So I get the $2005 Challenge issue, because I love that event, and one of the cover blurbs was "Mazda Road Racer"

Lo and behold on page 81 is a familiar pic - it's an orange IT7 car parked on the grass at Road Atlanta, and between it's SA taillights is the Nintendo logo with "ALL YOUR RACE ARE BELONG TO RUSS". Hmmm... didn't I see that same pic in somebody's sig?

Congrats on the exposure Russ, it's a great article.

 

I bought it because the cover car looks like mine. Then I was upset because they didn't win it with the turbo rotary engine in it.

 

Yeah, it was kind of funny seeing the article on the first gen IT7 car in the same issue with the $2005 Challenge report that featured a few V8 RX-7s.

Also, the Clemson Sports Car Club finished 16th in the Challenge in their CRX. Some of their members are on the board. They were planning to bring their RX-7 (that's actually still rotary powered), but had to bring the "backup". They plan to bring the RX-7 for the $2006 Challenge.

 

To the further horror of rotary purists - look closely and see the 10th Aniversary Edition badges. Yup, one more 10th AE bites the dust. Oh well, 2500 sold does not a rare car make anyway.


But back on topic, Russ is doing quite well picking up trophies with his rotary!