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Formula Mazda is a class of relatively affordableopen-wheel carformula racing.[1]
The original tube-frame Formula Mazda car had its own class inSCCA club racing from 1998 to 2019. The subsequent Pro Mazda Series, using an all-new car withcarbon fiber construction became theIndy Pro 2000 Championship that is part ofIndyCar'sRoad to Indy ladder system, using the Pro Mazda car until 2017. Many drivers aspiring to the top classes of racing used the pro series to hone and demonstrate their talent. The 2004 Formula Mazda champion,Michael McDowell, went on toChamp Car andNASCAR (winning the2021 Daytona 500). 2006 Star Mazda race winnerScott Speed later raced inFormula One andNASCAR.
The series originally grew out of five chassis built by Hayashi in Japan for the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School in California, USA. Twenty-five cars were built by Marc Bahner, Bahner Engineering, Calif., for the 1984 Long Beach Grand Prix, where the cars made their US debut. The majority of these cars were purchased by owner/operators. The original five chassis remained with the Russell School. The cars have a basic welded steel tube frame chassis, with in-board front shocks operated by upper rocker arms. A 180 hpcarbureted Mazdarotary engine drives through a 5 speed H-pattern (H-gate)Hewland Mk 9 transaxle. Rear suspension is by two trailing links, an upper link and a lower a-arm. In the interest of creating close racing and limiting cost, the rules state that no modification is allowed until the rules expressly permit it—at one time even replacing the mirrors on the car was prohibited. The engines cannot be modified, and they are sealed to make it easy to detect cheating. The cars all use the same tires, springs,dampers, and adjustableanti-roll bars.
In September 2009, Moses Smith Racing, LLC. (MSR), headquartered at the time in Tempe, AZ, took over all support and manufacturing rights for the approximately 300 Formula Mazda rotary-powered race cars currently in use across North America, as well as the MSR sports racer, a full-bodied version of the FM. MSR has since moved to a new location atMotorSport Ranch (a country club style race track facility) in Cresson, TX.
In 2004, a completely new car was introduced for the Pro series. It features acarbon fiber chassis, 6 speedsequential gearbox, and a sealed 250 hp fuel-injectedRenesis engine very similar to the one in theMazda RX-8. The MoTeCECU uses input from the gearshift to enable upshifting while the driver holds the throttle wide open. The ECU also providestraction control which the driver can turn off from inside the car. The rules allow a choice among five different spring rates at each corner, and the newÖhlins dampers offer separate bump and rebound adjustments. The driver can adjust the front anti-roll bar from the cockpit.
The new car is substantially faster than the older car, usually lapping about 2-3 seconds faster per mile of track. The Pro Mazda remains legal for SCCA club racing in theFormula Atlantic class.
For 2020, Formula Mazda class was eliminated by the SCCA and replaced by Formula X, which is not a spec class and allows other cars of similar speed includingFormula 4 and olderU.S. F2000 National Championship cars not eligible forFormula Continental. In its firstSCCA Runoffs, 11 of the 12 Formula X entries were Formula Mazda cars.
2021 Indianapolis Sterling Hamilton
