1. 2007
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on of moti
the emoti
the emotion of motion - mazda maGazine - fall 2007
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3. Jim O’Sullivan
President and CEO
Mazda North American
Operations
aps you’re
azda owners
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are a little different, are ports fan, or
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e Zoom-Zoo an d imaginatio r people
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Zoom-Zoom
Global Editor Nik Berg Global Art Director Geraldine Lynch Editor Graham Verdon Art Director Sandra Latini Deputy Editor Alice Lawlor Senior Designer Mya McNulty
Project Coordinator Sarah O’Connor Production Manager Mira Kosovac Publisher Tom Hrubes Project Manager Lori Branov Reproduction Clarity Printing St. Joseph Print Group
For Mazda North American Operations David Klan, William Gordon, Mary J. Maerzke. For Mazda Corporation Global Brand Development Manager Silvina Penovi.
Address changes or inquiries: 7755 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, CA. 92618. Tel: 1-800-222-5500 mazdausa.com
Zoom-Zoom is published on behalf of Mazda North American Operations by Redwood Custom Communications, 37 Front Street East, Toronto, Ontario M5E 1B3. Tel: 416-360-7339.
All product specifications were correct at press time. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher. Printed in Canada.
4. C ON Fall
2007
20
TEN TS
Features 44 ro����ry ���� 40
14 rock ’n’ roll
Two rock junkies climb through canyon country.
Mazda’s rotary engine hits the big 4-0. Jay Leno
and other big Mazda fans celebrate with us
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rabbit, rabb that A newbie takes notes and tries to keep up
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more gadget After years of hearing about our starry, starry
Play ��ime
future, science fiction is commercial reality
Take a journey along Italy’s most rewarding
driving roads in Mazda’s MX-5 roadster coupe
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28 ��r�’� �n
Let’s go surfin’ now, everybody’s learnin’ how. And
Laurens van den Acker is unveiling Mazda’s
future with concept cars from LA to Tokyo
in Japan, you don’t even have to go outdoors
34 ������ �or���r�
regulars
Celebrating a half-century of racing at Mazda
Raceway Laguna Seca with a look back
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photos of how they like to Zoom-Zoom
40 h��ng�ng by �� mom��n��
Three wild ways to satiate your primal urge 10 Pl��y ���m��
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Zoom-Zoom 13
14. INDOOR BEACH
uplE Of utAH ROCk juNkIEs
NOtEs fROM tH E EDgE wItH A CO
kEy
Story MARCus sA D
Photog raPhy ROB HOwAR
Zoom-Zoom
15. My legs are trembling.
This is partly the result of hiking up a 1,400-foot ridge. But it has
more to do with the fact that I’m about to step off it.
Backwards.
Utah is one of those states most often seen from the window of an
airplane. At cruising altitude, mesas splay like shattered knuckles
across dusty brown earth, cut by the occasional lonely highway.
But what seems desolate at 30,000 feet is all breadth and majesty
on the ground. A land of sheer rock faces, winding canyons and
towering ridges, Utah is home to a special breed of outdoor
adventurer. And I’m spending a couple of days in their world.
Eric Draper has a better job than you.
A rock climber, he knew what he wanted at 18, when he
exchanged the Mormon community he was raised in for his new
religion here in the canyons. He’s structured his entire life around
his passion, dividing his time between guiding visitors into the
wild and working as an extreme photographer.
“I don’t really need much stuff,” he says, tan face flashing a smile.
“I’d rather climb for two weeks than buy a couch.”
My other guide, Jeremy Draper (no relation), feels the same way.
“I tried the domestic thing. I had a house, a 9-to-5, almost a wife.
Wasn’t for me. This is where I belong.”
“This” is Springdale, a liberal little town perched on the edge
of Zion National Park. The place is just three hours down the
highway from Vegas, but a world apart.
Zoom-Zoom
16. INDOOR BEACH
Eric (blue shirt)
and Jeremy Draper
of Zion Rock and
Mountain Guides,
in Springdale, Utah,
moving through
the rock-scapes of
Zion National Park
Zoom-Zoom
17. ''I’D much
RAThER
cLImB FOR
TwO wEEKs
ThAN BuY
A cOuch''
Everyone knows each other here. The cute girl behind the coffee-
shop counter calls Eric by name, asks what he’s taking me out for.
The answer is canyoneering, an increasingly popular sport that
combines hiking, rappelling and a dash of climbing. Basically,
the idea is to work our way from the top of a ridge to the bottom
of the canyon, and out again. Along the way, we’ll drop down the
face of flash-flood channels, squeeze through two-foot stone slots,
and swim pools of icy water.
Which is how I ended up hanging off a cliff.
Properly done, rappelling isn’t dangerous. My harness can take Sandstone
up to five thousand pounds. My equipment has been checked by cliffs and
smooth canyon
an experienced guide with eagle eyes. walls that look
But that’s hard to remember when an eight-millimeter rope is as if they’ve
been painted
all that’s between me and a plunge to the rocks below. are just part of
What I’m doing is only a small taste of the thrills Zion offers. Zion’s stunning
At the other end of the spectrum is the Streaked Wall. Picture landscape
scaling the wrong side of a windshield taller than the Sears Tower.
