ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Mazda North America and MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development, a high profile participant in many levels of racing, has announced its entrance into kart racing as a Presenting Sponsor of the Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest karting street race.
In announcing the multi-year deal, Mazda said its involvement would be mainly as a friend of the karting community in 2007, but that the involvement would grow. Mazda joins AT&T and CJC Investments as Presenting Sponsors of the event.
Mazda will also be a high-profile supporter of the Champ Car Rotax Kart
Challenge, the World Karting Association, Snap-on Stars of Karting
presented by the Indy Racing League, Superkarts! USA, as well as New
Castle Motorsports Park near Indianapolis, Ind. Mazda’s support will
consist of both traditional sponsorship funding toward prize money and
operating costs, as well as unique benefits such as business-partner
pricing on new Mazda vehicles for kart racers who belong to those
organizations.
Over the past decade, Mazda has become the brand of choice for
road-racers across North America. Over 9,000 grassroots racers compete
in various classes with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the
National Auto Sport Association (NASA). Now, kids still years away
from their driver’s license, can start their professional motorsports
career in the Mazda family.
“We are committed to developing the next generation of racers with a
ladder system that provides drivers with Mazda and Mazda-powered open
and closed-wheel cars throughout their careers,” said Robert Davis,
Senior Vice President, Product Development and Quality, and the man
responsible for Mazda’s North American motorsports operations under the
MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development banner. “With this karting
initiative, we can now connect with an even larger and younger base of
enthusiasts. Many Formula 1 and Indy 500 champions have started their
careers in karting – kids may race, but it is not child’s play.”
Now, a driver can begin in karts and progress upward through the Skip
Barber Driving School series, Club Racing Formula Mazda, professional
Star Mazda, and finally to Formula Atlantic, all with Mazda.
“Mazda is involved in racing all over this country and the world.
Racing is part of its heritage and having them involved in the sport of
karting and especially the Rock Island Grand Prix can only be a good
thing,” said Rock Island Grand Prix President Roger Ruthhart.
The Rock Island Grand Prix, the world’s largest karting street race,
draws more than 400 entries from throughout the United States and
Canada competing for one of karting’s largest purses. It has also
hosted racers from Italy, France, Colombia, Costa Rica, England,
Argentina, Bermuda and Mexico. It includes 15 feature pro races in
4-cycle, 2-cycle and shifter classes. Rock Island Grand Prix races are
also broadcast worldwide via the internet by monksmedia.com . It is
always held the Saturday and Sunday or Labor Day Weekend.
On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of
America than any other brand of vehicle. At the track, you’ll see MX-5
Miata, RX-8, MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-7 and other vintage Mazda models
competing, because every Mazda has the Soul of a Sports Car. In fact,
the fastest growing road-racing class in the U.S. is the SCCA’s Spec
Miata class, with nearly 1,500 first- and second-generation Miatas
tearing up America’s racetracks, making it the most-raced production
car in the world. Mazda’s involvement in motorsports extends to its
relationship with Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, one of the world’s premier
road-racing circuits, and the Skip Barber Schools for driving and
racing.
Mazda North American Operations, headquartered in Irvine, Calif.,
oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of
Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly
900 dealers. Canadian operations are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., in
Ontario, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico, Mexico City.
(www.MazdaUSAmedia.com, www. Mazdaspeedmotorsports.com )
AT&T is the largest telecommunications company in the United States
and one of the largest in the world. AT&T is the recognized world
leader in providing IP-based communications services to business and
the U.S. leader in providing wireless, high speed Internet access,
local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising
services. As part of its "three screen" integration strategy, AT&T
is expanding video entertainment offerings to include such
next-generation television services as AT&T U-verse TV. With 55.8
million subscribers, AT&T provides international voice services to
virtually every country and territory in the world. It is a global
company that sets the industry standard for a new era of integrated
communications and entertainment services. The AT&T Foundation has
contributed more than $1.8 billion to nonprofit organizations around
the country, including $60 million in 2006, putting it among the five
largest corporate foundations in the United States. (www.att.com)
CJC Investments is a franchisee of HomeVesters of America Inc. which
trains and supports HomeVestors franchisees who specialize in buying
properties in need of repair, expanding and building upon the
HomeVestors’s of America, Inc. reputation for “We Buy Ugly Houses.” In
every market where HomeVestors franchises exist, the “We Buy Ugly
Houses” and “Ugly’s OK” campaigns are prominent. CLC Investments, the
HomeVestors office in St. Louis, Mo., can be reached by calling (618)
394-8940. (www.homevestors.com)
The Rock Island Grand Prix is hosted by The Downtown Rock Island Arts
and Entertainment District which features Casino Rock Island, retail
shops, excellent restaurants, live entertainment, dinner theater, art
galleries and comedy clubs all within walking distance of the host
hotel. It is located on the Mississippi River three hours west of
Chicago in an area known as the Quad-Cities which straddles the river
and the Illinois/Iowa border. It is at the intersection of Interstate
highways 74, 88 and 80 and is served by Quad City International Airport
in Moline, Ill. (www.ridistrict.com)
For more information on the Rock Island Grand Prix, visit www.rockislandgrandprix.com and www.myspace.com/rockislandgrandprix.
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