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Category Archives: motorsport
MOTORSPORT: The Raybrig livery finished its final race before retirement in a jaw-dropping blaze of glory
For nearly 25 years, the Raybrig NSX has been a fixture in the Japan Grand Touring Championships. In the JGTC heyday, the striking blue racing machine was one of the most recognizable on the track. Over the weekend, however, the … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Calsonic colors live on, even though the company’s gone
When Calsonic was merged with Magnetti Marelli in September of last year and renamed to just Marelli, the fate of its famed blue livery was uncertain. It would have been sad to see Calsonic go, as they had been a … Continue reading
Mazda classics take a lap at Tsukuba Circuit during a 4-hour Roadster enduro
Many automotive journalists don’t even own cars. Why do that when you are supplied by a never-ending stream of press loaners that show up in your driveway every week? However, if you were to poll all the journalists, you’d probably … Continue reading
Toyota is building a Motorsports Village at Fuji Speedway
Toyota, which owns Fuji Speedway, is planning to turn the facility into a world-class motorsports destination. It has announced plans to a motorsports village that will include a luxury hotel, museum, and facilities for both racing teams and privateers to … Continue reading
Here’s what Mitsubishi is forsaking by killing the Pajero
So Mitsubishi is killing off what is arguably its most iconic model. No, not the Lancer Evo, a specialty sports sedan made for select first world markets. We’re talking about the Pajero, a rugged off-roader sold in 170 countries, that … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Help restore this JGTC Supra race car
Recently the internet helped get the restoration of a rare left-hand-drive 1960 Prince Skyline underway. As fate would have it, another chance to help resurrect a glorious piece of Japan’s automotive history has presented itself. And the car in question … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: How Ikaten bridged illegal and professional drifting, with silver cephalopods
Drifting went pro in 2000 when the D1 Grand Prix series was founded. But long before D1GP, there was the Ikasu Hashiriya Team Tengoku (roughly translated to Ikasu Racer Team Heaven), an amateur drift series that bridged the era between … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Touring car classes mix it up at the 1973 Japan Grand Prix
While open-wheeled cars were the main event at the 1973 Japan Grand Prix, the supporting Touring Car races were where the action was. Take the TS-a class, for example. Here were racers based on cars that anyone could afford. Nissan … Continue reading
VIDEO: Mazda racing liveries, animated
Mazda UK has released a new video called “Our Greatest Motorsport Liveries” to honor its 100th Anniversary. The short animated movie goes through several of the company’s famous racing colorways, varying from the Group B RX-7 to the renowned (ha!) … Continue reading
Mazda 4-rotor vs Toyota V10: Which race car sounds better?
At Toyota’s recent Gazoo Racing Festival, fans got the rare opportunity to see — and hear — two vastly different top-level prototype race cars roaring side by side. Both the Mazda 787B’s quad-rotor and the Toyota TS010’s 3.5-liter V10 hailed … Continue reading
NEWS: Rotary engine may race again at Le Mans
Rotaries are returning to Le Mans, at least in the rule books. According to the most recent technical regulations for the Le Mans Hypercar category approved and released by the FIA World Motor Sport Council, rotary engines may power the machines in … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: A new historic racing group for Datsun 510s and other compact sedans of the 60s and 70s to race this Saturday
This weekend, October 4-6 2019, Classic Sport Racing Group (CSRG)’s Charity Challenge will feature an exhibition of historic sedan racing through its John Morton Cup Series, named after Datsun racing legend John Morton himself. Joining the cars of the John … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Restored Gatorade RX-3 and other classic Mazda racers at Laguna Seca
Monterey Car Week’s centerpiece racing event, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, concluded this weekend. While there was a noticeable lack of Japanese representation at Laguna Seca as compared to last year (despite the fact that the theme was the 50th … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Honda celebrates 60 years of racing
Honda is one of the few carmakers that’s been racing almost as long as it’s been a company. Its first foray into motorsports was a dive into the deep end, challenging the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, widely considered one … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Sonoma Festival of Speed
Sonoma Raceway, or more widely known as Sears Point Raceway and Infineon Raceway, is one of Northern California’s “old-time” tracks with rich racing history that stretches back to 1968. Often overshadowed by Laguna Seca Raceway, it has long been the … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Toyota’s Celica Convertible Le Mans Trophy Car
As is tradition before each year’s running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the previous year’s champion gets to do a little parade lap showing off the towering trophy they have. The prize then gets delivered to FIA officials … Continue reading
VIDEO: Dirt track oval racing in Japan
Dirt track racing is stupid fun, doing with real cars essentially what every kid does with Hot Wheels. That, apparently, is true no matter what country you’re from. Back in the day, with plenty of big, rear-wheel-drive cars available for … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Three Paris-Dakar drivers are reunited with the Mitsubishis they raced to victory
The sun is setting on the Mitsubishi Pajero, but before the legendary nameplate enters twilight, the company is honoring its many successes in the Paris-Dakar Rally. A new video released by Mitsubishi Motors titled “The Spirit of Pajero” highlights the … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Record-holding Dakar racer Yoshimasa Sugawara retires at age 77
After a record 36 back-to-back runs in the Dakar Rally, Yoshimasa Sugawara has decided to hang up his racing hat for good. The Hokkaido native holds dual Guinness records for most consecutive starts, having participated in his first Dakar Rally … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Mazda still carries the IMSA torch
Mazda has been a dominant force in IMSA since the original 1979 RX-7 won its class at the 24 Hours of Daytona in its debut year. As our resident vintage racer Glenn Chiou mentioned in his recent piece, much of … Continue reading