Eric has climbed it. Twice. And as far as he knows, he’s the only
person in the world to have photographed an ascent, a feat that
required him to, amidst other stunts, spend hours dangling at the
end of a 300-foot rope … 1,500 breathless feet above the ground.
“Was it worth it?”
He smiles.
Most everybody in Springdale climbs. Or mountain bikes, or
canyoneers. There aren’t many other reasons to live here. This is
a whole town of people who chose the path less traveled.
Which makes for an interesting atmosphere. Everyone I meet
is friendly, smart and centered. They have that inner ease that
comes from doing what they love.
But don’t start thinking they’re lazy. Maintaining this lifestyle
takes fanatical devotion. Eric lived in his truck for six years
(“Dirtbag living,” he calls it, with a grin) to keep expenses low
enough to climb 300 days a year. He and Jeremy spent long days
making burritos in order to finance evening climbs. Jeremy’s truck
has no reverse, and neither of their trucks has air conditioning in
a state where the temperature breaks a hundred for four months
straight. You gotta want it. Zoom-Zoom
19. CANyONEERINg
When your guide tells you that you’re headed for Prophecy Wall, reflected light against ancient stone hypnotized me completely. In
it’s hard not to feel a shiver. such moments, you inhabit a quiet, a stillness, rarely found in life.
But as it turns out, Prophecy is brilliant: a near-vertical cliff of It was during such a pause I asked the million-dollar question.
iron-rich sandstone, isolated enough that in six hours, the only Is this a pit stop on the way to real life? Can you do it forever?
evidence of humanity is a single car’s dust cloud on the horizon. Jeremy didn’t hesitate. “As long as my body holds out. Figure at
The face is pocked with deep handholds and offers routes of all least 20 years or so.”
difficulty levels. We’re halfway up a 5.10b, climber-speak for not- “Then what?”
bad-but-you-aren’t-wowing-anybody, when Jeremy says, “You “I’ll probably teach.”
hear that bird laughing at you? That’s a canyon wren.” “Teach what?”
The cry really is a lot like laughter—specifically, the laughter of He cocked his head like the answer was painfully obvious. “This.”
the bully on The Simpsons, haA-HAAa! Only a mildly interesting And Eric?
observation, until I realize that the bird is flying below me. He laughed. “Well, I’d like to start shooting skiing, too.”
There are moments, in the midst of a canyon or perched on a After a couple of days walking the path less traveled, I’m feeling it.
ledge, when you stop to catch your breath and marvel at the beauty Every step of the hike back to our trailhead sets off aches in places
of the world. Pausing in the shade of a towering ponderosa, I I didn’t know I had muscles. I’m starving. My arms are sunburned
watched a bighorn sheep gracefully ascend the opposite canyon and my thighs are just burned.
face. Later, waist deep in heart-stopping water, the soft play of I can’t remember when I was last this happy. n
Eric and Jeremy
doing whatever
it takes to get
from the top
of the rock to the
bottom. That’s
canyoneering
Zoom-Zoom
20. low
son Bar ley
Story Ja Phy mark Bram
Photo gra
n
takes it o
e mX-5 rC to let it off the
ge and th ce
G ive it a challen n. what better plapercar country?
esitatio aly ’s su
without h in the heart of It
n
leash tha
Not oNly does Italy have some of the world’s most
demanding roads, it also has the attitude to match. Italian drivers
don’t make rude gestures at you if you dare to overtake, they
make rude gestures at you if you don’t.
A whole section of Italian society seems to go everywhere and
do everything at 100 mph. At times the Autostrada feels like a
latter-day amphitheater. The truck drivers treat the whole business
of driving like some kind of gladiatorial contest. There’s testosterone
in the exhaust fumes. You have no choice but to get in the zone.
Or you could just leave the machismo of the highway behind.
Where the flat, industrial plains of the Emilia-Romagna district
blend into Tuscany, a funny thing happens. The great tunnels
and viaducts that connect modern Italy with the engineering
genius of the Romans give way to scenery so perfect it’s almost
sculpture. Even if you’ve never visited Tuscany, it seems familiar,
its rolling green hills and vistas having supplied the visual fuel
for some of history’s greatest art.
Today we’re using a different sort of fuel. Modena, home to
supercar legends like Ferrari, Maserati and, most recently, Pagani,
is only 100 miles away, but the Mazda MX-5 is proof that you
don’t need 500 bhp or $400,000 to channel the driving spirit that
20 Zoom-Zoom
22. YOU CAN
IMMEDIATELY
SENSE ThE MX-5
IS A CAr wITh
A MISSION
haunts these hills. This isn’t just a great sports car; on these So the purity of the MX-5 has taken on a whole new relevance.
roads, it’s a sublime one. Steer, shift gear, brake, accelerate: this But sitting on a mountain pass on a hot, cloudless day, how can
little Mazda has the harmonic balance of a string quartet. you not love the idea of driving for driving’s sake? It’s impossible
In many ways the MX-5—the best-selling roadster of all in this country. Italy’s love affair with the car goes right back to the
time—provides the perfect template for a successful driving start, and this is a place where the police will happily pull you over
machine. It’s small, light and efficient. Most modern cars are just to get a better look at your bella machina. Kids on scooters,
overweight, bulked out on a diet of airbags, air conditioning old folk sipping coffee and sucking cigarettes, farmers on tractors:
and other 21st century accoutrements. But you need more the MX-5 wins universal approval.
power to go quickly in a heavy car, which is fine and fun, but It always has. The 1989 original, which drew inspiration from
it can’t disguise mass when you get to an obstacle, like a corner. a lost generation of affordable British and Italian roadsters, was a
Raw power can only bully physics, it can’t defeat it. delicate, feminine little two-seater. The latest version looks meaner.
