Was in Sunday's Dallas Morning News

[Nails]

MazdaSpeed revs up racing-accessory sales through SCCA

Mark Rectin
Automotive News

Mazda avoids the big-time, big-expense world of Formula One and NASCAR racing. Instead, it focuses on grass-roots-level competition in the Sports Car Club of America, and the effort is paying off.

Mazda accounts for half the cars on SCCA racetracks, despite a much smaller light-vehicle market share than SCCA combatants Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Mazda executives say grass-roots racing brings Mazda closer to its customers than a big-league racing series can.

The bottom line also benefits. For the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2007, Mazda sold $6.9 million in Mazdaspeed-branded parts and accessories to grass-roots racing teams. That is expected to increase to $7.8 million this fiscal year, says Steve Sanders, manager of Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development.

"The biggest thing is the Spec Miata" racing series, Sanders says. "But we go all the way up to building ceramic apex shields for the RX-8 rotary racing engines."

Sales to racing teams made up only a fraction of total Mazda accessory revenue of about $130 million in the last fiscal year. But it is triple what Mazdaspeed sells to street-legal customers through Mazda dealerships, says Jack Stavana, director of Mazda's accessory operations.

Other touches endear Mazda to grass-roots participants. For instance, Mazda allows SCCA-licensed racers to buy cars at a discount, Sanders says. Mazda also has tech support working late on Thursdays and Fridays in case a racer needs advice or a spare part shipped before Saturday qualifying runs.

"We get a lot of calls at the last minute on Friday," Sanders says. "An engine builder can get parts direct from us and bill the racer."

Mazda also has a parts trailer at larger races, such as the year-end SCCA Runoffs and many MX-5 Cup races.

The racetrack is harder on a car than the street, so there are engineering benefits. A problem with the third- and fourth-gear shift forks in the MX-5 Miata was discovered in the Spec Miata series, Sanders says. A retrofit fix was in place before street-legal customers were even aware.

Even when Mazda dips its toe in big-time racing, such as when it won its class with an RX-8 at the 24 Hours of Daytona, it remains a modest effort.

Says Robert Davis, Mazda vice president of product development and quality: "Porsche's catering bill at Daytona was bigger than our motorsports budget for the entire year."

[sammm]

Glad to see Mazda getting the recognition they deserve.

[MX-5EE]

Plus this sort of racing does more to convince me to consider a Mazda than a NASCAR, or Formula 1 race. Since the cars being used are much closer to what I see in showrooms.

I will say it before anyone else does. Ceramic apex shields? Either they mean seals or the RX-8 has protection against phasers that I wasn't aware of.

[black roadster]

That's why I love Mazda. The are one of the only manufacturers that builds cars for enthusiasts unless you can afford Italian or German.

Seriously though. Zoom-Zoom is truly evident in their products.

[CosmosMpower]

That's why I love Mazda. The are one of the only manufacturers that builds cars for enthusiasts unless you can afford Italian or German.

Seriously though. Zoom-Zoom is truly evident in their products.

Pshh, Lotus builds cars for hardcore enthusiasts but don't offer 1/10th the support of Mazda. I think I'll always have a Mazda in my garage at one point or another.

[Titus]

Pshh, Lotus builds cars for hardcore enthusiasts

Yep... better make that "Italian or German or Malaysian".

[CosmosMpower]

Yep... better make that "Italian or German or Malaysian".

Sure, if your map shows Norfolk in Malaysia

[Titus]

Sure, if your map shows Norfolk in Malaysia

I'm pretty sure Proton is based in Malaysia. I wouldn't consider the Ford Focus a Mexican car just because the factory is in Mexico.

[CosmosMpower]

I'm pretty sure Proton is based in Malaysia. I wouldn't consider the Ford Focus a Mexican car just because the factory is in Mexico.

Might as well be...