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Category Archives: motorsport
MOTORSPORT: The Prince R380
While other Japanese historic racing cars generate equal amounts of enthusiasm and respect, one particular car has sat in relative obscurity for many years. Known only to a few otaku but integral in both the rising dominance of Japanese cars on … Continue reading
VIDEO: The age old battle of Skyline vs Rotary
Skyline vs Rotary. It’s one of the oldest rivalries in Japanese motorsports, ever since Mazda snatched the Skyline’s widely expected 50th touring car victory in 1972. The folks at Best Motoring have recreated the battle, with tributes to the works Hakosuka GT-R and Savanna … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Restored Mazda 767B debuts at Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
The newest addition to Mazda USA’s ever-growing Heritage Collection debuted recently at the 2016 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. In a nod to both Mazda’s racing legacy and its “Driving Matters” slogan, the newly restored #202 767B — clad in the … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: R100 and Mazda’s Endurance Racing Legacy
2016 marks the 25th anniversary of Mazda’s historic win at the world’s most celebrated endurance race: Le Mans. Yet Mazda’s interest and involvement in endurance racing stretches way back, beginning with its Cosmo Sport at the 1968 Marathon de la … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: The hakosuka Skyline GT-R at its absolute peak
By the end of 1971 racing season, the Skyline GT-R was barreling towards its highly anticipated 50th victory in Japan’s hotly contested touring car races. The GT-R had enjoyed three years of domination but, as history knows, the planning for that much publicized 50th win would all … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Mazda’s 787B Le Mans livery rides again
It may not be 24 hours and it may not be Le Mans, but the Six Hours of Watkins Glen is no walk in the park. In honor of the 25th anniversary of its Le Mans win, Mazda wrapped one … Continue reading
25 YEAR CLUB: Celebrating the Le Mans-winning Mazda 787B, Part 04
Twenty-five years ago today, the Mazda 787B started on a 24-hour journey that would change Japan’s motorsport history. As you know, Mazda won the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans, and in parts 01, 02, and 03 of our tribute to this … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Toyota wins the 23 Hours, 55 Minutes of Le Mans
Rumor has it that Mazda, as the only Japanese automaker to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall, has a pre-written letter ready to congratulate Toyota should it ever become the second. Despite what seemed like a sure victory, that letter … Continue reading
25 YEAR CLUB: Celebrating the Le Mans-winning Mazda 787B, Part 03
In the previous installments of our 25th anniversary commemoration of Mazda 787B’s historic Le Mans win, we looked at the race car’s genealogy as well as the origin of its team. With the rules change imminent, it was the last year … Continue reading
25 YEAR CLUB: Celebrating The Le Mans-winning Mazda 787B, Part 02
The 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans is now underway — a perfect occasion to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the historic victory of the Mazda 787B. If you’re listening to or watching the race live, join us on a … Continue reading
25 YEAR CLUB: Celebrating the Le Mans-winning Mazda 787B, Part 01
The 24 Hours of Le Mans begins tomorrow. This year marks the 84th running of the iconic endurance race. For racing fans and JNCers in particular, 2016 is especially significant as it is the 25th anniversary of the first and, … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: The Mazda Cosmo Sport and the most grueling race of all time
The Mazda Cosmo Sport. This space age sports car from the spunky little company in Hiroshima is now a bona fide blue chip classic, a poster child of vintage Nihon sought after by collectors and auction addicts. It is an … Continue reading
RIP Peter Williamson, Aussie Toyota racing legend, 1938-2016
Australia, Toyota, and the world of motorsport has collectively lost a great ambassador with the passing of Peter “Willo” Williamson. For those of us who grew up in southwestern Sydney in the 1970s and 1980s, Willo was a legend and a … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Watch the fire-breathing Skyline Super Silhouette decimate Group 5
The Group 5 Skyline Turbo is one of the most legendary race cars in Japanese motorsport history. By now you know that its extreme Super Silhouette aero inspired a whole genre of tuning, but why was it so epic?
RIP Yoshimi Katayama, 1940 — 2016
It was announced in Japanese media yesterday that Yoshimi Katayama (片山義美) — the legendary race car driver often associated with Mazda — had passed away on March 26. He was 75. His prolific career was marked by some of Japan’s most … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: The Super Silhouette Nissans that inspired a generation of bosozoku
One of the biggest treats from the NISMO Festival at Fuji Speedway the display of Nissan’s Super Silhouette racers from the late 1970s and early 1980s. Developed for Group 5 specifications, their extreme aero styling inspired a generation of bosozoku and kaido racers.
MOTORSPORT: How Nissan thwarted the Toyota in the golden age of the Japan Grand Prix
By 1968 Toyota had had enough of losing their home country’s biggest race — the annual Japan Grand Prix — to Nissan. They had just debuted the nation’s flagship sports car in the 2000GT, but it was getting trounced by the Prince/Nissan R380, a … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: 25 Hours of Thunderhill Miatas in retro livery
If you’re watching the 25 Hours of Thunderhill this weekend you might see a very familiar livery blasting around the northern California circuit. Mazda has sent a quartet of ND Miatas into the longest enduro in America and, fittingly, they’re … Continue reading
50 Years Ago: Honda F1 car wins Grand Prix of Mexico
Fifty years ago, on October 24, 1965, the Honda RA272 crossed the finish line at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City to clinch the company’s first Formula One victory. The effort began in May 1962, and it was said that when Soichiro Honda gave the order … Continue reading
MOTORSPORT: Dome recreates Honda S-based Macransa and Karasu to celebrate 50th anniversary
You might know Dome from its wild 1978 Zero concept car, but the firm dates back to 1965. Recently, Dome celebrated its 50th anniversary by recreating two of its very first cars. Based off of 1960s Honda S-Series roadsters, the Karasu … Continue reading