Small, lightweight cars don’t have that problem. They move It has a tougher stance, its wheels fill fatter and its wheel-arches
with a natural grace and precision. Driving isn’t just about are flared more aggressively. The gorgeous 2003 Ibuki concept car
blasting as quickly as possible from one corner to the next. previewed the MX-5’s renewed sense of purpose. Mazda’s then
It’s about maintaining momentum and getting the maximum design boss, Moray Callum, compared it to the latest generation
result from the minimum effort. It’s cleaner and more of cell phones. “It’s about tactility,” he told me.
environmentally friendly that way, too. It sure is. The MX-5 feels absolutely no bigger than it needs to
22 Zoom-Zoom
23. INDOORIn ITaly
mX-5 BEACH
Cutting through the Italian
countryside, breathing in fresh
air and history along the way
be. It’s a tribute to the people who created it that it delivers legendary 1,000-mile road race, run between 1927 and 1957.
everything we expect in terms of equipment and safety, and Stirling Moss averaged 98 mph across the race distance when
nothing superfluous. he won it in 1955. This remains one of the most mind-boggling
So when you get into it, climbing over its solid sills, you motor-racing statistics of all time.
immediately sense that this is a car with a mission, one that Especially when you drive it yourself (more slowly). With the
has nothing to do with getting from A to B. The controls and roof stowed away—it takes just the touch of a button and 12
dials are all clear and easy to see and use. The view ahead across seconds with the ingenious folding hardtop—and the sun cutting
the hood is evocative but not intimidating. And your hands through the trees in vivid celestial beams, time really isn’t of the
move from the steering wheel to the gearshift then back again essence. Drive too fast, and you’ll miss the detail in the landscape.
in a short, easy motion. The basics are immaculate. It’s amazing But you just can’t help it. The roads up to the Raticosa are
how many cars get them wrong. fantastic. Smoothly surfaced and largely empty, they arc this
So this is about driving. Though context always helps. The way and that, ebbing and flowing and undulating through lush
road signs are full of amazing-sounding places: Milan, Florence, forest. Most of these bends are dispatched in third and fourth
Vian Piala, Imola, Mugello. The last two point to nearby race gear, though you’ll need second for the tight, uphill hairpins
circuits, familiar to anyone who loves fast cars or bikes. that seem to pop out of nowhere.
We pick up the Passo della Futa, then the Passo della Raticosa.
These are famous, too. They’re part of the Mille Miglia, Italy’s
Slicing through the gears, the MX-5’s six-speed shifter is a
reminder that nothing is more satisfying for an enthusiastic
Zoom-Zoom 23
24. mX-5 In ITaly
YOUr INpUTS
ArE MOSTLY
IMpErCEpTIbLE.
IT’S ALMOST
TELEpAThY
26. TAkINg THE gRAN TuRIsmO
how to get there the BologNa
raticosa and futa passes e45
are between the cities of
Bologna and florence.
the fastest way is to head Imola
out of either town on the
e35
e35 and come off at the
ratICosa
san giacomo junction.
Visit viamichelin.com for fUta
driving directions.
what to see If you’re a
gearhead, this area of Italy
is supercar heaven. ferrari floreNCe
fans can visit the galleria
ferrari and the fiorano test you’ll even catch a glimpse
track near maranello, while of felipe massa or Kimi
lamborghini lovers should räikkönen—but not on
make tracks for the museum sundays, when the
at sant’agata. Bikers can get Cavallino is closed. Visit
their kicks at two-wheeled ristorante-cavallino.it for
legend ducati. Visit galleria. further information.
ferrari.com, lamborghini.com
and ducati.com to find out more. where to stay the hotel
terme salvarola in modena
where to eat find out offers a restful alternative
what pasta fit for heroes to all the high-octane
tastes like at the ristorante excitement. If you’ve had
Cavallino. with any luck, your fill of supercars you
can always relax in the
hotel’s luxury spa instead.
Visit hoteltermesalvarola.it.
27. mX-5 In ITaly
driver than a really good manual gearbox. Its precise, short action MX-5’s chassis is beautifully balanced, and there’s more grip
adds to the pure mechanical joy of the experience. than you could possibly need. It’s rigid, too.
