This Saturday: Come see a Mazda 787B, GTO RX-7, MX-5 Cup and more

Mazda’s racing history covers the full spectrum, from parking lot autocrosses to big wins on the international scene: IMSA, Daytona, Le Mans, etc.

Classic Mazda, an Orlando dealership, celebrates that heritage at the start of each racing season. We’ve been before, and we’re heading back to this weekend’s 16th Annual Race Exhibition: Saturday, February 10 starting at 5:30 …

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A bit surprising.  Mazda did not even have these at the last Seven Stock.  They have been there previously.

I heard the new Mazda president was far less interested in their racing heritage.  This of course could be mostly the dealer doing this.

These race cars now live in Florida. 

Also, click the link to see videos on two of the cars expected to be there. 

I see that the 767B is supposed to be there. I will never forget the first time I heard the high pitched scream those things emitted........ears will never be the same.

I second the 767B!  

My favorites:

The Spa 24 winning RX-7

IMSA GTP RX-792P

The 767 was at the SevenStock a few years ago, and they did run it around California Speedway (probably just loafing at 10,000 rpm or something!)  Definitely something to hear if you can.

I guess both the California (super) Speedway and the 767 are not likely to be seen in CA again...

Pic from event:

David S. Wallens said:

These race cars now live in Florida. 

Is Mazda clearing out their California bunker?

Also in vintage Mazda news, Racing Beat's 1983 GTO car was found in Puerto Rico and is being restored. Facebook link

Better question: Who wishes we didn't have to talk about great Mazda race cars in the past tense? Ugh, too many CX-whatevers.

In reply to J.A. Ackley :

*cries in DPi*

In reply to j_tso :

my friend was a trackside engineer on that thing, something like 100PSI of boost in that diesel. bonkers! 

but mazda diesels are world known for being pretty... bad lol - probably why they had a lack of victories. 

in other mazda racing (aside from the 787b) this one always comes to mind (obviously):

j_tso said:

My favorites:

The Spa 24 winning RX-7

 

 

IMSA GTP RX-792P

 

this is getting restored right now in Ohio at Defined autoworks. Logan is one of the best Wankel know it alls in the country. fabrcaition is great too. Probably one of the earliest 4 rotors in the country 

DavyZ said:

I second the 767B!  

Isnt this photo of the 787B?

The photo car has the flat nose versus the curved nose of the 767B. The intake duct over the cab and right in front of the windshield is also gone from the 767B when they redesigned it to make the 787B.

787B


767B

In reply to fidelity101 :

I saw their post about the RX-792P on facebook. They obtained lots of parts that were never raced but not a complete chassis. Since a carbon tub is out of reach for mortals they're going to use a tube frame. 

fidelity101 said:

In reply to j_tso :

my friend was a trackside engineer on that thing, something like 100PSI of boost in that diesel. bonkers! 

but mazda diesels are world known for being pretty... bad lol - probably why they had a lack of victories. 

Is your friend David Haskell? 

The diesels were run in 2014-2015 with a Lola chassis, they were trying to be clever and "test production parts in racing." It was a lot of effort to still make 200hp less than the competition. They switched back to the AER 2.0T engine they used in ALMS and it finally got reliable in 2021 to last 24 hours. They got a Sebring 12H win out of the DPi car though.

fidelity101 said:

j_tso said:

My favorites:

The Spa 24 winning RX-7

 

 

IMSA GTP RX-792P

 

this is getting restored right now in Ohio at Defined autoworks. Logan is one of the best Wankel know it alls in the country. fabrication is great too. Probably one of the earliest 4 rotors in the country 

The 77 Car is for sale right now for 1.5M. There are lots of cool detail shots in the ad.

racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/138263/1992-mazda-rx-792p (I spend way too much time on this site looking at all the cool cars/parts etc. for sale around the world).

In reply to j_tso :

different fella, more irish name sounding

fidelity101 said:

In reply to j_tso :

my friend was a trackside engineer on that thing, something like 100PSI of boost in that diesel. bonkers! 

but mazda diesels are world known for being pretty... bad lol - probably why they had a lack of victories. 

in other mazda racing (aside from the 787b) this one always comes to mind (obviously):

That is basically just the GTU drivetrain parts thrown into an '83 shell, with a little different bodywork and suspension.  (they say 1984, but the strut towers are very clearly Series 2)

Did you see the B255 homologation paperwork?  Almost everything is from their road racing catalog. MRTE did not have much money to spend on reinventing the wheel.  Even uses the GTU radiator that looks like it came from an RX-3.

And I’ll have some party favors with me: stickers, Trackside Companions and maybe a mystery item or two (or maybe not hence it’s a mystery). 

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

fidelity101 said:

In reply to j_tso :

my friend was a trackside engineer on that thing, something like 100PSI of boost in that diesel. bonkers! 

but mazda diesels are world known for being pretty... bad lol - probably why they had a lack of victories. 

in other mazda racing (aside from the 787b) this one always comes to mind (obviously):

That is basically just the GTU drivetrain parts thrown into an '83 shell, with a little different bodywork and suspension.  (they say 1984, but the strut towers are very clearly Series 2)

Did you see the B255 homologation paperwork?  Almost everything is from their road racing catalog. MRTE did not have much money to spend on reinventing the wheel.  Even uses the GTU radiator that looks like it came from an RX-3.

I did not, that is super cool!

In reply to fidelity101 :

https://www.rallyanarchy.com/phorum/read.php?1,31845,page=1

Some of the goodies for Saturday evening. 

And the Miata gets an oil change later today. I’ll wipe it down before tomorrow’s shindig as well. 

Full house: hundreds of cars and people, including IMSA President John Doonan, longtime Mazda racer/creator of the HANS Device Jim Downing, BSI Racing’s Shea Holbrook, SCCA’s former head of Rally/Solo Howard Duncan, SCCA Women on Track’s Linda Duncan and Velma Boreen, and SCCA Foundation’s Raleigh Boreen.