Mazda Motorsports will field a pair of factory-supported Multimatic Lola B12-80 coupes powered by the company’s 2.2-liter four-cylinder SkyActive turbocharged diesel in the Prototype-class in the inaugural season of the Tudor SportsCar Championship, the company announced on Nov. 14.
Mazda’s P2 Lola program was first announced in 2012 but aside from a static show car on display at several American Le Mans Series events, nothing tangible materialized. Instead the company opted to campaign tube-framed Mazda6s with SkyActive diesel motors in the Rolex Sports Car Series’ new GX class, in conjunction with former GT champions SpeedSource Engineering.
After a few teething problems in the first three races, these cars scored nine race wins, the manufacturer’s title, second in the driver’s championship, and second and third in the team competition. Having thus proven the power and longevity of the engine, Mazda decided that 2014 was the time to act and TUSC was the venue.
Mazda purchased a pair of Lola P2 chassis from Canadian firm Multimatic, which took over Lola’s sports car arm in late 2012, and again in conjunction with SpeedSource will campaign them in the Prototype class of the new sports car series.
“This is the most significant step Mazda has taken towards returning to the global racing stage since our overall victory at Le Mans in 1991,” said Mazda Motorsports director John Doonan in a press statement “Thanks to our SkyActiv-D Mazda6 racecars winning nine of twelve Rolex Grand-Am GX races and the Grand-Am GX Manufacturers Championship this year, we’re confident that our two prototype cars will challenge the best North America has to offer.”
The Lola-Mazda diesels will face competition from cars powered by Ford and Honda turbo V6s and Chevrolet V8s, and possibly Nissan V8s as well, so this will be a serious test for the Japanese manufacturer. None of the competition runs diesels.
The new Lola-Mazdas will debut at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, Jan. 3–5, 2014. Their first race will be the first TUSC race, the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona, Jan. 25–26, 2014.
“As a racer, you always want to be in the fastest class,” said Sylvain Tremblay, owner of SpeedSource Engineering. “The development of the Mazda SkyActiv-D was a great deal of work by Mazda and SpeedSource and it will be quite the task to take this to the front of the prototype class in only our second year of competition.
“Mazda and SpeedSource will have a busy November and December of testing as we prepare for Daytona.”
Tickets for both the Roar Before the 24 and the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona can be purchased through the Daytona International Speedway website.
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