There are no mountains to climb round here. Instead, the road Up into third, letting the revs rise to nearly 7,000 rpm. Another
loops gently back and forth, punctuated by a series of tiny villages, corner. The interplay between steering, brakes and gear change
until you arrive almost unexpectedly at the top of the pass. The is exceptional. Lean on the car too hard and the tires will start
Chalet Raticosa sits at the highest point; when we get there, I count chirping, but it’s actually more effective to ease off on the heroics
26 motorcyclists on assorted Ducatis and MV Agustas resting up just before you reach that point. This little Mazda encourages
in the parking lot, metal ticking as it cools. More proof that this you to stay within your limits.
is one of the world’s great driving roads. Into fourth now for the straight that’s opening up ahead. It’s
But the best is just coming now, spearing off the Raticosa, and fashionable to have more than 200 bhp these days, but right
plunging back downhill like a big asphalt ribbon of pasta. The now the MX-5’s 158 bhp feels optimum. Could you really go
MX-5 is happy to amble along, but that’s just not an option on this any faster than this? No need. Great drivers’ cars move with a
section. Into second for the first corner, a long, long right-hander. minimum of effort. So even on this twisty Italian road, your
It has a negative camber, and you can feel the car digging in before inputs are mostly imperceptible. It’s almost a form of telepathy.
it settles. Rear-wheel drive in the grand sporting tradition, the Driving for driving’s sake. When did you last do it? n
learn more about this
great driver’s car at / mazdausa.com
Zoom-Zoom 27
28. INDOOR BEACH
e. You need
l about styl
Surfing’s al e shorts, the shades
the board, th d, of course, the car
an
Pure white sand, tropical temperatures and
waves on demand. Japan’s Seagaia Ocean
Dome is the perfect location for the first ever
Zoom-Zoom indoor surfing championships
STORY NIK BERG PhOTOgRaPhY KATSUO HANZAWA
29. K
icking up trails of sand from their heels as they
charge into the ocean, boards at the ready, the
five surfers paddle out toward the blue horizon
to meet the first wave of the day.
But something’s not quite right with this
picture. The sand isn’t actually sand, it’s 600 tons of white-
marble granules imported from China. And the ocean is in
fact a huge freshwater pool with waves machine-manufactured
on demand. Even the horizon is actually a painted mural
and the tropical temperature comes, not from the sun,
but from industrial heaters.
Welcome to the Seagaia Ocean Dome, the world’s biggest
artificial beach and currently the only place on the planet Zoom-Zoom 29
30. INDOOR BEACH
“Mash” makes a splash
as he dives into the
artificial ocean for the
first time. The real beach
is just 1,600 feet away
SuRf SpEAk
Rip: to execute drastic and radical moves on the wave
Flip: a 360º flip, landing on the back of the wave as it breaks
Lip: the top edge of the wave that curls forward
Tube: the cylindrical vortex created between the wave and the lip
Hollow: an extremely concave, curling wave
Wahine: an affectionate term for a female surfer
Shred: to surf aggressively
Find more at riptionary.com
30 Zoom-Zoom
31. INDOOR BEACH
where it’s possible to
rip, flip and hit the lip
Situated in Miyazaki, under one roof.
on the Japanese islan
Seagaia is an astonish d of Kyushu,
ing feat of engineering
staggering $2 billion . It cost a
to build and is recogniz
Guinness book of wo ed by the
rld records as the large
park in the world. Th st indoor water
e three-story-high, 2,8
Teflon and steel roof 00-ton titanium,
can retract in four sec
indoor ocean to the ele tions to open the
ments. The Seagaia sea
the size of an Olympic is six times
swimming pool and
tons of fresh water, wh holds 13,500
ich is continuously filt
heated to a balmy 82º ered and
F.
Seagaia’s waves are ge
nerated by 10 powerfu
pumps linked to 40 ind l vacuum
ividual water chambe
capable of sending wa rs that are
ves up to 12 feet high
toward the 140 meter crashing
-long beach. Unfortun
cost and complexity ately, all this
may have proved too
Dome’s owners, as we much for the
would be saying sayon
at the conclusion of thi ara to Seagaia
s visit—it was due to
end of September. close at the
But it’s open now, an
d that’s just as well. Toda
ever Zoom-Zoom Indo y is the first
or Surfing Champions
is Takashi Kato, a prom hip. Our judge
inent member of the
Association. He’s been Nippon Surfing
surfing breaks in Japan
the world for many ye and all over
ars, but it’s his first vis
surf paradise and he’s it to this plastic
quickly into his board
the competitors for a shorts to join
warm-up.
Following Takashi int
o the artificial ocean
shaper (and the firm are local board
favorite) Tomokazu Uj
surfer Sachiko Tamu ihara, wahine
ra and—in the spirit From top: plastic pal
competition—Matthew of international ms
painted horizons und and
“Mash” McCollough, er a
and Sean Carey, all fro Aarron Edwards covered sky; Aarron
and Sean
m across the water in go head-to-head; Sac
A horn sounds and so New Zealand. and Sean sprint to
hiko
me 1,800 tons of water the sea
to form the first wave are released
. This wall of water cra
concrete bottom of the shes to the
ocean floor, then rises
again to form
a horn
sounds and
1,800 tons
of water is
released
Zoom-Zoom 31
32. INDOOR BEACH
the first
surfers t
are caugh
off guard d
and dunke
rning and no
that brief audible wa
the wave. With only rs are caught
forming, the first surfe
chance to see the wave ming surface.
