Rayhall Revels In Mid-Ohio Racing Tradition And Glory

June 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

A peak into the business end of Sean Rayhall’s Mazda-powered Elan DPo2. Image Credit: Racelite Protection

Rayhall Revels In Mid-Ohio Racing Tradition And Glory

His first time at taking to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in anger gave the young driver with the familiar sounding name … especially here, very familiar results.

The road course at Mid-Ohio will always be linked in motor culture lore as the home turf of the Rahal racing family, and more clearly, Bobby Rahal.

Bobby Rahal and his father, Mike, visited the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for its first-ever race in 1962, and throughout his motorsports career Rahal has been tied to the track and its former owner Jim Trueman.

In addition to other series, Rahal competed in 16 Indy car races on the road course, earning victories in 1985 and 1986 – on his way to the CART championship, six other podium finishes, and pole starts in 1983 and 1985.

Bobby Rahal, in a 2012 interview to IndyCar.com said, “In 1987, I made a mistake and tried to pass a guy I was lapping and he came down on me and flattened the tire with a few laps to go and (Roberto) Guerrero won instead and I had been well in the lead.”

Sean Rayhall, for his first time experience, also contended with moves that may be common for the track layout at Mid-Ohio with its elevation changes, corner-leading-to-corner, and fast sections design.

Sean Rayhall in the #14 Robert Talbott Motorsports, Racing Radios, Race Lite Protection, Comprent Motorsports prepared Mazda-powered Elan DP02. Image Credit: Robert Talbott Motorsports®

Through the qualifications, young Rayhall had little trouble with cars ‘coming down’ on his car in the corners because, after all, this session was only for where one was to start the races for the weekend.

Qualifications for the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda ,at the Diamond Cellar Classic June 14-16, 2013, was interrupted by two RED Flags but through it all Sean Rayhall was able to prevail over his next closest competitor, Ryan Booth by a margin of 0.086 seconds on the 2.258 mile, 13 turn road course. Booth, in car #18, was able to post a fastest lap on LAP 6 of 1:18.530 only to have it eclipsed by Sean on the very next lap at 1:18.444 on LAP 7 of the qualification session. The other competitors in the field were in the 1:20.000′s or beyond.

Rayhall, for his part, after the first RED Flag stoppage posted a lap of 1:18.474 on LAP 13, just before the second RED Flag stoppage just to make sure that his car would beat the best qualifying time laid down by the #18 car of Booth’s.

Round 5, however, saw the following mechanical event that effected the outcome of the first race of the weekend.

The Diamond Cellar Classic In Round 5 Rough For Rayhall … After leading for 14 of the eventual 18 laps (timed 30 minute race session), posting the fastest lap time of the race – 1:19.326 (as opposed to the next fastest – 1:19.780), and creating as much as a 4 second lead gap before the first of two YELLOW Flags that led to thirteen minutes of the timed 30 minute race to be run under caution. Sean Rayhall finishes Round 5 in P2 to end up being tied in the points championship at 76 points with #18 Ryan Booth.

Round 5 podium with Ryan Booth P1 (c), Sean Rayhall P2 (l), and Daniel Goldburg P3 (r). Image Credit: imsalites.com

In an exclusive post race interview, Sean Rayhall shared what happened on the second restart that led to being passed by car #18 – “Left rear (brake) caliper ceased up. It was completely locked when I stopped in the pit (at race’s end), went down off the back-straightway into the braking zone and the car just turned sideways before the corner, saved it from an off, got passed, and wasn’t able to achieve over 500 lbs. of brake load without the car coming out from under me. Definitely not the result we were hoping but I salvaged what I could.”

So five races into a 14 race season have the points race tied largely explained through two race-time equipment failures on the #14 Comprent Motorsports Elan DP02. The first race of the season netted zero points out of a possible total of 20 for the young Rayhall due to a transmission linkage failure.

Round 6, contested the very next day, Sunday June 16, 2013, Father’s Day, saw the kind of move (twice) that had happened to Bobby Rahal late in the race where he lost his bid to ‘three-peat’ at the famed Mid-Ohio road course when the eventual winner was Roberto Guerrero. In this case, the outcome was dramatically different.

Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda series grid for Round 6. Image Credit: imsalites via Twitter

Rayhall Regains Luster in Diamond Cellar Classic Round 6 … In what could be a bit of deja vu for a race car driver with the same sounding name at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Sean Rayhall survives a car ‘coming down’ on his car twice in the Round 6 of 14 2013 Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda series.

The race went GREEN Flag after the Keyhole Turn 4 which allows the cars to sort themselves out along the back straight through Turn 5. In this case, according to Rayhall in a post race phone conversation, the #18 car of Ryan Booth ‘came down’ on me, we touched and spun. “I re-entered the track at P15 and was able to make up two positions by the end of the first lap (no YELLOW Flag full course caution).

One corner leads to another flow at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Image Credit: imsalites.com

The following Tweets from the Prototype Lites twitter account (@imsalites) and entries from @TheEDJE –

Prototype Lites ?@IMSALites

Contact between @seanrayhall and @RyanBoothRacing on lap one. Rayhall has continued, Booth is off driver’s left in the gravel trap Turn 4.

@seanrayhall dropped back to P10 after the incident and has now moved up to P7 on lap 4.

@TheEDJE

P5 on LAP 6

@seanrayhall working his way back up, eight minutes into the race and is now P5. #CooperLites

P4 LAP 7

@seanrayhall passes @ChrisPoto22 entering Lap 7 to take fourth position. #CooperLites #DiaClrClassic

12 minutes in @seanrayhall gets around Jon Brownson on lap 7 to take P3. #CooperLites #DiaClrClassic

P3 LAP 10 – @seanrayhall rapidly catching the top two and just turned the fastest lap of the race: 1:19.524. #CooperLites #DiaClrClassic

P2 LAP 11 – @seanrayhall’s nose is right on the tail of Goikhberg as he battles for the second position. #CooperLites

Daniel Goldburg remains the leader, @seanrayhall now P2. #CooperLites

LAP 13 – Rayhall – 1:19.357

@seanrayhall pressuring Goldburg now for the lead entering Lap 14 at @FollowMidOhio. #CooperLites #DiaClrClassic

19:29 – left @seanrayhall has been putting pressure on Daniel Goldburg for five laps now, but Goldburg hanging onto the lead entering lap 17.

@seanrayhall and Daniel Goldburg side-to-side contact made, but both continued. Goldburg still leads heading into Lap 18. 20 mins to go!

- break in tweets-

Here is where Sean recounts that Daniel Goldburg ‘came down’ (“door-slammed”) on his car while having the inside position in the Carosel Turn 14 by no less that 3/4th of a car length after Goldberg drove in a manner that could be characterized as very fat for several laps. In this case, unlike what had happened to Bobby Rahal in the 1987 passing of a back-marker, Sean Rahall went on in a very strong way putting additional time distance between him and the next closest competitor, #10 JDC Motorsports Mazda of Mikhail Goikhberg, on each sucessive lap.

- resume tweets -

@seanrayhall is the new leader now on Lap 18 after getting past Daniel Goldburg at @FollowMidOhio. #CooperTires #DiaClrClassic

Daniel Goldburg is now off the track, driver’s left Turn 4. Mikhail Goikhberg is now P2.

15 mins remain at @FollowMidOhio! @seanrayhall P1, Mikhail Goikhberg P2, Jon Brownson (M) P3, @ChrisPoto22 P4, Lamont Harris (M) P5.

13 minutes left LAP 23 – @seanrayhall is 10.213 seconds ahead of P2 Mikhail Goikhberg

LAP 25 – @seanrayhall is 11.544 seconds ahead of P2 Mikhail Goikhberg – turning laps in the 1.20s

7 minutes left – LAP 27 – @seanrayhall is 14.185 seconds ahead of P2 Mikhail Goikhberg – still turning laps in the 1.20s

5 minutes remain – LAP29 – @seanrayhall is 21.508 seconds ahead of P2 Mikhail Goikhberg – 1:19.778

The white flag is out. Last lap here at @FollowMidOhio. #CooperLites #DiaClrClassic

1 minute remains – LAP 32 – @seanrayhall is 27.828 seconds ahead of P2 Mikhail Goikhberg

@seanrayhall sees the checkered flag first and takes Race Two at @FollowMidOhio! #CooperLites #DiaClrClassic

- end of tweets -

Image Credit: Robert Talbott Motorsports®

The race ended with the #14 Robert Talbott Motorsports, Racing Radios, Race Lite Protection, Comprent Motorsports prepared Mazda-powered Elan DP02 having a 30.088 second lead.

