October 19, 2000

To All Star FM Racers:

Wow, Y2K went by fast! The sequences from Texas to Portland, and from Petit LeMans to Runoffs to Laguna Seca were especially challenging, but, with the Las Vegas Speedway event and Awards Banquet only a week away, it appears we are wrapping up the most successful year so far for Star Mazda. The 2001 Pro (TV) schedule is published, and the Divisional schedules are nearly done. We have some great deals shaping up for Star Mazda “graduates” for next year and a lot of talented young drivers looking to join us for 2001.

A popular question recently has been “When should I order the new shocks, and when will they be shipped?” (Ans.: You may order now from your dealer. We hope to start shipping in December.) Do not delay ordering your rollbar update kit. The new structure will be mandatory for the Series and throughout SCCA starting January 2001. The new shocks are optional.

Please take a moment to fill out the survey enclosed here. We make decisions based on the racers’ input that we get back.

If you have not RSVP’d to Norma for the banquet at Circus Circus, please do so now (818-909-5355). We need an accurate count for the hotel. Dress is casual, as always. It should be a great chance for everyone to celebrate all the heroics we saw during 2000.

Last minute news flash! The 2001 SCCA Runoffs have been rescheduled to 17-23 September. This eliminates the conflict for those going to the Star Mazda Series race at Road Atlanta (Petit LeMans) on the original October 2-5 dates.

The Laguna Seca race report, points and standings are attached. Note the differences in the West Division ranking versus the Best Western Championship ranking – even though many drivers run both.

There was a famous sign in the 1950s, hanging in a Culver City, California, speed shop which read “Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?” This thought, turned upside down, leads many to believe that less expensive race cars must be relatively slow. That was what surprised race fans at Laguna Seca when Jason LaPoint and Bernardo Martinez qualified their Formula Mazdas at 1:26.9 and 1:27.00, respectively. Times that would have put them 2nd and 3rd on the TransAm grid! Trans Am pole was 1:26.8.

Before I close, congratulations to Matt Beardsley for his Runoffs victory in FM. Well done.

See you at the races!

Sincerely,
Gary E. Rodrigues