Castrol team is currently fourth in team points, just two points behind third place. All four of the full-time RX-8 teams have scored points for Mazda, which currently holds third in the manufacturers' championship.
• Mazda has led the way in two unique fan-friendly road racing weekends at the New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey and the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois this year. Both events featured a minimum of eight races per weekend as well as LIVE TV on HDNet of the Atlantic Championship, Star Mazda, and Playboy MX-5 Cup races.
• The MAZDASPEED Class of 2009 ladder drivers are enjoying successful seasons against some of the best drivers in the word.
• The Star Mazda Championship continues to produce some of the largest fields in professional open wheel racing anywhere in the world. As many as 33 cars have taken the green flag in some races this year.
• The four Mazda series are attracting international attention. At the New Jersey weekend, 84 drivers from 18 countries competed.
• Mazda remains the most road-raced car in North America in both SCCA & NASA Club racing. Spec Miata remains the largest spec class in the country, and in the world.

2009 Season Wins to Date: Three Dozen and Counting

 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.

On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle.  At the track, you'll see MX-5 Miata, RX-8, MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-7 and other vintage Mazda models competing, because every Mazda has the Soul of a Sports Car.  In fact, the largest road-racing class in the world is Spec Miata, with more than 1,500 first- and second-generation Miatas tearing up America's racetracks, making it the most-raced production car in the world.  Mazda's involvement in motorsports extends to its relationship with Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, one of the world's premier road-racing circuits, and the Skip Barber Schools for driving and racing.

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations 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, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

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For more information on Mazda products, visit the online Mazda media center at         www.MazdaUSAmedia.com [4]

For more information on MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development, visit       www.MAZDASPEEDMotorsports.com [5]

For more information on Dyson Racing, visit                                                               www.dysonracing.com [6]

For more information on Tri-Point Motorsports, visit                                         www.tripointmotorsports.com

For more information on SpeedSource, visit                                                           www.speedsourceinc.com [7]

For more information on the Atlantic Championship, visit                               www. [8]atlantic-championship.com

For more information on the Star Mazda Championship, visit                                          www. [8]starmazda.com

For more information on the Playboy MX-5 Cup, visit                                                        www.MX-5Cup.com [8]

For more information on Skip Barber Racing, visit                                                           www.skipbarber.com [9]