It's amazing how many people think auto racing is about cars. Of course there would be no racing without them, but the best parts of racing have nothing to do with whatever happens to be bolted to your seat. Reading the traffic that's around you, filling their mirrors, throwing jukes, bombs and banana peels, these are the pure elements of racing.
It's true that the faster a car can go, the more fun it is to drive. And yes, it feels great to stick that perfect lap. But when was the last time you rewound your TiVo to see Alonso set that fastest lap again? A real nose-to-nose sprint to the checker, on the other hand, that could clog up the DVR for months.
Sadly, what makes those close moments so exceptional is that they don't happen too often. Don't get us wrong. We at SCC are all about finding ways to make cars better and faster. But with everyone pushing constantly to make improvements, it gets hard to find a really tight pack to race with.
One solution is spec-class racing. In spec racing, everyone races the same-model car, with specified parts and tolerances that must be used for engine and chassis prep. This creates a closer field. Inevitably though, some builders will get creative with their interpretation of the rules and build slightly faster cars. The Mazda GT cars here take spec racing to the next level. Each is purchased as a complete turn-key racecar. The only thing making one faster than another is the driver's ability to set it up and steer it.
7s Only Racing, based at Buttonwillow Raceway in California, is the creator and sole manufacturer of the Mazda GT. The company is best known for buying first-generation RX7s and turning them into competitive Pro7-class racecars. This new car is something completely original, though. While it looks like a third-generation RX7, it isn't. It's a GT2-spec tube frame chassis with a two-piece fiberglass body. The only Mazda parts in it are the front anti-roll bar and a modified 12A rotary engine.
From the get-go, the car was designed to be a reliable racing platform with low operational costs. By starting with a welded tube frame instead of a 20-year old street car, every chassis is equally straight and strong. It's also light enough not to need a monster motor to go fast. Every engine is modified and assembled by Mobius Motorsports in Palmdale, California. Each uses a custom modified Weber carburetor, manifolds and peripheral port housings designed by 7s Only. Reportedly these are good for several seasons between rebuilds. Similarly, the oversized brakes and tires are under-stressed by the lightweight chassis. According to 7s Only, pads and rotors last for at least 20 races. Belmont Marine constructs the bodies in heavy-duty fiberglass to withstand the punishment that is inevitable with close-quarters racing.
This year, 7s Only has organized a championship that runs at NASA events up and down the west coast. The company is really pushing to get drivers into the cars, with plenty of trackside support.
I get the chance to take one of the cars out for a few laps at a NASA event at the Willow Springs circuit in California. Mechanics are on hand to help dial in carbs and alignments. Caterers are also here with carbs of their own. Things seem to be going well. The dozen or so Mazda GT drivers are definitely a tight group, both on and off the track.
Unfortunately, the session I go out in has restricted passing zones and a lot of traffic. The corners are all clogged up, but everyone gets out of the way when they hear the screaming rotary zoom-zooming down the straights.
This machine feels distinctly different from any type of modified production car. The steering ratio is quick and the relatively large Toyo RA-1s have plenty of stick. The car feels pretty darty, but I'm sure that would smooth out at higher speeds.