Remember Barber Saab?

[NismoZ]

And Barber Dodge? Well it's Barber Mazda now! Good show. Plus lots of Mazda3s, Miatas and RX-8s for the schools. A "few" good ones have come from this direction.;)

[cameraman]

The press release:


World's Largest Sports Car Company Teams With Largest Racing and Driving School

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations and Skip Barber Racing School LLC announced today a new, long-term partnership agreement that promises to reshape the world of competitivemotorsports. The agreement will deliver a broad range of programs designed to further define and strengthen the U.S. motorsports "ladder" through which drivers learn and gain experience on their way to the top ranks of amateur and professional racing.

Mazda will supply vehicles to Skip Barber for exclusive use in the "Skip Barber Driving School Powered by Mazda." The school annually graduates over 7,000 students and will feature the MAZDA3, MX-5 and RX-8 cars in a variety of purpose-built exercises at Skip Barber's premier base locations, including Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California, Sebring International Raceway and Daytona International Speedway in Florida, Road America in Wisconsin, and Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.

In addition, Mazda engines will soon provide power to the 120 racecars used in the "Skip Barber Racing School Powered by Mazda" and the "Skip Barber Race Series Powered by Mazda." Skip Barber's Racing School annually graduates over 5,000 students and is offered at over 20 prominent racetracks across the nation. Graduates have included drivers Jeff Gordon, Michael and Marco Andretti, Juan Pablo Montoya, and other marquee names in professional racing.

Many Racing School graduates go on to race in the Skip Barber Race Series, long considered one of the key rungs on the motorsports development ladder. Over 1,000 competitors participate each year in one or more regional championships, one master's championship, or the prestigious entry level semi-pro series, the BFGoodrich Skip Barber National Presented by RACER.

"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. "Skip Barber is the perfect partner to help us realize this vision."

"The motorsports development path to achievement is about to get a lot clearer," said George Ayres, President and COO of Skip Barber Racing School LLC. "Skip Barber trains many of the world's top drivers and our leadership in this area will help strengthen Mazda's motorsports program. Mazda vehicles and engines will in turn help solidify our position as the leader in instructional and racing excellence for drivers who want to succeed."

Davis and Ayres each noted a series of connections and like-minded purposes that helped lead to the formation of the partnership. "On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle," said Davis. "We want the best-trained drivers in these cars and that is what Skip Barber is all about."

"Over fifty Skip Barber-trained drivers are currently racing Mazda or Mazda-powered cars in professional series races right now," said Ayres. "Dozens more are participating in amateur class events like Spec Miata. From Champ Car Atlantic powered by Mazda to ALMS and the Grand-Am Cup Series, the connections between our drivers and Mazda are strong and will grow stronger as a result of this partnership."

[ferrarigod]

hopefully will mean that they will start racing with us more. I miss the old Barber Pro/Barber races inbetween CART and the PPG Pace Car show:D

[Fio1]

So does that mean that Skip Barber will start using F.Mazda's?

[chop456]

Remember Xerex/Saab?

I recall being at Road America and seeing future greats like Kenny Brack battling with some fat Colombian kid. :gomer:

[pchall]

So does that mean that Skip Barber will start using F.Mazda's?

There was a picture with that release that showed the existing Barber single-seaters with Mazda logos on the nose. I suspect that the deal involves putting the Duratech 4 in 2.0l and 2.3l form into the school series cars. Besides, Mazdaspeed knows who to call in Torrance about performance parts for that engine. ;)

[FCYTravis]

FMazdas would be way too expensive for Skippy School cars - the repairs, I mean. Those things get wadded up and unwadded like you wouldn't believe... :eek:

A couple Russell Mechanics School grads are wrenches on the 99 car... they've got some stories. They were once told to rebuild a car that had burnt down to the frame :saywhat: :rolleyes: :gomer:

[Sean O'Gorman]

If you search on YouTube, there are some videos of the new Barber school car doing testing at Mid-Ohio. No idea who is building it or when it debuts.

[mexican]

Remember Xerex/Saab?

I recall being at Road America and seeing future greats like Kenny Brack battling with some fat Colombian kid. :gomer:

IIRC it wasn't at RA. I was there for both rounds in 93 (when Brack raced) and Montoya did not show up until the MO round.

just clearing up the info :)

[Rus'L]

I have a Barber Saab crew shirt hanging in my closet from when I volunteered for their race weekend at Watkins Glen one year. It may have been the first or second year that series existed.