dunked beneath the foa
off guard and violently explains: “The
t easy, as a soggy Sean
Surfing Seagaia is no as seawater so
ve the same buoyancy
fresh water doesn’t ha rface. And, even
y on top of the su
it’s much harder to sta waves still
y warning sound, the
tho ugh there’s that freak
en.”
come on all of a sudd absolutely critical to
Correct posit ioning in the water is
every wave, and
ere’s a sweet spot for
ride Seagaia’s surf. Th ment the wave
on it at the precise mo
the riders have to be s before our
From top: contender
s ready; several more dunking
t ride of is conjured up. It takes d in sets of three
Aarron takes his firs ove. Waves are create
the day; Tomokazu
gets the
surfers get in the gro tween them as
shredding and smilin
g prize te breathing space be
with just a two-minu ed and primed.
water are pump
thousands of tons of judges would be
In a standard su rfing competition the
m contest,
but this is a Zoom-Zoo
looking for technique, riders’ grins as
re lenient, judging the
so Takashi’s being mo llows, rips and
Two hours of tubes, ho
much as their ability. ough, it’s the local
r winner and, sure en
flips later we have ou actually surfed
. Although he’s never
favourite, Tomokazu made waves better
stered the man-
Seagaia before, he’s ma wowed the judge,
n the rest. But no t only have his shreds
tha n the whole time.
’s had an ear-to-ear gri
so have his smiles. He phy in the air.
s as he thrusts his tro
“Fantastic!” he beam
oom moment. n
Now that’s a Zoom-Z
eered with
e MaZda cX-7: Engin
on Board with th the “soul of a sports car”,
has a
this crossover SUV
gine,
2.3-litre DISI turbo en
with 244 bhp, a six -speed
d
auto transmission an
seating for fiv e. The perfect
rt our
machine to transpo
surfers aro und.
33. INDOOR BEACH
WORlD WIDE
Tomokazu hangs ten
one of Seagaia’s wid
e
on WAVES
range of waves, all of JApAn The Seagaia Ocean Dome
d up
which can be conjure in Miyazaki, Japan, opened in 1993
ton
at the press of a but
and cost US$2 billion to build. With
enough capacity to allow up to
10,000 people to relax on the beach
and swim or surf in the “ocean” at
any one time, it’s unfortunate the
Dome is set to close in September.
EUROpE The first European indoor
surf centre is due to open in the
UK in 2008. It will offer 365 days
of surfing on an artificial reef.
find out more at surfdome.com
USA The Ron Jon Surfpark in Orlando,
Florida, opened in 2007 with a choice
of wave pools. And another surfpark
is opening in new York City in 2010.
for a preview, visit surfparks.com
Get More inforMation
on the Mazda cx-7 / mazdausa.com
Zoom-Zoom 33
34. INDOOR BEACH
lAguNA sECA
lEgENDARy RACIN g, MAzDA RACEwAy
AftER 50 yEARs Of PhotoGraPhy MIsH
A gRAvENOR
E futu RE Story OwEN EDwARDs
Is gEARINg up fOR tH
G
etting to know a road course is a lot like making a match with
a dance partner. With their particular combinations of turns,
chicanes, elevation changes and straightaways, road courses are
the real asphalt individualists of motorsports. Those who drive
them, especially amateurs driving for love, not money, inevitably
feel special affection for a particular course. The pros, of course, have the
same feelings, without the luxury to indulge them.
It’s safe to say that among motorsports enthusiasts, from the West Coast
all the way back to east of the Hudson, one of those universally loved tracks
is Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California. Nestled in the hills just outside
the coastal resort towns of Monterey and Carmel, the renowned road course
is celebrating its 50th birthday this year.
Some tracks are jittery and tricky, with moves that seem counterintuitive,
calculated to bring out the two left feet in their driving “partners.” Other
tracks have a real grace, with a rhythm that never makes you feel clumsy
despite dramatic changes in speed. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the latter
and, over the years, it has become a special place for drivers. Paula Baker,
a Miata Solo racer from Magna, Utah, works with her crew-chief husband,
34 Zoom-Zoom
35. Drivers learn the fastest
way around the track in
their Formula Skip Barber
racecars, the best rolling
classroom there is
Zoom-Zoom 35
37. Ron, on a Miata racing team. “Like Road Atlanta or Mid-Ohio,”
she says, “Laguna is really beautiful to look at, and that is reflected
Legends of
in the track.” During practice sessions, performance-measuring
stats collected by Baker’s team reflect the personality of the track.
Laguna
Walking through 50 YearS
“There’s a fluidity and flow to the data,” she says. “It’s different from oF racing hiStorY
other tracks, where the numbers reveal a kind of choppiness.”
In 1957, when Phil Hill, Dan Gurney and Walt Hansgen were
beginning to flex American racing muscle, the racetrack was built
on scrubland at Fort Ord, a sprawling army base. (The land is now
owned by the county, and the track is managed by SCRAMP, the
Sports Car Racing Association of Monterey Peninsula.) Before
that, from 1950 until 1956, racing took place on a course that ran
through the Del Monte Forest in Pebble Beach. Neighbors along
its municipal streets would mix a batch of martinis, set up their
lawn chairs, and watch Jaguars, Porsches and Ferraris flash past.
