Mark it on your calendars if you are interested.

---------------------------------

The 2003 SPEED World Challenge series starts this weekend in Sebring, Florida.

This year, as many as 12 Mazda Protegés will take to the track in the Touring Car class, and one third-generation RX-7 will race in the GT class, throughout the eight-race season. Each race will be broadcast on SPEED Channel, the Touring Car season-opener at Sebring airing on Saturday, March 29 at 4:00 pm (Eastern), and the GT race at 5:00 pm.

Mazda finished third in the 2002 season Manufacturer's Championship behind established racing cars from Acura and BMW. With a strong lineup of independent teams all working together to make their Mazdas ever faster, hopes are high for a successful 2003.

"MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development entered World Challenge in 2001, and it was primarily a developmental year," said Steve Sanders, manager of MAZDASPEED Motorsports. "2002 was our first fully committed year in the series, and the way things are shaping up for 2003, all I can say is ‘look out Acura and BMW!’"

Following is the 2003 SPEED World Challenge schedule, as well as an entry-list for the teams racing Mazdas this year. Follow your favorite drivers and teams through their Websites, and log onto www.world-challenge.com for regular updates and photos from each race.

DATE EVENT/VENUE TV COVERAGE (all races on SPEED Channel)

March 12-14 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Sat. 3/29

(with ALMS) Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, FL

May 16-18 Mosport International Raceway Sat. 5/24

(with SCCA Pro) Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada

May 23-26 Lime Rock Park Sat. 5/31

(with SCCA Pro ) Lakeville, CT

July 25-27 Infineon Raceway (Sears Point) Sat. 8/2

(with ALMS) Sonoma, CA

August 1-3 Road America Sat. 9/6

(with CART) Elkhart Lake, WI

September 5-7 Monterey Sports Car Championships Sat. 9/20

(with ALMS) Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA

October 15-17 Petit Le Mans Weekend Sat. 11/8

(with ALMS) Road Atlanta, Braselton, GA

October 24-26 Grand Prix of Puerto Rico TBD

(with SCCA Pro) San Juan, Puerto Rico



Mazda Protegé Touring Car Entries:

4 - Shauna Marinus, Folsom, CA, Tri-Point Motorsports, www.tripointmotorsports.com

13 - Charles Espenlaub, Lutz, FL, Protomotive

14 - Tripoint Motorsports, www.tripointmotorsports.com

17 - OPM Motorsports, www.opmmotorsports.com

18 - OPM Motorsports, www.opmmotorsports.com

19 - Chuck Hemmingson, W. Des Moines, IA, OPM Motorsports, www.opmmotorsports.com

21 - Christian Elder, Denver, NC, Elder Benner Motorsports, www.elderracing.com

22 - Ken Payson, Tampa, FL, Elder Benner Motorsports, www.elderracing.com

40 - Jeff Altenburg, Ellicot City, MD, Tri-Point Motorsports, www.tripointmotorsports.com

54 - Gary Gist, Del Mar, CA, Palomar Technologies

86 - Robert Baxter, Atlanta, GA, Speed Sport LLC

88 - Roger Foo, Hayward, CA, Speed Sport LLC

Mazda RX-7 GT Entry:

70 - Brad Flowers, Toronto, Canada, Info-Vision

 

should be interesting this year too... pobst turning away from porsche and driving a new audi RS6... RealTime turning to the RSX... should be some good racing.

 

Can't wait End of the month for the opener, with some of our local racers out there in Touring and GT.

 

The Opening round was last Friday at Sebring:

The best placed Protoge was Rodger Foo finished 3rd after pushing for the lead late in the race and the dropping back on the last laps w/ fuel starvation problems.

In GT the Brad Flowers in the ex Pettit RX-7 broke on the second lap :-(

 

heey! No spoilers! It's on TV at the end of the month!

hehe

PaulC

 

Sorry if I spoiled it for you

I "watched" the Live Timing on line!

 

Check my thread in the Canadian forum for an account of my week at Sebring. I am on field staff with World Challenge and have some neat stories if you're bored. Should be up in the next day or so. Perhaps I'll just post a link to it.

Cheers, Jason