Sean Rayhall shared that the team entered the weekend short handed given that the team race engineer, Mike Davies could not be physically at the track for the weekend which left the duties to Sean and the Crew Chief who usually provides the data analysis, Brandon White, to … multitask!

Quite a charge and brilliant luster (from P15 to the win in Round 6) that capped a weekend that saw mechanical failure, followed by tough driving and ‘coming down’ tactics, all result producing a seven point lead in the series championship at The Diamond Cellar Classic run at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

… notes from The EDJE

Filed Under: Top ALMS Story Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Sean Rayhall Sets His Own Winning Legacy At Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

May 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment


Sean Rayhall Sets His Own Winning Legacy At Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

If one is a race fan and the sound of this last name sounds familiar, it’s because this sound … Rayhall/Rahal/etc., no matter how it’s spelled, is the sound of winning.

Image Credit: Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda

This sound has an additional historic significance at one of California’s racing treasures, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (MRLS). Bobby Rahal had won more races at MRLS as a ChampCar driver, then team owner, and ALMS sports car team owner (all combined) than anyone else in the history of the storied race track, and since September, 2003 his name is linked to the facility in perpetuity. The challenging section of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca from the exit of Turn 6 up the hill and through the Turn 7 kink to the entrance of the Corkscrew was named the “Rahal Straight,” honoring one of the true greats of this historic venue.

Image Credit: Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda

Last weekend had this familiar sound winning yet again, but this sound is not spelled like the name of the back uphill straight at MRLS. Sean Rayhall shares much of the same DNA from Lebanon as the other, more famous Rahal sounding/spelling family, but much more importantly, shares the ways of winning domination at MRLS. First, by posting a P1 in qualifications for the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda two race weekend. Then, by winning both Friday’s Round 3 and Saturday’s Round 4 of this 2013 Mazda ladder series season.

Image Credit: Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda

“Qualifications went really well – for the Comprent Motor Sports Machine,” Sean Rayhall said. “The Robert Talbott No. 14 got the pole for both races so we are really excited about that.  Me and Mike (Brandon – engineer) worked really hard these past few nights to get the perfect set up and we made a lot of changes. But it ended up being the right way to go!”

At the end of Round 4 on Saturday when asked about the weekend, the 18-year-old Sean Rayhall said, “We had a little competition on the start of the race I guess but I am really happy to come away with Robert Talbott winning both these races. This is an awesome event and it’s awesome to be here at Laguna with everyone and to come away with two poles and two wins for Robert Talbott, Comprent Motor Sports and Racing Radios. I really have to thank everyone behind me in my program for giving me a chance to do this.”
(ht: prototypelites.com)

Image Credit: Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda

When pressed about the competition at the start of Round 4, Sean shared, “Me and Ryan Booth had some hard side to side racing [at the start] in the second race. Even a bit of contact going into [turn] two between us, but after that it was clear sailing!”

In a post race question laden conversation with Sean Rayhall, it was discovered that this winning attitude at MRLS was developed quite recently, in that Sean first drove this track “a month ago in a SCCA event actually driving a spec racer. We broke the track record by a second and had a ton of fun learning the track with 3 wins.”

What age did you discover that you wished to become a race car driver and what was your first venture in driving competitively (Karts? Sports cars?)?

“I started karts at 7 and wanted to be a race car driver since then. Moved to cars at 12 where I broke the record for youngest driver to win an open wheel race in the states.”

Besides the infamous Corkscrew … what other section of the track do you find challenging? And, Why?

“At Mazda Raceway besides the Corkscrew … turn 6 [going into the "Rahal Straight" section] and turn 9 ["Rainey Curve"] are interesting turns because of the high speed and elevation changes involved which take a fine setup to handle correctly in those areas.”

Image Credit: Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda

After Rounds 3 and 4 of the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda, it now can be said of this young, new Rayhall on the motorsports racing scene, the Rahal that has a winning legacy connection with Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca isn’t just named Bobby … or Graham (found a P3 finish in Star Mazda 2005 – ?) … but also Sean with the last name sounding the same but spelled Rayhall!