But such pastoral pleasures couldn’t last. As cars got faster and
drivers more competitive, the old course through the trees became
too dangerous. Racing promoters then headed for the hills east of
town and audaciously built a circuit that incorporated a not-quite- Superstars of racing have been
dry lake (the laguna seca) and what may be the steepest hillside of getting their due as part of the
any racetrack on the planet. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s original raceway’s diamond-anniversary
celebrations. the first group,
including Pete lovely (above),
Dan gurney (below), Wayne
rainey and eddie lawson, was
honored during major race
weekends this past summer.
each will get a star on the
legends of laguna Seca walk
of fame located at the track’s
famous corkscrew turn.
You can make your own mark
on the same walk of fame by
purchasing a brick engraved
with a message or logo of your
choice. all of the proceeds will
go directly to the laguna Seca
raceway Fund. for more details,
visit laguna-seca-fund.com.
Drivers master the
famous corkscrew in
s
1958, while spectator
at turns eight and nine
(opposite) keep an eye
n
on the action. More tha
50 years later (above),
the climb before the
corkscrew is still one
of the track’s hot spots Zoom-Zoom 37
38. INDOOR BEACH
In the hot seat
Your turn to race at MazDa
raceWaY laguna Seca
Feeling the thrill of racing on a
pro track is easier than you think,
thanks to Skip Barber race Schools.
their instructors will help you hone
your skills behind the wheel of a
Mazda rX-8, MX-5, Mazda3 or the
open-wheel Formula Skip Barber
racecar—all in one amazing day or
as part of a more advanced program.
on average, a third of the drivers ce
Skip Barber ra d
ee
in the indy 500 and nextel cup Schools give sp
ut the
freaks througho shine
are Skip Barber grads, so you’ll be u.S. a chance to
learning what the pros know in a
curriculum that’s been developed
over 30 years. You can also test your
mettle against racers of your skill
level in the Skip Barber race Series
Powered By Mazda. everything from
car maintenance to the suits and
helmets are provided. find out how
to get involved at mazdausa.com.
38 Zoom-Zoom
39. lEgENDARy RACEwAy
design was a 1.9-mile more-or-less circular track with a couple of Four and Five are challenging to get just right, since they each
tight turns and dramatic elevation changes. change character the faster you go.”
The winner of the first race a half a century ago was Pete Lovely. All tracks have a signature turn; great tracks have signatures
While a who’s who of West Coast motorsports looked on, Lovely that push the envelope. At Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the
“turned on a couple of really hot laps” to snatch the lead from most memorable moments are supplied by Turn Eight, a.k.a.
Johnny Von Neumann. “That day was very exciting for us,” says the Corkscrew, an amazing downhill chicane that can leave your
Lovely, adding that he liked the track “because it took a lot of skill stomach somewhere aft of the rest of you. You come into the turn
to hold your foot down through the old Turn Two. You had to be at a good pace at the end of the Rahal straight, at the highest point
really on your toes or you would miss that corner.” on the track, and make a sharp left without being able to see what’s
Over the years, alterations to the track have brought it to its next: a hard right. Then comes an increasingly fast downhill left,
current configuration: 2.2 miles, 11 turns, two (and maybe three) ending at Turn 10—a nicely banked fast right. What makes this
blind entrances and elevation changes that are nothing less than section of the track such a rush, literally, is the fact that between
alpine. Enhancements to the track continue today, thanks in the entrance to Eight and the return to earth at 10 you’ve lost more
no small part to Mazda. Since 2001, the course has become than 300 feet in altitude and picked up, courtesy of gravity, gobs
ingrained in Mazda’s culture, where it’s not just the cars that of extra horsepower whether you want it or not.
have the soul of a sports car. Employees get behind the wheels Anyone who’s experienced a race at Mazda Raceway Laguna
and race at special events throughout the year. “Mazda has Seca knows that the long uphill trek to sit under the oaks next
motorsports coursing through its veins,” says Gill Campbell, to the Corkscrew always pays off. There may be nowhere on any
CEO/General Manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “We American track where skill and daring are so nakedly displayed.
simply go together like gasoline and motor racing.” And most would agree that no matter how much time they’ve
Like many drivers who appreciate a challenge, Barry Winfield, spent on the track, they’re always raring to get back there for more.
an editor at Car and Driver magazine, is a fan of the track. “It’s a It may be 50, but today’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is, without
really cool track, particularly in a car,” he says. “Turns Two, Three, doubt, sharper, flashier and faster than ever. n
skill and daring
are nakedly displayed Zoom-Zoom
40. INDOOR BEACH
RusH HOuR tRAffIC. sIDEwAlk CROwDs. CAlls ANswER
ED IN pRIORIty
sEquENCE. It's tImE tO fIgHt BACk. It's tImE tO fEED tHE
NEED tO lIvE
IN tHE mOmENt, If ONly fOR A fEw glORIOus sECONDs
At A tImE
shoulders
of giants
In this corner, weighing in at 1,300 pounds,
equipped with haunches that will buck and spin
you at the speed of a rocket—Express Lane,
the bucking bronco. Sitting atop the mighty
beast, holding on to nothing but a rope—you.
