The results and point standings after the races at Mesa Marin and Buttonwillow are enclosed here, along with Jane Anderson’s race reports. It looks like all the regulars in the Western Division Series will win money at year’s end. Pretty neat. It reminds me a lot of the early years when the West Division was the only Star Mazda Series and Formula Mazda racers were a fraternity of pioneers. Of course, now there is much more money paid out and three of the races in the West are on prime time TV.

The entry forms for the double race weekend at Thunderhill and the Willow Springs National are attached. Both tracks will have Friday test days available. The races at Thunderhill are sanctioned by N.A.S.A. but they recognize SCCA licenses, so no new credentials are necessary. Each day (Saturday and Sunday) will include practice, qualifying, and race. We start early each day and finish by noon on Sunday. We will be running the full three-mile course including “Eagle’s Nest.”

At Willow Springs, the Star Mazda Series race is the National race. There is also a Regional on Monday, which is not included with the enclosed Series race entry but Cal Club will be happy to have anyone enter who wants to race again on the Monday after Sunday’s National.

Southern Pacific Division Star Mazda Series racers that ran the double National at Phoenix in January, the recent Buttonwillow Series race, and run the upcoming Willow Springs race will have likely satisfied the minimum requirements to race at the Mid Ohio “Runoffs” in September. Also, do not forget the “bonus” National points plus the $15,000 purse and other prizes available for FM racers who do well in the “June Sprints” at Road America. That’s always a big party and the track feels like racing in Europe to many drivers. Entry information is in “Sports Car” magazine.

REMINDER:  Time is running out on the Best Western certificates for free rooms. If you have any you plan to use, please do so ASAP.

Do not miss the Speedvision broadcast of our Sebring race on Monday, 7 May. “Consult your local listings.” Chicago and Detroit area racers look for Gingerman to be on Fox Sports Network about a week later.

Fastrack just published the expected ruling on bump rubbers for the new shocks. The SCCA Comp Board also published as “not recommended for approval” the request for “spec” ratio MK5 gears as an FM option. We have made Star Race Cars’ position clear:  we can provide better reliability, lower maintenance costs, and no performance advantage at the same price as the MK8 stuff. If FM owners do not support the idea, so be it. We will sell more  parts without the improvement, but why not add to the “bulletproof” nature of an FM whenever we can? We do not understand SCCA’s position any better than they seem to understand ours. Our aim is customer satisfaction.

 

Here is something to consider. Our prime objectives have always been equal performance at the lowest possible cost, including minimal obsolescence. We prefer not to require updates be done, so customers can decide when and how they spend their racing dollars, hence our preference for “optional” updates. At the opposite extreme, if no updates were ever done, FM cars would have a finite lifespan and greater depreciation from year to year, far exceeding the average annual cost of every update ever permitted. Now, if you choose not to do an update because of cost or not being convinced of the value, your car can still be raced and updated later at a known price, even if it is by a subsequent owner. No matter how old your Star Formula Mazda car may become, it is never truly “obsolete.” We do not intend to ever “freeze” the design. To do so guarantees the eventual death of the class. Think about it.

My e-mail address is “gary@starmazda.com.” Your thoughts are always appreciated.

You are reminded that Star Race Cars is now an authorized Koni service center and can rebuild or dyno your shocks, if you need either.

See you at the races!
 

Sincerely,

Gary Rodrigues