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First of all, I'd like to apologize to all of you who I convinced to go based on my assumption that there was a first, second, and third place trophy in the Mazda class. While I can't do anything to make up for "my" mistake, I do however have a defense. It wasn't my fault.

An email from "Fred" of "Slipstream" dated Sept 19th 2005 stated the following:



How was I to know that there was only going to be a single winner? Last year there were three. In fact, I won second place behind Seth. (cymfc3s) I, like many of you have been wondering, an event sponsored by Mazda, at Mazda's own track, has first, second, and third just for Civics alone. In total, there were SEVEN trophies for Hondas. ONE for Mazda. Absurd.

This is why many of us do not participate in any other shows, why bother going to Hot Import Nights or any of the other Honda fests if there is no incentive to go? They say there is no demand, no one shows up anyway. Why bother having a Mazda class in the first place? Catch 22. If MNAO wants to get Mazda enthusiasts out there, this event should have been the one to do it.

This event left a sour taste in a lot of people's mouths, and is an embarrassment for all those involved. Not just in planning, but all companies affiliated.

While I'm not trying to say that I should have placed at all, there has been some heated discussions about who should have won first place.

This is the car that won. While not my taste, overall the car is put together cleanly. He won per one official because of his "audio" and he had some "engine mods".




Personally, I don't see how ANY car can win a category with stock rims, unless you're the only one to show up for a class (that MR2). No disrespect to the owner, but that car should not have won.

This car is practically the same. Same bodykit, similar spoiler, similar hood, engine mods, ECU, audio.



Personally I think this one is the nicer of the two, the wheels really help the look.

If an RX-8 had to win, this one looks nicer than both of those. (opinion, I know) It's not about looks though, I guess. Points are all that matters.



It may have been worth going just to watch the races, but at least for the group I was in, we didn't get to see a whole lot. Judging was to start at noon, so after watching several laps under yellow and picking up some lunch, we sat by our cars. For two and a half hours we sat in the sun, baking, waiting for someone to come by. How was anyone to know what mods we had (Stan and I, the two FCs) if no one asked? I've been a victim of several break-ins and I don't want the public to know what, if anything is on the car, so I left the hood and trunk closed. We waited, and waited. It appeared as though no one came.

My TurboII:


Stan's TurboII:


I only got photos of the rotary powered cars, but there were several other Mazda cars there. Most of them left in disgust immediately after the trophies were awarded.

On my way out, I got an empathetic response, that things will be made right. I do appreciate that but I don't know what can be done now, the event is over. I don't know that I'd be willing to drive five hours to do it over again.

The phrase "On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas racing on the racetracks, dragstrips and parking lots of America than any other brand of vehicle" might be true, but it is going to be a long time before shows such as this catch on with our crowd. That's just fine with me, maybe I'll stick to the track. Tacking gaudy body panels, sprawling excessive vinyl, and hundreds of pounds of audio just doesn't do it for me. Maybe I shouldn't even bother finishing my 95 RX-7, there won't be a venue for it.

Justin

1985 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE
1989 Mazda RX-7 TurboII
1995 Mazda RX-7 BASE
200X Mazda RX-8 Mazdaspeed?

I was seriously disappointed in the falsely advertised top 3 awards for mazda by the people holding the event. I spent all day yesterday finishing up my car last minute to bring it to the show. Not saying I should have placed either but odds looked pretty good for either me or Justin to have placed in the top 3. It's pretty ridiculous how some cars won awards by default and had so many awards for a certain make and even model while mazda only had 1. If I had known it was only 1 winner for the mazda class I probably wouldnt have even gone or rushed to get my car together at the last minute (not your fault Justin).

And for what it's worth, the RX8 that did win had no engine mods that I know of and stock audio. Not bashing on the owner but seemed like the guy giving out the awards was just making up some BS to try and make us feel better.

when the hell was this? why was i not informed? hahaha i would have lost anyways. yay for politics!

So to recap.. five hours of driving, a Saturday night wasted cleaning your car, waking up at 6am, a whole day off of work, hours baking in the heat, itchy, peeling skin today, and nothing to show for it? Thanks Justin.



I told you it doesn't pay to participate with a Mazda. Join the darkside, sell your cars and get a G35. 8)

For what it's worth, even the ticket sales website states that there were to be three award categories:

http://www.wantickets.com/?req=event&e_id=13664

Whats with the parade lap being at the end of the event? There was no reason to stay after the awards were given out, and the wait for the parade lap was way too long. 3 oclock supposedly? Nope! Afterwards I didn't even want to stick around to see if they offered photos again this year, I was already too frustrated with the whole day I just wanted to go home. (as was my passenger who's whining I had to deal with all day)

Damn guys... that is bad ju ju!! I know it's a little late, but I'll talk to the Slipstream guys and see what we can do... I'm sorry for all the Mazda peeps that I hooked-up. Congrats to Ryan on winning, although I think there one or two other RXs worthy winning also!