Or maybe Bad Dreams the bull is more your
speed. He clocks in at just under two tons and
is possessed of the raw power to rock your
world with three Gs of force and a disposition
that compels him to use it. Admit it, you’ve
always assumed that if push came to shove,
you could stay on board a wild animal for eight
seconds like the pros. Good luck with that.
What: Riding bulls or horses rodeo-style
Where: Sankey Rodeo Schools have locations
across the U.S. (sankeyrodeo.com)
hoW much: $390 (three-day session),
$415 (four-day session)
Zoom-Zoom
42. INDOOR BEACH
lt
lightning jo sounds big.
Towering
Kingda Ka. It even onster
e sky, this m
45 sto ries into th -like name
s King Kong
coas ter earns it records that
l the world
by breaking al u from 0 to
128
blasting yo
m atter. After rough th e spine-
seconds, th ree turn,
mph in 3.5 of a 90-deg
crushing G-forces e sky,
ht up into th
then 45 6 feet straig gree spiral,
nd a 270-de
you’ll snake arou er a massive
,
drop and ov
swo op down a ump. Wh at the
ing camel h e sure,
gut-wrench You won’t b
pened?
he ck just hap again.
ant to do it
but you’ll w
roller
llest, fastest
What: R iding the ta
e world
coaster in th Great Adve
nture,
Wher e: Six Flags s.com/
rsey (sixflag
Jack son, New Je big coasters
). For other
gre atadventure e, visit
oser to hom
th at may be cl t/roller.htm
l
stonline.ne
americasbe nera l
: $59.99 ge
hoW much
plus ride fees
admission,
PhtotograPhy: jason dailey (previous page), michael tureK (this page)
4 Zoom-Zoom
Zoom-Zoom
43. wIlD wEEkEND
g
soarinhot
slings g blades of
a Bell 205 ll
The whirrin u in a free fa
00 feet. Yo
Helic opter at 1,3 , strapp ed to the
inal velocity retching
nearing term gee cord st
of a bun
bu siness end of Cost a Rica’s
. The mouth ward you
to the limit o rushing to
most acti ve volcan coil and
unishing re
at 100 m ph. A limb-p on’t see this
air. If you d
slingsh ot into the you just
nario, then
as a fa ntastic sce -based Ove
r
ew at Idaho
don’ t get the cr some of the most
urveyors of the U.S.
the Edge, p e jumping in
ed bunge
turbocharg are all abou
t
. These guys
and beyond ee in novation to
e next bung ho've alway
s
bringing th
-challeng ed people w
gravity d.
ar like a bir
wanted to so
mouth
toward the
Wh at: Jumping licopter
o from a he osta Rica;
of a volcan e 2007 in C
Where: H eli-Bunge
t the U.S.
s throughou
other jump m)
gebungee.co
(overtheed eli-bungee
much: $1, 000 for a h
hoW ps
r bridge jum
jump; less fo
Zoom-Zoom 4
44. Jay Leno
Host of The Tonight Show
and passionate car collector
“I remember when I was a kid, reading about the Tokyo auto Mazdatrix and decided to swap out a 12A motor, put a custom
show in a car magazine, and the Mazda Cosmo had just come out. Weber carburetor on it and now it’s about 220 horsepower, up
It had everything. It was a five-speed, it had air conditioning and from 110 hp. It revs at 9,000 rpm and is a fantastic car to drive.
what were considered cool accessories of the day—like the map It makes a sort of motorboat sound at idle, and you actually sense
light on the dashboard that you could move around. The styling the firing impulses going in a circle rather than up and down.
was uniquely Japanese. But most importantly the Mazda was a It’s a real sports car—so far ahead of MGs and TR4s and all
rotary. It was the only new engine in the 20th century, really. those types of cars from that time. It’s unbelievable. It’s a real
Anyway, a while ago I went to see a guy about another car. piece of Japanese heritage.
He had a bunch of cars in his garage ,and I saw this thing in the I have a Miata and an RX-8, too, and with the RX-8, the engine
corner and I asked, ‘What’s that?’ and he said it was a Cosmo. is basically the same. The Cosmo’s a little more unrefined, but in a
He’d had it for 20 years. The engine was pretty much ruined, but good way. It’s a little bit louder and the suspension’s a little tighter,
the car was otherwise OK. So we took it back to my garage and, and with the skinny little tires on it you can slide around, but
not having a lot of experience with rotary motors, we sent it to you can tell that they’re related.”
44 Zoom-Zoom
45. ROTARY AT 40
Mazda first wowed the world with
the Cosmo and its rotary engine
four decades ago. Today Mazda is
still the only car company with the
passion and ingenuity to evolve this
unique technology. To celebrate
rotary’s 40th birthday, we speak
to fans of its past, present and
environmentally friendly future
40 years of the
club Zoom-Zoom 45
46. ROTARY AT 40
DIck Johnson
Australian racing legend
and hardcore RX-7 ace
“During my 40 years racing in australia, I guess I have mainly driven big V8-engined
saloons [sedans], but I’ve also had a close association with Mazda rotaries for one reason
or another, and I must admit to having a soft spot for them. In the early days I had a
garage, and we did a lot of rotary rebuilds for road cars. I couldn’t believe how much
power they delivered from such a small package, and how they seemed to rev to infinity.
