Wouter Melissen
06-22-2015, 07:16 AM
At this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed Mazda will be one of the featured marques. To mark the occasion, the Japanese manufacturer has assembled a spectacular line-up of the company's rotary engined sports racers. The headlining machine is undoubtedly the Mazda 787B, which scored the only outright victory for a Japanese car maker at Le Mans back in 1991. The victory for the howling Nigel Stroud designed Group C racer was many years in the making and was the result of a perfectly executed preparation and strategy. We already captured the 787B at several earlier outings as can be seen in this 45-shot gallery.
The very first of the Nigel Stroud designed Mazdas was the 757, which debuted in 1986. Powered by a three-rotor engine, it won its class at Le Mans in 1987 and 1988. Our detailed article depicts the 1988 IMSA class winner, which is also expected at Goodwood.
Mazda's North American arm will bring over several of its cars, which are kept in full running order and are a regular sight at the Monterey Motorsports at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The most successful of these is the purpose-built RX-7 GTO. Powered by a four-rotor engine, this Lee Dykstra designed machine won the IMSA GTO Championship in 1991. The fire-spitting RX-7 GTO was also raced at Le Mans in 1994, where it placed second in class. After the successful 1991 season, Mazda stepped up to the GTP class with the RX-792P. The car was raced in the 1992 and 1993 season but ultimately failed to score an outright victory. The RX-792P is also a regular in the Motorsports Reunion where it has been raced every edition since 2009.
The sight and particularly the sound of these howling machines can really only be experienced in person. To do so, you can still pick up tickets for the Thursday and Friday at the Goodwood website. On Friday, visitors will also be treated to an appearance of 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikonen.
Enjoy the links:
1992 Mazda RX-792P - Images, Specifications and Information (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4249/Mazda-RX-792P.html)
1991 Mazda 787B - Images, Specifications and Information (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/304/Mazda-787B.html)
1990 Mazda RX-7 GTO - Images, Specifications and Information (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4981/Mazda-RX-7-GTO.html)
1986 - 1987 Mazda 757 - Images, Specifications and Information (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/6233/Mazda-757.html)
The very first of the Nigel Stroud designed Mazdas was the 757, which debuted in 1986. Powered by a three-rotor engine, it won its class at Le Mans in 1987 and 1988. Our detailed article depicts the 1988 IMSA class winner, which is also expected at Goodwood.
Mazda's North American arm will bring over several of its cars, which are kept in full running order and are a regular sight at the Monterey Motorsports at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The most successful of these is the purpose-built RX-7 GTO. Powered by a four-rotor engine, this Lee Dykstra designed machine won the IMSA GTO Championship in 1991. The fire-spitting RX-7 GTO was also raced at Le Mans in 1994, where it placed second in class. After the successful 1991 season, Mazda stepped up to the GTP class with the RX-792P. The car was raced in the 1992 and 1993 season but ultimately failed to score an outright victory. The RX-792P is also a regular in the Motorsports Reunion where it has been raced every edition since 2009.
The sight and particularly the sound of these howling machines can really only be experienced in person. To do so, you can still pick up tickets for the Thursday and Friday at the Goodwood website. On Friday, visitors will also be treated to an appearance of 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikonen.
Enjoy the links:
1992 Mazda RX-792P - Images, Specifications and Information (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4249/Mazda-RX-792P.html)
1991 Mazda 787B - Images, Specifications and Information (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/304/Mazda-787B.html)
1990 Mazda RX-7 GTO - Images, Specifications and Information (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4981/Mazda-RX-7-GTO.html)
1986 - 1987 Mazda 757 - Images, Specifications and Information (http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/6233/Mazda-757.html)