Star Race Cars to stand down factory effort at end of season and focus on series support

September 3, 2004. Pacoima, California. Star Mazda Series President Gary Rodrigues announced today that Star Race Cars will halt their factory team effort in the Star Mazda Series North American Championship presented by Goodyear effective at the end of the 2004 season and focus on the continued growth of the Star Mazda Series as the premier formula car development series in the United States.

“Star Race Cars and the Star Mazda Series came into being to provide a cost effective path to help launch young drivers up the motorsports ladder, and our love of racing and the series dictates that we take this path,” Rodrigues said. “The Star Race Cars drivers and crew have done a terrific job this year with the new car, but with that has come a higher the level of concern for teams racing against the factory effort.“

“The level of competition has reached the point that the time has come for us to leave the preparation of the cars and participation in the races to the customers, and for Star Race Cars to concentrate on product development and customer assistance at and away from the track."

Star Race Cars will continue to conduct testing and development sessions for the new Pro Formula Mazda along with the special “shootout” competitions that allow drivers competing in regional series across the country the opportunity to test the new Pro Formula Mazda and win a seat in North American Championship events. “While still supporting our passion for racing and our mission of developing the next crop of motorsports champions, this move will allow us to redouble our efforts in providing competitors in our series the service, support, and series administration that they deserve,” Rodrigues explained.

The Star Mazda Series North American Championship presented by Goodyear has become the premier formula car development series in North America. Featuring the new Pro Formula Mazda, which boasts the 240-horsepower Mazda “Renesis” rotary engine, six-speed sequential gearbox, and a carbon-fiber chassis built alongside the G-Force IndyCar chassis, the series has seen fields in excess of 40 cars.

The 2004 championship consists of ten rounds supporting American Le Mans Series and NASCAR events, with all races being broadcast on Speed Channel in the United States and on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. For more information please visit www.starmazda.com.