2011 Mitty - Mazda is featured marque
 

Classic Motorsports Mitty is at Road Atlanta April 28 - May 1, 2011. Mazda is the featured marque this year, the first Japanese car manufacturer!

Here is a blurb from GRM: "This year’s event will have an added appeal for fans of the Japanese race cars that first dominated the racing scene in the 1970s: Mazda will be the featured marque. The grand marshal will be none other than Jim Downing, the famed Mazda racing driver and co-inventor of the Hans Device. Jim will be on hand throughout the weekend to check out the action."

"James "Jim" Downing, born January 4, 1942, in Atlanta, Georgia, is the five-time IMSA Championship winning, owner/driver of Downing/Atlanta Racing, and principal in the development of the HANS Device. He is a Georgia Tech graduate with a degree in industrial management." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Downing

I'll be there all weekend camping with my SA over by turns 3,4,5.

A number of atalanta OGTA folks will be there on and off as well.

This year will be my 15th Mitty, and I will again race my blue #79 RX-7 against the 3 liter Porsches in the IMSA GTU class. I stopped by the turn 3,4 area and met some of y'all last year; I was riding my sh!tty pit bike, it was red with a blue milk crate on it. Come by the paddock area and visit me and check out my peripheral ported road racer 1979 RX-7.

Here is the full promo that was emailed to me:

The Classic Motorsports Mitty, the South’s premier vintage race, returns to Road Atlanta for 2011 with its signature blend of classic racers on-track as well as a full menu of infield activities thanks to the GRM Speedfest at the Mitty.

This year’s event, which is set for April 28 - May 1, will have an added appeal for fans of the Japanese race cars that first dominated the racing scene in the 1970s: Mazda will be the featured marque. The grand marshal will be none other than Jim Downing, the famed Mazda racing driver and co-inventor of the Hans Device. Jim will be on hand throughout the weekend to check out the action.

Featuring a Japanese marque may seem like a bold move for a top-tier vintage event, where British, Italian and German manufacturers are more commonly celebrated, but it’s typical of the Classic Motorsports Mitty, a true enthusiast event. And Mazda is more than deserving of the honor, thanks to their own racing history as well as their relentless support of sports car competition for more than 30 years. Expect to see a great historic sports and racing car display from the automaker at Road Atlanta, along with a huge turnout from the Mazda car club community.

“We are thrilled to be involved as the featured marque at this year’s Mitty,” said Jim Jordan, alternative marketing manager for Mazda North American Operations, “and are working hard to present the best that Mazda has to offer from the past and present.”

Mazda will also be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their historic win at LeMans in the Mazda 787b piloted by Bertrand Gachot, Johnny Herbert and Volker Wiedler. This marked the first time that a team/manufacturer that was not from the European continent won Le Mans. The Mazda 787b was also the first car to win Le Mans with a Wankel rotary engine. Look for some impressive displays in the Mazda historic racing show area commemorating this landmark victory.

Along with the rare and important Mazda race cars, you’ll also see the varied assortment of cars at this year’s Mitty that people have come to expect from the event. In addition to the Triumphs, MGs, Porsches and many others that will be found circling the track, the infield will be home to marque-specific car corrals with examples from just about every manufacturer who has ever built a sports car.

Other attractions at the 2011 Classic Motorsports Mitty include the Kumho autocross, where spectators will have the chance to drive a Kumho-equipped Mazda MX-5 around our infield autocross course, manufacturer ride and drive programs, and the ongoing tradition of the Moss Motors pub, where spectators can come by for a cold drink, challenge a friend to a game of darts, or take a spin around our slot-car track.

The sponsors of this year’s Classic Motorsports Mitty include Mazda, Kumho Tire, Moss Motors, Flyin’ Miata, Tire Rack, DIYAutotune.com, G-Force Racing Gear, Hella, The Cayman Interseries, www.wirewheel.com http://cts.vresp.com/c/?MotorsportMa...9f9/1af073027b , Stand 21, Louis Chevrolet Watch Co., Speedcom Communications, Traqmate GPS Data Acquisition, Race-cars.com http://cts.vresp.com/c/?MotorsportMa...9f9/fb9e1b63a3 and Klub Sport Challenge.