-Bern

OK, I admit as a tagalong I was more interested in the races than the show itself. But we were FORCED to spend waaaaay too much time hanging out at the cars and missed almost all of the racing.

And as for the judging? The event info should have read - "Just do something stupid to your car to get noticed" No and I mean NO consideration was given to the quality or cleanliness of the work. This awful green Accord that was more Nissan and BMW than honda ended up winning again (if you looked at the pile of trophy's they brought with) and the car was cracked, peeling paint and was missing letters in the stitching on the seats - WTF! Now I don't condone the existence of honda's nor enjoy the pain I get when I look at the awful bodykit creations that often are seen, but I CAN respect what they do if it is done well - good fitment, good paint, attention to details and any other aspects of building a custom car that are important no matter what the asthetic appeal. This, CLEARLY did not exist Sunday. If cars were to be judged based on audio, that should have been made clear as none of us would have gone. Or if they were to judge based on any other one specific aspect then, HELLO - that should have been it's own catgory.

Now, honda opinions aside, and I mean it - the more important issue is that we were totally screwed. I chose NOT to go to Laguna Seca on Saturday and to miss the Le Mans races on Saturday to go on Sunday instead with my fellow 7 owners. We all went with the assumptions that 1. we would get to see racing and 2. there were 3 open spots for placement in the Mazda division with prominence given to Mazdas since the whole weekend was a Mazda promoted event. I could have spent $40 on Saturday, watched Le Mans and actually done what I wanted to, was it not for the false advertising for this event. Stan and Justin would not have had to waste time, money and energy working on cars and driving to Monterey had the instructions of the competition been clear.

So, in leu of the misadvertised event and the misplaced emphasis on Mazda in that advertising, combined with the fact that we were unable to even enjoy any of the racing, I sincerely propose that the event coordinators SLIPSTREAMGLOBAL or their superiors consider refunding us our ticket amounts totalling $80. As an aftermarket car design company co-owner I take personal offense to the unprofessionalness of this whole situation and would be appalled to find out that anything my company promoted or participated in were to turn out so blatently misconstrued.

If any one of the promotors reading this, would be so kind as to entertain the possibility of a refund, I can be reached at erika@lmsport.net

I was just wondering to myself, what was the criteria for the JDM class?

I don't know that anyone can judge something like that without having a through knowledge of each car, and the differences between the one here versus the one there.

If it's just OEM stuff, okay, I don't have THAT much stuff, since most of the FC is the same between here and there.

The visable OEM parts I do have are:

JDM Flash to Pass Lenses (the lense between the popup light and the turn signal)
JDM Infini IV Spoiler (600 Infini III/IVs made?)
JDM Wind Deflectors (the ones over the side windows)

If it includes visable JDM aftermarket:

GP Sports G4 Bodykit
RE Amemiya Type-1 Mirrors
D-Speed Clear Corner Lenses
Mazdaspeed Seats (how often do you see these in the states? close to never?)
Work RSZ-R wheels

Heck, even my Bridgestone tires say "Made in Japan" on them.

Of course I'm not listing the power mods, since no one bothered to come check on those while judging anyway. No, I'm not saying I should have won this either, I'm just pointing out a flaw in the system. No one can be an expert on every car, or know who makes what bodykit.

Let me guess, the winner was a Honda that was made in Canada with some Taiwaneese rims and a fake JDM licence plate.

I was the owner of black rx8 in the car show I was also dissapointed in this so called mazda event I would like to know what the hell happened to the 2nd 3rd place awards for mazda. Well as for the winner of best mazda u guy's be the judge. I have nothing against the guy who won he seemed pretty cool talking to him and congratual him on winning. I just can't believe the out come of this event it totally sucked for mazda owners who were in the show they only gave 1 award for a mazda at a mazda event that's not BS I don't know what is.

Guys,
Please feel free to send me the complaints and letters, and I'll represent this deal with Mazda and Slipstream.

For those of you who know who I am, well you know... For those that don't know me, just ask!

On this event I actually COMPED 15+ MAZDA vehicles for free. It was posted in several of the RX forums, but I see not many of you on this list saw my offer.

brhslm@earthlink.net

-Bern