It was really impressive. I really admire Mazda’s commitment to developing the rotary
engine, and they won an awful lot of races in Australia.
I only raced a rotary once, but what a race it was. My old mate John Bowe and I won the
1995 Eastern Creek 12-Hour Production Car race driving a twin-turbo RX-7 SP in a real
grudge match with the Porsche team that has gone into Australian motor-racing folklore.
The Porsche 911s were actually faster, so we played tortoise and hare, with us in the role
of the tortoise. We wound the rotary’s turbo boost back from 1.2 bar to about 0.8 bar to
improve fuel economy and relied on the RX-7’s superior brake wear to further reduce the
time that we spent in the pits. It worked like a charm.
JB and I drove the wheels off that car for the full 12 hours, as if it was a 10-lap sprint
race, and the RX-7 never missed a beat during the whole time. We only made seven pit
stops. But it was still a close-run thing. Jim Richards’ Porsche was closing in at the finish,
and we were delighted to see the chequered flag waved for us. There was a big celebration
in old Sydney town that night, let me tell you.”
A bRief HistoRy of RotARy
»1957 »1967 »1968 »1969 »1970
Engineer Dr. Felix The Cosmo hits The Familia The R130 Luce With a 130 bhp
Wankel builds a showrooms— Coupe (R100) Coupe takes the rotary engine,
prototype of the hand-built at a is an instant hit style capitals of the RX-2 hits the
rotary engine rate of one a day in the U.S. Europe by storm spot in America
47. koIchI IWaTa
one of Mazda’s takumi, who
hand-build every rotary engine
engineering. After completing my courses, I’m trying to save money so that I can buy
I decided that I didn’t want to leave my an RX-8 someday.
“When I started my career here I have to hometown, and so Mazda seemed the right My co-workers and I all feel like
say I felt privileged. My first impression was company for me to approach. By working craftsmen. I’ve never felt like an operator.
what a special place I was working in. We’re for such a great firm, I feel like I’m giving I’ll never forget the first time I put a rotary
the only plant in the world making the world’s something back to my community. together. The feeling at my fingertips as I
only commercial rotary engine. I couldn’t I love the rotary engine. It’s small and assembled it was really something. Obviously,
help but feel proud about my new company. powerful—really amazing. The first time putting any engine together is dexterous work,
I’m a Hiroshima boy. As a kid I’d pass I put my foot on the accelerator of an but with the rotary you’re working closely
Mazda on the way to school every day. So RX-8 … well, I can’t describe the feeling with your fingertips and hands. You can,
I was always aware of the company and what in words. I just don’t think you can. It was literally, feel that it’s very high-precision work.
it stands for. Later, I studied automotive so smooth and powerful—very exciting. And only my co-workers and I can do it.”
»1971 »1972 »1975 »1978
Winning the Fuji The chromed With its U.S.- The iconic
500, the RX-3 RX-4 adds its bit style looks, The RX-7 comes in
puts Mazda on of bling to the Cosmo AP (RX-5) a revolutionary,
the racing map showy 1970s is a hit in Japan clean shape
48. ROTARY AT 40
Dan anD Marco DI Leo
Canadian sibling rivals in the
star Mazda Championship
Dan Di Leo (left). “This is my return season in the Star Mazda series. My first was in 2004.
This series is the first to use Mazda’s rotary engine in an open-wheel racing formula and
the engine’s strengths make it a key element. I love the engine because it’s consistent and
utterly reliable. And the feel is amazing—it’s really responsive. The power is always there
for you. In Virginia I started 27th on the grid because of gearbox problems but managed
to work my way up to finish in sixth place. Because everyone has the same engine and the
same power, it’s really down to driver skill and how you set up the car. We drive for Ross
Smith Racing, which is a great team and I hope that success in Star Mazda will get me
stories: TIM BRITTEn, GAvIn GREEn, JEREMY
into Champ Cars through Mazda’s driver-development program.”
PhotograPhy: AnnE-MARIE BROOKS,
HART, KATE KLIPPEnSTEEn, COLIn RYAn
Marco Di Leo (far right). “This engine is fun to drive, the revs really build up quickly,
YASUO KOnISHI, JOHn LAMM, LAT
redlining at 8,200 rpm. It comes from an RX-8, but it makes the race car feel almost like
a Formula One car. When you hear one out on the track, you can definitely tell what it is
by the way it revs and where the gearshifts happen. This is my first season with Star Mazda,
and when you just get into motorsport, reliability is always an issue. But we’ve had no
engine problems whatsoever. Because of the power, the car has a really good top speed
compared to other similar series. I hit 160 mph on Sebring’s main straight. I only got into
the car two days before the Sebring race and I won that, which was an amazing feeling.”
»1985 »1990 »1993 »2003
More aggressive The Eunos Cosmo A new playmate. With its four
than ever, the boasts three rotors, The MkIII RX-7 doors, the RX-8
new RX-7 comes a twin turbo and is voted Playboy is unique among
Zoom-Zoom
48 with a twin turbo 300 bhp Car of the Year sports cars