MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development today announced the continuation of its partnership with Florida-based SpeedSource, Inc. in the Grand American Road Racing Association Rolex Series GT-class. The SpeedSource Grand Am GT Mazda RX-8 is based on a tube-frame chassis jointly developed by SpeedSource and Riley Technologies, and powered by Mazda's three-rotor 20B Renesis rotary engine.

The SpeedSource team ran select races in 2006 in preparation for this years challenge for the championship. SpeedSource, Inc team owner Sylvain Tremblay commented that, "Having spent 2006 contesting a limited schedule and focusing mainly on testing, we go into 2007 with a competitive car that can run at the front, at all the tracks. The team has spent considerable time making the car better and easier to work on. The package proved that it could win last year, now we just have to execute. With the full support of Mazda behind us, we are ready for a full assault on the GT championship."

SpeedSource has over a decade of Mazda racing experience including multiple Grand-Am Cup ST championships with the RX-8. SpeedSource won both the driver and team championships in 2004, followed by the 2005 driver, team, and manufacturer championships. The 2007 team drivers will be Sylvain Tremblay and Nick Ham, with Randy Pobst and David Haskell joining the team for the season-opening Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.

The 20B three-rotor engine is the cornerstone of Mazda's Grand Am GT RX-8 program, and based on the engine used in the RX-8 street car. With its compact size and light weight, the rotary engine brings with it a vast history in sprint and endurance racing. Revving to over 9,000 rpm, the distinctive 20B rotary engine sounds like no other engine on the grid. "The Mazda rotary has a great history in road racing, especially at the 24 Hours of Daytona where RX-7s won the GTU class every year from 1979 through 1993. We are very optimistic about our chances in 2007," said Steve Sanders, MAZDASPEED Motorsports Competition Manager. In addition, MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development will offer a lucrative contingency awards program of over $100,000 for the entire season for teams running RX-8s in Grand-Am GT.

The Grand Am season will begin January 27th with the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and conclude September 15th at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. The series includes a stop on May 17th-20th at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the U.S. Sports Car Invitational.