With continued dominate success, they may have to name the currently unnamed Turn 6, going into the “Rahal Straight”, “Rayhall Curve” … Y? what the L! (the two missing letters from the name of the next section), just a thought.

… notes from The EDJE

 

** Republished as “RACING: Rayhall sets own winning legacy” at the Douglas County Sentinel, Douglasville, GA **

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2012 Dean Batchelor Award Is Snagged By “Porsche – Origin of the Species”

December 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Book category finalists for the Motor Press Guild’s Dean Batchelor Award. The annual award banquet singles out individuals demonstrating outstanding achievement in the profession of automotive journalism. Each year MPG presents the Dean Batchelor Award to the journalist judged to have produced the single piece of work which best represents the professional standards and excellence demanded by Dean Batchelor during his life as an editor, writer, and chronicler of the automotive industry. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

2012 Dean Batchelor Award Is Snagged By “Porsche – Origin of the Species”

Every year since 1995, when the Motor Press Guild decided to bestow it’s true highest honor by naming the prestigious process of recognition on the efforts of its community of communications professionals after Dean Batchelor, the Dean Batchelor Award has set the standard of  automotive journalistic recognition.

Dean Batchelor’s career spanned many disciplines, from aircraft builder, B-17 flyer, to race car driver and automotive journalist and through it all he proved to be the consummate historian, editor, racer, designer, and hot rodder.

The award builds from a series of awards honoring three publishing categories defined as Best Article, Best Book, and Best Audio/Visual.

Dean Batchelor Awards Images Slideshow (20 images) >>

The three finalists in each category are culled from potentially tens of nominations submitted by Motor Press Guild members who have seen an outstanding published effort and thought it worthy of recognition with in the year of the honor.

Best Article Dean Batchelor Award 2012 presentation. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

This year, the following finalists for Best Article were “Tambay: The Phoenix” By Thomas Stahler (Vintage Motorsport, May/June 2012) | “The Dillinger Trail” By Peter Egan (Road & Track, March 2012) | “The World’s Fastest Hot Rod” By Greg Sharp (The Rodder’s Journal, Spring 2012) with the Article of the Year Award going to “The World’s Fastest Hot Rod” By Greg Sharp.

Best Book Dean Batchelor Award 2012 presentation. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

The following finalists for Best Book were “In The Red” By Jade Gurss (Octane Press) | “Porsche – Origin of the Species” by Karl Ludvigsen (Bentley Publishers) | “The Stainless Steel Carrot: An Auto Racing Odessey – Revisited” By Sylvia Wilkinson (Brown Fox Books) with the Book of the Year Award going to “Porsche – Origin of the Species” by Karl Ludvigsen.

Best Audio/Visual Dean Batchelor Award 2012 presentation. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

The following finalists for Best Audio/Visual were “Corvette ZR1 Review – Exotic Driver” By Todd Deeken and Paul Schmucker (EverydayDriver.com, September 27, 2012) | “A Look At London’s BMW Art Drive” By Alistair Weaver (InsideLine.com, August 6, 2012) | “KBB Races A Mazda Miata” By Micah Muzio and Michael Delano – Kelley Blue Book (KBB.com, February 22, 2012) with the Audio/Visual of the Year Award going to “KBB Races A Mazda Miata” By Micah Muzio and Michael Delano – Kelley Blue Book.

The 2012 Dean Batchelor Award is bestowed upon a choice from one of these three category award honorees Article of the Year Award going to “The World’s Fastest Hot Rod” By Greg Sharp | Book of the Year Award going to “Porsche – Origin of the Species” by Karl Ludvigsen | Audio/Visual of the Year Award going to “KBB Races A Mazda Miata” By Micah Muzio and Michael Delano – Kelley Blue Book with the 2012 Dean Batchelor Award going to Book of the Year Award going to “Porsche – Origin of the Species” by Karl Ludvigsen.

This edited and excerpted from Bentley Publishers (and was included in the presentation from the podium during the award presentation) -

Classic and Sports Car – December 2012 
BOOK OF THE MONTH

Porsche – Origin of the Species
by Karl Ludvigsen

It’s hard to imagine that there’s a Porsche stone unturned for respected marque historian Karl Ludvigsen. But, inspired by an early 356 – comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s treasured Gmünd coupe 2-040 – the American historian set out to reveal the story of the landmark 1950s sports model. And top studio photographer Michael Furman provides a superb set of the historic survivor.

