Mazda Festa 2007 took place at the Tsukuba Circuit in Ibaraki prefecture on Saturday, September 15. It is an annual event for Mazda owners.
Here we are at Tsukuba Circuit 2000! Despite its small size, it has long been popular with the general public because of its varied and challenging corners and its easy access from Tokyo.
Mazda's stand was set up in A Paddock, where several rotary engine cars, including the Le Mans winning 787B and the RE Amamiya RX-7, were proudly displayed.
Once again, visitors added their comments to the rotary flag. We have received hundreds of messages from all the different events that have taken place since May and they clearly express the passion people feel toward the rotary engine.
Here is one of the event organizers' cars, the all-new Demio (Mazda2) that was launched recently! The Demio's chief designer, Ikuo "Speedy" Maeda, turned up to race and he sent out a big "Hi" to you all!
Out on the circuit, furious battles began to unfold. Here is the kiddies Roadster pedal car race. A speedy young girl took the checkered flag, and won herself her very own pedal car!
This is the parade of the successive generations of rotary engine cars, with new models leading old. I jumped aboard the lead car driven by RX-8 development Program Manager Noboru Katabuchi. Rotary cars, to infinity and beyond!
The main event was a four-hour endurance race for the media. Each team competed in a Roadster NR-A to cover the most distance in four hours. This is the Mazda Team's Jinba Ittai (Rider and horse as one) Roadster!
The qualifying session! Lap times here determined each team's grid position for the final. The Jinba Ittai Roadster is screaming into the first hairpin. It's following the perfect line and going incredibly fast!
These gents glued to their monitor are the Mazda pit crew. Tensions are running high as each teams' lap times are posted and final positions are decided. This is very reminiscent of when the team won Le Mans.
Wow, the Mazda Team snatched pole position! One second is all that separates 16 teams. The joyful men pictured here are, from right to left, Roadster development Program Manager Takao Kijima, RX-8 and all-new Demio Chief Designer Ikuo Maeda, RX-8 development Program Manager Noboru Katabuchi (in the background) and the NR-A top driver Teruaki Kato.
The team in pole position traditionally makes a solemn oath of fair play. This year, it was performed by the original Roadster development Deputy Program Manager Nobuhiro Yamamoto. The anticipation of the crowd gathered on the main straight in preparation for the start of the race was almost palpable.
Finally, the race gets underway! Just as at Le Mans, the drivers have a dash to their cars across the main straight. Once drivers are in their cars and have their seatbelts fastened, it's all go!
At long last, the battle is on. Under the rules, fuel for the race is limited, and several teams ran dry before the four hours were up. After a magnificent performance, the Tipo&Air Roadster Team emerged victorious, becoming the first team ever to win two years on the trot. Many congratulations!
And so, while another successful Mazda Festa draws to a close, Mazda's rotary spirit and motor sports activities continue unabated. I'll see you next time at the Tokyo Motor Show, where the next generation rotary engine "16X" will be showcased!