September 17, 2011 - Saturday’s race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course marked the season-finale of the 2011 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series calendar. With several teams entering the race in championship contention, SpeedSource knew that it would be an all-out effort. In a hard-fought race, the #70 Castrol Edge Mazda RX-8 finished fifth to claim the 3rd place spot in the 2011 Rolex Series championship. Capping off the season, the #69 FXDD Mazda RX-8 finished in 2nd place at Mid-Ohio to take their fourth podium finish of the year.

SOURCE: www.thespec.com

The Change CRAFTER Services Mazda RX8 outperformed the competition at last weekend’s ASN Canada FIA Time-Attack (solo I) National Championships, setting new lap records with its Ancaster-based entry.

Driven by Scott Murfin and headed up by owner Gary Wood, the team broke the GT1 lap record on the Mosport road course with a 1:36.868 posting, and then bettered that record with a 1:35.168, taking the Canadian GT1 Time Attack Championship.

SOURCE: www.worldcarfans.com

Claimed top speed of 450+ km/h (279 mph)

Rotary Supercars has announced one of their upcoming models will be offered with an eight-rotor rotary engine that develops 2,840 PS (2089 kW / 2801 hp) and 2,580 lb-ft (3,494 Nm) of torque.

August 22, 2011 - The 11th race of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series schedule took teams north of the border to historic Montreal, Quebec. Welcomed by diehard race fans and gorgeous weather, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve played host to another action-packed GRAND-AM thriller. Montreal-native Sylvain Tremblay and his SpeedSource teammate Jonathan Bomarito captured a strong second place finish in their #70 Castrol Edge Mazda RX-8 while Emil Assentato and Jeff Segal piloted the #69 FXDD Mazda RX-8 to tenth place.

08/22/2011 - As RN.COM has been predicting, Mazda has now officially canceled production of the RX-8 and RENESIS Rotary engine. It seems there still may be a future for the Rotary, but not anytime in the near future. It will take the passion and commitment of all RE enthusiast to keep the Rotary flame burning at Mazda. So if you haven't already done so, please leave your input for Mazda at our SAVE THE ROTARY CAMPAIGN

Round 10 of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series joined the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule for a race-filled Saturday at the Watkins Glen International 2.45 mile short-course. In the first part of a two-weekend sprint format race, the SpeedSource team claimed a strong 4th place finish with the #70 Castrol Edge Mazda RX-8. Rounding out the top ten was the #69 FXDD Mazda RX-8 team car.

Opening driver, and team owner, Sylvain Tremblay started the #70 Castrol Edge Mazda RX-8 from the third grid position. The 2-hour sprint format race placed extra emphasis on an error-free showing, an area where the SpeedSource crew excels. An early yellow provided an opportunity for the #70 Mazda RX-8 to pit for a splash of fuel. Tremblay took advantage of the added Sunoco race fuel and extended his opening stint past the halfway mark of the race; this extension of range would prove to be critical in the race’s outcome. Co-driver Jonathan Bomarito took over with 52 minutes remaining and continued the charge to the race lead.

Over the last few days the rumor mill has been rife on the future of the Rotary Engine at Mazda. Through our contacts and several credible sources, we feel this maybe the end of the RE, at least for a few years! Tell us what you think.


Here is one of the more interesting stories on the net:

SOURCE: www.thetruthaboutcars.com

New Jersey Sees SpeedSource Lead a Mazda Sweep of the Podium

The heat wave that has swept the East coast had no intention of letting up for Round 9 of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. SpeedSource arrived at New Jersey Motorsports Park looking to carry their mid-season momentum and, as defending race winners, the pressure was on for crew and drivers. Even with a mid-afternoon start time, the blistering weather could do little to stop the charge of the #70 Castrol Edge Mazda RX-8 driven by Sylvain Tremblay and Jonathan Bomarito as the duo would claim the top podium spot in New Jersey for the second straight year. The #69 FXDD Mazda RX-8 team car of Emil Assentato and Jeff Segal would finish sixth.

June 27, 2011 - The GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 made its debut at Road America Raceway in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin for Round 7 of the Rolex Championship. The event ran as a shortened sprint format race with a duration of just two-hours. The truncated race length would mean strategy and teamwork would play integral roles. For the SpeedSource and their duo of Mazda RX-8s, it was business as usual. The #70 Castrol Edge Mazda RX-8 scored a 7th place finish after a hard-fought race and the #69 FXDD Mazda RX-8 rounded out the Top 10.

June 28, 2011 - The rotary-powered Mazda 787B has returned to Goodwood to mark the 20th anniversary of its famous victory in the gruelling 1991 24-Hours of Le Mans.

Mazda is still the only Japanese car manufacturer to win Le Mans.

The 787B is joined by the giant-killing MX-5 GT racecar, iconic 1967 Cosmo Sport and Banzai Magazine's jaw-dropping MX-5 concept.

Visitors to this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed will be in for a unique treat when the Le Mans-winning Mazda 787B takes to the hill, filling the West Sussex venue with one of motorsport's most evocative and distinctive soundtracks.