With all this in store, the 2011 Classic Motorsports Mitty looks to be the best one ever, so plan to be at Road Atlanta April 28 - May 1. Check out www.themitty.com http://cts.vresp.com/c/?MotorsportMa...9f9/7cefa20420 for more information today.

I remember your car from last year. We'll have bigger cheering section this year and we will make to the paddock area. When you have time stop by turns 3,4,5.

I will be there this year as well. Missed it last year. Not sure if I will be camping or not.

deffineatly gonna try and be there this year

i'll probably be with the caravan from dgrr on sunday.

I'll be there, hanging out at Camp Tim

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...hiteone225.jpg

Man that pic has some milage on it Ray. I have come to the conclusion that the OCD option was mainly a Ga. market option. I have been looking around the world and the Ga. cars display this the most. Either way we need to get a drivers side pic so we can see Speed and the Mach 12A. In addition it will be the Silver ones world wide web debut.

+1

I'm planning on going Friday, and maybe Sat. Not sure where I'm parking yet, depends where our support vehicle (read cooler carrier) parks. Definitely come by 2,3,4 to find the 7 crew. Bought a 1995 MB FD last year, then decided to add more debt and put BBS wheels on it. Looking forward to taking it to the Mitty, esp. after being cooped up with all this darn Atlanta ice and freezing weather.

Road Atlanta still doesn't have their 2011 event calendar or tic prices yet. I have been to many Petit races, but not the Mitty. Does anyone have suggestions on the best ticket prices or packages for the Mitty?

If you don't want to drive, or have a 7 to drive, you can ride down with me. I'll be
going down early friday if not thursday evening.

Tickets are now on sale. I just checked.

The best deal is to get the super ticket for 3 days and infield camping. or get 2 of
the days and infield camping. The camping gets you infield parking automagically.
The touring laps are not worth $35.00 as they are as crowded and slow as the
parade laps. I've heard the parade laps at the end of the day, especially Firday are
the best.

Ok, got my tickets for 3 days of fun and camping.

If your going, I've started a list in this thread. I know its in the 1st non-tech section
but that doesn't matter, any rotary will do :)

https://www.rx7club.com/mitty-mazda-feature-marque-288/2011-mitty-will-feature-mazda-jim-downing-934809/

Thanks for sharing this thread. I would have never found it in the 1st gen non-tech. Can't we get this posted in Regional Forums / Upcoming Events section?

The Mitty is a National/International Event Mike, if it's in the SE section those poor freezing people up in Michigan won't see it.

There is a section for Upcoming Events. That is where DGRR, BRRR, ZoomFest, are posted. Can't we get this posted there? Ray, you seem to have some new sway with the mods. Can you use your influence to get this done?

I'll give it a shot Mike, but I'll probably get banned. Why don't you do it? I just got them to show my sig again, don't need to get banned again.

In case they shut down the internet, remember we are meeting at Camp Tim, turns 3, 4, 5.

Here is a link to an article on the history of the HANS device, which Mr "Grand Marshall of the Walter Mitty" himself co-invented.
http://www.nascar.com/news/110216/in...s-jim-downing/

We got the Mitty thread set up in the Rotary Owners Event section. See the link below. If you're planning to go to the Mitty add your name to the list in the Mitty thread there. :icon_tup:

https://www.rx7club.com/mitty-mazda-feature-marque-288/

You beat me to it...

All you guys should spread the MITTY LOVE - Place links to the threads in your sigs - to get the most advertisement out of it possible.

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=934809

Your sig is showing again, because I fixed it for you, dumb @$$.:lol:

For sig pics, you need to use [SIGPIC], not the old style [img] tags.

Also, why would you get banned anyways?:scratch: