MazdaSpeed 3 Rotor 8 for Race Customers...
11-17-05, 08:40 PM
#1
MazdaSpeed 3 Rotor 8 for Race Customers...
Start saving your pennies... I think I'd spend those kind of bucks differently...
http://www.grandamerican.com/News/Article.asp?ID=5407
http://www.grandamerican.com/News/Article.asp?ID=5407
11-17-05, 10:47 PM
#2
got paint?
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
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My favorite parts....
thats not too bad 
thats what I like to hear 
Components ranging from a bare chassis to a complete car can be purchased from SpeedSource. A complete car, including chassis, full drivetrain and engine management system, suspension, wheels, tires and bodywork is priced from $280,000.
On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle.
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11-18-05, 11:21 AM
#8
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
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There already was a tube frame "RX-8" with 20B team in Grand Am GT. My memory is failing me, I can't remember their name. I don't know if they competed all year or not. Speedsource getting involved will hopefully mean that the car will do well.
11-18-05, 11:27 AM
#9
The Goldin Bros. out of Miami were the first to design and develop a 20b tube frame 8. Speedsource, the firm handling this MazdaSpeed customer program haven't had great luck with 20b's though. SpeedSource built a number of the engines for the B-K Motorsports car in ALMS but B-K went elsewhere midseason for more power. Too much money in my opinion when you could purchase a new Formula Atlantic car or ChampCar roller for the same and expect 10x the exposure.
11-18-05, 12:50 PM
#10
Rotary Freak
Jason, I agree with your car assessment based on the purchase price of the cars, however the operating costs are very different and thats why people may look at buying one of these cars.
The following breakdown was gained by someone who had sponsorship for Edmonton and was looking for a seat.
To rent a seat in an Atlantic car, in 2005, was $120,000 USF per weekend (this doesn't buy the car). This is why some teams found it agreeable to move into ChampCar or ALMS as the pricing is very close.
A ChampCar seat with Rocketsports, for Edmonton only, was $210,000 USF. This included a test day.
A Trans Am seat with a top Corvette team was $160,000 USF with a test day.
If you are looking for TV/ Media/ Spectator Coverage and best return for $ spent on purchasing a car and operating costs (in road racing) in my most humble opinion as someone involved in the sport for over 20 years, I would buy an older WC Touring Class car (preferably an Ex-Turner BMW) and run it. You could flog the thing into the top 15. You get 1 hour of tv coverage. You race at top line events across the U.S. and Canada and your at race costs are only somewhat higher than what I spend to run in Touring GT.
The owner of the Cobra R I get to race in Enduros ran it at Portland this year. Granted he tried to run the car with the same set up that he runs with slicks and was 6 seconds off pole and realized that he needed the Crawford rear wing and a test day to set up the car, so he went home to avoid being a mobile chicane. He told me that the cost of the weekend was the same as running a regular regional at Portland other than the entry fee. It would be different if you had to tour.
The following breakdown was gained by someone who had sponsorship for Edmonton and was looking for a seat.
To rent a seat in an Atlantic car, in 2005, was $120,000 USF per weekend (this doesn't buy the car). This is why some teams found it agreeable to move into ChampCar or ALMS as the pricing is very close.
A ChampCar seat with Rocketsports, for Edmonton only, was $210,000 USF. This included a test day.
A Trans Am seat with a top Corvette team was $160,000 USF with a test day.
If you are looking for TV/ Media/ Spectator Coverage and best return for $ spent on purchasing a car and operating costs (in road racing) in my most humble opinion as someone involved in the sport for over 20 years, I would buy an older WC Touring Class car (preferably an Ex-Turner BMW) and run it. You could flog the thing into the top 15. You get 1 hour of tv coverage. You race at top line events across the U.S. and Canada and your at race costs are only somewhat higher than what I spend to run in Touring GT.
The owner of the Cobra R I get to race in Enduros ran it at Portland this year. Granted he tried to run the car with the same set up that he runs with slicks and was 6 seconds off pole and realized that he needed the Crawford rear wing and a test day to set up the car, so he went home to avoid being a mobile chicane. He told me that the cost of the weekend was the same as running a regular regional at Portland other than the entry fee. It would be different if you had to tour.
11-18-05, 01:10 PM
#11
True enough. But I was looking at the new money formulas for Atlantic 2006 and ChampCar of 2007 with the new Panoz chassis. The figures you quoted are current day and estimates put Atlantic fields at 30 cars for next year given the falling expense of racing where chassis prices are being brought down. It feels odd to even be typing that! Of course I understand hotels, catering, air travel, disposable parts per weekend, etc. There are great costs involved with running any professional team, typically beyond any one persons estimates. But as I said for $280K USD I could start a two-car competitive Star Mazda team and run at least half a season... given firm sponsorship and attractive, competitive drivers, and and and... har har...
I agree with your Turner summation. Will builds some fine cars. Or PTG's M's that have bounced around. If the World Challenge Volvo's from last season had achieved a competitive stride they would be very popular also as many people followed their development and early progress.
I have my SCCA annual meeting February in Minnesota. Should know if the GT40 is aboard or not by then.
I agree with your Turner summation. Will builds some fine cars. Or PTG's M's that have bounced around. If the World Challenge Volvo's from last season had achieved a competitive stride they would be very popular also as many people followed their development and early progress.
I have my SCCA annual meeting February in Minnesota. Should know if the GT40 is aboard or not by then.
11-19-05, 07:21 PM
#12
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
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$210k for a weekend racing in Champ Car is unbelievable. That said, how good is one going to look on a horrible team with Timo Glock as your teammate. Ask Hunter-Raey how that works out. 
Good point on Speedsource and their success building BK's engines. It seemed weird to me that an old engine design could have so many issues...
Good point on Speedsource and their success building BK's engines. It seemed weird to me that an old engine design could have so many issues...
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