 Ludvigsen’s journey of fastidious research took him from factory archives to owners and specialists while unravelling this fascinating tale. This hefty, 344-page title covers the evolution of pre-war streamliners through to the early operations in the wooden sawmill in Gmünd, Austria. Putting Porsche’s development in context, the book also covers VW Beetle-based specials and coach built variants.

 Ludvigsen’s writing style is a captivating joy to read, plus the main text is accompanied by fascinating panels including Robert Cumberford on styling, Miles Collier on preservation and Alex Finigan on ownership. The final pages are devoted to a complete reproduction of Porsche’s trial reports on ’040′, and an early 1949 356 Betriebsanleitung (operating manual).
[Reference Here]

A wonderful time spent with like-minded folks and meeting new friends. The Petersen Automotive Museum provided the backdrop for the evening’s presentations and all of the finalists from all categories were equally honored to be mentioned along side of the eventual 2012 Dean Batchelor Award honoree.

Sponsors for the evening included Hyundai, Mothers, Jaguar, Land Rover, Honda, Ford, Audi, General Motors, Infiniti, Mazda, Porsche, Subaru, and Toyota – Thanks.

… notes from The EDJE

** Article first published as 2012 Dean Batchelor Award Is Snagged By “Porsche – Origin of the Species” on Technorati **

 

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Can A Race Car Simulator Give One A Real Race Car Experience?

August 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Award winning writer Thomas Stahler takes his turn at the wheel while at Seat Time’s Media Challenge. Here Tom negotiates past turn #3 along the short chute to turn #4 at the famed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)


 

Can A Race Car Simulator Give One A Real Race Car Experience?

Seat Time is Southern California’s premier simulator center. This environment offers a unique, immersive racing experience utilizing state of the art professional-grade training simulators in the heart of West Los Angeles, at the Santa Monica Airport.

Elliott Skeer is an up and coming driver involved in the Mazda driver development ladder series racing for CJ Wilson Racing in the 2012 Playboy MX5 Cup racing series. In this video, we see him laying down marker laps in order to post a time for writers and photographers who join in the MPG/Mazda MX5 Cup Media Challenge. The drive of for the challenge took place August 5, 2012 beginning at 1:00pm PT. The marker time Elliott posted was 1:42.904.

Elliott did not mention this, but he won the 2012 Race #1 Playboy MX-5 Cup at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca held May. 11, 2012 after qualifying in P2. Elliott’s fastest lap time during the 27 lap race at MRLS was recorded as 1:42.324.

Mazda Media Challenge lap time as posted before the competition on Saturday, August 5, 2012. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)


 

This excerpted and edited from STUART ROWLANDS PR press reports of  the SEAT TIME MEDIA CHALLENGE RACE -

For two weeks of grueling qualifying runs, media members sweating, straining, sawing at steering wheels, systematically stabbing at brakes, and braving the infamous “Corkscrew” once a lap are now history./em>
 
From July 15th through the 31st media members from all over the map made their way out to SEAT TIME in Santa Monica, California to test their formidable driving skills against each other … all sim-driving the same exact, identical Spec Mazdas on the rolling hills and steep drops of Mazda Raceway in Laguna Seca, all the while in the comfort of a club-like salon setting at the very aptly-named e-motorsports establishment.
 
For the moment the (simulated) tire smoke has cleared and the fantastically realistic CXC racing simulators are getting a well-deserved cooling off period before they are fired up again at 2PM on Saturday afternoon August 4 for the first ever SEAT TIME MEDIA CHALLENGE RACE.  
 
The event will be a flat-out, 30-minute timed race that pits the four fastest qualifiers directly against each other on the justifiably famous race track for all the marbles.And here they are:  Top qualifier: Jason Isley, from Sports Car/Racer Magazine who turned in a quick lap of 1:44.862.  In a close second: Kurt Niebhur from Edmunds.com with a 1:45.330. Third and not  far behind (hey it’s a long race): Preston Lerner from Automobile Magazine who’s best lap was 1:46.349. And … starting from the coveted “south pole” position: Edmunds.com’s own Mark Takahashi whose 1:48.837 got him in the big show.

