GRAND-AM: Mazda Commits SKYACTIV-D Diesel Engine To New GX Class

GRAND-AM

GRAND-AM: Mazda Commits SKYACTIV-D Diesel Engine To New GX Class

The engines are being developed jointly by Mazda Motor Corporation, Mazda North American Operations and SpeedSource Engineering.

Matt Cleary | Posted June 02, 2012

Mazda's new SKYACTIV-D Diesel Engine will enter GRAND-AM competition in 2013. (Photo: Mazda)

When GRAND-AM announced the creation of the GX Class, which will feature a rules package that allows for the use of alternative technologies and fuels, questions immediately arose as to who might take up the new challenge.

At least one answer arrived this weekend at the Detroit Grand Prix as Mazda Motorsports announced that it will supply racing versions of its new SKYACTIV-D clean diesel engines to customer teams competing in GRAND-AM’s new GX Class for advanced/clean technologies, beginning with the 2013 season.The engines will be stock-block Mazda SKYACTIV-D 2.2-liter diesel four-cylinder, dual-stage turbocharged powerplants.

Mazda has been a consistently competitive force in GRAND-AM competition, winning the 2008 and 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona as well as taking the 2010 driver and team championships with SpeedSource Engineering.

“This opens a new chapter in racing for us,” said Jay Amestoy, Vice President of Mazda Motorsports, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). “We’ve won with rotary technology, and now we’re looking to again put our customers in the winner’s circle with what we believe will be the most advanced and cleanest production-based powerplant the sport has ever seen.”

The engines are being developed jointly by Mazda Motor Corporation, Mazda North American Operations and SpeedSource Engineering. Dyno testing has already begun and on-track testing begins in late 2012. Engine pricing and terms will be announced at a later date. The actual Mazda model in which the SKYACTIV-D racing engine will be installed will be announced after the conclusion of the 2012 GRAND-AM racing season.

“We operate our motorsports program as a business, selling everything from B-Spec performance kits for the Mazda2 to complete powertrains,” said John Doonan, Director, Mazda Motorsports, MNAO. “We’ve won at Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring with rotary power. While the SKYACTIV-D clean diesel engine is all-Mazda, the teams will be independents. We look forward to taking customer orders later this year.”

"We know there's going to be a lot of interest in the new GX class, and in Mazda's immediate commitment to the class," said GRAND-AM Managing Director of Racing Operations Mark Raffauf. "Mazda has been a supporter of GRAND-AM since our inception, so obviously we're very pleased that Mazda to going to devote a huge technological effort to this new direction. We think Mazda's efforts will encourage other manufacturers to likewise become interested in GX. This is all about satisfying the desires of manufacturers to become involved in our sport and satisfying the desires of our fans to see great racing."

With experience at Skip Barber Racing School, Lime Rock Park, and several IndyCar teams, Matt Cleary has covered open wheel and sports car racing for over a decade. Working for Sunday Group Management, Cleary also provides strategic motorsports consulting for a range of clients in the sport. You can follow him on Twitter @sundaygroup.

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Matt Cleary

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