Speedsource new livery announced

MAZDA's new CASTROL PARTNERSHIP spell new colors for #70 SpeedSource Mazda

Mazda was able to announce today that a multi-year partnership with BP and their Castrol brand will bring new paint schemes to Mazda's top level sports car racing programs.

In ROLEX GT, the #70 Mazda RX-8 piloted by Sylvain Tremblay, Nick Ham, David Haskell, and Raphael Matos will take the green flag at the upcoming ROLEX 24 at Daytona in new Castrol Syntec colors. The #70 Mazda (in its new livery) was part of a very special integration of race cars from Mazdaspeed Motorsports in Mazda's vehicle display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit....with race cars matched up with their street going cousins in the display, it reinforced the fact that there are more Mazdas and Mazda powered vehicles road racing on any given weekend than any other brand. The paint scheme on the RX-8 was also a direct tie-in to the Mazda Furai concept which Mazda unveiled to the media today. The dashed lines on the rear fenders and nose are the latest interpretation from Mazda vehicle designers, inspired by the paint scheme of the 1991 24 of Le Mans winning Mazda 787B. Tremblay and Ham will be behind-the- wheel-duo in the full 2008 ROLEX GT schedule.

"This new partnership has been in the making for the last couple of years and we could not be prouder to be associated with such a great brand," commented John Doonan, Mazda's Manager of Motorsports Team Development. "The target audience of both of our companies is nearly a direct match, with so many enthusiasts recognizing that our brands "get-it" when it comes to products that we bring to market. To be able to carry the Castrol Syntec colors into the 2008 season gives our RX-8 customer car program tremendous momentum and validation...and we will use our Motorsports programs as a celebration of this new partnership both on and off the track. With Mazda's CX-9 SUV taking home the North American Truck of the Year award early Sunday....there are a ton of smiles in the Mazda camp!"

"We could not be more thankful to everyone at Mazda for their belief in the vision to develop the RX-8 as we have...and to have six Mazda RX-8s on the entry list...amazing!, " added Sylvain Tremblay, team principal at SpeedSource with David Haskell. "And then to add a brand name like Castrol to the program makes it even more special. We are very much looking forward to representing such a great company with a rich Motorsports heritage. To have the car in the Mazda display here in Detroit gives everyone a sense of tremendous momentum heading into the new season. Now we just have to deliver."

In addition, the #69 FXDD Mazda RX-8 piloted by 2007 Bob Akin Cup winner, Emil Assentato...Jeff Segal...Nick Longhi...and Lonnie Pechnik, will be in a new "team car" reverse paint scheme at the ROLEX 24 at Daytona. Assentato and Segal will pilot the SpeedSource car for the entire 2008 ROLEX GT schedule.

All of the Mazda RX-8 teams are preparing every detail to make sure the ROLEX 24 delivers the results Mazda deserves. Six Mazda RX-8s are entered for North America's 24 hour classic. Joining the two cars rolling out of the SpeedSource stables will be...the #40 SOBE entry from Hypersport with a driver line-up to include Patrick Dempsey, Charles Espenlaub, and Joe Foster....the #30 Racer's Edge entry featuring Ken Dobson, Robert Thorne, Craig Stone, and Drew Staveley.... Spencer Motorsports has two of their Daytona 24 drivers confirmed in Richard Grupp and Gary Drummond with sponsorship from Trench Shoring...and finally, the Goldin Brothers entry, led by Steve and Keith Goldin, along with Jim Meassick, are confirmed for the 24 Hour with primary sponsorship is from CCM Cellular.

All of the Mazda RX-8s competing in the ROLEX GT Series are fitted with a 3 rotor Mazda R20B engine, based directly off of the street going Mazda RX-8...the 2009 version, of which, was displayed next to the #70 SpeedSource machine.

-credit: ss