Kurt Niebuhr from Edmunds.com went into the lead directly from his outside front row starting spot and handily lead all 30 minutes of the inaugural SEAT TIME Media Challenge yesterday afternoon at the unique Santa Monica sim-racing establishment. Winner Niebuhr had decided to run a conservative race “… No spins, clean driving,” he said in post-race interviews. His win was a popular one and his name will forever be enshrined as the first of what is sure to become a long-standing annual event.
The Saturday afternoon showdown event was the culmination of a two week (plus) qualifying period that saw members of the motoring media stopping by SEAT TIME and laying down a fast lap time on the twisting-snaking race course at Mazda Raceway in Monterey, California.
 
Sim-driving identical Spec Mazda Miatas, the four fastest media types on the west coast ran a head-to-head final event at SEAT TIME in each piloting their own individual super high-tech CXC Motion-Pro II racing simulator.

Preston Lerner from Automobile Magazine was second in the race.  Lerner was new to sim-racing but has been a successful club sports car racer for many years now.  He was there to have fun but he got down to being very serious about lines and lap times when the green flag dropped.  Lerner ran hard but just could not quite catch the almost flawless Niebuhr.

Another Edmunds.com staffer, Mark Takahashi, was running well up when the track just somehow sort of tightened up on him causing him to loop his Mazda at the top of the course; he finished third.

Chris Considine, CXC’s major-domo and the chief designer/brains behind the company’s phenomenal products and matching success, was on hand to cheer the media-types on.  Considine was taking a break from overseeing CXC’s weekend move from their now-outgrown design and manufacturing facilities in Marina del Rey, California to spacious new headquarters on Imperial Highway right at LAX.  

“This is exactly what we envisioned from the start at CXC,” Considine told us.  “We designed and build our machines for the realistic possible racing experience you can have short  of driving the real thing.  It never gets old for me to see a group like this getting so very serious about competition … It’s always cool to be a part of.”
 
Fastest qualifier, and a prohibitive favorite going in based on his prior racing exploits, SportsCar/Racer Magazine’s Jason Isley had an uncharacteristically bad day on the raceway, looping his little Miata a couple of times and finally retiring in the pits a few laps before the end of the 30 minutes championship runoff.

The highly-experienced racer Isley had words for it: “This is much harder than the real thing,” he quipped good naturedly as he accepted his 4th place trophy and parting gifts from MazdaSpeed’s peripatetic PR-pro Dean Case.

“Mazda’s participation in this first event was of enormous benefit,” said Chas Lawrence.  “They are very serious about young drivers and bringing them along not only as competitors, but as representatives of their company.  Their participation here at SEAT TIME puts us in some very good company.”

At the end of the 30 minute race, and even though they were all competing in a very comfortably air-conditioned salon atmosphere, all four drivers were soaked in sweat.  “That’s a diving simulator AND an exercise machine, Takahashi quipped as he chugged a cold bottle of water.

Young Mazda pro driving champ Elliott Skeer drove up from his home in Vista, California to be on hand to coach any of the contestants who needed a bit of help.  Two weeks earlier, Skeer had stopped by SEAT TIME and set the “official” bogey time (1.42.904). Note: his time was not eclipsed (at least at this event) by this group of hard chargers.  After the race the 17-year old put on an impromptu driving clinic for the media and fans effortlessly running near-record time laps at Mazda Raceway at the “keyboard” of the CXC machine.

Everyone in attendance agreed that the event needs to be an annual happening and SEAT TIME founder/operator Lawrence agreed.  “We really want to thank all the members of the media who took part in this new event … I know that all of them had a great time, and they’re all invited back for Media Challenge II!”
ENDS
 

The winner’s podium (L to R) Winner Kurt Niebhur, SEAT TIME owner Chas Lawrence, Jason Isely 4th, Mark Takahashi 3rd, and Preston Lerner. 2nd. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

 

Elliott Skeer is not the only professional race car driver to use Seat Time to gain some track experience. The following partial list have had multiple sessions at the Santa Monica location:

Patrick Long- ALMS GT, factory Porsche driver
Marco Holzer- ALMS GT, factory Porsche driver
Townsend Bell- ALMS GT, Indycar
Matt Halliday- FIA GT1, Australian V8 Supercars
David Heinemeier Hannson- ALMS P2
Michael Avenatti- ALMS GTC
Bob Faieta- ALMS GTC, Grand Am GT
Sean Johnston- IMSA GT3 Challenge (current points leader!)
Daniel “CJ” Calvert-Jones- IMSA GT3 Challenge, Grand Am GT
Fred Poordad- IMSA GT3 Challenge, Grand Am GT
Austin Dyne- NASCAR West Series
Harrison Geron- SCCA Spec Racer Ford
Brian Makse- NASA National Champion, MX5 Cup
Tommy Kendall-retired until last week! now, ALMS GT

Can a race car simulator give one a real race car experience? Judging by the emotional reaction of the automotive media gathered at the challenge, the list of names of accomplished drivers above, and the fact CXC Simulators just completed installing these type of machines at F1 team locations in Europe, one would have to come away with a resounding answer of … YES!

Whether one is an accomplished racer, aspire to become one, or are just an enthusiast looking for a unique experience, Seat Time is the place to come! Call 310.390.3580 or email (from the form at – http://www.seattimesims.com) today for more information or to reserve some … Seat Time.

 

… notes from The EDJE
 
 

** Article first published as Can a Race Car Simulator Give One a Real Race Car Experience? on Technorati **
Filed Under: TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHT Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

“The Mazda Motorsports Hour” Debuts On Discovery’s New Velocity Network

February 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Velocity, an upscale male lifestyle network, will feature more than 400 premiere hours of new and returning series and specials showcasing the best of the automotive, sports and leisure, adventure, and travel genres. Image Credit: The Discovery Channel

 

On Tuesday of this week, MAZDASPEED Motorsports held its 2012 kickoff meeting for the press and it was clear what positive effects the maturing unification of American open wheel professional racing was having on their commitment to  automobile racing and driver development. This maturing effect can be seen clearly in the strengthening of and coordination with IndyCar of the Mazda driver development ladder system which features the Playboy MX-5 Cup, Star Mazda, Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship, and then on to Firestone Indy Lights – all series are a part of the development program known as the Mazda Road to Indy.

Drivers who show promise and success on the track in any of these series throughout the season qualify for additional chances to learn additional skills at being a professional driver and earn support “MAZDASPEED Motorsports Scholarships” through off-track developmental competitions that feature the creation of business plans and sponsor development processes upon which the driver moves to the next step in their racing career.

The next logical major support of the motorsports development ladder system on behalf of MAZDASPEED Motorsports is the get the word out through a well designed media campaign. This next step of media involvement is in the form of a packaged television series that will feature 24 regularly scheduled, one-hour tape delay packaged, race broadcasts of many of the support rungs of this greatest commitment to motorsports by any automobile manufacturer. The show will be entitled “The Mazda Motorsports Hour” and will debut on a newly launched channel which is part of the Discovery Channel called the Velocity Network.

Elliott Skeer (center), from Carlsbad CA., announced February 21, 2012 that he is joining CJ Wilson Racing for the 2012 Playboy MX-5 Cup Series. As the youngest winning driver of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder's Mazda Shootout, seventeen year old Elliott Skeer will begin his professional racing career this March at the famous Sebring racetrack. If he continues his winning ways, we all will see his progress on the Velocity Channel's "Mazda Motorsports Hour". Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2012)

 

This excerpted and edited from a press release of MAZDASPEED Motorsports –

The best race in the world is hearsay unless people see it. Some of the best racing in the world is not the headline race, but the support races featuring the stars of tomorrow. Mazda has supported more road racers over the past decade than any other automaker, and for 2012 is stepping up that support to include extended TV coverage on the new Velocity network.

“Hardcore fans know that some of the most intense action can be found in the Playboy MX-5 Cup, Star Mazda and Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship. But if you weren’t at the race, you are left to take our word for it. Now, thanks to a partnership with Velocity, and Carolinas Production Group, fans can enjoy the action on a regular basis from their living room,” noted Jim Jordan, Alternative Marketing Manager, Mazda North America.

Rick Benjamin, award-winning motorsports broadcaster, will host “The Mazda Motorsports Hour”. Benjamin’s Carolinas Production Group will handle production and distribution of the Hour. Benjamin said, “it’s an honor for our company to be selected once again to produce and place coverage of the Playboy MX-5 Cup, Star Mazda, and USF2000 championships. Our partnership with Velocity gives us a tremendous platform to showcase the incredible talents of young drivers and veterans alike who are taking full advantage of Mazda’s ladder system.”

Joining Rick Benjamin in the booth will be racers Randy Pobst for the MX 5 Cup, and James Hinchcliffe [standout Canadian-born IndyCar driver] on Star and USF2000 [open wheel ladder series]. Todd Lewis will be the pit reporter.

The broadcasts will be a regularly-scheduled hour-long weekend show on Velocity – “The Mazda Motorsports Hour”. 24 shows will be broadcast on a tape-delay basis from April through November. The content will be a variety of Mazda centric series, with an emphasis on the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear, and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. All three series are a part of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Ladder, while the Star and USF2000 Championships are also a part of the Mazda Road to Indy[in co-ordination with Firestone Indy Lights]. To find Velocity Networkon your local cable system, go to Velocity.com.

This 2012 year in motorsports has a lot of excitement building around it, what with the many firsts surrounding the maturing unification of American open wheel professional racing.

In 2006 Mazda established the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder to assist racers in moving up through the ranks. Two years after the unification of the ChampCar World Series and the Indianapolis Racing League, 2010 saw the development ladder expanded to include the Mazda Road to Indy.

Keys to Mazda’s success are strategic partnerships with the Skip Barber Racing School and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. 2012 continues this deepest of commitments to motorsports and its development on the human level with the introduction of “The Mazda Motorsports Hour” on Discovery’s new Velocity Network.

2012 continues this deepest of commitments to motorsports and its development on the human level with the introduction of “The Mazda Motorsports Hour” on Discovery’s new Velocity Network. An internet online, on-demand program availability for viewing has a plan but is awaiting for the appropriate time for the announcement.

… notes from The EDJE


**  Article first published as “The Mazda Motorsports Hour” Debuts On Discovery’s New Velocity Network on Technorati **

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LA Auto Show Keynote Places Mazda’s Yamanouchi In Spotlight

November 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi kicks off the L.A. Auto Show and answers questions from the gathered press with translator at his side. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

LA Auto Show Keynote Places Mazda’s Yamanouchi In Spotlight

Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi kicks off the L.A. Auto Show with an overview of the current state of the automotive industry, including lessons learned after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, as well as the recent Thai floods. Additionally, Yamanouchi will discussed the theme of the show, “Fuel Efficiency Comes Standard.”

He was introduced by Mitch Bainwol, the new President of Auto Alliance, who is attending his first auto show after spending many years associated with the Grammys.

Tahashi, at 67 years old, has spent 44 years in the auto industry and became a corporate officer in his 50′s.

After introducing himself, he reviewed the recovery process from the Tsunami and floods in Thailand. He stated that he learned,”Remarkable things can be accomplished when people work together.”

Full production was able to resume in three months as opposed to the six to nine months predicted by observers. This was achieved by looking at supply chain strength through a global outlook.

This morning Mazda will introduce the new CX 5 and this car exemplifies the theme of the show … “Fuel Efficiency Comes Standard.”

The MX 5 has become the largest selling mark and Zoom-Zoom the most recognizable trade mark phrase in the automobile industry according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Zoom-Zoom is not just a selling phrase but embodies the passion to bring fun driving automobiles to the consuming public. Of the 28 brands on the market, Consumer Reports places Mazda as #4 for quality and design among all marks.

SKYACTIV technology will bring an overall fuel economy by 30% by 2008 and with the new designs planned to be introduced, by 2015 Mazda expects to improve another 30%. Lightweight materials and slippery body design has helped, but the SKYACTIV engine, transmission and body/chassis design technology contributes by providing good acceleration along with fuel efficiency. For example, the 1.2 L engine (Mazda 2) delivers 0-60 in just under 9 seconds.

SKYACTIV manufacturing concepts allow Mazda to produce gas and diesel engines in the same plant.

The new 2.0 L introduced in the Mazda 3 SKYACTIV in 2012 delivers 40 mpg fuel efficiency.

Mazda will continue to build on 3 million vehicles per year to deliver value to the people and customers who invest in Mazda’s future. Most cars sold will still be those that use standard gasoline.

… notes from The EDJE

 

<Article first seen as LA Auto Show Keynote Places Mazda’s Yamanouchi In Spotlight at Technorati>

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